An anthology of Irish fiction, from Gulliver's Travels to the current younger generation of Irish writers. It includes sections from novels, with an introduction explaining the context, as well as short stories. Work is chosen on literary merit rather than the light it throws on Irish history or politics. The way writers use form and language is the central concern. Two main strains of writing is identified: innovators - Swift, Sterne, Joyce, Beckett, O'Brien and Banville; the other strain is the quiet melancholy tradition at its most intense in Elizabeth Bowen and John McGahern. Major writers are represented by more than one piece.