Irish Books

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I bought this book for a class, but while I sold most of them back this beauty I kept. The play itself is obscure. Since it was written in (rather poor) French originally and translated back into English, it lacks some of Oscar Wilde's trademark style. This is not to say that the style of the play is without its own merits. As the book is the retelling of a Biblical story- that of Salome, daughter of King Herod, and John the Baptist (Iokanaan in this rendition)- the style of the play often mocks Biblical style. The wording is thus often repetitive and simple, but there's a beauty to it that is in many ways indescrible. While wordy, there is also a particular depth to it that you'll miss if you don't look carefully. Thematically, the play was very entertaining and I enjoyed the revisionist take on the Biblical story. Overall I found this work enthralling. This particular edition is beautiful- it includes all of Aubre Beardsley's stunning ink illustrations of the play. This is well worth having on your bookshelf (although it is rather large- 8x11)

Oscar Wilde's 1905 shocking, controversial play is no longer as disturbing to modern desensitized audiences and critics/literary scholars who recognize it as a play of psychological/Freudian aspects and as a fin-de-siecle example of the Decadence movement in the arts. Wilde's flowery, poetically lyrical, Biblically-influenced orutund words is devilishly at variance with its cruel violence and horror. In this edition, we are treated to the full illustrations by Aubrey Beardsley, Wilde's friend and himself a playwright and exponent of the Decadence. The pictures are dark, erotically charged but full of feminine lines and flowery imagery which were typical of Art-Noveau style in art/architecture. This is the entire play in a single act and I find makes a eye-grabbing book to put on your coffee table so guests can marvel at it. You'd be surprised to see the looks I get from them whenever they see the cover art!!

Wilde did not regard this work as his greatest when compared to his others, most notably The Importance Of Being Earnest. Shortly after Salome premiered, Oscar Wilde poked fun at himself and his play by dressing in drag in Salome's sexy costume for a photograph. It's likely Wilde had a bit of fun in writing a play that was bound to turn heads in a society fresh out of the Victorian Era. The words are indeed poetic and beautiful descriptions of nature, spirituality and romance mix with carnal innuendo.

The main characters- King Herod, Queen Herodias and Salome- are each in dire need of therapy, though they themselves may not admit it being a vainglorious and proud royal family. Queen Herodias became a target of John the Baptists' righteous anger and condemnation because according to old Mosaic Law she sinned by marrying the brother of her deceased first husband and thus committed incest. Full of hatred for the Prophet, she waited for the right moment to extract her revenge as well an opportunity to get him to "shut up" forever through his death. John the Baptist languished in prison at King Herod's Palace Dungeon, though in Wilde's play it was changed to a cistern in the palace courtyard garden. Herod thought it better he live the rest of his life in prison rather than be executed, for internally, Herod had always suspected that John was a reincarnation of the long dead Prophet Elias. Perhaps he thought that his presence would bring good fortune to his home. Herod has his own complexities. This is not the same Herod who ordered the deaths of the infants upon Jesus's birth. This Herod, possibly the son, ruled Jerusalem as a puppet-king and was a sycophant to the Roman Emperor. He lusted after his own daughter or stepdaughter Salome. "You stare at her too much" says the jealous Herodias whom we assume is aging and lackluster compared to her teenage, nubile daughter. Herod entertains sexual thoughts about his daughter and is aroused when she dances her famous Dance of the Seven Veils. I don't buy that he was just dead drunk. He has always lusted after Salome. But...he was in awe of John the Baptist and secretly respected him which is why he is so reluctant and even opposed to have his head severed upon Salome's request.

