Mr John B. Keane
More Irish Short Stories
A hilarious collection of short stories concerning friendships and relationships in rural Ireland by the internationally beloved author of ‘Sive’ John B. Keane
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Description
In this excellent collection of More Irish Short Stories, John B. Keane is as entertaining as ever with his humorous insights into the lives of his fellow countrymen. Few will be able to resist a chuckle at the innocence of bachelor Willie Ramley seeking a ‘Guaranteed Pure’ bride in Ireland; the preoccupations of the corpse dresser Dousie O’Dea who felt that ‘her life’s work was complete. For one man she had brought the dead to life. For this, in itself, she would be remembered beyond the grave’; at the concern of Timmy Binn and his friends for ‘the custom to exhaust every other topic before asking the reason behind any visit’; the intriguing birth of Fred Rimble and ‘the man who killed the best friend he ever had’. John B. Keane is one of Ireland's most prolific and respected literary figures, he spent his literary career running a pub in Listowel Co. Kerry which provided him with inspiration for his characters and ideas. His first play, Sive, won the All-Ireland Drama Festival in 1959 went on to become an international success. It was followed by another beloved stage work, Sharon's Grave, in 1960. The Field (1965) and Big Maggie (1969), are widely regarded as classics of the modern Irish stage. His expansive body of work includes even more stage plays, novels, collections of essays, memoirs and short stories. His novel Durango was adapted into an award-winning film in 1991, starring Brenda Fricker and Patrick Bergin. He is the one of the most decorated Irish writers of the latter half of the twentieth century and a recipient of honorary doctorates from Trinity College, Dublin, Limerick University and Marymount College, New York. John B. Keane remains one of Mercier's, and Ireland's, best-loved and best-selling authors.
Author
John B. Keane, one of Ireland’s most prolific and respected literary figures, died on 30 May 2002 at the age of 73, after a long and difficult battle with cancer. John B. Keane was born in 1928 in Listowel, County Kerry and it was here that he spent his literary career, running a pub which provided him with inspiration for his characters and ideas.
His first play, Sive, was presented by the Listowel Drama Group and won the All-Ireland Drama Festival in 1959. It was followed by another success, Sharon’s Grave, in 1960. The Field (1965) and Big Maggie (1969), are widely regarded as classics of the modern Irish stage and jewels in a crown which includes such popular hits as Many Young Men of Twenty, The Man from Clare, Moll, The Chastitute and The Year of the Hiker.
But it was not just in his plays that John B. Keane managed to portray all aspects of humanity with both wit and truth. He also wrote many fine novels, including The Contractors, A High Meadow and Durango. Durango was adapted for the big screen, starring Brenda Fricker and Patrick Bergin. A writer of essays, short stories and letters, his humorous words live on in Celebrated Letters of John B. Keane, More Celebrated Letters, The Best of John B. Keane and The Short Stories of John B. Keane. In 1987 John B. Keane received a special award for his enduring place in Irish life and letters from the Sunday Independent/Irish Life. In that year he also won a Sunday Tribune Arts Award and in 1988 he was chosen as the recipient of the Irish-American Fund Award for Literature. In 1999 he was presented with a Gradam medal, the Abbey Theatre`s highest award.
He was a member of Aosdana and the recipient of honorary doctorates from Trinity College, Dublin, Limerick University and Marymount College, New York. John B. Keane remains one of Mercier’s, and Ireland’s, best-loved and best-selling authors.