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That Old Country Music

By Kevin Barry
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
That Old Country Music by Kevin Barry is a collection of short stories set in the west of Ireland, capturing the quiet beauty and raw realities of rural life. The tales explore themes of love, longing, and the intricate complexities of human relationships, all wrapped in Barry's rich, lyrical prose. The landscape plays a vital role, becoming a character itself, as the stories delve into both the mundane and the mystical aspects of life in this uniquely evocative setting.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this collection if you appreciate stories steeped in atmosphere and rich language, capturing the heart and soul of Ireland. With characters that are both vivid and timeless, it offers a blend of humour, longing, and the complexity of human relationships set against the evocative Irish landscape.

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A brilliant story collection - full of love, melancholy and magic - from the Goldsmiths Prize and IMPAC award-winning author of the Booker-longlisted Night Boat to Tangier.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Since his landmark debut collection, There Are Little Kingdoms in 2007, and its award-winning sequel in 2012, Dark Lies the Island, Kevin Barry has been acclaimed as one of the world's most accomplished and gifted short-story writers.

Barry's lyric intensity, the vitality of his comedy, and the darkness of his vision recall the work of masters of the genre like Flannery O'Connor and William Trevor, but he has forged a style which is patently his own.

In this rapturous third collection, That Old Country Music, we encounter a ragbag of West of Ireland characters, many on the cusp between love and catastrophe, heartbreak and epiphany, resignation and hope. These stories show an Ireland in a condition of great flux but also as a place where older rhythms, and an older magic, somehow persist.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Kevin Barry's collection is praised for its evocative portrayal of wounded Irish characters amid the vivid landscapes of the west of Ireland. Critics highlight Barry's mastery in crafting exhilarating, witty, and poignant tales, full of dark humour and pathos. The stories are recognized for their originality, linguistic flair, and the blend of comedy and melancholy, showcasing Barry's unique talent and continuous evolution as a writer.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781782116219

Publisher: Canongate Books

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 15 October 2020

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Canongate Books

Edition: Main

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 22.0mm

Width: 144.0mm

Height: 220.0mm

Weight: 313g

Pages: 192

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Kevin Barry Literary Fiction

About the Author

Kevin Barry is the author of three novels and two short story collections. His awards include the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, the Goldsmiths Prize, the Sunday Times EFG Short Story Prize and the Lannan Foundation Literary Award. His stories and essays have appeared in the New Yorker, Granta and elsewhere. He also works as a playwright and screenwriter, and he lives in County Sligo, Ireland. His latest novel, Night Boat to Tangier, was an Irish number one bestseller, was longlisted for the Booker Prize and shortlisted for Novel of the Year at the Irish Book Awards.

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