The Genius and Other Stories

Four short stories set in the Republic of Ireland, taken from books published in the 60s.

These were well selected and excellent stand alone stories. They felt very 60s without feeling dated in the writing, but still very of their time. As a big fan of Roddy Doyle I enjoyed the way these stories fit into that sort of nostalgia of old fashioned Ireland. Having spent some time living in Dublin I also get a bit of kick out of recognising the places and even place names.

The four stories examine different aspects - the naivety of a young boy negotiating his way through relationships; the relationship of a young boy with his mother and a father returned from the war; the complex relationship of a man and woman over the course of their lives; the weakness and strength of a pair of monks.

Four stars from me.