The Bell literary journal was founded by Sean O'Faolain and Peadar O'Donnell in 1940, and edited by O'Faolain until 1946, then by O'Donnell to 1954. Its index of writers reads like a dictionary of famous authors, some of whom were writers of stature at the time, while others were beginners, many of whom went on to become famous. This book presents the flavour of The Bell in its heyday. Writers featured are: Patrick Kavanagh, Eric Cross, Flann O'Brien, Frank O'Connor, Bryan McMahon, Brendan Behan, Louis McNeice, Monk Gibbon, Roger McHugh, Denis Johnston, Mary Lavin, Micheál Mac Laimmóir, Sean O'Faolain, and others. There a bibliographical note on each of the thirty-nine writers included in this selection.