Claire Keegan

Small Things Like These

Destined to be a modern classic from "an original and a canonical presence in Irish fiction" (Colm Tóibín), Small Things Like These is Claire Keegan's landmark new novel, the tale of one man's courage -- and a remarkable portrait of love and family It is 1985 in a small Irish town. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Bill Furlong, a coal merchant and family man, who is father to five girls, faces into his busiest season. Early one morning, while delivering an order to the local convent, Bill makes a discovery which forces him to confront both his past and the complicit silences of a town controlled by the church. Already a bestseller in France and certain to be read worldwide for generations to come, Small Things Like These is a deeply affecting and inspiring story of hope, quiet heroism, and empathy from one of our most critically celebrated and iconic writers.

 What would life be like, he wondered, if they were given time to think and reflect over things? Might their lives be different or much the same —or would they just lose the run of themselves? 

clara

"Before long, he caught a hold of himself and concluded that nothing ever did happen again; to each was given days and chances which wouldn't come back around. And wasn't it sweet to be where you were and let it remind you of the past for once, despite the upset, instead of always looking on into the mechanics of the days and the trouble ahead. which might never come.“

"Why were the things that were closest so often the hardest to see?"

Lotte Tielemans

Climbing the street towards his own front door with the barefooted girl and the box of shoes, his fear more than outweighed every other feeling but in his foolish heart he not only hoped but legitimately believed that they would manage.

The worst was yet to come, he knew. Already he could feel a world of trouble waiting for him behind the next door, but the worst that could have happened was also already behind him; the thing not done, which could have been -which he would lave had to live with for the rest of his life. 

…he found himself asking was there any point in being alive without helping one another? Was it possible to carry on along through all the years, the decades, through an entire life, without once being brave enough to go against what was there and yet call yourself a Christian, and face yourself in the mirror? 

Anna Jasmine

“He thought of Mrs. Wilson, of her daily kindnesses, of how she had corrected and encouraged him, of the small things she had said and done and had refused to do and say and what she must have known, the things which, when added up, amounted to a life.”

rain/anagha

was there any point in being alive without helping one another?

Francesca 

The worst was yet to come, he knew. Already he could feel a world of trouble waiting for him behind the next door, but the worst that could have happened was also already behind him; the thing not done, which could have been - which he would have had to live with for the rest of his life.

ayoni

It was easy to understand why women feared men with their physical strength and lust and social powers, but women, with their canny intuitions, were much deeper: they could predict what was to come long before it came, dream it overnight, and read your mind.

Macy HB

Of the small things she had said and done and had refused to do and say and what she must have known, the things which, when added up, amounted to a life.

Was there any point in being alive without helping one another?

Why were the things that were closest so often the hardest to see?

It seemed both proper and at the same time deeply unfair that so much of life was left to chance.

‘If you want to get on in life, there’s things you have to ignore, so you can keep on.’

He was touching forty but didn’t feel himself to be getting anywhere or making any kind of headway and could not but sometimes wonder what the days were for.

‘Do you not go back over things, Eileen? Or worry? I sometimes wish I had your mind.’

And wasn’t it sweet to be where you were and let it remind you of the past for once, despite the upset, instead of always looking on into the mechanics of the days and the trouble ahead, which might never come.

What would life be like, he wondered, if they were given time to think and reflect over things?

But it cut him, all the same, to see one of his own so upset by the sight of what other children craved and he could not help but wonder if she’d be brave enough or able for what the world had in store.

Emma Hak-Kovacs

The worst was yet to come, he knew. Already he could feel a world of trouble waiting for him behind the next door, but the worst that could have happened was also already behind him; the thing not done, which could have been–which he would have had to live with for the rest of his life.

