William Trevor is a master of contemporary fiction. He writes with equal authority about the frustrations of life in remote corners of Ireland, and the hollowness of life is prosperous London suburbs. An Anglo-Irishman, Trevor is admired on both sides of the Atlantic, and both sides of the Irish Sea.

In "William Trevor: A Study of His Fiction, "first published in 1990, Gregory Schirmer analyses Trevor s novels (such as "A Standard of Behaviour "and "Fools of Fortune") and short stories in detail. He argues that Trevor s writing is important, both in terms of its mastery of fictional techniques and of the profoundly moral vision that informs it. His view of twentieth-century men and women is subtle and complex, generated by the tension between a humanistic faith in compassion and "connection," and an opposing, more realistic assessment of contemporary society as alienated and disconnected. "

William Trevor is a master of contemporary fiction. He writes with equal authority about the frustrations of life in remote corners of Ireland, and the hollowness of life is prosperous London suburbs. An Anglo-Irishman, Trevor is admired on both sides of the Atlantic, and both sides of the Irish Sea. In William Trevor: A Study of His Fiction, first published in 1990, Gregory Schirmer analyses Trevor's novels (such as A Standard of Behaviour and Fools of Fortune) and short stories in detail. He argues that Trevor's writing is important, both in terms of its mastery of fictional techniques and of the profoundly moral vision that informs it. His view of twentieth-century men and women is subtle and complex, generated by the tension between a humanistic faith in compassion and "connection", and an opposing, more realistic assessment of contemporary society as alienated and disconnected.

This anthology demonstrates that verse translation from the Irish represents, in its own right, a significant part of the tradition of Irish poetry written in English. Rather than offering the usual view of verse translation as a means of preserving and providing access to poetry written in Irish, this anthology foregrounds the aesthetic and cultural value of verse translation as poetry. The anthology is historical in form, beginning with a translation done in 1635, and concluding with the work of contemporary poets. The translations are grouped by individual translators, and arranged into five sections: Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, Nineteenth Century, Irish Literary Revival, Modern Ireland and Contemporary Ireland. Each translator is introduced with a headnote and each translation is fully annotated and accompanied by the original text in Irish and a literal translation of it into English.This anthology includes a critical introduction which offers a concise but remarkably wide-ranging account of Irish poetry over the past three centuries, drawing attention to the relevant cultural and political circumstances from which it was wrought, with colonial and postcolonial issues particularly in mind. While at the same time the introduction gives careful and illuminating consideration to verse forms and other technical concerns. There is a strong sense of persistent cultural endeavour that gives coherence to a large group of writers and translators from diverse social, religious and political backgrounds. This anthology provides a great service to scholars working in the field of modern Irish literature by bringing together some of the well-known works of seminal poets and translators such as James Clarence Mangan and Samuel Ferguson together with literal translations of the originals on which their writings were based.In this respect, the anthology opens up a vivid and revealing perspective, allowing readers a privileged insight into the creative methods of some of Ireland's leading authors and cultural architects. A comprehensive bibliography of primary sources concludes this book.

Late in his career, the Irish poet Austin Clarke was asked by Robert Frost what kind of poetry he wrote. 'I load myself with chains, ' Clarke replied, 'and try to get out of them.' 'Good Lord!' Frost said. 'You can't have many readers.' Despite a distinguished career spanning almost sixty years, Austin Clarke has not had many readers outside Ireland. Inside Ireland, many critics ranked Clarke as the most important Irish poet writing after Yeats, but his work has not received extensive critical attention -- partly because it is often difficult and complex, and partly because Clarke was committed to writing not just about the Irish, but also for the Irish. In The Poetry of Austin Clarke, the first published book-length study of Clarke's poetry, Gregory Schirmer argues against seeing Clarke as a provincial writer. Rather, he sees Clarke's large and varied canon as informed by a broad humanistic vision that enables it to transcend Clarke's commitment to the local.