Small Things Like These

It's almost Christmas in a small Irish town and Bill Furlong is working hard to get coal and wood out to his customers before the holiday. Bill is a hard worker and son of a sixteen-year old unwed mother who was a maid for a wealthy widow who took mother and child in when her own family abandoned her. He was treated well when growing up and had all that he needed but always felt the stigma of not knowing who his father was. He now has a stable family life with a wife and five daughters of whom he is very proud. In 1985 Ireland's economy was in a sorry state and many of Bill's neighbours are struggling to get by. Being a compassionate man, he gives  some leeway to customers who fall into arrears.  While making a delivery of fuel to the local convent he finds a young girl traumatized and freezing in the coal cellar. He returns her to the convent house and makes sure she is fed and warm before he leaves but he is deeply disturbed by the event. He feels he has a choice to make between doing the right thing or ignoring a young girl in need, as his mother was so many years ago. Although Bill is conflicted he demonstrates strength of character in taking an action against the systemic abuse wrought on generations of helpless young girls in Ireland. This beautifully written very short novel by Claire Keegan has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize.