'Colonial Crossings' is a survey of modern Irish literary culture that locates the work of both major and minor writers in wider cultural debates. Focussing on seven figures, from William Carleton to James Joyce, Marjorie Howes explores issues of violence and sentimentality, sexuality and tradition, cultural particularity and Enlightenment universalism. An accessible survey informed by feminist and postcolonial perspectives, it is a wonderful introduction to modern Irish writing.