"The Long Way Home" by Joseph O'Connor

"The Long Way Home" by Joseph O'Connor  (1991, 22 pages)

Irish Short Story Month

Year III

March 1 to March 31

Joseph O'Connor

Dublin

Joseph O'Connor is one of Ireland's best known contemporary writers.   I have been drawing extensively from his anthology New Irish Short Stories this month.   He has over ten published books and several plays to his credit.   Other than his introduction to his anthology of short stories, "The Long Way Home" is my first experience with his work, and I certainly hope it will not be my last.

As "The Long Way Home" opens a Ray Priest  has  finally got sick of all the fights he and his wife have.   He packs all of his stuff in his car one night and after telling his brother his plans, who does not really think it is that great an idea to just leave with no destination in mind just because of a few fights.  Ray has made up his mind a bit after midnight he is on his way.   His wife is sound asleep when he leaves.   Once on the road a bit he spots a man by the side of he road seeking a ride, a hitchhiker.   Now we all know it is not a good idea, especially in a short story, to pick up a stranger by the side of the road but Ray feels like some company.  He stops for the man and asks him where he is going.    He says where ever you are.   The stranger is kind of scary looking and his questions to Ray are very pointed.   The rest of the story is interesting and keeps you wondering who the mysterious stranger might be.

I enjoyed this well written story and want to read some of his novels pretty soon, probably Ghost Light first.

I read this in The Anchor Book of New Irish Writing.


Author Data


JOSEPH O’CONNOR was born in Dublin in 1963 and was educated at University College, Dublin, and Oxford University. He became a full-time writer in 1988. His first novel, Cowboys and Indians (1991), was shortlisted for the Whitbread Prize. His other 

writings include the novels Desperadoes (1994) and The Salesman (1997); True Believers (1991), a collection of short stories that includes “The Long Way Home”; a play, Red Roses and Petrol (1995); and his nonfiction works, Even the Olives Are Bleeding (1992) (a biography of the Irish poet Charles Donnelly), The Secret World of the Irish Male (1994), The Irish Male at Home and Abroad (1996), and Sweet Liberty: Travels in Irish America (1996).  He is a member of Aosdana.   

Mel u