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That Old Country Music: Stories

Review

That Old Country Music: Stories

Kevin Barry’s NIGHT BOAT TO TANGIER was one of the New York Times’ 10 best books of 2019. His latest effort, THAT OLD COUNTRY MUSIC, takes place in Ireland. As magical as it is beautiful, this country is vividly depicted in stories that share the timeless themes of love, loss, tragedy and fate.

“The Coast of Leitrim,” the opening piece, explores a romantic relationship between the socially awkward and reclusive Seamus and a waitress named Katherine. Seamus inherited his uncle’s cottage in the woods, while Katherine left her home in Poland to escape to the lush hills and valleys of Ireland. Seamus, who has trouble holding a job and seems to have difficulty maintaining relationships as well, frequents the café where Katherine works, believing he can speak with her telepathically.

"As magical as it is beautiful, [Ireland] is vividly depicted in stories that share the timeless themes of love, loss, tragedy and fate."

One day, after being under the assumption that Katherine returned his romantic sentiments via ESP, Seamus asks her out, and the rest is history. They go on a date, driving to the shore that Katherine does not know exists, and quickly return to Seamus’ cottage where they find comfort in one another. Their love blossoms. Seamus doesn’t know how he managed to secure a relationship with such a woman. But his idiosyncrasies begin to show, threatening what they have worked so hard to build.

“Deer Season” explores how a forbidden romantic encounter can go terribly wrong, and how, in some parts of Ireland, eyes and ears are everywhere. A 17-year-old girl living in the west of Ireland spots an older man whom she calls the riverman. She is on the verge of womanhood and eager for an experience to make its mark before her years as an adolescent end. However, she does not consider the consequences this might have on the man she targets.

The summer season, the tall grasses and the reed banks all come to life here. One can almost feel the chill from the river hit the girl as she makes her move on the man. She even goes so far as to say, “I’m ready,” as he approaches her from afar. The first time she touches him, she walks away. The next time they meet, they go off into the reeds together. When he doesn’t appear by the river the next day, she shows up at his bungalow unannounced. His fate has been sealed. The next time we hear about him, we don’t know if he’s alive or dead.

Most characters here are barely getting by. They either live off the land or struggle to make ends meet. That is the beauty of this book. There is a magical element to living in the woods, unseen by the rest of society and separated from the expectations of the materialistic world.

In “Roma Kid,” a child leaves her family after not wanting to return home and wanders off into the vast Ox Mountains. After breaking her ankle and screaming out in pain, an older man comes into view and helps her. He calls the girl Kizzy and brings her to his cabin in the woods. It is neat with stacks of old books. Literature, art, books and writing are frequently depicted in this collection. The characters may be primal in their own ways, but they are definitely suckers for a good work of art.

Kizzy lives with this man and learns the tools of his trade. He is a craftsman who makes ornaments and sometimes goes into the villages to sell them. She stays in the woods and eventually inherits her own cabin. She takes over the man’s position, his life and everything about him. One person morphs into the other, as do many of the characters in THAT OLD COUNTRY MUSIC.

Reviewed by Bianca Ambrosio on January 22, 2021

That Old Country Music: Stories
by Kevin Barry

  • Publication Date: March 1, 2022
  • Genres: Fiction, Short Stories
  • Paperback: 208 pages
  • Publisher: Anchor
  • ISBN-10: 1101911352
  • ISBN-13: 9781101911358