Irish Books Reviewed
Gregory Carr
Book of the Month Non Fiction - April 2002
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Finders Keepers: Selected Prose 1971-2001 by Seamus Heaney
(Hardback; 25.00 Euro / 22.00 USD / 20.00 UK; Faber, 416 pages)
This book is a gathering of Seamus Heaney's prose of three decades. Whether
autobiographical, topical or specifically literary, these essays and
lectures circle the central pre-occupying questions: 'How should a poet
properly live and write? What is his relationship to be to his own voice,
his own place, his literary heritage and the contemporary world?'
As well as being a selection from the poet's three previous collections of
prose, the present volume includes material from 'The Place of Writing', a
series of lectures delivered at Emory University in 1988. Also included are
a rich variety of pieces not previously collected in volume form, ranging
from short newspaper articles to more extended lectures and contributions to
books, including 'Place and Displacement' (1984), only available previously
as a pamphlet (of which I have two copies only available from stock priced
at 50 Euro each), and 'Burns's Art Speech', written for the bicentennial of
Robert Burns's death. In its soundings of a wide range of poets - Irish and
British, American and East European, predecessors and contemporaries - this
collection is, as its title indicates, 'an announcement of both excitement
and possession.'
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Book of the Month - Fiction - April 2002
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The Ledge by Blanaid McKinney
(Hardback; 20.00 Euro / 17.50 USD / 15.00 UK; Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 249
pages)
When he was kidnapped, at the age of 38, John Kelso owned thirteen thousand
video tapes. Fifty-two thousand hours. Every sitcom, animation, sci-fi
series, drama and documentary worth their salt. And nine thousand movies.
John was not a geek. He just loved his job.
When Tom broke into John's flat he found six VCRs, six televisions, and six
DVD players. For a moment, Tom thought the guy was a thief like him.
In fact, at the time of his kidnapping, John was a successful if unfulfilled
film critic, with his own late night TV slot and a cult following. Crazed
fans were an occupational hazard. One night during a break in the show, John
stepped outside for a smoke. When he didn't return, nobody worried too
much. It was a week before he was found.
Kenny Duthie was a farmer's son from Aberdeen, Scotland. He had written the
screenplay of his life. All he wanted was for John Kelso to read it. And
John Kelso was going to read it. Whether he wanted to or not. Kenny was
not an unstable person.
Lynne Callier was a researcher. She researched things. One day she
researched John Kelso.
Acclaimed Irish writer McKinney's first novel reveals a writer of persuasive
imagination, revelling in characters who are man or bad, or both.
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Dictionary of Irish Artists of the 20th Century 2nd edition by Theo Snoddy
(Hardback; 75.00 Euro / 67.50 USD / 62.50 UK; Merlin, 765 pages)
This long-anticipated second edition is the most comprehensive reference
book on twentieth-century Irish artists ever published. It is an invaluable
source for collectors, dealers, researchers, and students, and is regarded
as the definitive work for anyone interested in this field of modern art.
It contains 600 entries and encompasses the works of painters, sculptors,
creators of works of stained glass, etchers, designers and artists of every
description. It provides an extensive survey of both the major and less
celebrated figures of the past century, from Walter Osborne (1859-1903) to
Markey Robinson (1918-1999). Each entry includes biographical information
and listings of institutions where artists' works have been exhibited and
may be found today.
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A Dictionary of Irish Artists by W.G. Strickland
(2 Volume Set - Hardback; 115.00 Euro / 100.00 USD / 90.00 UK; Irish
Academic Press; 1320 pages total)
This book is the standard comprehensive reference work for the subject of
Irish art and artists. First published in 1913, it was reissued in 1968
with an introduction by Theo Snoddy. It complements the volume above and as
there are limited copies of it remaining I thought I would remind readers of
it at this time.
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Deconstructing Ireland: Identity, Theory, Culture by Colin Graham
(Paperback; 31.50 Euro / 27.50 USD / 25.00 UK; Edinburgh University Press,
190 pages)
This book intervenes with authority and originality in an area rife with
debate and passionate opinion, where cultural theory and analysis run
alongside the daily challenge of political events. The author examines the
course by which the history of modernity and colonialism has constructed an
idea of 'Ireland', produced more often as a citation than an actuality. The
author's approach illuminates the way in which this concept of the nation
plays across discourses of authenticity, fiction and fantasy in a
fascinating range of material. The book presents a compelling, astutely
theorised cultural history.
