The love object : selected stories / Edna O'Brien; introduction by John Banville.

Originally published: 2013.

The thirty-one stories collected in this volume provide, among other things, a cumulative portrait of Ireland, seen from within and without. Coming of age, the impact of class, and familial and romantic love are the prevalent motifs, along with the instinct toward escape and subsequent nostalgia for home. Some of the stories are linked and some carry O'Brien's distinct sense of the comical. In "A Rose in the Heart of New York," the single-mindedness of love dramatically derails the relationship between a girl and her mother, while in "Sister Imelda" and "The Creature" the strong ties between teacher and student and mother and son are ultimately broken. "The Love Object" recounts a passionate affair between the narrator and her older lover. The magnificent, mid-career title story from Lantern Slides portrays a Dublin dinner party that takes on the lives and loves of all the guests. More recent stories include "Shovel Kings" and "Old Wounds," which follows the revival and demise of the friendship between two elderly cousins.

Irish revel -- The Connor girls -- Tough men -- A scandalous woman -- The rug -- The creature -- The doll -- Sister Imelda -- A rose in the heart of New York -- The love object -- Number ten -- Mrs. Reinhardt -- The mouth of the cave -- Green Georgette -- Oft in the stilly night -- What a sky -- Brother -- The widow -- Storm -- Long distance -- Paradise -- Lantern slides -- Shovel kings -- Madame Cassandra -- Plunder -- My two mothers -- Manhattan medley -- Inner cowboy -- Black flower -- Send my roots rain -- Old wounds.