Just like last year Mel u from The Reading Life is organizing an Irish Short Story Week.
He has already published his tentative plans and some resources for those who want to join. Some of the authors and topics he will review are James Joyce, Lord Dunsany, Elizabeth Bowen, Sheridan LeFanu, Oscar Wilde, Frank O’Connor, Irish fairy tales. I really like his plans, they manage to capture nicely how diverse the topic is. If you are interested in joining and want to know more about Mel u’s plans, you can find them here.
I’m not sure at all what I’m going to read. I have a few collections on my TBR pile and one anthology which looks promising. I know I will not be able to read more than one or two stories but that’s better than nothing, I guess.
Here are a few of the possibilities:
Frank O’ Connor’ s The Genius
James Joyce’s Araby
Seán O Faoláin’s Innocence
Do you have a favourite Irish Short Story writer?
Beauty is a Sleeping Cat 
Thanks for posting this. I just joined in on the fun. I’m not too familiar with Irish authors, but I’m a fan of Bram Stoker. I think I’ll read one of his short stories. Looking forward to the challenge.
That’s great, I’m sure Mel will be glad. I totally forgot Bram Stoker was Irish. Good idea. It’s a great idea and will force me to read some books I already have.
I really like William Trevor–although I prefer the novels to the short stories
I like him as well. He would be one to re-read. It is an option.
Beckett is my Irish favorite – both in long and in short!
Good luck with your Irish- Week!
Thanks, Sigrun. That’s another interesting suggestion. I only know his plays, I dodn’t think I’ve ever read anything else by him. maybe I have one of his stories in my anthology.
Sigrun-why not post on one of Beckett’s shorter works of fiction-very strange works
Why not read some James Stephens, for instance here:
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search.html/?default_prefix=author_id&sort_order=downloads&query=670
a marvellous short story writer – contemporary of Joyce, but very different.
Thank you so much, obooki. I was hoping to find someone to choose I didn’t know.
Stephens is a great idea. I will be posting on a story of his set in an Irish Theatrical Agency. George Moore, the plot for the recent movie, Albert Nobbs comes from one of his stories, is another good option.
“Araby” is a story that has followed me around like perhaps no other single work of literature. I’m indebted to it in oblique ways for two of the dearest friendships of my life. So among the three stories you’re considering, that one gets my vote, for whatever it’s worth.
Thanks, Scott. It’s so amazing that Araby was so influentila in your life led to two friendships. I’m certainly very tempted.
I have to start blogging as soon as possible. Moving to a new house really troublesome. I have been planning to join this Irish week because I have a lot of Irish shorts to read.
Glad to know you are also joining in 🙂
I saw you mentioned something about moving. I don’t envy you, it’s always such a major thing. Once everytthing is done it’s grear but to get there… I knew you wanted to join. I hope you can make it. It’s already next week.
That’s a great idea, I wish I had time to participate & to organize a week of French short stories.
I had something like this in mind, Emma. Or pick an author. We may very well do a Gary week. It would be great if you still had the opportunity to join/co-host…. We can still think about it. I don’t want to steal Gary from you. 🙂 maybe I come up with an idea – Ido the work but you partcipate. We did that for German literature month as well. most intro and other posts were written by me and only slightly amended by Lizzy… Ha…. I’m already enthusiastic. Btw I bought Remarkable Creatures!
You can’t do a Gary week, there aren’t enough of his books easily available in English. I would have done it already, otherwise.
I can’t co-host an event if I don’t do half the work, it doesn’t goes well with my work ethic. Call me weird if you like…
It’s great that you’re joining us for Remarkable Creatures. I hope it’s good.
PS: I got Engleby by Sebastian Faulks and Star Of the Sea by Joseph O Connor as gift. I’ve never heard of them but I’m sure you have, are they good?
I haven’t read those books but I know both authors and like them. Someone at work read Engleby and said it was great, I think it is set in Cambridge.
If you ever did organize such an event I would love to join in-I am reading my way through the stories of Guy de Maupassant now-
I love Maupassant’s stories. I can’t say I have read all of them but a lot. French short stories and novellas would be a wonderful idea for an event.
I’ll think about it during the summer. I might have time during the holidays.
The problem is not to write the posts but to read the others’ reviews. It’s not a big deal if we’re few participants but if Caroline spreads the word like she did for the German Lit month, there could be a lot to read. It wouldn’t be fair to organize something and not read what the participants write.
I know what you mean. I still think the way I did it during German Literature Month isn’t the way people ususally do it. They just link to all the post without bothering to read alll of them. But that’s how I do it and I would have expected you to be the same. Only one week is short… We will see. I had it in mind, maybe I’ll do it… Just need to time it with Richard and Stu’s Spanish Literature Month and Iris’ Dutch Literature Month and probably July in Paris… (that would be a good month)…. My life can change any day now as well… If you get my drift. It’s not sure that a few months from here I will still have the time. I might even be moving to another city…
I always forget that Elizabeth Bowen is Irish.
I have the new essay collection by Colm Toibin, entitled (and I couldn’t resist it because of the title) ‘New Ways To Kill Your Mother: Writers and Their Families’. It looks wonderful. Are essays acceptable as short stories? It’s a bit of a stretch, I realise, but I’m looking forward to reading it one way or another!
