Selected Stories

Selected Stories gathers together some of the best examples of Benedict Kiely’s work - a true and gifted man of letters. Edited by Ben Forkner, founder of The Journal of the Short Story.

From ‘Soldier, Red Soldier’ and ‘A Ball of Malt and Madame Butterfly’ to ‘A Letter to Peachtree’, these stories sing in the unforgettable voice of an Irish master who inspired, and will continue to inspire, generations of readers and writers alike. These stories have a great deal taken from Ben’s own experiences both abroad and at home in Ireland. Kiely captures various moments in Irish and American culture, many heavily influenced by his time as a lecturer in Georgia, writer-in-residence in Virginia, and as a reporter for the Irish Press.

Ben Kiely was - and therefore is - one of the great voices of 20th century literature, not just in Ireland but all over the world. That his stories survive, and indeed thrive, is a tribute to the power of literature. When it comes to storytelling there is really no such thing as an end, because the stories keep unfolding and influencing. Put him up there on the shelf alongside Joyce, Beckett, McGahern, O'Brien. With this version of Selected Stories, watch him develop a whole new readership. - Colum McCann.