William Trevor

William Trevor was born in Ireland in 1928. When he was 26, he moved to England, where for the next 62 years he quietly became one of the most celebrated writers in the English-speaking world. In today’s History of Literature episode, Jacke takes a look at one of his greatest short stories, “After Rain.”

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Readers, rest assured! I’m busy working on the next installment of The Great Novella Tournament of Champions.

A sneak preview: two more heavyweights, a German vs. a Russian. You. Will. Not. Be. Disappointed.

And after that: Will the brilliant protege knock off the Old Master? We shall see.

In my Alice Munro Nobel afterglow (evidenced here and here), I considered adding a Munro novella (or long story) to the queue. Brilliant Reader Alison nominated “Something I’ve Been Meaning to Tell You,” which is no doubt as beautiful and devastating as the rest of Munro’s works. But who should I pair her with? Chekhov? William Trevor?

Suggestions are welcome!