Antarctica

PublishedtogreatcriticalacclaimonbothsidesoftheAtlantic,theiridescentstoriesinClaireKeegan'sdebutcollection,Antarctica,havebeenacclaimedbyTheObservertobe"amongthefinestcontemporarystorieswrittenrecentlyinEnglish."In"Antarctica,"amarriedwomantravelsoutoftowntoseewhatit'sliketosleepwithamanotherthanherhusband."LoveintheTallGrass"takesCordeliadownacoastalroadonthelastdayofthetwentiethcenturytokeepadatewithherloverthathasbeennineyearsinthewaiting."StayClosetotheWater'sEdge"tellsofayoungHarvardstudentwhoispitilesslyhumiliatedbyhishomophobicstepfatheronhisbirthday.Keegan'swritinghasaclearvisionofunaffectedtruthsandboldlyexploresaworldwheredreams,memory,andchancehavecripplingconsequencesforthoseinvolved.Thestoriesareoftendarkandenvelopedinapalpableatmosphere,andthereaderfeelsthatsomething"big"isgoingonineachofthesecarefullysculptedtales.Theaward-winningAntarctica,aLosAngelesTimesBestBookof2001,andrecipientoftheprestigiousRooneyPrizeforIrishLiterature,theWilliamTrevorPrize,andtheMartinHealyAward,isahauntingdebut."Thesestoriesarediamonds."--EmilyRobichaud,Esquire"ThatKeeganhasaknackforstorytellingisprovedmanytimesover...."--CaitlinMacy,TheNewYorkTimesBookReview"[These]stories...showKeegantobeanauthentictalentwithagimleteyeandadistinctivevoice."--AmandaHeller,TheBostonGlobe"ReadingthesestoriesislikecominguponworkofAnnBeattieorRaymondCarveratthestartoftheircareers."--JerryGriswold,LosAngelesTimes,