First published in 1914, Dubliners is an incomparable, highly individual collection of short stories. Depicting Irish middle class life in and around Dublin in the early 20th century, these stories begin with pieces narrated by children, and as the stories continue they deal with the lives and concerns of progressively older people. The stories center on Joyce's idea of an epiphany: a moment where a character has a special moment of self-understanding or illumination. Because it was written amidst harsh Irish nationalism and the search for a national identity, Dubliners depicts an historic crossroads, offering an intimate look at the convergence of various ideas and influences in Ireland. The book is also key to understanding Joyce's writing, as many of the characters in Dubliners later appear in Joyce's epic novel Ulysses.