Oh that title! I need to get that book. Big thank you for mentioning it. I’m not sure how strict his definition is, maybe you could ask him. I think Toibin alos wrote short stories, didn’t he?
I always forget that too about Elizabeth Bowen. No idea why.
Yes for sure these essays of Toibin would be acceptable. I would love to read your post on them. I am posting on one of Toibin’s stories and would probably by this book if it were available as a Kindle edition-your contribution in any form is very welcome
I’m not a fan of short stories (I need something I can really sink my teeth into) but I do admire Frank O’Connor. Thanks for the reminder, Caroline.
You are welcome. I like short stories a lot. I have read a few of Frank O’Connor’s stories, he’s a great writer.
Two years ago I thought the exact same thing-now I love the short story.
@ Mel u Thanks for all your comments I hope they see it. It would be great to have the one or the other join. Good to know that essays are an option as well.
I downloaded the fairy tales by James Stephens.
I’m really looking forward to next week.
This is wonderful news, Caroline! Irish writers are wonderful! I am planning to read Oscar Wilde’s novel ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ and some of his plays soon. I also hope to read John McGahern’s ‘By the Lake’. I don’t have an Irish short story collection, though I can get a few stories from other anthologies. I have a book on Celtic mythology (that counts as Irish, doesn’t it :)) and another on Irish fairy tales.
Hope you have fun during Irish short story week! Happy Reading! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and Irish stories.
It’s a great idea. I hope many people will join. Mel will also read fairy tales. Maybe you coud read at least one or two?
I have read the short stories of Oscar Wilde and they are very good too. Maybe you could find them free online? The Canterville Ghost is great and Lord Arthur Saville’s Crime.
I’ve got one book by McGahern. Among Women. The Barry wasn’t such a success but I have never been disappointed by another Irish author before.
Thanks for the suggestion, Caroline. Maybe I will try reading one or two Irish fairy tales. I have read some of Oscar Wilde’s short stories. ‘The Canterville Ghost’ and ‘Lord Arthur Saville’s Crime’ are wonderful. Hope you enjoy the McGahern book ‘Among Women’. He looks like an interesting writer, but who doesn’t seem to be very well known. Atleast that is what I think. But his name seems to be cropping up at different places. When I was browsing through Anne Fadiman’s essay collection ‘Ex Libris’ I saw that she has mentioned McGahern in the introduction. I don’t remember reading about him, when I read that collection the first time.
You are welcome. it would be great if you could join. I read a short story by Elizabeth Bowen today that was fantastic. I thought McGahern was quite famous. But I haven’t read anything yet.
All of oscar wilde’s fairy tales and short stories are online and linked from my resources page. joseph Sheridan le Fanu also wrote a lot of paranormal stories which are all online. lord Dunsany is another great writer in the same vein.
There are also lots of 21th century stories on line in addition to the classics.
A great story is “Albert Nabbs”‘ by George Moore, on which the Glenn Close movie was based.
i am also opening the event up this year to Irish Australian writers like Barbara Baynton and Henry Handel
Thanks, Mel. Irish Australian sounds interesting. I’m curious to see how they are. I’ll look at your resources page again.
I think you can’t go wrong with Elizabeth Bowen–I’ve read a few of her stories and she’s great. I was thinking I wouldn’t be able to join in, but I am right now reading (well, very slowly) Colm Toibin’s most recent book of short stories. Maybe I’ll have to make sure I pull it out and write about one next week. I love short stories and don’t read enough of them.
It would be great if you could join. It’s 10 days after all, over one week. I was greedy and got The Granta Book of Irish Short Stories today and another one the kindle. I will certainly read one by Elizabeth Bowen and I did get the short stories by Toibin too. You can only review one story. I think Litlove will only read one of the Toibin essays. It still gives an idea of a writer.
March 23 to March 29 will be dedicated to Irish Folk and Faries Tales, you can still post on any Irish Short Story. Request, if anyone has the Enright anthology, would you consider posting on Ellis Dhuibhne’s story, “Midwife to the Fairies”‘ supposed to be wonderful, I will post on another story by her soon.
second note. i am finding so much great material I think next week I will also feature seven emerginig female authors, all stories can be read online, Emerging Irish Women Authors Week. All from online literary journals
later in the day I will post resources on Irish/Australian Women authors and a link stories by Kevin Barry and Claire Kegan from the New Yorker.
My great thanks to all who comment or join in, this is a very open event and runs until at least march 31
i have tried to put lots of options on my resources page
Caroline, my special thanks for your support. And Barbara Baynton is really am amazing writer. manybooks.net has her works online. Bush Studies is what is relevant here.
The first stories I am going to review are fairy tales…I hope that’s okay. Or should I wait till after 23?
Novroz. You are welcome to post as you wish and i am glad you can join in.
@Mel u Thanks so much for all the additional information and providing the links. Emerging female authors sounds very interesting and I’m still trying to somehow download Bush Studies.
I will review “Midwife to the Fairies” and post on it on Friday 23. I might pair it with a few stories in a W.B. Yates collection.
Caroline, were you able to download bush studies?
No, I’m not sure how to do it yet. My kindle is still relatively new. But I’lll figure it out, thanks.
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