Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tales of Old Douglas | 2001 | Billy O’Callaghan | Buy |
| 2 | In Exile | 2008 | Billy O’Callaghan | Buy |
| 3 | In Too Deep | 2009 | Billy O’Callaghan | Buy |
| 4 | The Things We Lose, The Things We Leave Behind | 2013 | Billy O’Callaghan | Buy |
| 5 | The Boatman and Other Stories | 2020 | Billy O’Callaghan | Buy |
Billy O’Callaghan’s short story collections span nearly two decades of work, from Tales of Old Douglas (2001) to The Boatman and Other Stories (2020). Short fiction is where O’Callaghan first made his name, and the collections show his development from a promising debut writer to one of Ireland’s most respected short story authors. His stories are set in Cork and other parts of Ireland, populated by characters dealing with grief, loneliness, aging, and the small dramas of daily life.
The Things We Lose, The Things We Leave Behind (2013) is perhaps the best-known of his collections, having won the Irish Book Award for Short Story of the Year. The Boatman and Other Stories (2020) continued to attract praise for O’Callaghan’s ability to capture complex emotions in compact, carefully made stories. Each collection can be read independently, and new readers will find a consistent voice across all five books.