As for the eponymous heroine herself, she has been a subject of scholarly chat, art, literature, poetry and music throughout the years. Richard Strauss composed a celebrated opera based on this very play in 1905 and the soprano singing the role is in for a challenge because not only must she look young and dance, but her voice must be gargantuan and yet delicate. Salome found herself within the poetic themes of French poet Stephen Mallarme among others and orchestral compositions were made about her. Why does Salome ask for the head of Jon the Baptist ? Simply put, she's crazy young girl. She is only a teenager, probably between the ages of 15 and 18, awakening to her own sexuality which can be a confusing time. She is naive and inexperienced, spoiled rotten and mentally disturbed. She is fascinated with Jon the Baptist as a child would be with a new toy. He is foreign, exotic and mysterious to her and that's what makes him sexually attractive to her. More specifically, she is enamored of his lips though she believes the rest of his features are hideous. Since the Prophet rejects women and worldly things, he scolds Salome's sinfulness and refuses to kiss her, refuses to even turn and look at her face to face. This spurs Salome's anger. No man has ever found her unattractive or turned her down. The Palace Guard Nabbaroth kills himself out of frustated love for her. Many men are intoxicated by her beauty. The jealous, sexually frustrated Salome has reason enough to want Jon the Baptist's head on a platter. I have always felt that Salome was not a naive, thoughtless girl that her mother the Queen used as a pawn for her own revenge, as the Bible seems to imply. Salome had her own reasons for wanting the head of the Prophet. The truth is very disturbing as it would seem that Salome wanted his severed head as a sexy toy. "You would not suffer to kiss me when you were alive," she says in the play," and now you're dead and I'm alive and I have kissed your lips, Jochanaan." Necrophilia at its ugliest! It was for a sick, sexual pleasure that she demanded his head. Yet for all this, Wilde makes her a sympathetic, pitiful figure. We the audience are able to see her thought process through her words each time the Prophet rejects her and we see before our eyes her mental breakdown. Even so, one cannot help but wonder if this child of sin is right about certain claims she brings up. Salome believes that if John the Baptist had turned to look at her just once, he would have fallen in love with her. Could this be true ? Is this why the Prophet controlled himself and averted his eyes ? Salome claims that the Prophet is the only man she ever truly loved, which is a fallible even illogical statement when considering Salome appears to be a virgin, a girl on her first crush and has never experienced mature adult sexual relationships. Salome may be a ditzy, emotional and mental wreck but she has one of the most thought-provoking and inspirational lines I've ever heard in a play: "The mystery of love is greater than the mystery of death" which contain in its own way a kind of spirituality. Throught the play the most mysterious, unknowable character is John the Baptist, who, parrot-like, quotes Biblical passages and preaches in a fire-and-brimstone kind of way and never once reveals any of his true character. The play is great and though it's not performed today, it continues to fascinate readers everywhere. And by the way, the proper pronounciation for Salome is not "salami" like the food but sounds more French: Sa-Lo-May.

Beardsley's illustrations for Wilde's "Salome" are quite well known. I enjoyed seeing them, in unexpurgated forms, in the context of the script they were meant to adorn. I think I can see wonderful possibilities in staging that play, where modern sensibilities could show and accept what England of 1892 could not. Even so, I found the script itself somewhat repetitive, with more in it to startle than to explain. Perhaps there's a knack to reading this script that I haven't mastered.

This isn't the only place to find Beardsley's "Salome" illustrations. Other books show the uncensored forms of the pictures, too. This book, however, reproduces them in larger format and crisper printing than the others I know, and is worthwhile for at least that reason.

//wiredwierd

The last reviewer has totally missed the genius of this incredible dramatic work. The story as told in this one act play has nothing to do with the theology of Christian Biblical Mythology. It is a carefully constructed a meticulously executed examination of 'real' personalities interacting within a particular network of historical and social relationships. The unfulfilled passion which drives Wilde's Salomé to murderous revenge is deeply convincing within the context and the characterisation of the personalities created by this greatly inspired Anglo-Irish dramatist.

Complaining that a literary work does not reflect accurately some personally perceived 'historical' truth is like complaining about the historical accuracy of Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar' - it is missing the point entirely!

This play is a gripping, fast-moving tragedy which deals with the darker side of human nature vividly, imaginatively and with unguarded honesty. It is not, of course, like Wilde's other more popular plays which were designed to be humorous, witty and light. This like 'De Profundis'' "A picture of Dorian Gray' or some of his truly magnificent later poems, ranks as one of Wilde's greatest contributions to modern English literature. If you haven't already read it, do so - or better still - buy a few copies and stage it!

As a late boomer (47) one of my earliest memories was watching Churchill's funeral on TV. I remember feeling it was such a solemn occasion, I wasn't sure exactly why at three years old, but I felt it. Many years later I live on the other side of the planet. I met Winston's grandson, who was my local MP before I left England.
This is a fascinating insight into the situation, of decisions made and my first, first hand read from his own hand, there are many very important decisions made, on the hoof, with lives at stake, national identities at stake.
I intend to read more, from his WW1 books, to hopefully gain a clearer idea of what happened in the Dardinelles, an event which is used to create a pivot for the national identity here.

In the first half of Vol. 2, 'Their Finest Hour', Churchill covers the Battle of France. As new Prime Minister he sets up his Coalition Government to fight the 'common cause' and prepare for the War. Germany was already in France and the Western Front was under attack. The Belgian Government was striving to remain neutral and soon all was being lost in the 'deluge of disaster'. The Germans broke the Maginot line and soon the Battle of France was lost. There was the successful deliverance of the British Expeditionary Force at Dunkirk and the preparations to defend the home front.

The second half deals with the Battle of Britain with Hitler preparing for 'Operation Sea Lion'. In order for the invasion of England to be successful, Germany first had to control the air. London and various areas were shaken but neither the spirit nor the Country destroyed. Italy was on the move, in the Mediterranean, and invading the African coast. The Battle of Britain was won and the RAF had 'Their finest Hour', but the War was far from over. This volume covers the timeline of May 10, 1940 to Jan. 5, 1941.