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Never Make a Promise You Can't Break: How to Succeed in Irish Politics by
Gene Kerrigan
(Paperback; 9.99 Euro / 9.00 USD / 8.50 UK; Gill & Macmillan, 183 pages)
Let the bores blather on about the importance of transfers in the fifteenth
count - this book gets to the heart of politics in Ireland today: shafting
your colleagues, conning the voters and sucking up to the people who matter.
This is the only book that tells how to get elected, how to be a government
minister, and -when the time comes - how to give evidence at a tribunal of
inquiry. From the basics (how to shake hands) to the complex (how to accept
a bribe), this book is a no-holds-barred guide to political success.
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Slan agus beannacht!
Gregory Carr
Gregory Carr
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Bastketmaking in Ireland by Joe Hogan
(Paperback; 25.00 Euro / 22.50 USD / 15.00 UK; Wordwell, 300 pages)
The main purpose of this book is to record the techniques used in making
Irish traditional baskets, a task that became more urgent as indigenous
baskets, such as creels and lobster pots, began to go out of use. The
history of the baskets and their uses are included because, in order to
understand or even make these baskets, the author feels strongly that some
knowledge of, and respect for, the people who made and used them is
required. The book is structured so that each chapter contains information
for the reader who has a general interest in traditional craft; each chapter
also has a technique section giving details of how to make many of the
baskets described. Contains numerous b/w photos and drawings.
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Shipbuilding in Waterford in 1820-1882: A Historical, Technical and
Pictorial Study by Bill Irish
(Hardback; 35.00 Euro / 31.50 USD / 22.00 UK; Wordwell, 272 pages)
This book is a remarkable study of shipbuilding. At the heart of the book
is the ethos and contribution of the local Quaker families who were central
to both phases of Waterford shipbuilding. The book that has resulted is
unique in its range, its use of reconstructions and visual materials, and
its lyrical evocation of craft skills as they were practised, and its
admiration for the ordinary man who performed the difficult and sometimes
prodigious feats it describes. It is full of colourful detail, whether
dealing with the apprenticeship system, work practices or the excitement of
the great launch days. It is also a wonderful visual record, particularly
of ships and of Waterford's riverfront and estuary.
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The Souterrains of Ireland by Mark Clinton
(Hardback; 35.00 Euro / 31.50 USD / 22.00 UK; Wordwell, 309 pages)
What exactly is a "souterrain"? The word itself is French in origin from
'sous' (under) and 'terrain' (ground). In short, therefore, a souterrain is
an underground structure. Colloquially, these structures will invariably be
referred to throughout the island as 'caves' and they are generally marked
'cave' on Ordnance Survey maps. To date, there has been no comprehensive
study dealing with this ubiquitous monument type in Ireland. This is the
definitive book on souterrains.
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Antiquities of West Mayo by Christian Corlett
(Hardback; 35.00 Euro / 31.50 USD / 22.00 UK; Wordwell, 168 pages)
This book is a synthesis of the archaeology of West Country Mayo, namely,
the two baronies of Burrishoole and Murrisk, which once formed the ancient
territory known as Umhall. It details the rich archaeological, historical,
and folk heritage - from prehistoric times to the twentieth century - of an
area of the west of Ireland world-renowned for the beauty of its coastline,
islands and mountains. The book is a photographically focused work, with
many of the mountains of the area illustrated in 91 colour photographs, 20
b/w photos, and 23 figures. It includes a gazetteer and map of the
archaeological monuments, to facilitate readers wishing to explore the area
for themselves.
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Clones Lace: The Story and Patterns of an Irish Crochet by Maire Treanor
(Large Paperback; 12.99 Euro / 11.99 USD / 7.99 UK; Mercier Press, 111
pages)
This book tells the social history of the crochet lace-making tradition in
south Ulster. Between the mid-nineteenth century and early twentieth
century, almost every family in the area made Clones lace. It offered great
opportunities for young people, many of whom travelled to Dublin to train in
design and then taught it in the west of Ireland. The lace-making industry
declines, as fashions changed and machine-made lace became more popular, in
the early twentieth century. The lace continued to be made locally until
the 1960s. The second part of the book is aimed at the beginner, with
guides to easy-to-do motifs that introduce the beautiful craft of Clones
lace.
