Irish Books

The late James J. Martin stated that one could learn great prose from reading George Orwell. Orwell's anthology titled IN FRONT OF YOUR NOSE is a good book to learn political insight and excellent writing. Orwell was not only knowledgeable, but he expressed some of the political tragedies and problems of the 20 th. century in this book. Readers should note this book is the fourth volume of essays of Orwell's essays literary criticism, political protest, etc.

Orwell was one of the very few who realized what a disaster W.W. II was for both Europeans and Asians. His essays on the forced repatriation of millions to the Soviet Union to miserable die in concentration camps were among the first to publicize this tragedy. Orwell's essays were blunt in stating that the only real winner from W.W. II was Big Communism especially in lieu of the rapid disintegration of the British Empire.

Orwell gave a good description of the inconsistent thinking of the British people. The British wanted total victory at any cost, and found themselves in bad economic shape. Many British complained about the immigration of Polish refugees to mine coal in Great Britain. Yet, the British public also complained (whined) about coal shortages. Orwell indicated the inconsistency of these remarks and commented that the British failed to see the logic between acts and consequences. Orwell Presented a clear picture of what was to occur with the British Empire which disintegrated rapidly after "victory" during W.W. II.

Orwell's essay on Gandhi is an interesting case study of Orwell's honest assessment of political leaders. Orwell is clear that he could not live like Gandhi, and Orwell admitted that he probably could be friends with the Hindu leader. Yet,Orwell highly praised Gandhi's courage, policy of nonviolent resistence to the British rules, and Gandhi's honesty. Orwell gave Gandhi praise for being honest and a decent man among political rogues, hypocrites, and cowards. Whether one agrees with Gandhi, he was indeed a brave, honest man. Among poltical figures these are rare traits indeed.

This reviewer disagrees with part of Orwell's criticism of James Burnham. Orwell correctly shows Burnham's errors in predicting the outcome of W.W.II. However, Orwell should have recognized Burnham's book THE MANAGERIAL REVOLUTION was a solid account that political and economic affairs were to be controlled by managers and "experts" rather than a market economy and by traditional political processes.

Orwell's anthology has interesting essays of literary criticism and correspondence. Orwell was suprisingly well versed with continental European poltical leaders and literary figures. There is an interesting letter that Orwell wrote to Arther Koestler, author of DARKNESS AT NOON,in which Orwell favorably compares this book with Orwell's own 1984.

Orwell also has some disturbing remarks regarding "allied" abuse and torture of defeated German prisoners of war. Orwell reflected that he remembered British and U.S. propaganda against the Germans before and during W.W. II. Yet, right in front of his nose, the "allies" were acting in the same beastial manner against those caught on the wrong side of the war. This was quite disturbing to Orwell, or any thoughtful person.

This reviewer has always been very impressed with Orwell's work. Any thoughtful individual who is not afraid of clear writing, honesty, and truth would enjoy Orwell. Unfortunately, the number of such people is small. As Orwell wrote one time, propaganda and lying do not decieve people. Propaganda and lying only help people who want to be deceived.

This fourth volume concludes the excellent essay collection from a man who died much too young and with whom I do by far not always agree, but who provided me a very satisfying and instructive reading experience.
I chose the headline from one of the essays in this volume because it gives Orwell in a nutshell, including my own ambiguities about him. He argues against the Soviet apologists, in the early post war time, who say that one must break eggs to make an omelette. (Is that a Lenin quote, btw?) His question: so where is the omelette? strikes me as witty and appropriate, but at second glance as callous and cruel. After all he seems to imply that yes, you may kill a few million people for a 'good' purpose, but the purpose must be met.
In such moments Orwell is deserted by his own devotion to clarity and he gets caught in his own puns. That does happen to him. As much as he lambasts against bad language, he will write e.g. 'I could multiply these examples endlessly' (talking about bad stories from the Soviet Union), when he actually means, he could add to these examples for some time.
Reading the man for 4 volumes gives me the conviction, that this suspicious interpretation of mine is unfair. No, he would not have intended to mean that.
The title 'In Front of Your Nose' refers to our ability to harbor contradictory notions without suffering too much from it: the English intelligencia in the 30s was able to oppose Hitler as well as disarmament and conscription. Another example: the gospel of Matthew tells us that Jesus descended from Abraham and David through his father Josef, and then proceeds to tell us that Josef was in fact not the father. (I am sure theologists are perfectly able to talk this contradiction away.)
Vol. 4 has plenty of worth while literary criticism as well, like the previous 3. The essay on good bad books predicts that Uncle Tom will outlive the complete works of Virginia Woolf. (Frankly speaking for me that has already happened.) Jack London could tell his stories well, but they are not well written.
Let us close our Orwellian peregrination with a timeless reminder: political language is designed to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind. Right, my AFs in the much afflicted US?

Essays and journalism and very good footnotes deal with starvation in Europe, prevention of literature, Gandhi, an attempt to form an organization which would deal with issues like expelling people from their homes, people forced back to Soviet Russia, and much more including civil liberities for anarchists.