It should be noted and remembered that England stands in a different position militarily than France. England is a small, ancient, insular island that has withstood many centuries of assaults and attempted invasions. So when Hitler and his forces sought to make the same attempt, not only the RAF and the Royal Navy but history was standing against them. Also it wasn't just England alone that was fighting. It was also their devoted Commonwealth, Dominions and Empirical Attachments that were involved in the war. England was pulling resources from all over their Empire. For instance, Australia and New Zealand were fighting on the African coast and in Greece.

America, under FDR, was moving closer to the war with the Lend-Lease Act and Japan was watching in the wings. Hilter was changing his war direction and moving into the Eastern Front. Stalin was changing his alliance with Hitler and moving closer to Britian and the United States. The impact and weight of the World's destiny was in the balance and starting to slowly shift. Nothing was yet certain and U-Boat packs still prowled the ocean.

This is another of those 'deserves to be read' books. Churchill fills in the volume with his correspondence and hindsight. It is good to read and become acquainted with Churchill's thoughts and this fateful time, in history, so that hopefully there will be no repeating of these terrible events. Well worth adding to the Library.

"Their Finest Hour" is in my opinion the apex of Churchill's 6-volume series on World War II. It tells the tale of the perilous Battle of Britain. At this stage in the war, victory was anything but certain for the United Kingdom, which struggled against the Nazi menace alone.

Like the rest of "The Second World War," the tale is told from the vantage point of Great Britain's indefatigable Prime Minister and War Minister, Winston S. Churchill. Few historical works that I have seen have the authority of being written by a principal player in the narrative.

Churchill makes liberal use of offical and personal documents from the period, including his ongoing correspondence with President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

As a piece of literature, the series shines. Forgetting the importance of the series as an historical document, Churchill's mastery of the English language makes for worthwhile reading.

As someone who writes for a living, I find that the quality of my own writing goes up a notch when I read Churchill.

Americans have a warped view of history, and little understanding of the role of aristocracy and class in history--our own or Britain's. Churchill was a card carrying member of the aristocracy; one of the small group of men who ran England up to, and through, World War II. Their Finest Hour is an amazing documentation of the very height, and at the same time, end, of the all powerful aristocracy in England.

Churchill's second volume of his Six Volume history of the Second World War begins with May, 1940, as the German army is rolling through Luxembourg and Belgium (both clinging to their neutrality right up to the minute the German tanks crossed the border), toward a woefully unprepared France (still reliant upon the Maginot Line, which in turn depended on Luxembourg and Belgium neutrality.

Churchill has just assumed the post of Prime Minister, after having spent the prior year (and several before that) as an outsider bemoaning the refusal of Britain (and France) to prepare to meet the rising German threat. Those years of exile are the subject of volume one.

The present volume focuses on the extraordinary difficulties Churchill and others in the British government faced once the war actually began. Once France was forced to surrender, Germany was left in what most of us think of as continental Europe without any enemies. It had allied itself with fascist Italy, made peace with Stalin, conquered Poland and France, neutralized Spain, and occupied Austria, Luxembourg, Belgium, Norway, and the Netherlands.

In this sense, Britain stood alone. There was a very real risk that Germany could invade and conquer Britain in the Summer and early Fall of 1940. The German bombing of London was increasingly effective, and the British army was in total disarray, having just been forced to abandon France, leaving most of its equipment behind. Just how worried Churchill was comes through clearly and terrifyingly in this volume. Had Germany succeeded, the world might look very different today--the Second World War would have been transformed into a truly intercontinental war, with Asia and Europe allied against North America.

Of course, Britain was not really "Alone." Greece and Turkey were firm allies; Bulgaria and Yugoslavia stood against Hitler and Italy; and Britain controlled most of what we today think of as the third world--from Gibraltar at the southern tip of Europe, to Egypt, to South Africa, India, Malaysia and Burma, and Australia. Only by adopting a firmly eurocentric view of the world (which Churchill clearly had) can he title this volume "Alone."

Churchill and the rest of his government were able to move seamlessly into power, and immediately take control of this world wide empire precisely because of the peculiarly insular class system that ruled Britain. Even as an outsider, Churchill clearly had full access to all of the centers of power. He could not bend and shape them, but he was fully in the loop. Personal relationships and lifelong associations meant that he regularly met with leaders at all levels of the power structure--including most importantly (but by no means exclusively) top politicians and naval personnel. This sort of access by "losing" politicians in the United States today is unimaginable. Can anyone seriously envision Bush allowing the head of the CIA to meet regularly with Howard Dean to review the intelligence about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq?

