Edna O’Brien has published the memoir she swore she’d never write. Readers will be very glad she did. "You can write and I will never forgive you,” said Ernest Gébler, Edna O’Brien’s then husband, after reading her manuscript for The Country Girls. Published in 1960, O’Brien’s honest and intimate portrayal of two young women in the Ireland she had left behind was a … [Read more...] about Country Girl – Edna O’Brien’s New Memoir
Writers and Poets
Nuala – A New Documentary
Nuala O’Faolain shook Ireland and captivated the world with her forthright memoir Are You Somebody? A new documentary seeks to present a full picture of the woman behind the writing. For the millions who were astonished by Nuala O’Faolain’s Are You Somebody? The Accidental Memoir of a Dublin Woman (1996), filmmakers Patrick Farrelly and Kate O’Callaghan have put together an … [Read more...] about Nuala – A New Documentary
Arthur Conan Doyle’s Irish Mystery
May 22nd has been celebrated as International Sherlock Holmes Day since 2013 when fans celebrated the 125th anniversary of the novel in which Arthur Conan Doyle introduced his famous sleuth. The date was chosen as it is the birthday of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who was born on May 22, 1859, to an Irish family in Edinburgh, Scotland. Sherlock Holmes — who celebrates his 125th … [Read more...] about Arthur Conan Doyle’s Irish Mystery
Review of Books
Recently published books of Irish and Irish-American interest. Recommended: The Christmas Kid Pete Hamill is New York’s City’s citizen chronicler. The constantly changing metropolis features in most of his books and articles. For many years he worked as a reporter and columnist for the New York Daily News. His novel Forever (2003) is perhaps his best known paean to the city, … [Read more...] about Review of Books
The First Lady of Irish Crime: Tana French
Tana French’s bestselling crime novels keep readers in suspense and mark this actress-turned-author as an astute observer of Irish life. She has been dubbed “the First Lady of Irish Crime,” drawing comparisons to Patricia Cornwell and even Agatha Christie. And yet, if Tana French had not moved to a new apartment a few years back, her literary career might never have gotten off … [Read more...] about The First Lady of Irish Crime: Tana French