The Dead
By James Joyce

For anyone with Irish blood, or anyone who wishes she had some, this story [included in Dubliners] packs a wallop. Joyce first appears to be telling a rather comic short story of a boring party given by the begrudging hero's maiden aunts, replete with guests that make you want to flee outside for a cigarette. Ultimately, it's about the love that transcends jealousy and death—as well as the limitations of both lover and beloved.