Lantern Slides
| Company type | Book |
|---|---|
| Industry | Literature |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Founder | Edna O'Brien |
| Products | Short story collection |
Lantern Slides is a 1990 collection of short stories by Irish writer Edna O'Brien, released by Weidenfeld & Nicolson in the UK and Farrar, Straus & Giroux in the US. This compilation, comprising twelve narratives, delves into intricate personal and societal issues and received the 1990 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction.
Stories
- Oft in the Stilly Night – Set within an Irish village, the story centers on Ita McNamara, a sacristan who prepares for the arrival of a missioner, triggering a psychological upheaval.
- Brother – Maisie lives in an incestuous relationship with her brother Matt and contemplates murdering his intended wife.
- The Widow – Bridget, newly widowed under unclear circumstances, carefully chooses her tenants and becomes engaged to Michael amid community speculation.
- Epitaph – A woman in London sustains a distant affair with a married American man despite friends urging her to move forward.
- What a Sky – A daughter visits her father in a nursing facility while struggling with whether to disclose her new romantic relationship.
- Storm – During a vacation in Spain, Eileen fears her son and daughter-in-law have perished following a severe storm.
- Another Time – Nelly Nugent, once a television announcer, retreats to Western Ireland where she confronts both past memories and current realities.
- A Demon – Meg’s visit to care for her sick sister Nancy uncovers Nancy’s unexpected pregnancy.
- Dramas – Barry’s village theatrical production turns controversial when an unplanned cross-dressing act results in arrests.
- Long Distance – Former lovers reunite; he plans travel to Thailand while she contemplates ending their relationship.
- A Little Holiday – A planned vacation with relatives at a dilapidated country house disappoints a daughter.
- Lantern Slides – At Betty’s birthday celebration in Dublin, guests share interwoven stories marked by loss and transformation.
Reception
- Publishers Weekly characterizes the stories as 'captivating,' noting: "O'Brien's fervent, loquacious characters exhibit an Irish eloquence as rich as the teas and jamcakes they enjoy in cozy country parlors. Predominantly women and girls experiencing various phases of solitude, desire, love, and remorse—some teetering on madness...The compelling voices often resemble self-focused soliloquies overheard."
- David Leavitt of The New York Times commends O'Brien’s collection for intensifying her examination of origins and explanations. He observes that her confident prose lends credibility even to melodramatic scenes, with Ireland’s history illuminating both the absurd and noble sides of passion.
- Thomas Cahill from The Los Angeles Times praises her heartrending plots filled with sensual pleasures, set against archetypal yet realistic Irish and English backdrops. He describes O'Brien as a prophetic voice addressing love and death—the fundamental themes of great literature.
- Kirkus Reviews remarks that O'Brien’s characters pursue life with fervor, overcoming challenges with determination. Although some stories lack full context, they effectively evoke the complex emotions experienced by the protagonists.
- Leigh Allison Wilson writing for the Washington Post highlights O'Brien’s talent for depicting characters rooted in diverse environments—from rural Ireland to metropolitan London—emphasizing love as a central theme that seamlessly shifts between innocence and self-awareness.