The only weakness in this volume is Churchill's over reliance on his own contemporaneous telegrams and memos. he was absolutely prolific, apparently having dictated dozens of multi-page memos daily--yet still finding time to run the government. While fascinating historically, they really are bureaucratic memos. The first volume, by relying more on narration and less on historical documents, allowed Churchill greater reign to his incredible skill with the English language. Here, long sections read like just what they are--official documents written in haste, for the historical record.

That said, his brilliant use of words shines through. The most stirring passage is toward the end--his eulogy in November, 1940, for Neville Chamberlain, who more than anyone was responsible for "appeasing" Hitler. Rather than lapse into "I told you so", he marshals some of the most stirring words ever written to praise Chamberlain; urging history to judge him on the strength of his character rather than the results of his actions, which are subject to the fickleness of history.

In sum, this is a remarkable book, chronicling a remarkable time in history, written by a remarkable man who played a central roll in events. I can think of no other book by anyone at anytime which brings together all three of these elements--and is well written!

After reading this book, you truly begin to see how narrow minded the average American perception of World War II really is. Not to discount the magnificant American battles such as the landing at Normandy or the Battle for Midway, but the Battle for Britain was absolutely the finest display of honor and courage throughout the entire war. This tiny island and it's courageous people stood alone and stood tall against not only the behemoth Nazi-German menace, but at the same time fought the Mussolini in northern Africa and awaited the Japanese onslaught in their Australasian colonies. It's an absolutely inspiring work, and it's an absolute sin that American schools don't teach the story of how the British people shined so brightly during their darkest hour.

A Fascinating Historic Glimpse of Civil War Sacrifice, August 11, 2003
Reviewer: ndrsn1 from Moline, IL
This book captured my attention from start to end. It is informative as well as entertaining. It examines the sacrifices of going to war at a time when war was a line 'em up face-to-face endeavor. And it provides the regular soldier's insights as to why they were willing to fight that war. It also takes a good look at the Irish immigrant to this country and the internal conflicts within that immigrant community regarding the Civil War. Fascinating to read. Only negative - too many composition errors that should have been corrected prior to publication. But the story line carries the book past this irritating problem.

A gripping story!, March 17, 2003
Reviewer: A reader from MESA, AZ United States
My father grew up in the Philadelphia/Manyunk area where the story takes place. He gave me the book to read since I was familiar with the neighborhood. I sat down to read it, thinking this was going to be another stuffy history book that I was going to skim through. From the very beginning of the book, I was intrigued, and sat up all night to finish it. The writing style was very readable, and immediately I was taken into Keenan's life. I knew that most immigrants had a hard time when they arrived in America, but I had no idea they were treated just as badly as the blacks. This book gave me a new perspective on what the Irish went through, as well as the soldiers' sufferings in the Civil War. I saw how Keenan and his fellow Irishmen tried to get work or start a new life, but were greeted by competition for jobs at the factory, and signs in store windows that would not allow Irishmen inside. As Keenan and his friend went off to fight the Civil War, they thought things would change for the better. Instead they found out the cruel, harsh realities of war. Disentary, disease, starvation, frostbite, limbs blown off, and ears or eyes destroyed from battle. Both men in the story spent time in POW camps, if you could call them that, under horrible conditions. Death seemed imminent in these camps. When the war miraculously ended, Keenan finally returned to his wife and hometown expecting a hero's welcome. I won't ruin everything by telling you the ending, but it is a worthwhile read. A perfect read for St Patrick's Day.

The Debt Has Been Repaid, September 7, 2002
Reviewer: Dottie Wiegand from Atco, New Jersey
Within the realm of formal education, the Civil War has essentially been presented as a timeline of dates, battles, notable victories,and crushing defeats for both armies.Mr.Sudell modifies all of that. Through the introduction of authentic characters and veterans of that era,he colors that same timeline with such depth and dimension that the reader lives with the characters and endures their fears and fervor, their agonies and jubilations. John Keenan, Mr. Sudell's great, great-uncle and a Civil War veteran, relates his battle and prisoner-of-war experiences, and, while horrified by the indignities suffered, we are reassured by the indestuctible will of the human spirit and the unwavering sense of patriotism.The title,Though All The World Betrays Thee, provides a clue as to the manner in which we did not repay the debt of gratitude owed.It remained outstanding until the arrival of Mr. Sudell's book. I believe that he has repaid that debt in full. Thank you.

A labor of love, a pleasure to read!, June 28, 2002
Reviewer: A reader from Del Mar College, Corpus Christi, TX United States
I've tried over the past few months to write an elegant review for "Though All The World Betrays Thee" which grasps the reader's attention and effective conveys the struggle of the "second-class citizens" during the American Civil War. I have failed. Fortunately for us, in his novel Mr. Sudell has not. It's a very good book, labor of love and a pleasure to read.

