Everything in This Country Must A Novella and Two Stories

In his fourth book, Colum McCann turns to the "troubles" in Northern Ireland and reveals the reverberations of political tragedy in the most intimate lives of men and women, parents and children. In the title story, a teenage girl must choose between allegiance to her Catholic father and gratitude to the British soldiers who have saved the family's horse. The young hero ofHunger Strike, a novella, tries to replicate the experience of his uncle, an IRA prisoner on hunger strike. And inWood, a small boy does his part for the Protestant marches, concealing his involvement from his blind father. Colum McCannis the author of three widely acclaimed novels,Dancer,This Side of Brightness,andSongdogs, as well as a story collection,Fishing in the Sloe-Black River. He has received a Pushcart prize, the Hennessey Award for Irish Writing, and the Irish Rooney Award. He lives in New York City. In this book, McCann turns to the Troubles in Northern Ireland and reveals the contemporary reverberations of political tragedy in the most intimate lives of men and women, parents and children. In the title story, a teenage girl must choose between allegiance to her Catholic father and gratitude to the British soldiers who have saved the family's horse. The young hero ofHunger Strike, a novella, tries to replicate the experience of his uncle, an IRA prisoner on hunger strike. And in "Wood," a small boy does his part for the Protestant marches, concealing his involvement from his blind father. "On every page, McCann's prose flows with a lean, austere majesty . . . The result is a shivery, hard-earned, unforgettable beauty."Dan Cryer,Newsday "This book is crisp and clean and full of the wisdom of recognizing the mysterious strength of the individual . . . A brief work of fiction by an extraordinary Irish writer that portrays with amazing precision and truth the terrible emotional forces that drive that rage and fear."Michael Pakenham,The Baltimore Sun "[McCann's] fiction is equal parts death and beauty, its inescapable realism uplifted by an exquisitely soulful and visual prose."Gail Caldwell,The Boston Globe "McCann's stunning achievement is that he never strikes a dissonant note despite the dissonance in his characters' lives."Denise Gess,The Washington Post Book World "There is no denying the discipline that has gone intoEverything in This Country Must."Charles Taylor,The New York Times Book Review "Captures that peculiar nexus of hormones, deprivation, and political imperative in a Northern Irish child coming of age."Susan Salter Reynolds, Los Angeles Times Book Review "[A] stunning new book . . . Told in McCann's lush prose, these stories are both mesmerizing and painful."Minneapolis Star-Tribune "McCann has the knack of capturing the intensity of these strongly held views in a low-key prose that underscores their vitriol, and in a way that disturbs the reader's sensibilities."Richmond Times-Dispatch "Excellentthis is a powerful and moving collection."Roddy Doyle "Masterful. These emotionally charged, beautifully controlled tales can only enhance McCann's already considerable reputation."Kirkus Reviews(starred review) "These are powerful storiesgritty, memorable, and ambitious. The novella goes straight to the heart, both in terms of its theme and its emotional punch."Edna O'Brien, author ofWild Decembers "Beautifully, poetically written . . . The need to read them over and over again can't be denied."Booklist "McCann's stories are brooding, medita

Colum McCann is the author of two highly praised novels,This Side of Brightness and Songdogs, and one story collection, Fishing in the Sloe-Black River. He has received a Pushcart prize, the Hennessey Award for Irish Writing, and the Irish Rooney Award. He lives in New York City.