The air was sharper now, without his coat, and he felt his self-preservation and courage battling against each other and thought, once more, of taking the girl to the priest’s house–but several times, already, his mind had gone on ahead, and met him there…

Outside, the streets were slick with frost, and his boots, on the pavement, sounded unusually loud, it being so early on a Sunday. When he reached the yard gate and found the padlock seized with frost, he felt the strain of being alive and wished he had stayed in bed, but he made himself carry on and crossed to a neighbour’s house, whose light was on.

***PRE-ORDER NOW*** THE NEW NOVEL FROM THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF FOSTER, ANTARCTICA AND WALK THE BLUE FIELDS *'This is a tale of courage and compassion, of good sons and vulnerable young mothers. Absolutely beautiful.'-Douglas Stuart (Winner of the Booker Prize 2020)* *'Marvellous-exact and icy and loving all at once.'-Sarah Moss* *'A haunting, hopeful masterpiece.'-Sinéad Gleeson* It is 1985, in an Irish town. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Bill Furlong, a coal and timber merchant, faces into his busiest season. As he does the rounds, he feels the past rising up to meet him - and encounters the complicit silences of a people controlled by the Church. The long-awaited new work from the author of Foster, Small Things Like These is an unforgettable story of hope, quiet heroism and tenderness. '[Claire Keegan] creates luminous effects with spare material, so every line seems to be a lesson in the perfect deployment of both style and emotion.' Hilary Mantel

Helen 

He thought of Mrs Wilson, of her daily kind- nesses, of how she had corrected and encouraged him, of the small things she had said and done and had refused to do and say and what she must have known, the things which, when added up, amounted to a life. 

G recommended this one and I found it interesting but a bit slow. Created an atmosphere but also I was expecting more. Enjoyed it though.

Saskia Hughes 

My third Claire Keegan book. She's slowly growing on me, and probably would be my favorite author of the year. Her writing feels like the cool morning chill accompanied with thick fog and the scent of moss. Small Things Like These, like Foster, felt like a cold hand pressing on the back of your neck.

Bibi

not quite as focused on the issues of the church as i imagined but a lovely little story nonetheless

evie coxon

Bill Furlong is not loud or heroic in the way stories usually tell us heroes should be. but his kindness is real. steady. soft. and that softness is what saves people—not just others, but himself too.

reading this made me believe again in the beauty of small, brave acts. not the ones that get applause—but the ones that happen in cold rooms, behind closed doors, when no one is watching.

we are where the world is heavy, but goodness still glows under the weight. this book reminded me that I have to be thankful for small mercies. for the quiet ways love shows up, even in the coldest places.

cherish

Bill Furlong is not loud or heroic in the way stories usually tell us heroes should be. but his kindness is real. steady. soft. and that softness is what saves people—not just others, but himself too.

reading this made me believe again in the beauty of small, brave acts. not the ones that get applause—but the ones that happen in cold rooms, behind closed doors, when no one is watching.

we are where the world is heavy, but goodness still glows under the weight. this book reminded me that I have to be thankful for small mercies. for the quiet ways love shows up, even in the coldest places.

This was a good read. It did however leave me with unanswered questions and to know more about the church and girls there. More of a back story and other character development would of gave it 5 stars.

Edna Aviles

“Was it possible to carry on along through all the years, the decades, through an entire life, without once being brave enough to go against what was there and yet call yourself a Christian, and face yourself in the mirror?”

shen

In 1986 Ireland, Bill Furlong, a nearly 40-year-old coal merchant, has built a good life—a stable job, a wife, and five daughters. He knows how easily things could have been different, having been born to an unwed servant and spared hardship only by the kindness of a wealthy widow. Yet, despite his security, an unease lingers.

His days blur into routine—work, worries, and repetition. He wonders if life should feel like this, if it could have been more. Bill is a kind man, often giving to those in need despite his wife's exasperation. But when he witnesses something he cannot ignore, his quiet generosity transforms into something bigger—a choice that will define him. The road ahead may be difficult, but it will finally be his own.

