First published in 1924, this collection of 32 short stories by major Irish writer Liam O'Flaherty includes his best-known 'The Sniper', which appears more or less in the middle of the collection.  The 'Bookman' reviewer described the book as one 'to buy or to borrow, or, yes, to steal' - and the stories, although brief, are compelling, even to the modern reader. Liam O'Flaherty (1896-1984) was a major Irish novelist, short-story writer, ranked as one of the foremost socialist writers in the first part of the 20th century, focusing on the experience and perspective of the common people.  Our book is rare in retaining its dust jacket (unclipped), which is worn consistent with age, rather grubby, and torn with some loss at top & tail of the spine, bottom edge, and corners, but still doing its job of protecting the book beneath.  The book itself, bound in mid-blue fine cloth with gilt title etc on the spine and publisher's monogram impressed on the back, shows few external signs of age