Traditions and Difference in Contemporary Irish Short Fiction

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xi

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2. What Matters for Women: Discovering Irish Women through Maeve Binchy’s “All That Matters”

   • Tsung Chi (Hawk) Chang

   Pages 1-12

3. Sense and Sexuality: Revisiting Lady Gregory via Colm Tóibín

   • Tsung Chi (Hawk) Chang

   Pages 13-29

4. Repetition with Difference: Nostalgia in Edna O’Brien’s “Shovel Kings”

   • Tsung Chi (Hawk) Chang

   Pages 31-41

5. “A Mute Clamor for Release”: Rewriting Andersen in Emma Donoghue’s “The Tale of the Bird”

   • Tsung Chi (Hawk) Chang

   Pages 43-50

6. Re-configuring Irishness: Tradition and Multicultural Identity Politics in Gish Jen’s “Who Is Irish?”

   • Tsung Chi (Hawk) Chang

   Pages 51-61

7. “Do You Think I’m Your Slave?”: Gender and Immigration in Donal Ryan’s “Eveline”

   • Tsung Chi (Hawk) Chang

   Pages 63-73

8. Back Matter

   Pages 75-81

   PDF

This book focuses on traditions and transformations in contemporary Irish short fiction, covering pivotal issues such as gender, sexuality, abortion, the body, nostalgia, identity, and migration. In separate chapters, it introduces readers to important writers such as Maeve Binchy, Colm Tóibín, Edna O’Brien, Emma Donoghue, Gish Jen, and Donal Ryan. 


Given its focus, the book benefits researchers and students who are interested in Irish literature and culture, especially those who want to learn about important traditions in Irish literature, the changing face of these conventions, and the implications. The book, which received the First Book Prize 2019 awarded by The Hong Kong Academy of the Humanities, offers a unique window on Irish culture and a good read for fans of these acclaimed writers who want to learn about interesting issues concerning their short fiction. 

• Contemporary Irish Literature
• Irish Short Fiction
• Gender and Sexuality
• Irish Identity
• Migration in Ireland
• British and Irish Literature

• Department of Literature and Cultural Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

  Tsung Chi (Hawk) Chang

Dr. Tsung Chi (Hawk) Chang is currently Assistant Professor at the Department of Literature and Cultural Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong. His research interests include Modern & Contemporary Irish Literature, Women’s Writing, the Short Story, 20th-century English and American Poetry, Translation Studies, and Language and Culture. Some of his research findings have been published in academic journals, such as Neohelicon, Journal of Language, Literature and Culture, CLCWeb (forthcoming), Tamkang Review, Universitas, Wenshan Review, Review of English and American Literature, and 3L: Language, Linguistics, Literature. He was the winner of the First Book Prize 2019 awarded by The Hong Kong Academy of the Humanities and was offered a Junior Fellowship (currently Early Career Fellowship) in the Academy for a five-year term (2019-2024). 

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