I've tried over the past few months to write an elegant review for "Though All The World Betrays Thee" which grasps the reader's attention and effective conveys the struggle of the "second-class citizens" during the American Civil War. I have failed. Fortunately for us, in his novel Mr. Sudell has not. It's a very good book, labor of love and a pleasure to read.

This book captured my attention from start to end. It is informative as well as entertaining. It examines the sacrifices of going to war at a time when war was a line 'em up face-to-face endeavor. And it provides the regular soldier's insights as to why they were willing to fight that war. It also takes a good look at the Irish immigrant to this country and the internal conflicts within that immigrant community regarding the Civil War. Fascinating to read. Only negative - too many composition errors that should have been corrected prior to publication. But the story line carries the book past this irritating problem.

My father grew up in the Philadelphia/Manyunk area where the story takes place. He gave me the book to read since I was familiar with the neighborhood. I sat down to read it, thinking this was going to be another stuffy history book that I was going to skim through. From the very beginning of the book, I was intrigued, and sat up all night to finish it. The writing style was very readable, and immediately I was taken into Keenan's life. I knew that most immigrants had a hard time when they arrived in America, but I had no idea they were treated just as badly as the blacks. This book gave me a new perspective on what the Irish went through, as well as the soldiers' sufferings in the Civil War. I saw how Keenan and his fellow Irishmen tried to get work or start a new life, but were greeted by competition for jobs at the factory, and signs in store windows that would not allow Irishmen inside. As Keenan and his friend went off to fight the Civil War, they thought things would change for the better. Instead they found out the cruel, harsh realities of war. Disentary, disease, starvation, frostbite, limbs blown off, and ears or eyes destroyed from battle. Both men in the story spent time in POW camps, if you could call them that, under horrible conditions. Death seemed imminent in these camps. When the war miraculously ended, Keenan finally returned to his wife and hometown expecting a hero's welcome. I won't ruin everything by telling you the ending, but it is a worthwhile read. A perfect read for St Patrick's Day.

Within the realm of formal education, the Civil War has essentially been presented as a timeline of dates, battles, notable victories,and crushing defeats for both armies.Mr.Sudell modifies all of that. Through the introduction of authentic characters and veterans of that era,he colors that same timeline with such depth and dimension that the reader lives with the characters and endures their fears and fervor, their agonies and jubilations. John Keenan, Mr. Sudell's great, great-uncle and a Civil War veteran, relates his battle and prisoner-of-war experiences, and, while horrified by the indignities suffered, we are reassured by the indestuctible will of the human spirit and the unwavering sense of patriotism.The title,Though All The World Betrays Thee, provides a clue as to the manner in which we did not repay the debt of gratitude owed.It remained outstanding until the arrival of Mr. Sudell's book. I believe that he has repaid that debt in full. Thank you.

The first time I read this book was about 10 years ago and then sort of lost track of it.Upon coming across it recently,I marvelled at it anew--this is the stuff of childhood memories and warm fuzzy reading sessions to be shared with your kids.The amazingly witty rhymes are indeed a treasure.

Yes, Yes, Yes! Please get the publishers to publish the book. I want to gift this book to a dozen people I know. Delightful verses, charming illustrations too.

In short, this is a feast for the mind and for the ears. Try reading the poems out loud and u'll know what i mean. Ten beautiful fairy tales taken and woven into pages of beautiful humourous poetry, what else would you want? I could not resist reading them 4 times... do buy them u'll REEEELY enjoy them.

Traditional stories from all over the world told in rhyming couplets. I am amazed at the rhymes that Vikram Seth came up with to tell these tales....and that he says he wrote the first poem becuase it was too hot to concentrate on his (real?) work!
I have this is hardcover. It's a keeper!

Everything is great about these poems. The rhymes are clever, beautiful and very often funny. In the tales the good wins from the bad, but after trial and tribulations, and always in unexpected ways. One of my favourite lines is about a goat and a ram: "They ate with pride as if to balance, their total lack of other talents". But quoting excellent lines would take about as long as the book itself.

These are not children's rhymes, but I read them to my sons of 10 and 13 years old and we all three have a great time.

Having convinced my husband to eat vegetarian meals four times a week, I was determined that they be something special. This book made it easy. The recipes are straightforward and simple, but not simplistic, highlighting the taste of each featured vegetable. My husband was impressed -- and never missed his meat!

This book is wonderful -- but I am very confused. It would appear from searching for Mr. Cotter's books that there are two books, The Café Paradiso Cookbook -- Vegetarian Cooking Season-by-Season (named above) and Café Paradiso Seasons -- Vegetarian Cooking Season-by-Season (pictured above). The reason I think that there are two books is that I recall a reference in Café Paradiso Seasons to the Café Paradiso Cookbook ...
So I give 5 stars to the book pictured. The recipes are delicious and managable. The text and background to the recipes make from charming reading -- and, of course, the photos are lovely ...

