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Attention: Writing on Life, Art and the World
From one our most distinguished literary voices, a defining essay collection blending personal reflection with urgent political writing and wide–ranging cultural criticism.
For thirty years Anne Enright―one of our greatest living novelists (Times)―has been paying casting her lucid and distinctive gaze across the world, literature, and her own life, and drawing us into her precise insights. These essays, collated from throughout Enright’s career, take us from Galway to Honduras, from keen-eyed memoir to urgent political writing. Enright writes about the free voices and controlled bodies of women in she interprets Sophocles’s Antigone through the lens of the Mother and Baby Homes in Galway; writes on Ireland’s successful 2018 referendum on abortion rights; and offers new perspectives on writers such as Alice Munro, Toni Morrison, James Joyce, Helen Garner, and Angela Carter.
True to the themes that saturate her award-winning fiction, Attention explores the intersection between the personal and political, complex family dynamics, and the body in crystalline, urgent prose. This stunning collection unites Enright’s cultural criticism, literary, and autobiographical writing for the first time.
For thirty years Anne Enright―one of our greatest living novelists (Times)―has been paying casting her lucid and distinctive gaze across the world, literature, and her own life, and drawing us into her precise insights. These essays, collated from throughout Enright’s career, take us from Galway to Honduras, from keen-eyed memoir to urgent political writing. Enright writes about the free voices and controlled bodies of women in she interprets Sophocles’s Antigone through the lens of the Mother and Baby Homes in Galway; writes on Ireland’s successful 2018 referendum on abortion rights; and offers new perspectives on writers such as Alice Munro, Toni Morrison, James Joyce, Helen Garner, and Angela Carter.
True to the themes that saturate her award-winning fiction, Attention explores the intersection between the personal and political, complex family dynamics, and the body in crystalline, urgent prose. This stunning collection unites Enright’s cultural criticism, literary, and autobiographical writing for the first time.
Audible Audio
First published April 7, 2026
About the author
Anne Enright
62 books1,430 followersAnne Enright was born in Dublin, where she now lives and works. She has published three volumes of stories, one book of nonfiction, and five novels. In 2015, she was named the inaugural Laureate for Irish Fiction. Her novel The Gathering won the Man Booker Prize, and The Forgotten Waltz won the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
November 23, 2025
I really enjoyed reading Anne’s musings on different topics in this book of essays. She does not shy away from discussing difficult topics such as abortion in Ireland, the Magdalene laundry, disgraced authors such as Junot Diaz, and Alice Munro among others, and also her own upbringing and its influence to the way she writes.
Definitely a must read even if you have not read any of her other work, this is a great book to start with. I can’t wait to read more of her work!
Definitely a must read even if you have not read any of her other work, this is a great book to start with. I can’t wait to read more of her work!
November 23, 2025
Worth 5 stars for this line alone. ' A long marriage is, in itself, a lot like Beckett'.
December 17, 2025
anne enright has such a brilliant, inquisitive, challenging, wonderful mind
March 18, 2026
3.5 Stars ----
I did like this but I had no idea what was going on half the time. Enright discusses many things throughout - I particularly enjoyed her discussions on abortion, women's rights and patriarchy as well as the few reflections on Irish history which I found interesting. However, I think this book requires you to know A LOT about authors and their respective works. Almost half of this book is just Enright's thoughts about certain books, pieces of writing or controversy's authors found themselves in. I felt like I couldn't really engage with what she was saying because I either hadn't read the work she was referring too, or had no idea about the controversies (bar the metoo conversation). This just made it really difficult for me to get into the book, because just as I was getting enthusiastic about a topic, a new essay would begin and I would have no idea what she was talking about.
I've also never read anything else by Enright so the discussions on what influences her writing was also lost on me - I definitely would have enjoyed that more if this wasn't the first book I've picked up from her. I would say if you want to get the most out of this book, read her other work first.
I did like this but I had no idea what was going on half the time. Enright discusses many things throughout - I particularly enjoyed her discussions on abortion, women's rights and patriarchy as well as the few reflections on Irish history which I found interesting. However, I think this book requires you to know A LOT about authors and their respective works. Almost half of this book is just Enright's thoughts about certain books, pieces of writing or controversy's authors found themselves in. I felt like I couldn't really engage with what she was saying because I either hadn't read the work she was referring too, or had no idea about the controversies (bar the metoo conversation). This just made it really difficult for me to get into the book, because just as I was getting enthusiastic about a topic, a new essay would begin and I would have no idea what she was talking about.
I've also never read anything else by Enright so the discussions on what influences her writing was also lost on me - I definitely would have enjoyed that more if this wasn't the first book I've picked up from her. I would say if you want to get the most out of this book, read her other work first.
April 21, 2026
If you loved Deborah Levy's collection of essays, The Position of Spoons, I think you'll love this too. Anne Enright is also a celebrated author, collecting essays from a variety of sources over her career. But whereas Levy's felt a bit like the best parts of twitter when it was at its prime, Enright's is more of a tumblr vibe back when you could find the exact representation of your joy or rage, delight or confusion in your feed. A lot of Irish writers feel very Irish to me and I'm not sure exactly what that means but I feel like you understand what I am trying to say. There is a deep feeling, a deep knowing, a deep rage, a deep spirituality in these essays. Not all of them are all that serious. Unlike a book of essays written to be a collection, this is a jumble of bits and bobs written at various times for various occasions. The only throughline is Enright's gorgeous writing. I loved every minute I spent with Enright and her words. Thank you to the author for her personal narration, giving even more nuance to the pieces, to RBmedia and NetGalley for the audioARC.
January 1, 2026
Lots of excellent writing in these essays - some more interesting (to me) than others
April 12, 2026
Limpid, lucid prose with complex ideas swarming and connecting under a calm surface. Just the way I like my essays! (And if you only read one, make it On Consent).
December 28, 2025
Usually, I wouldn’t be tempted to pick up a collection of essays, my assumption being that the thoughts and views of one writer about a variety of subjects would either be too niche or disparate to hold my attention. Well, let me tell you - not so with Anne Enright!
While I initially thought this was a collection of newly written pieces, it’s actually a kind of anthology of previously published essays, talks, and articles, organised into the sections Voices, Bodies, and Time. Each piece is briefly introduced by Enright, giving insight into its origin and background.
Voices focuses primarily on other authors, including Toni Morrison, James Joyce, John McGahern, and Alice Munro.
Bodies focuses on the role of women in society, particularly in Ireland, and explores the control of the Catholic Church, mother and baby homes, and Ireland’s abortion referendum.
Time contains broader and more personal essays which touch on Enright’s own life and her family, including the death of her own mother (who appears throughout the collection), her own marriage, and her upbringing and life in Dublin.
If you have read Enright’s novels or listened to her talk, you will know she’s a wry and witty observer of society, both personal and political, and her warmth and honesty shine throughout this collection. She can be critical but never cutting, and this collection showcases a woman who you’d happily sit down to tea with and set the world to rights.
My favourite piece, The Husband, is an account of several trips taken with her husband, over several years. It’s a beautiful reflection on her marriage, being a writer, and ageing, and I found it very moving.
If you’re a fan of Enright’s novels, Attention is a worthy addition to her body of work. It’s made me reconsider the value of essay collections, and I definitely won’t be so quick to dismiss them in the future. Highly recommended.
For more reviews, follow @podsticles on Instagram.
While I initially thought this was a collection of newly written pieces, it’s actually a kind of anthology of previously published essays, talks, and articles, organised into the sections Voices, Bodies, and Time. Each piece is briefly introduced by Enright, giving insight into its origin and background.
Voices focuses primarily on other authors, including Toni Morrison, James Joyce, John McGahern, and Alice Munro.
Bodies focuses on the role of women in society, particularly in Ireland, and explores the control of the Catholic Church, mother and baby homes, and Ireland’s abortion referendum.
Time contains broader and more personal essays which touch on Enright’s own life and her family, including the death of her own mother (who appears throughout the collection), her own marriage, and her upbringing and life in Dublin.
If you have read Enright’s novels or listened to her talk, you will know she’s a wry and witty observer of society, both personal and political, and her warmth and honesty shine throughout this collection. She can be critical but never cutting, and this collection showcases a woman who you’d happily sit down to tea with and set the world to rights.
My favourite piece, The Husband, is an account of several trips taken with her husband, over several years. It’s a beautiful reflection on her marriage, being a writer, and ageing, and I found it very moving.
If you’re a fan of Enright’s novels, Attention is a worthy addition to her body of work. It’s made me reconsider the value of essay collections, and I definitely won’t be so quick to dismiss them in the future. Highly recommended.
