Anthologisation and Irish Short Fiction

Reviews / Votes

"A superbly rich, complex analysis of the Irish short story, with particular emphasis on the role of anthologies and of the political act that anthologising plays in its ecosystem. Written with passion and precision, forensic in its gaze, agile in its arguments, sharp and often subversive in its insights, this is an essential read for any scholar or dedicated reader of the form. A formidable achievement."

--Lucy Caldwell, editor of Being Various and author of Openings and These Days

"Paul Delaney's revelatory study shows just how decisive the anthology has been in the fortunes of Irish short fiction and the reputations of its writers. The range of examples is enormous, each one constructing or contesting a view of what 'the Irish short story' ought to be. He navigates these complexities with ease. The result if a hugely enjoyable account of publishing history and a nuanced reading of individual authors. Delaney's recognition that the short story is inherently a shape-shifting text, subject to re-writing with each reprinting, raises fundamental questions for all those studying the genre."

--Ailsa Cox, Professor Emerita in Short Fiction

"This beautifully written study offers a comprehensive analysis of the impact of anthologies on the production, dissemination and reception of the short story in Ireland. Paul Delaney is profoundly knowledgeable about contemporary Irish short fiction and draws on a vast body of anthologies, collections and stories to examine editorial practices, authorial revisions and issues of canon formation. Tracing the changing guises of stories across different publication platforms, he questions conventional conceptions of 'the' Irish short story and highlights the remarkable portability and plasticity of the short form. With his sustained attention to the material contexts of the short story, Delaney presents an innovative approach to the genre which is sure to inspire short fiction research in other traditions as well."

--Elke D'hoker, Professor of English Literature, Director of the Leuven Centre for Irish Studies and the Centre for Literature and Education

"This is an immensely valuable and much needed study. It illuminates the practice and theory of Irish short fiction, in its diverse guises and compelling range of subject. In focusing not only on contemporary short stories but also on the ways we - readers and critics - talk about contemporary short fiction, Delaney provides many rich and suggestive insights that guide us back to these 'magnitudes of telling' and to the many platforms - anthologies and writers' collections, magazines and periodicals - where short fiction continues to prosper."

--Margaret Kelleher, Chair of Anglo-Irish Literature and Drama, University College Dublin