I've eaten often at Cafe Paradiso in Cork. Everytime I go I find something more innovative and more delicious. Even if you're not a vegetarian, and I'm not, you won't miss the meat in these beautifully planned meals. I've got several of Denis's cookbooks; this is the first one I've gotten in the US and having the measurement conversions is GREAT. There's a terrific range from straight forward and simple, to eye-dazzling and complex. Dig in.

I love meat but really you don't miss the meat from these recipes, they are brilliant. Dennis Cotter uses a lot of squash and sweet potatoes, in my opinion overlooked in many cookery books.

The desserts are great too.

Cafe Paradiso is unquestionably one of the best restaurants in the whole of Ireland; it should be a priority on the itinerary of anyone planning a visit. Even diehard carnivores have loved this place: I've taken many of them there when they've visited me in Cork, and they always come away from the table singing its praises!

As a result, I can't recommend this cookbook enough for anyone interested in doing more with their veg than just a slab of butter and some garlic. This book is just a preview of what is by far a culinary trip through the best vegetable, fruit and dairy produce in all of the island. Of course, being that the restaurant is a Cork-based institution, some of the ingredients Denis specifies in the book (Gabriel cheese, for example) will only be available locally; however, there is always room for experimentation in the recipes and often times, Denis himself will do so, changing one or two ingredients of what we locals feel is a staple dish to try something new. Denis Cotter uses some interesting combinations (lemon and liquorice with basil, to name one) in his cooking, which is one of the main reasons that the restaurant has become the talk of the vegetarian world. The marriage of flavours found his recipes are so vivid and palatable that it's like eating a rainbow. Of course, the restaurant's wine list is a particular complement to the food! (All the more reason to book those tickets to Cork...)

Ann evokes memories of a child in an Irish family and days spent in Catholic school thinking nuns are smarter than mothers. Her younger brother Joey is sometimes cohort; sometimes torturer.
She's overweight, clumsy, holy and unholy. At age nine, she fails to develop a talent. So, prepares herself (with hilarious contrivance) to attain the Miss Congeniality title in the Miss America contest.
Her infirm Mother is often hospitalized, leaving her with kind adults who sometimes become unkind when no one's looking.
Unique to the book are Ann's brief accounts of what happened in later life following each very entertaining narrative.

This is a heart-warming book that every girl can relate to! One page your eyes will be all teary and the next you'll be giggling... once you pick this book up you'll not want to put it down as every page is a new tale, triumph, adventure or tribulation of youth!

Such a charming and funny book! Ms. Burnell perfectly captures the immigrant experience - a stranger in a strange land who finds out that the things and people in this country are not so strange after all. This book will resonate with everyone, whether or not you are Irish! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was almost sad to finish reading it. Pick it up for an easy and entertaining read.

A Child's Heart makes you laugh and it makes you cry, it is such a good read. I highly recommend it for all book lovers.

Funny and feisty Rosie captures the essence of an Irish-American childhood in mid-century Brooklyn with her hilarious yet heart-rending tales of family and friends, nuns and neighbors in the American melting pot.

Hi I'm Zoe Whilton, and Childhood Hills is an excellent book. Each poem is a masterpiece of its own. My favorite poems are, "The Lie", "The Elevator", and "Your First Day at Dolly's" (by Annemarie Mullan Whilton, aka my mother, I am the girl at preschool, my sister is the one crying). I hope that Pat Mullan continues to write poetry.

Reviewed by Diane Morgan - Editor, ... .

Pat Mullan takes us on a poetic journey through Ireland, the world and childhood. His evocative poetry creates for us lush landscapes, towering cities and weeping hearts that share the sorrow within all of us.

Relationships are key to his poetry, love, loss and remembering. I truly enjoyed his style of writing; it wasn't at all like the rhyming cliché poetry we are overburdened with as we read aspiring poets; it has a rhythm all its own; one could almost hear an Irish lilt to it.

He adds to the end of his book a section in memory of James Dickey that is poignant and stirring reminding us of the vast heritage we have of poets often forgotten.

Childhood Hills
by Pat Mullan

Reading this collection of poetry and writings was like holding a conversation with a very interesting person who can fascinate with a hypnotic flow of words. His muse is an old country bard who whispered secrets of the ancient days in the poet's ear. Pat Mullan has translated those secrets onto these pages.

You will be moved to joy and sorrow as you traverse the winding path over these Childhood Hills. Within these hills dwells a child who remembers the man he was, not a man dreaming over a lost youth. He still lives in the poetry contained here.