For more reviews, follow @podsticles on Instagram.
March 12, 2026
This collection is a treasure of good writing.
In the first section Enright examines deeply a number of authors who have impacted her- Joyce,Edna O'Brien,Alice Munro,Toni Morrison,Angel Carter and our own Helen Garner. Full of insight and wisdom and very satisfying.
The remainder of the book comprises essays on topics often discussed, but rarely with such clarity- the Magdalene laundries; the abortion referenda; #metoo; motherhood and childbirth, and concludes with essays of personal recollection.
In the first section Enright examines deeply a number of authors who have impacted her- Joyce,Edna O'Brien,Alice Munro,Toni Morrison,Angel Carter and our own Helen Garner. Full of insight and wisdom and very satisfying.
The remainder of the book comprises essays on topics often discussed, but rarely with such clarity- the Magdalene laundries; the abortion referenda; #metoo; motherhood and childbirth, and concludes with essays of personal recollection.
November 19, 2025
Whatever she writes about in these essays is always compact & considered..a gifted writer.
January 5, 2026
A delightful smorgasbord of musings from a delightful mind.
Read
May 1, 2026Cherished every moment. Loved this book.
December 21, 2025
A wonderful collection of writing from a brilliant writer - first essay on Helen Garner a highlight
February 15, 2026
exactly what I needed
Did Not Finish
March 17, 2026DNF so didn't rate
Anne Enright is certainly a thinker who makes us think, "Living, as I do, a life of the mind." When she was a teenager, she read a book a day. As an acclaimed literary author who's won many prestigious Irish literary awards, she's a lover of words and an an advocate for Literature. So, we pay attention to what she has to say.
ATTENTION: Writing on Life, Art, and the World is her first collection of essays: twenty-four covering thirty years of her literary reviews, lectures, Dublin roots, Ireland's long, dark history, political fight for independence, shifting views on abortion in a country predominantly Catholic, personal memories, other commentary.
There's an intensity of focus on female agency, though she doesn't seem to want to call herself a feminist. Sexuality is a big theme. "Bad things happen to the women in her novels," she tells us and she does not shy away from it. She's a truth seeker on, it seems, everything. So when it comes to women's bodies and male power she goes after subjects "barely spoken or taboo" as if she wants us to know what goes behind closed doors. Which is where I got hung up.
Personally, I don't want to know about everything "horrible and bizarre" or share that on my Enchanted Prose blog. Regrettably, because I spent a lot of time trying to understand Enright's essays, not so easy to read. As in hard if you don't know about all of Ireland's "dead history," literary references to unfamiliar Irish writers, Greek tragedies. And because the topics she digs into are difficult as in you may prefer to look away. Enright's prose and humanity makes us pay attention.
We admire her. Her fight for justice on many fronts -- women's rights, children's rights, economic rights, political rights -- and her honesty.
It helps to know when she tells us that her literary critiques are influenced by the kind of person the writer was (for instance Irish writer Alice Munro) or are (Australian writer Helen Garner) and how that influenced the writers' voice. My favorite is what she says about Garner, not only recognizing her as a "brilliant writer" but as "a woman who came through." (Her diaries have recently been released.) The title she gives that second essay, "I Stab and Stab," feels as if she's reflecting how the reader may feel, especially early on, unfamiliar with the themes she returns to again and again.
Enright has written eight novels and while you may have read one or more (The Actress, The Wren, The Wren most recently), I still approached the reading as if taking a mini-course to better understand her perspectives. You will see that in one way or another she's had a personal connection or influence to what inspired these writings.
So I regret feeling emotionally disturbed by the explicit deviant sexuality that I stopped reading on page 164. I may very well be an outlier. Because there's lot to learn from someone who's spent a lifetime paying attention.
Anne Enright is certainly a thinker who makes us think, "Living, as I do, a life of the mind." When she was a teenager, she read a book a day. As an acclaimed literary author who's won many prestigious Irish literary awards, she's a lover of words and an an advocate for Literature. So, we pay attention to what she has to say.
ATTENTION: Writing on Life, Art, and the World is her first collection of essays: twenty-four covering thirty years of her literary reviews, lectures, Dublin roots, Ireland's long, dark history, political fight for independence, shifting views on abortion in a country predominantly Catholic, personal memories, other commentary.
