Mothers and Sons

Blurb

Mothers and Sons is a collection of short stories written by Irish writer Colm Tóibín and published in 2006. The book was published in hardback by Picador, and each of its stories explores an aspect of the mother-son relationship. All take place in contemporary Ireland, except that the last and longest, "A Long Winter", takes place in Catalonia perhaps twenty years after the Spanish Civil War. The stories are as follows:
"The Use of Reason"
A criminal considers an offer to buy a Rembrandt painting that he stole. He also learns that his mother has been talking indiscreetly to an undercover Guard. Like most of the viewpoint characters in the book, he reflects at length on his past.
"A Song"
A young musician finds himself in the audience for a performance by his mother, a famous singer who he hasn't seen since he was a small child.
"The Name of the Game"
A woman converts her late husband's failing store into an off-licence and chip shop, earning the enmity of many her neighbours. Her teenaged son becomes adept at managing the shop, to the detriment of his social life and education.
"Famous Blue Raincoat"