So Late in the Day

By: Claire Keegan

Narrated by: Claire Keegan

Length: 50 mins

Publisher's summary

An exquisite new short story from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Small Things Like These and Foster.

After an uneventful Friday at the Dublin office, Cathal faces into the long weekend and takes the bus home. There, his mind agitates over a woman named Sabine with whom he could have spent his life, had he acted differently. All evening, with only the television and a bottle of champagne for company, thoughts of this woman and others intrude - and the true significance of this particular date is revealed.

From one of the finest writers working today, Keegan's new story asks if a lack of generosity might ruin what could be between men and women. Is it possible to love without sharing?

©2023 Claire Keegan (P)2023 Faber Audio

Critic reviews

'Every word is the right word in the right place, and the effect is resonant and deeply moving.' Hilary Mantel

'A genuine once-in-a-generation writer.' The Times

'Claire Keegan makes her moments real - and then she makes them matter.' Colm Tóibín

Author’s ability to pluck the mystery out of everyday life

Author’s voice; her strength; her courage; her brilliant reduction of emotion into small words ; short story of a huge moment of characters’ lives

Incredible Writing

Loved the narrator, the main character, the interpretation of the secondary character’s motives. Don’t want to give away the thread!

This Audible is not the full Kindle/Book version.

This short story is beautifully read by the author, Claire Keegan. There are a few minor changes from the 2022 New Yorker print and audio version where it first appeared. This Audible version only includes the one short story “So Late in the Day.” The title of the Kindle & Hardcover versions (128 pages) has a slightly different title “So Late in the Day: Stories of Women and Men.” It contains two additional short stories: “The Long and Painful Death” and “Antarctica.” I do not want to discourage anyone from buying this Audible version. The opportunity to hear Clair Keegan read “So Late in the Day” is absolutely mesmerizing. I just want others to avoid the confusion I went through, thinking that I had bought the entire book on Audible. The titles of the Audible and the Kindle/Hardcover versions are so similar that it’s easy to miss that the two additional short stories are not included in the Audible product.

Mesmerizing narration

She writes so beautifully. This is a great listen and I highly recommend. I could picture every scene.

One of the best short fiction writers of our time

It's still unclear to me how Keegan packs such a range of emotions into insanely short prose, but So Late in the Day is yet another example of her brilliance. I never trouble over spending an Audible credit on one of her short (i.e., fifty minute) novels, as I inevitably return to them several times a year.

So visceral,so thought provoking!

This story is so seminal about patriarchy and men's privilege. in an interview she says it needs reading twice and I agree; not to understand it but to appreciate the nuances.

Haunting

With an economy of words, the author gives us a story that is baldly painful and deeply affecting. Brilliant.

Brilliant

Every sentence so well crafted. So poignant, complex and layered, just like life. I am a total fan of her writing.

Another perfect story by Claire Keegan.

Not a wasted word. A relationship that didn’t work out. Interestingly told through man’s pov. And yet… Keegan’s reading of the story is sublime.

Fantastic writing and narration

Such a beautifully written piece and I absolutely loved the narration by the author. Highly recommend.