Liana

In 1986 Ireland, Bill Furlong, a nearly 40-year-old coal merchant, has built a good life—a stable job, a wife, and five daughters. He knows how easily things could have been different, having been born to an unwed servant and spared hardship only by the kindness of a wealthy widow. Yet, despite his security, an unease lingers.

His days blur into routine—work, worries, and repetition. He wonders if life should feel like this, if it could have been more. Bill is a kind man, often giving to those in need despite his wife's exasperation. But when he witnesses something he cannot ignore, his quiet generosity transforms into something bigger—a choice that will define him. The road ahead may be difficult, but it will finally be his own.

i really enjoyed this novella, so simple but with so much heart. 

What a beautiful little story, demonstrating the important of kindness and compassion against social norms and attitudes. Keegan's prose creates a perfect sense of a sleepiness and quietitude, enhancing the sense of time and place of the setting of the novel. It then sets the horrifying reality of the subject matter against this to sharpen the reader's sense of how normalised Magdalene laundries were in the 20th century and how brutal the lives of the girls imprisoned in them were.

A bit too predictable for my own preference, but I can see why many people like this book. A good and quick Christmas read. 

taylor miles hopkins

As much as I wanted to love this book, I simply couldn't.

It was well written, and it brings to light such a horrendous and tragic institution that was running for far too long and is important to acknowledge it, but that's about as far as my admiration goes for this story.

I found it difficult to get into any of the characters, and I found it difficult to understand their emotions. Despite it being such a short book taking place over such a short space of time, I felt it dragged on. I also found it difficult to follow any of their motivations, and even when it came to the actual problems at hand, I found it difficult to understand what was being told and the story that Keegan was trying to tell me.

Perhaps it is something I need to read again at a later date, but for now it simply did not do it for me. 2 Feels quite high for what I feel about this, but solely for the writing I feel like I must because Keegan has such a beautiful use of words.

iris may

As much as I wanted to love this book, I simply couldn't.

It was well written, and it brings to light such a horrendous and tragic institution that was running for far too long and is important to acknowledge it, but that's about as far as my admiration goes for this story.

I found it difficult to get into any of the characters, and I found it difficult to understand their emotions. Despite it being such a short book taking place over such a short space of time, I felt it dragged on. I also found it difficult to follow any of their motivations, and even when it came to the actual problems at hand, I found it difficult to understand what was being told and the story that Keegan was trying to tell me.

Perhaps it is something I need to read again at a later date, but for now it simply did not do it for me. 2 Feels quite high for what I feel about this, but solely for the writing I feel like I must because Keegan has such a beautiful use of words.

Keegan knows how to skillfully illuminate the nuances and depths of our emotions in just a handful of pages. Her prose is simple and direct, yet it resonates with so much depth.

This story is heartbreaking, yes, but it's also so much more than that. It portrays the quiet acts of defiance, the weight of choosing self-preservation over justice, and the enduring power of human connection. This isn't a long read, but it's one that will stay with you long after you've turned the final page and question the things that we take for granted. 

It makes me question at the end: are the small things in our life more powerful and more lasting than we think?

Rien

Keegan knows how to skillfully illuminate the nuances and depths of our emotions in just a handful of pages. Her prose is simple and direct, yet it resonates with so much depth.

This story is heartbreaking, yes, but it's also so much more than that. It portrays the quiet acts of defiance, the weight of choosing self-preservation over justice, and the enduring power of human connection. This isn't a long read, but it's one that will stay with you long after you've turned the final page and question the things that we take for granted. 

It makes me question at the end: are the small things in our life more powerful and more lasting than we think?

Love this book, definitely not overrated.

Thi Chinh

My choice of a good Christmas book! Short and light but definitely an impactful read. 

Tina Villarete

A glimpse of hope. 

My choice of a good Christmas book! Short and light but definitely an impactful read. 

Short and impactful, Keegan’s novella made me look around outside for a few minutes after I finished. An incredible look into how our decisions can (and cannot) impact those around us. 

Jack Lucie

It’s all the small things that make a collection of a life and who you are. 

