CONTEMPORARY: Glen Hansard • Rhythm and Repose It is almost hard to believe that, with decades of successful records, an Oscar and a Tony, it was only this year that Glen Hansard (of Once fame) released his first solo album. Rhythm and Repose is an earnest and vivid collection from the Irish songwriter known for his work with bands The Frames and The Swell Season. Given … [Read more...] about Music Reviews
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Review of Books
Recently published books of Irish and Irish-American interest. Recommended: Summer Mysteries The Lost Years Mary Higgins Clark’s latest novel, The Lost Years, is a mystery-suspense exploring the topics of brain-altering illness (a Higgins Clark favorite) and Biblical scholasticism (a new one). The story centers around the shooting and death of a retired professor. A letter, … [Read more...] about Review of Books
Music Reviews
At First Light • Idir A debut release from the newly formed At First Light, Idir is a perfectly-paced, delightful addition to any Irish library. What sets Celtic music apart from most other genres is that any handful of one’s favorite artists are just a moment away from collaborating on new projects. Formerly of Lunasa, John McSherry and Michael McGoldrick have long been in … [Read more...] about Music Reviews
Review of Books
Recently published books of Irish and Irish-American interest. Recommended: The O’Briens The O’Briens is the long-awaited second novel of Canadian author Peter Behrens, whose debut, Law of Dreams, captivated readers in 2006 with the story of Irishman Fergus O’Brien’s grueling journey to escape the Great Famine. The O’Briens marks a return to the family’s saga but skips a … [Read more...] about Review of Books
Review of Books
Recently published books of Irish and Irish-American interest. Recommended: Bloodland In a genre that may seem to have exhausted all possible plot-lines, Alan Glynn’s new thriller, Bloodland, is refreshingly unpredictable. An out of work journalist researching a dead socialite, an American senator attacked in the Congo, a drunk former-Taoiseach, and an Irish real estate … [Read more...] about Review of Books