Small things like these – A book as cosy as a blanket on a snowy winter eve

There are very few books that feel effortless to read. To me, that is a sign of good writing – and good editing no doubt. ‘Small things like these’ is one of those books that you pick up without many expectations, not least because it is a novella that you hope to read in one afternoon, but that leaves you feeling very good about yourself even as it prompts you to think about the darkness in society. That is a tall order, and Claire Keegan tackles it with the mastery of someone who has been writing with great skill day in and day out for years. At its peak, this is a modern classic. At its lowest – and you would be hard pressed to find what that is – it is still a better read than most books published in this century. It reminded me of school summers I spent reading ‘Great Expectations’ or schoolday evenings reading ‘Hardy Boys’. I know that sounds like an unusual combination, but that is the effect this book had on me. It took me back to simpler times, to pleasanter memories, simply…