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The Coll Doll, and Other Stories
Stories teeming with life, with characters more concerned about their neighbours' business than the troubles of the world beyond Galway. Twenty-one stories of birth, love, death; of people happy and sad - publicans, poets, children, tinkers, snobs and sweethearts....
When Walter Macken died in 1968 he left unpublished a number of short stories. This volume brings together those thought by Margaret Macken and by his publisher to be the best of them. Too few to make up a full-scale collection in themselves, yet too fine to remain unpublished, they are accompanied here by thirteen stories from Walter Macken's earlier collection, The Green Hills.
When Walter Macken died in 1968 he left unpublished a number of short stories. This volume brings together those thought by Margaret Macken and by his publisher to be the best of them. Too few to make up a full-scale collection in themselves, yet too fine to remain unpublished, they are accompanied here by thirteen stories from Walter Macken's earlier collection, The Green Hills.
- GenresShort StoriesFiction
222 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1969
33 people want to read
About the author
Walter Macken
45 books63 followersWalter Macken was an Irish writer of short stories, novels and plays.
Originally an actor, principally with the Tadhbhearc in Galway, and The Abbey Theatre, he played lead roles on Broadway in MJ Molloy's The King of Friday’s Men and his own play Home is the Hero. He also acted in films, notably in Brendan Behan’s The Quare Fellow. With the success of his third book, Rain on the Wind, he devoted his time to writing. His plays include Mungo’s Mansion (1946) and Home is the Hero (1952).
His novels include I Am Alone (1949); Rain on the Wind (1950); The Bogman (1952); and the historical trilogy Seek the Fair Land (1959), The Silent People (1962) and The Scorching Wind (1964). His short stories were collected in The Green Hills (1956), God Made Sunday (1962) and The Coll Doll and other Stories (1962).
He also published a number of books for children, including Island of the Great Yellow Ox (1966); and Flight of the Doves (1968), which was adapted for the cinema.
Originally an actor, principally with the Tadhbhearc in Galway, and The Abbey Theatre, he played lead roles on Broadway in MJ Molloy's The King of Friday’s Men and his own play Home is the Hero. He also acted in films, notably in Brendan Behan’s The Quare Fellow. With the success of his third book, Rain on the Wind, he devoted his time to writing. His plays include Mungo’s Mansion (1946) and Home is the Hero (1952).
His novels include I Am Alone (1949); Rain on the Wind (1950); The Bogman (1952); and the historical trilogy Seek the Fair Land (1959), The Silent People (1962) and The Scorching Wind (1964). His short stories were collected in The Green Hills (1956), God Made Sunday (1962) and The Coll Doll and other Stories (1962).
He also published a number of books for children, including Island of the Great Yellow Ox (1966); and Flight of the Doves (1968), which was adapted for the cinema.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 24, 2024
Second hand shops are where I've discovered some of the most wonderful books I've ever read and this one is a splendid little collection!
Very 'slice of life' when it comes to describing the adventures and misadventures of rural Irish people. There are stories that involve young love, family struggle, con-men and all of it is wrapped up in this complex realistic class and societal structure that is as much a character in the stories as the people are. The crushing weight of being lower class is wonderfully explored.
Some of the stories are just sweet and others are of the more bitter variety - but they all sing, honestly.
If someone tried to tell me what this book was like and told me it was 'stories a little like Dubliners by Joyce but a little more sweet and domestic in focus' I'd probably not have picked this up.
But the synopsis in the front pages of the book promised a book teeming with life and I started reading a few snips and just loved the charm of it.
A great read! I read it slowly, I loved it so much!
Very 'slice of life' when it comes to describing the adventures and misadventures of rural Irish people. There are stories that involve young love, family struggle, con-men and all of it is wrapped up in this complex realistic class and societal structure that is as much a character in the stories as the people are. The crushing weight of being lower class is wonderfully explored.
Some of the stories are just sweet and others are of the more bitter variety - but they all sing, honestly.
If someone tried to tell me what this book was like and told me it was 'stories a little like Dubliners by Joyce but a little more sweet and domestic in focus' I'd probably not have picked this up.
But the synopsis in the front pages of the book promised a book teeming with life and I started reading a few snips and just loved the charm of it.
A great read! I read it slowly, I loved it so much!
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February 8, 2018Very good
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews