KIELY, Benedict. The Cards of the Gambler.

London: Methuen & Co. Ltd., 1953. First edition. 8vo. pp. 241. Original black cloth, lettered in silver to spine, in the original illustrated dust jacket. A very good copy; cloth clean and firm, text bright, the dust jacket well preserved with light wear at head of spine.

A notable early novel by the distinguished Irish writer Benedict Kiely (1919–2007), blending folklore, moral allegory, and modern narrative. The book takes as its point of departure the traditional Irish folktale of The Cards of the Gambler, which Kiely reimagines within a broader novelistic framework exploring themes of faith, chance, guilt, and redemption.

The narrative moves between realism and legend, reflecting Kiely’s lifelong fascination with Irish storytelling traditions, rural life, and the imaginative world of folklore. A journalist, novelist, and broadcaster, Kiely became one of the most respected literary voices of twentieth-century Ireland, celebrated particularly for his essays and short stories rooted in the culture of Ulster and the border counties.

Published in the early phase of Kiely’s literary career, The Cards of the Gambler helped establish his reputation as a writer capable of merging traditional storytelling with modern literary sensibility. The novel remains an interesting example of mid-twentieth-century Irish fiction engaging with the country’s rich oral tradition.

A pleasing copy of this early work by one of Ireland’s important literary figures.

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