"Reading Irish-born Claire Keegan is like succumbing to a drug: eerie, hallucinogenic, time-stopping." --San Francisco Chronicle A new edition of the now iconic fiction writer Claire Keegan's debut story collection featuring a new woodcut cover to tie in with her current bestselling trio: the Booker Prize shortlisted Small Things Like These, Foster, and So Late in the Day First published in 1999 to great acclaim, Antarctica introduced the world to Claire Keegan whose powerful short fiction has captured audiences internationally and is considered "nothing short of a masterpiece" (New York Times). Now with a recently revised titular story, Antarctica showcases the brilliance of Keegan's spare yet piercing storytelling, evident from the very start of her career. In "Antarctica," a married woman travels out of town to see what it's like to sleep with a man other than her husband. "Love in the Tall Grass" takes Cordelia down a coastal road on the last day of the twentieth century to keep a date with her lover that has been nine years in the waiting. "Stay Close to the Water's Edge" tells of a young Harvard student who is pitilessly humiliated by his homophobic stepfather on his birthday. Keegan's writing contains a clear vision of unaffected truths and boldly explores a world where dreams, memory, and chance have crippling consequences for those involved. Often dark and enveloped in a palpable atmosphere, the reader feels that something momentous is lurking within each of these carefully sculpted tales. Winner of several prestigious prizes including the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature, the William Trevor Prize, and the Martin Healy Award, Antarctica remains a dazzling and haunting debut by one of the world's best short story writers.
Claire Keegan
Claire Keegan is an Irish author known for her concise and evocative writing style. Her most notable work is the short story collection "Walk the Blue Fields," which explores themes of family, love, and loss in rural Ireland. Keegan's writing is characterized by its lyrical prose and keen attention to detail, capturing the complexities of human relationships with precision and empathy. She has been praised for her ability to create powerful and emotionally resonant narratives in a compact form. Keegan's work has had a significant impact on the genre of contemporary Irish literature, earning her recognition as one of the country's most talented and influential writers.
Other related
Small Things Like These
Shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2022
Foster
By the Booker-shortlisted author of Small Things Like These
Antarctica
‘A genuine once-in-a-generation writer.’ THE TIMES
