Kevin Barry

On Tuesday 17 February, Irish short story writers Colin Barrett and Kevin Barry will be guests at BorderKitchen to talk about their books Jonge gasten (written by Barrett) and Donker ligt het eiland (written by Barry). The authors will be interviewed by Maarten Dessing.

Date: Tuesday 17 February 2015
Time: 20.00
Location: BorderKitchen, Kerkstraat 11, The Hague
Tickets: €5 can be reserved via 070-3462355 or info@borderkitchen.nl

Irish author Kevin Barry (1969) has published short stories in all leading magazines, including The New Yorker. His debut novel City of Bohane won the prestigious IMPAC Award. In his collection Donker ligt het eiland, Kevin Barry combines the literary class of James Joyce with the mischievous playfulness of Roald Dahl. His stories are original and humorous and deal with unrequited love and failed crimes. Barry’s dazzling language, perfect dialogue, and sharp eye for both tragedy and comedy in everyday life give his stories great vitality.

Colin Barrett (1982) grew up in County Mayo, Ireland. His stories have appeared in various anthologies. Jonge gasten is his debut. The seven stories are set in Glanbeigh, a fictional Irish provincial town where youth rules the streets. The stories revolve around loneliness, desire, violence, and self-destruction. In Glanbeigh it matters whose sister you are seen with after closing time. It matters when you are in the wrong place at the wrong time. The young, talented Barrett writes beautifully about the lives and loves of young men and women living in contemporary Ireland, a country affected by crisis.

On 8 January, Jonge gasten was published by De Bezige Bij. The original title is Young Skins, translated into Dutch by Joris Vermeulen. Donker ligt het eiland was also published on 8 January by De Bezige Bij. The original title is Dark Lies the Island, translated by Auke Leistra.

“Unbelievable. Jonge gasten is a magnificent book. A timeless debut that will be read for years to come.” – The Sunday Times (on Jonge gasten)

“The stories in this collection are poetic and unsettling and reveal the menace of everyday life. They are unforgettable.” – The New York Times (on Donker ligt het eiland)