There's an intensity of focus on female agency, though she doesn't seem to want to call herself a feminist. Sexuality is a big theme. "Bad things happen to the women in her novels," she tells us and she does not shy away from it. She's a truth seeker on, it seems, everything. So when it comes to women's bodies and male power she goes after subjects "barely spoken or taboo" as if she wants us to know what goes behind closed doors. Which is where I got hung up.
Personally, I don't want to know about everything "horrible and bizarre" or share that on my Enchanted Prose blog. Regrettably, because I spent a lot of time trying to understand Enright's essays, not so easy to read. As in hard if you don't know about all of Ireland's "dead history," literary references to unfamiliar Irish writers, Greek tragedies. And because the topics she digs into are difficult as in you may prefer to look away. Enright's prose and humanity makes us pay attention.
We admire her. Her fight for justice on many fronts -- women's rights, children's rights, economic rights, political rights -- and her honesty.
It helps to know when she tells us that her literary critiques are influenced by the kind of person the writer was (for instance Irish writer Alice Munro) or are (Australian writer Helen Garner) and how that influenced the writers' voice. My favorite is what she says about Garner, not only recognizing her as a "brilliant writer" but as "a woman who came through." (Her diaries have recently been released.) The title she gives that second essay, "I Stab and Stab," feels as if she's reflecting how the reader may feel, especially early on, unfamiliar with the themes she returns to again and again.
Enright has written eight novels and while you may have read one or more (The Actress, The Wren, The Wren most recently), I still approached the reading as if taking a mini-course to better understand her perspectives. You will see that in one way or another she's had a personal connection or influence to what inspired these writings.
So I regret feeling emotionally disturbed by the explicit deviant sexuality that I stopped reading on page 164. I may very well be an outlier. Because there's lot to learn from someone who's spent a lifetime paying attention.
April 12, 2026
Attention by Anne Enright and read by the author herself is a collection of non fiction pieces that touch on culture, literature, history, social issues and the author's own life. The collection covers a period of about thirty years, during which huge social changes have swept the country and listening to her discuss topics like the repeal of the eighth amendment to the Irish Constitution which finally legalised abortion in Ireland feels particularly relevant given the ongoing attacks on women's medical freedom in other parts of the world. Alongside this we get more personal pieces that shed a light on the author's upbringing and personal life from her childhood in Dublin to a period spent studying in Canada to her marriage and even the death of her mother. These pieces though personal also had a sense of the universal in that many of us will have experienced similar milestones. The third major category I would describe as literary criticism as she gives us her insights into authors ranging from James Joyce to Toni Morrison. An interesting and eclectic collection made even better by being able to listen to the author reading her own words, with occasional commentary, this was the perfect book to dip into on my commute, allowing me to appreciate the beautifully elucidated opinions, warmth and wit of this wonderful Irish writer.
I read and reviewed an ALC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
I read and reviewed an ALC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Early access provided by NetGalley.
3.5
This felt like being a guest in the author’s living room, having a long, thoughtful conversation. Enright’s narration is natural, unpolished and quietly absorbing. Her writing is accessible, knowledgeable, and precise; intelligent without being pretentious or overly academic. This made the book easy to stick with even when I lacked understanding of the subject matter. She really felt like the English teacher I never had.
The book is split into three sections: Voices, Bodies, and Time.
I struggled with Voices. It really does require more in depth knowledge of the authors and books discussed, however I did enjoy her discussion of Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye.
Bodies was the highlight for me. Enright is frank and doesn’t shy away from any topic. The strongest elements of this book for me were all from this section; discussions around abortion, birth, and women’s experience of illness and reporting illness.
Time was a more personal section which I also enjoyed, particularly her experience of Margaret Atwood’s Surfacing as being “a guide to having a breakdown in the fresh air”, as well as her experience of living in Canada.
3.5
This felt like being a guest in the author’s living room, having a long, thoughtful conversation. Enright’s narration is natural, unpolished and quietly absorbing. Her writing is accessible, knowledgeable, and precise; intelligent without being pretentious or overly academic. This made the book easy to stick with even when I lacked understanding of the subject matter. She really felt like the English teacher I never had.
The book is split into three sections: Voices, Bodies, and Time.
I struggled with Voices. It really does require more in depth knowledge of the authors and books discussed, however I did enjoy her discussion of Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye.
