PublishedtogreatcriticalacclaimonbothsidesoftheAtlantic,theiridescentstoriesinClaireKeegan’sdebutcollection,Antarctica,havebeenacclaimedbyTheObservertobeamongthefinestcontemporarystorieswrittenrecentlyinEnglish.InAntarctica,amarriedwomantravelsoutoftowntoseewhatit’sliketosleepwithamanotherthanherhusband.LoveintheTallGrasstakesCordeliadownacoastalroadonthelastdayofthetwentiethcenturytokeepadatewithherloverthathasbeennineyearsinthewaiting.StayClosetotheWater’sEdgetellsofayoungHarvardstudentwhoispitilesslyhumiliatedbyhishomophobicstepfatheronhisbirthday.Keegan’swritinghasaclearvisionofunaffectedtruthsandboldlyexploresaworldwheredreams,memory,andchancehavecripplingconsequencesforthoseinvolved.Thestoriesareoftendarkandenvelopedinapalpableatmosphere,andthereaderfeelsthatsomethingbigisgoingonineachofthesecarefullysculptedtales.Theaward-winningAntarctica,aLosAngelesTimesBestBookof2001,andrecipientoftheprestigiousRooneyPrizeforIrishLiterature,theWilliamTrevorPrize,andtheMartinHealyAward,isahauntingdebut.Thesestoriesarediamonds.--EmilyRobichaud,EsquireThatKeeganhasaknackforstorytellingisprovedmanytimesover....--CaitlinMacy,TheNewYorkTimesBookReview[These]stories...showKeegantobeanauthentictalentwithagimleteyeandadistinctivevoice.--AmandaHeller,TheBostonGlobeReadingthesestoriesislikecominguponworkofAnnBeattieorRaymondCarveratthestartoftheircareers.--JerryGriswold,LosAngelesTimes
