The Irish Book in the Twentieth Century examines Ireland's publishing history in the last century. This is a work of 'book history', a new and important interdisciplinary approach which aims to re-orientate literary and historical interpretations by looking at the diverse and often surprising roles which publishers, printers, readers, governments and censors can play in the creation of textual culture.

A collection of twelve essays by scholars in Irish studies, The Irish Book in the Twentieth Century covers a range of topics including: the Irish Arts and Crafts book in the 1900s (Nicola Gordon Bowe); Innovation and Reception in Irish Language Publishing in the 1900s (Niall ” Cios·in); Revising Irish Censorship (W. J. McCormack); Beckett's Early Career (John Pilling); Derek Mahon's Literary Archive (Steve Enniss); and Seamus Heaney's Sweeney's Flight (Colleen McKenna). The first book to examine Ireland's bibliographical heritage in the twentieth century.