This author is a spirit freed from the fears of childhood that we all have shared, no matter what shape those fears take, what horrid dreams they inspire. If you allow him, this poet will guide you through imagery and images, familiar and strange, to a destination where understanding waits.

A poem is music of the soul that takes its inspiration from ordinary events, places, and people. It is a music you hear with your heart. I recommend you read Childhood Hills slowly and listen carefully. It will quicken the spirit that lives within.

I am the author of "THE FEELINGS AND IMAGINATION OF A BAREFOOT BOY STILL INSIDE MY HEAD!: Poems and Short Stories for Boys and Girls Ages 9 to 12," which will be available online soon! I bought Childhood Hills to read another author's poetry. In Pat's book, here are several of my favorites: THE QUARRY HOLE, WE NEVER TALKED, BICYCLE RIDE, SMALL VICTORY, GRANNY BUNTY'S BUTTON BOX, and MY CAT (this one is by Annemarie Mullan Whilton). As I read, Pat's poetry created a vivid picture in my mind. The poems about Pat's childhood were particularly moving. Great Book Pat!

It's an amazing way of painting a picture from a really interesting life and Childhood of this irish author. For me it was sometimes intellectuall demanding and sometimes easy to follow. My Favourites are: 'The turning point' and 'Granny Bunty's Button Box'

The other reviewers who also gave it 5 stars said it the best. I'm just adding my emphasis that you should read this book. It was inspiring and just a very memorable and eye-opening story of native people growing up in the "white man's" world. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

A proud but impoverished Alaskan Indian family struggling to move into modern white society from its ancient culture filled with spirits -- deeply moving, humorous, tragic, yet inspirational.

I absorbed Cold River Spirits in a flurry of intense reading. Once the book was opened, I could not put it down. The stories were compelling and engaging, full of warmth, amusement, charm, sorrow, and tragedy. I was drawn into the lives of this Alaska Native family and rejoiced in their triumphs and commiserated in their troubles. The icon of the family, Louise, embodied the power, strength and wisdom of the Alaska Native woman. Louise's thoroughly modern daughter, Flora Jane, determined, bright, and plucky, became the first Alaska Native, man or woman, to graduate from the University of Alaska! These real life stories reflect the difficulties and challenges of the Alaska Native people as it has in more recent times interfaced with the pervasive and dominant white culture. But Cold River Spirits is not just an ethnological family history; it has much broader appeal, for it crosses cultural and racial lines, and the reader senses the deeper message of the themes of humanity that unify us all.

An informative and important ethnographic work giving a glimpse of one family's life experiences in interior Alaska. A story well crafted and researched by one of the descendants of an Athabascan/Irish family filled with the realities of the sometimes harsh aspects of life in the north but yet also filled with the joys of living with strands of hope. It demonstrates how people cope with the clashing of cultures and how people on another level recreate their identity with one foot in the past (belief in Cold River Spirits) and one in the present. This book is highly recommended as a prime example of how to do ethnography. At times an air of expectancy is created and much like Louise, a central character in the family story, we get a sense of what's to come. It was story told with candor and helps to give us a snapshot of the cultural landscape of her people.

COLD RIVER SPIRITS is a wonderful and welcome addition to my library. Jan Harper-Haines writes with wisdom and humor. She tells the story of her family with candor, helping readers appreciate the challenge of living in two cultures. The book is a fast read; I couldn't put it down. As a result, I gave several copies as holiday gifts to friends and family. COLD RIVER SPIRITS deserves five stars.

"Hal: Bury her naked? My own mum? Its a Fruedian nightmare!"...or something like that. Too bad his own death was an act of violence too

This collection of (the late) Joe Orton's plays is amazing. Not for those who are easily offended or whose feelings are hurt. Orton, who was described as a "poor Oscar Wilde," lived up to the name. His plays are fast paced assults on everything that the British hold dear. There is no respect for religion, custom, death or social norms.

Satirical and full of quick wit, Orton's plays attack British culture and spit on everything that the "respectable person," would hold dear.

Orton does not hold back anything and could come on a bit strong for a conservative reader, but my suggestion is that any lover of drama and theater should own and read these plays.

Beaten to death by his male lover in 1967, Joe Orton has been rediscovered as an intriguing look into the mind and soul of a man who lived ahead of his times. His plays are fascinating and have so many layers that you can enjoy them repeatedly. He also wrote a screenplay for the Beatles, which was never filmed (according to the dustjacket). Now wouldn't that be interesting!

Although he is considered among England's greatest playwrights, today Joe Orton (1933-1967) is better known for the way in which he died--his head beaten in with a hammer by his long-time lover Kenneth Halliwell--than for his works. It is a bitter and ridiculous irony that might have been lifted from one of his own plays. It is also a great pity, for Orton was a comic genius whose plays equal the best of English with from Congreve to Wilde to Coward. And if you like your comedy with an ample edge of mean-spiritedness, brutality, cruelty, and flat-out viciousness, Orton is the man for you.

