Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Use of Reason | 2006 | Colm Tóibín | Buy |
| 2 | The Shortest Day | 2020 | Colm Tóibín | Buy |
| 3 | A Long Winter | 2025 | Colm Tóibín | Buy |
These shorter works show a more concentrated side of Toibin’s writing. The Use of Reason, The Shortest Day, and A Long Winter each stand alone as independent stories. They share the same measured prose style that defines his novels, but the shorter length gives them a different kind of intensity.
Toibin has always moved easily between forms. His short fiction has appeared in many collections and anthologies over the years, and these standalone publications collect some of his finest shorter work.