Ashley Denktas

this should be required holiday season reading

abi a

Very timely. “…was there any point in being alive without helping one another?”

Tom Koss

really liked it. short read and easy to get into. except i felt like for the book’s subject being about the laundries, they only brushed by it and beat around the bush a bit?

the_basis_

Es geht um einen Kohlenverkäufer, der in Irland mit seiner Frau und fünf Töchtern lebt. Er hat im Kloster etwas gesehen, das er nicht in Ordnung fand, und diese Sache geht ihm nicht mehr aus dem Kopf. Man erfährt viel über die damalige Lage in Irland, und die Autorin lässt uns tief in die Gedanken des Mannes eintauchen, inklusive tiefgründiger Überlegungen über das Leben.

Was ich so kraftvoll fand, war, dass das, was im Kloster passiert ist, tatsächlich früher der Fall war. Viele Menschen haben einfach weggeschaut und sich nicht getraut, etwas zu sagen oder zu handeln, was vielen das Leben gekostet hat. Das Buch vermittelt eine tiefgründige Botschaft.

Ich mochte den Schreibstil sehr. Man konnte sich in die Gefühle und Gedanken des Mannes hineinversetzen. Außerdem ist es ein gemütliches Winterbuch. Sehr zu empfehlen.

Asmae

Es geht um einen Kohlenverkäufer, der in Irland mit seiner Frau und fünf Töchtern lebt. Er hat im Kloster etwas gesehen, das er nicht in Ordnung fand, und diese Sache geht ihm nicht mehr aus dem Kopf. Man erfährt viel über die damalige Lage in Irland, und die Autorin lässt uns tief in die Gedanken des Mannes eintauchen, inklusive tiefgründiger Überlegungen über das Leben.

Was ich so kraftvoll fand, war, dass das, was im Kloster passiert ist, tatsächlich früher der Fall war. Viele Menschen haben einfach weggeschaut und sich nicht getraut, etwas zu sagen oder zu handeln, was vielen das Leben gekostet hat. Das Buch vermittelt eine tiefgründige Botschaft.

Ich mochte den Schreibstil sehr. Man konnte sich in die Gefühle und Gedanken des Mannes hineinversetzen. Außerdem ist es ein gemütliches Winterbuch. Sehr zu empfehlen.

"Quiet heroism" is a wonderful way to describe this novel. I am in awe of how this novel was written—short, yet it was enough for the story to be delivered to the readers. Bill Furlong's heart is just so pure that it would make you believe that humanity still exists.

Some of the notes I've highlighted to be remembered:

- "He could not help but wonder if she'd be brave enough or able for what the world had in store."

- "And wasn't it sweet to be where you were and let it remind you of the past for once, despite the upset, instead of always looking on into the mechanics of the days and the trouble ahead, which might never come."

- "Why were things that were closest so often the hardest to see?"

Kath

"Quiet heroism" is a wonderful way to describe this novel. I am in awe of how this novel was written—short, yet it was enough for the story to be delivered to the readers. Bill Furlong's heart is just so pure that it would make you believe that humanity still exists.

Some of the notes I've highlighted to be remembered:

- "He could not help but wonder if she'd be brave enough or able for what the world had in store."

- "And wasn't it sweet to be where you were and let it remind you of the past for once, despite the upset, instead of always looking on into the mechanics of the days and the trouble ahead, which might never come."

- "Why were things that were closest so often the hardest to see?"

Keegan confronts unfathomable truth through the relatable mind of Bill Furlong. She brings light to the hidden crimes of Magdalene Laundries; approaching the convent alongside Bill, the reader is both innocent and uncertain of how to handle such a harrowing reality. Her characters are honest and humane; the story is shocking and factual; the execution of her writing is nothing but flawless. Reading Small Things Like These, picks up the reader and places them in a past life - maybe that is why it conjured a nostalgic feel for me - the setting is something both alien and familiar. 

Small Things Like These

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