Michaela

I'm leaving for Ireland this weekend and I'm looking for a good book to put me in an "Irish state of Mind". I've read all of McCourt and Binchy so would like some really <BR>good recommendations (preferably to do with Ireland) to keep me occupied until I can see those green fields!!! Thanks.

Rex

I should read more and watch TV/videos less - - but nevertheless, I feel compelled to recommend both renting and watching Michael Collins (for the sense of history - - accurate or not) and Waking Ned Devine - - for the sheer fun of it. I suppose they would each be fun reads as well.

Thyra

Hi Michaela, for a great view of 20th Century Irish History try Morgan Llywelyn's 1916: Story of the Irish Rebellion, or Lion of Ireland by the same author, though the second title falls more under the historical romance genre. Happy travels in the best country on earth!

Annette

PLEASE read THE MAMMY. It is about a Dublin widow with seven offspring, and the first in the Agnes Brown trilogy. It was recently made into a movie (Agnes Brown) starring Anjelica Huston. The book is a FAST read, enduring and also hilarious. No one can swear as effectively as the Irish, let alone write! The author's name escapes me, but just look the title up at Amazon or wherever. If you finish it, go on to THE CHISELLERS, focuses more on Agnes' children. <BR> <BR>- Annette

Annette

Note on above: THE MAMMY - endearing not enduring - sorry - was written by Brendan O'Carroll. And he hasn't written the third is his trilogy yet, by the way, as far as I know.

caoimhe

Hiya! <BR>A few suggestions - firstly either one of two books by Leon Uris - Trinity or Redemption. The first is set during the famine of 1870's, the second during the Civil War etc. The only thing is that both are fairly hard-going. <BR>So for a lighthearted read I recommend any book by Roddy Doyle, especially The Commitments. His others are The Van, The Snapper and Paddy Clarke Ha,Ha. All but the last havebeen made into films. They're all set in inner city Dublin and are guaranteed to have u falling around with laughter!! <BR> <BR>Or finally, a kiddies book (but suitable for adults too)- The Hounds of the Morrigan - my favourite book from my childhood! Its a mythical book set in Ireland.. very entertaining.. (sorry, I forget the author!) <BR> <BR>Hope that helps! <BR>

Cathy

Michaela, <BR>I believe that you will find Irish people groan when you mention Frank McCourt - not because of the content of the book but rather the fact that he was not the first to highlight the social problems and people don't think his writing is that good, you see in Ireland we are spoiled with good writers. People are tired of seeing McCourt on TV talking about himself and his life . Brendan O Carroll is excellent as is Roddy Doyle. So to get a better perspective on the social problems encountered by Irish families and the devil drink than that presented by McCourt try reading O Casey, Joyce (Portrait of the Artist excellent account of what the relationship between church and politics was like. He wrote about the same issues that McCourt covered only half a century before McCourt) <BR> <BR>On the other side of the coin for the traditional typical Irish rural lifestyle at the same time that McCourt was writing about read Alic Taylor (Walking to Schools through the Fields, The Night before Christmas etc) <BR> <BR>For a good perspective on working class life in Dublin read anything by Roddy Doyle (The Committments, Snapper, The Women who walked into doors) <BR> <BR>Also check plays by Frank McGuinness, Brian Friel, poetry by Seamus Heaney for life in the 1930s-1970s/1980s. <BR> <BR>Don't forget that Irish writers have won every awards going in the literature areas including Samuel Beckett, WB Yeats, Seamus Heaney, <BR> <BR>For social commentary in the 1990s + read John Waters, Fintan O'Toole, <BR> <BR>Contemporary writers worth checking out include John Banville, One of Ireland's leading female poets - Eavan Boland <BR>Dermot Bolger, Clare Boylan (female writer), Seamus Deane (his semi-auto-biographical novel Reading in the Dark and growing up in Derry is worth reading). <BR>Dermort Healy (Read his memoir The Bend for Home) Anything by Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney, For life in the Ireland under English rule read Jennifer Johnston (deals with life in the Big Houses once occupied by the ruling classes). Film producer Neil Jordan, John B. Keane (from Co Kerry and very witty)Brendan Kennelly, (Trinity College Lecturer)Border writer, Patrick McCabe (wrote screen plays for various films) Playwrite Tom Murphy ,Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill writes in both Irish and English, Enda O Brien, controversial Irish writer, Joseph O Connor (The secret Life of the Irish Male), Journalist and novelist, Colm Tóibín. For life on the islands in the 1800s read Peig (hated by all Irish Leaving Certificate students) but excellent insight into the difficulties of living on the islands and very unromantic view of that life. <BR> <BR>I could go on and on and on but then you would have no time for site seeing never mind reading one or two of the above suggestions. While on your visit to Dublin check out the Writers Museum in Parnell Sq - very good and the restaurant Chapter One (NOTE IT IS NOT IN THE MUSEUM). Have a good holiday and for good book buys try Easons Book store on OConnell Street. <BR> <BR>Cathy <BR>

purplgreen

I highly recommend the Travelers' Tales series. The one for Ireland is officially titled "Travelers' Tales Ireland" with a subtitle. These are in the travel/essay section of your bookstore. I haven't read this particular one, but the series is wonderful. I'm currently reading the one on Paris, and it's definitely putting me in the mood!! It's a collection of essays by different authors about the place you plan to visit. It's always good to have some different perspectives. I may never go anywhere again without reading one of these books first!

Sheila

Michaela <BR> <BR>When I read the question two sets of books sprang to mind, but Caoimhe got there first. EXACTLY what i was going to say. <BR> <BR>But the new Frank Delaney novel is also excellent. I just can't quite recall what it is called. For bleak, try Bernard McLaverty- "Lamb" or "Cal" <BR> <BR>And if you go for the Uris books- especially Trinity- remember that they are fiction and partisan

angel

Can't recommend a book, but Van Morrison via headphone will cure almost anything that ails me. <BR>

elvira

Oh, geez, if you want tears-streaming-down-yer-eyes, bust-out-loud-laughin' stories, read Brending Behing (if you read the books, you'll understand the spelling): After the Wake. <BR> <BR>I finally understood that side of my family after reading it. <BR> <BR>OK, help me out here - probably 30+ years ago, there was an actor who did a Brendan Behan one-man show (much like Hal Holbrook does Twain and James Whitmore does Will Rogers) that had me rolling around on the floor. Who was the guy?

Sheila

The Delaney book is called Desire and Pursuit

Ann

Since you already have so many good fiction suggestions, I would recommend that you learn something of the history of Ireland. Most Americans know nothing about the island that so many claim to have a link to. Tim Pat Coogin's books are good, and "Too Long a Sacrifice" by Jack Holland is wonderful. <BR> <BR>Okay, so I will add a couple of fiction recommendations: Colin Bateman, Joseph O'Connor, Geoffrey Beattie, Glenn Patterson.