Forensic Songs

Praise

Praise for Forensic Songs

“A true son of Myles na gCopaleen and Flann O’Brien, but there’s also an echo of Philip K. Dick in the sergeant’s desire to root out possible future subversion.”
—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

“Forensic Songs presents a roster of haunting stories… gorgeously executed.”
—LitReactor

“Forensic Songs is a striking work of cross-genre virtuosity, where hints of speculative fiction and fable bring a surprising spark to McCormack’s serious literary sensibility. These pieces are clever, touching, timely and at times prescient. A distinctly Irish story collection, perfect for fans of George Saunders’s Tenth of December.”
—Shelf Awareness

“[B]y turns subdued, witty and raucous. All 12 stories in this collection glisten with insight and poignancy.”
—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

“[McCormack] effortlessly weaves Raymond Carver’s lucidity together with Franz Kafka’s otherworldly absurdity to craft narratives that seem familiar and satisfyingly strange at the same time.”
—Library Journal, Starred Review

“McCormack’s consummate craftsmanship and equal facility with black humor, sober realism, and speculative fiction distinguish him as one of Ireland’s leading literary talents.”
—Booklist

“McCormack’s wry minitragedies punch above their weight… worth savoring.”
—Publishers Weekly

“McCormack mimes the deep traditions of Irish short fiction—Samuel Beckett, Frank O’Connor and John McGahern all come to mind—and twists it a bit into a new directions with stories that are uniquely contemporary, often wildly funny, and always visionary. Beneath his clear, precise style is a renegade in action, working the form into new shapes. Just when you think it’s impossible for another great book of stories to come roaring out of Ireland, along comes a brilliant collection, Forensic Songs.“
—David Means, author of The Secret Goldfish

Praise for Notes from a Coma

“The greatest Irish novel of the decade just ended.”
—Irish Times
 
“McCormack’s language is lovely, lyrical…his humor is dark, macabre; the words glimmer like a spell.”
—Time Out

“The finest book yet from one of Ireland’s most singular contemporary writers.”
—Matt Bell, author of In the House Upon the Dirt Between the Lake and the Woods

“The testimony about JJ’s life is written with a sad and touching simplicity … Intriguing.”
—Wall Street Journal
 
“Subtle but haunting storytelling mixes with an insightful examination into the ethics of the penal system to produce an unusual and unforgettable read.”
—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review