Bodies was the highlight for me. Enright is frank and doesn’t shy away from any topic. The strongest elements of this book for me were all from this section; discussions around abortion, birth, and women’s experience of illness and reporting illness.
Time was a more personal section which I also enjoyed, particularly her experience of Margaret Atwood’s Surfacing as being “a guide to having a breakdown in the fresh air”, as well as her experience of living in Canada.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Attention by Anne Enright
Read by the author
I found this collection of essays extremely interesting and informative; and many of the writings were very entertaining as well. I especially liked the ones about the various authors except maybe too much Joyce for me. But then, the author is Irish. I loved what she wrote about her time in Canada and eating asparagus for the first time. Also the essay about being in Italy with her husband. This audiobook was so engaging that I listened to it all in one day. The author’s narration was lovely. You really can’t beat an Irish accent.
Thanks to NetGalley
Read by the author
I found this collection of essays extremely interesting and informative; and many of the writings were very entertaining as well. I especially liked the ones about the various authors except maybe too much Joyce for me. But then, the author is Irish. I loved what she wrote about her time in Canada and eating asparagus for the first time. Also the essay about being in Italy with her husband. This audiobook was so engaging that I listened to it all in one day. The author’s narration was lovely. You really can’t beat an Irish accent.
Thanks to NetGalley
April 23, 2026
My favorite essays from this collection of Enright's writing are those in first section, about fellow writers like Joyce, Morrison, Munro, and John McGahern. She is part of a long literary tradition of Irish writers and the history of her country and culture come alive as she visits the work and lives of those authors. The second section is called Consent and confronts abuses on several fronts with clarity and courage. I enjoyed her novel The Wren, The Wren and want to read more of her backlist.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This collection of essays is grouped into Voices, Bodies and Time, which is shorthand for the subtitle.
I enjoyed them all and especially liked her perspective on fellow authors (Voices). Her evolving discussion of Irish culture and politics is refined with age and perspective, although the loss of her parents is much more universal.
I have confessed a weakness for Irish writers before, and Enright does not disappoint!
I enjoyed them all and especially liked her perspective on fellow authors (Voices). Her evolving discussion of Irish culture and politics is refined with age and perspective, although the loss of her parents is much more universal.
I have confessed a weakness for Irish writers before, and Enright does not disappoint!
Read
December 26, 2025i have a thing for female irish writers and it all started with anne enright. her prose is alive, precise, her outlook fair, funny, and strangely hopeful. always preferred her essays to her fiction, though
the collection here feels a little uneven (making babies was perfect) and her endings sometimes feel like she stumbled into them, but overall still a good read.
the collection here feels a little uneven (making babies was perfect) and her endings sometimes feel like she stumbled into them, but overall still a good read.
December 29, 2025
4.5
I’m going to try and review more in 2026.
A beautiful collection of essays and piece of non-fiction that felt serendipitous as a likely last read of 2025.
It’s not 2026 yet so this review is short so leave off will ye
I’m going to try and review more in 2026.
A beautiful collection of essays and piece of non-fiction that felt serendipitous as a likely last read of 2025.
It’s not 2026 yet so this review is short so leave off will ye
March 21, 2026
Incredible!!!!!!! I’ve loved Enright for a few years though I haven’t read all her novels I do intend to. I loved her insights into other writers and matters of the world. Big recommend if you love literature
April 26, 2026
On the whole I enjoyed this meander into Anne Enright’s life, art and the world. Like all collections of essays some appealed to me more than others. However her voice is very strong and clear throughout and it’s almost as though she is talking to you.
January 12, 2026
I’m giving this 3 because I usually enjoy Enrights work. However this book is a struggle.. probably closer to 2. Doubt I will finish.
January 17, 2026
I read this one essay a day for 24 days and it was always something to look forward to.
February 21, 2026
Excellently crafted writing - humorous, thoughtful, engaging, giving attention and full of integrity.
I particularly liked the pieces in the first section about authors and writing.
I particularly liked the pieces in the first section about authors and writing.
April 28, 2026
Somewhat uneven as any collection is, I enjoyed many of the pieces. They are thoughtful discussions of health, women, family, art and artists. Lovely
May 4, 2026
Really liked these; Enright has a fascinating brain. Made me feel like I need to get way more amongst a bunch of authors, too.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews