Granta 135. New Irish Writing (Granta: The Magazine of New Writing) - Tapa blanda

'The always interesting, often intriguing and at times tantalising Granta magazine inhabits a space it has made its own: a literary journal possessing the confidence and substance of a book' -- Eileen Battersby, Irish Times

'[Kevin Barry's] affectionately engaging portrayal [...] should do wonders for Cork tourism as Granta readers lap it up. Lucy Caldwell has a touching short story of love and longing in the wee North, and memories stirred into reverie by a Belfast Marriage Equality march... Granta magazine has dusted down the Irish shop window and put on a captivating display of native talent' -- Paddy Kehoe, RTÉ Ten

'[Kevin Barry's] essay is so evocative of place, so funny and so shrewdly observed that I could fill this review by quoting from it, and Lucy Caldwell's Belfast-set 'Here We Are' is just as evocative, while telling a coming-of-age story that's suffused with real tenderness and poignancy. 'Mr Salary' by Sally Rooney (who's working on her first novel) has a similarly wistful sense of transience in its tale of an unusual transatlantic relationship that mingles deep friendship and suppressed desire; while John Connell's 'The Birds of June', which concerns a nurse who works in a rural home for the elderly, shows that there's still a place in Irish writing for the old fashioned well-crafted tale if it's done as well as it is here' -- John Boland, Irish Independent

'What a treat this collection is, featuring up-and-comers as well as established Irish talent... Belfast writer Lucy Caldwell's tale of 'forbidden love' between two girls is one of the standout stories... Colin Barett's trademark rough lyrical magic is to the fore in his tale of Dev Handrick... The contributions from Co Down poet Leontia Flynn, Belinda McKeown, Kevin Barry and John Connell are yet more highlights in a sterline collection, while the photographs by Doug DuBois, Birte Kaufmann, Stephen Dock and Eamonn Doyle are uniformly stunning.' --Brian Campbell, Irish News

A century ago the Irish took up arms to end British rule - the Easter Rising marked the beginning of a period of drastic social and political changes that continue to reverberate through Irish life. Aesthetically, too, it has been a century of great experimentation, exploration and evolution. Granta 135: New Irish Writing celebrates one of the most distinguished literary traditions from a contemporary perspective, showcasing new writing from up-and-coming talent as well as from the country's most established voices. An issue of fiction, memoir, reportage, poetry, photography and art that will chart the many places, identities and stories that make up a nation, 'New Irish Writing' features Kevin Barry, Eimear McBride, Belinda McKeon, Donal Ryan, Colm Tóibín and many others.