Welcome to Litsy!

A deceptively sophisticated book about unrequited love, self-sacrifice, and the seemingly impossible task of trying to be true to oneself while doing right by others and becoming part of a community. The protagonist is a smut writer dealing with the impending death of a beloved aunt on the one hand and birth of an unwanted child on the other. Full of fantastic dialogue and insightful observations that feel wholly organic, never forced or tacked-on

The New York Review of Books usually hits it out of the park with their reprints and this novel by late author John McGahern is no exception. Set in Ireland during the 70's, a struggling writer publishes erotica to make ends meet while caring for his ailing aunt. Enter a one sided affair with an older woman and our protagonist drowns himself in drink as he reflects on his life in this literary book of love, loss, and longing.