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Believe It Or Not: A Memoir by Patrick Semple
(Paperback; 12.99 Euro / 11.99 USD / 7.99 UK; Columba Press, 180 pages)
Patrick Semple was born into the minority Church of Ireland community in
Wexford at the beginning of the Second World War. 'These were the days of
Catholic triumphalism when ecumenism in provincial Ireland was
non-existent,' he says. This is a very straight-talking, honest and often
humorous insider account of growing up in such a church in such a society.
Religion was also a factor in getting his first job in Britain's motor
assemblers in Rathmines in Dublin, but did not interfere with the lively
social life of his late teens. From there, the development of a sense of
vocation, education at Trinity College, entry into the ministry and a first
parish appointment in Belfast. Again, he chronicles the culture-clash
between the world in which he grew up and the very different circumstances
of religiously divided Belfast. In a very full life of ministry, the author
talks of ecumenism at parish level, of the idiosyncracies of aspects of the
life of the Church of Ireland, and about difficulties with various aspects
of Christian faith itself.
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Theatre Talk: Voices of Irish Theatre Practitioners edited by Lilian
Chambers, Ger Fitzgibbon and Eamonn Jordan
(Paperback; 20.00 Euro / 18.00 USD / 14.00 UK; Carysfort Press, 495 pages)
This book is a collection of interviews with 39 of Ireland's leading
'Theatre Practitioners': Ben Barnes, Sebastian Barry, Dermot Bolger, Jason
Byrne, Marina Carr, Daragh Carville, Michael Colgan, Frank Conway, Anne
Devlin, Joe Dowling, Bernard Farrell, Olwen Fouere, Ben Hennessy and Pat
Kiernan, Declan Hughes, Garry Hynes, Marie Jones, John B. Keane, Raymond
Keane, Tom Kilroy, Hugh Leonard, Tim Loane, Tomas Mac Anna, Barry McGovern,
Frank McGuinness, Tom Mac Intyre, Patrick Mason, Paul Mercier, Eleanor
Methven and Carol Moore, Tom Murphy, Paddy O'Dwyer, Fintan O'Toole, Lynne
Parker, Billy Roche, Annie Ryan and Michael West, Phyllis Ryan, Peter
Sheridan, Gerard Stembridge, Enda Walsh and Vincent Woods.
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Brits: The War Against the IRA by Peter Taylor
(Paperback; 15.00 Euro / 13.50 USD / 9.50 UK; Bloomsbury, 450 pages, with
b/w photo insert)
In the final part of his trilogy exploring The Troubles in Northern Ireland,
the author talks to undercover agents of the Belfast state and reveals for
the first time the secrets of the war they waged against the IRA for thirty
years. 'Provos' and 'Loyalists' told the story of the conflict from the
respective viewpoints of the Republicans and Loyalists; now the story, with
all its tragic twists and turns, is told from the British perspective. In
this fully updated paperback edition, soldiers, Special Branch officers and
MI6 agents step out of the shadows and, along with Whitehall mandarins who
helped shape policy from Westminster, explore and explain their experience.
This important and impressive book, meticulously researched, accurate and
balanced, is vital to any collection of Irish politics and current affairs.
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Dear Yeats, Dear Pound, Dear Ford: Jeanne Robert Foster and Her Circle of
Friends by Richard and Janis Londraville
(Hardback; 34.00 Euro / 30.00 USD / 21.00 UK; Syracuse UP, 283 pages)
The life of a remarkable Adirondack woman (model, journalist, and poet)
provides readers with a unique insider's view into art and literature during
the birth of the Age of Modernism. Jeanne Robert Foster challenged the
accepted role for women at the turn of the twentieth century. Born on a
hardscrabble farm in the Adirondack Mountains in 1879, she was hailed as an
important voice in American poetry by 1916 when her first books of verse.
"Neighbors of Yesterday" and "Wild Apples" were published. She has early
success as a model - she was the Harrison Fisher girl of 1903 - and later
became a journalist for the American Review of Reviews. In 1918, she met
John Quinn, patron of the arts, which placed her in the middle of some of
the most important literary and artistic movements in the twentieth century.
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Today in Irish History: The Catholic Emancipation permited Catholic men (who
can afford the poll tax) to enter Parliament and hold civil and military
offices, in 1829.
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