An Irish Christmas Feast: The Best of John B. Keane

Over the last year I've considered myself truly fortunate to have discovered the work of John Keane. In September of 2004 I stopped by the Dublin Writer's Museum and saw his books prominently featured. Much harder to spot in America and not fiction that I had previously run across. On a whim I took a chance and bought one of his books: it was one of the best gambles I've made. This magnificent and long book of short stories absolutely sparkles with carefully drawn, always engaging and focused tales of characters that command the page with energy and wit that is wholly and mysteriously their own. John Keane rolls out the welcome mat for the reader - he is absolutely honest and at the same time conspiratorial as he pulls you into the world of his characters. Ireland telegraphs through very strongly in these tales, however, the characters, the intrigue and the resounding integrity of these stories is absolutely universal and timeless. It would be misleading to simply categorize Keane as an Irish author. I've read many of these stories multiple times and they only get better with each reading. An Irish Christmas Feast is one of the very few books I've bought and given as a gift. Not a book to borrow, An Irish Christmas Feast is a book to own.