THE COMPLETE PLAYS is not as complete as the title implies, for the text leaves out several titles that never received any production during Orton's lifetime. Still, it does collect the major titles, and that in itself is enough to earn it a place on any serious play-reader's shelf.

Originally presented as a BBC radio program, THE RUFFIAN ON THE STAIR presents the story of Joyce, an unmarried woman of dubious background who is now under the control of Mike, an older man who has mysterious assignations that lead to a fateful encounter with a boy hairdresser named Wilson--whose lover (or brother, depending on how you think about it) may have been a victim of one of Mike's covert operations. It got Orton noticed, and his next effort would truly put him on the map: ENTERTAINING MR. SLOANE was and is one of the salaciously funny comedies ever brought to the stage, the wickedly funny tale of an aging sex-crazed woman and her homosexual brother who use their father's murder as a means of blackmailing a young thug into their respective beds.

THE GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT, THE ERPINGHAM CAMP, and FUNERAL GAMES have much to offer but are actually minor titles in comparison with the two plays that critics consider great masterpieces: LOOT, a bitterly savage farce concerning a robbery, a death in the family, and the uses to which you can put Mother's coffin (not to mention false teeth) in a pinch; and WHAT THE BUTLER SAW, set in a psychiatrist's office in which everyone has truly gone round the bend.

Orton was a master of language that forces you to laugh even as it cuts you like a straight-edged razor across the throat; you can't help but laugh even as you collapse bleeding to the floor. Even so, it is worth pointing out that plays are really written to be performed rather than read, and this particularly true of Orton; unless you have a very strong background in theatre you may do better to wait for your local rep company to take up the challenge.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Tragic, brutal things happen to the characters in these plays. But none of these people is particularly likeable, so you can't really care. It's all just as well for them, in some ways, and it's all in good fun. The characters manipulate each other, lie to each other, steal from each other, screw each other, kill each other, and deny that they do it. Everyone here has the ethics of a doorknob, and it's all pretty enjoyable.

The last one, "What The Butler Saw", got a little bit too ridiculously farcical for my taste and went on too long, but it has its moments; and otherwise they're all pretty good to read.

I can also recommend the introduction. Joe Orton lived his own life very much like the people in his plays (which makes you wonder how much of his material was supposed to be comedy). Even his death was true to form: his envious lover, actor Kenneth Halliwell, bashed in Orton's brains with a hammer just prior to doing himself in with 22 sleeping tablets.

...The gist of it was this: Crow is one of the best books of poetry published in the last 50 years...

As an English major in 1973, one of my professors recommended this book of poetry. None of our textbooks contained any of Ted Hughes' work but I jotted his name and this title in the margin of one of my books. After graduating, I spent very little time reading or thinking about poetry. But I recently revived my interest in poetry, specifically after reading several biographies of Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes. I pulled out my old poetry textbooks, found this note and immediately ordered Crow to read it for myself.
What an experience. The work is fantastic - the images, the rhythm, the concept. Amazing, entertaining, and relevant.
I highly recommend this book.

A brilliant work! Honest, straightforward, raw and hardcore poems
that will knock your socks off. This is the only work I recommend reading by Hughes.

I first read this in the late 70's. The harshness, the brutality of it all was a punch in the stomach. An overturning of how i imagined poetry to be. Poetry because of this could belong to me too. It was a similar sensation to the crashing, nihilistic verve of early punk records. It will always remind me that poetry can be as powerful as a 3 minute, 3 chord record, and just as accessible. It did not have any of the cultural baggage of TS Eliot's Wasteland,for example, Which to a provincial boy stuck in a Comprehensive School, belonged to a diferent, musty world .

"Crow: From the Life and Songs of the Crow" is a collection of poems by Ted Hughes. The copyright page notes that the book was first published in 1972. This is a remarkable book that often reads like some apocryphal sacred text. The book is dominated by its title character, who is the focus of a significant number of the poems. Crow is a multifaceted character with mythic heft: he is a warrior, theologian, trickster, and partner with God in creation. He is both heroic and ridiculous, foolish and wise. He's a compelling and delightful character who ultimately transcends all cultures and historical eras.

The collection as a whole is whimsical, witty, apocalyptic, bold, revelatory, irreverent, visceral, horrific, and playful. At times, Hughes' poetic marriage of the earthy and the mystical reminded me of Walt Whitman. The book also calls to mind traditional Native American animal stories.

Many of the poems in "Crow" touch on the magic and power of words. The natural world is another key recurring motif. Hughes delivers some striking images and some interesting arrangements of words on the page--many poems really engage the eye. Many poems read like religious litanies. Overall, an impressive and enjoyable poetic achievement.