I'm into playing all kinds of music, so this book, along with the Rock n Blues Harmonica and the Blues Harmonica Collection, caught my interest. The other book of interest in this area is the Bluegrass book by Mike Stevens. That book has great tunes and techniques but like alot of harp playing involves alot of bending, which of course is an integral part of blues harp as well. So I was surprised that this book and cd of mostly Irish and American fiddle tunes for harmonica DOES NOT involve bending at all. This makes the songs more accessable especially for a beginner but what's also nice is that the tunes are not simplified or dummied down to allow for this. This collection will really give you alot of tunes to play and because of the no bending aspect you'll be able to play them right off. Well that's sort of true because many of the tunes are complex enough but that's cool too because they sound like they are supposed to and not simple versions. About 22 of the tunes are on the cd and I wish there had been more on there to give an idea of how the ones you're not familiar with go. Of the 100 songs in the book about 20 (none of which are on the cd) involve a 12 hole harmonica (Hohner 364 model, musician's Friend $24.00) The tab makes it easy to follow on these 12 hole tunes but the 12 hole harp has a different configuration of holes in the top register so can be a little tricky when just playing it like a regular harp. One cool thing you can do with one of these 364's is play some really low notes on the bottom holes that aren't on the regular harp and the hole setup on the bottom part is the same as on a regular harp. These 12 hole 364's are also great for playing some blues tunes like Sonny Boy Williamson's Bye Bye Bird. There's also a 14 hole harp, the 365, and I only mention this because there's a version of it called the Steve Baker that is set up like a regular harp on all the holes. This is a bit pricier and because it's set up like a normal harp the tab in the fiddle book would not work for this harp- just the 364 or the regular 365. Any, this is really a great collection. There's also alot of folklore and harmonica tidbits on the bottom of each page.

This is a nice overview of harmonica fiddle tunes. It's not for a beginner, but for somebody adding to their musical or transitioning from a blues harp style, this is a nice book. If you've already learned some fiddle tunes on your own, this may not offer a whole lot, but even picking up a few tunes makes it well worth the price of admission. It is a nice, friendly approach.

I bought this for my husband, who is just beginning the harmonica and loves this type of music. He picked the book up and started playing "Star of the County Down" right away.

My only disappointment is that it does not have many songs on the CD that he would like to play, so I have had to play the tunes from the book so he can get a feel for them since he does not read music well.

This book may not be ideal for the beginner, but it is not too advanced that a beginner cannont play the tunes.

The playing techniques at the beginning of the book, and tidbits of info with each song are interesting.

Songs on the CD are Soldiers Joy, The Arkansas Traveller, Farewell to Whiskey, Turkey in the Straw, The Year of Jubiloo, Liberty, Tobin's Favorite, The Irish Washerwoman, The Kesh Jig, The Morpath Rant, Ricketts Hornpipe, Planxty Irwin, The Rose Tree, Miss McCleod's Reel, Speed The Plow, Petronella, The Road to Lisdoonvarna, Paddy Whack, Garry Owen, Boys of Bluehill, The Girl I Left Behind Me, and The Eight of January.

I liked this little book, we used it on my wedding, and our friends weddings. It's fun and almost always witty. Worth the little price.

This quaint little book is full of wonderful, whimiscal folklore. With each page there is a rustic black and white illustration giving the book its irish traditional look. The book is filled with short poems and greetings that would enrich anyone. Its fun and very easy reading making a great gift. I'm planning to send this book to my sister and Mom before we head to Ireland so we have a feel for some of the Irish folklore. It would make a great addition to anyones library.

Even the cover of this book is great. Chock full of sayings and blessings. A wonderful companion for an Irish wedding. Some of the sayings would make great conversation pieces when placed on place cards!!!

Steve Blamires provides a wonderful well research and theoretically sound book on Irish Celtic magick. Unlike other pagan authors who based their research on second hand translations or other non-myth books, Blamires goes directly to the source and uses direct translations from the Irish Text Society. He connects the tradition directly to the myths. This book is a must for anyone interested in Celtic Magick.

One hopes this book will be reprinted. In it, the author takes the old Irish classic The First Battle of Moytura as the model for his exposition of magical workings. My reservations about it are these: Blamires' style of magic is really patterned on the Hermetic model, and his path workings I find completely unnecessary. One doesn't need path workings to visit the four cities. One needs rather to learn astral projection to find out what they are like. As for the Hermetic model, it is perfectly good, if not old Irish. Considering the corrosion to which the Druid traditions were subjected over the centuries however, one really cannot expect much better than this. One thing that is certain is that Blamires' methods work and do give a beautiful basis for exploring and working with the still potent Irish deities. Blamires' other book Glamoury, based on some of the Duanaire Finn, is similar to this. It brings the reader into another dimention of the magical possibilities of working with the Irish deities. They are quite remarkable.

I first read this book 9 years ago and undertook the journeies within the texts with great determination, mystery and enthusiasm. This book though read many times since still hold the same magic for me thatit did that first time. The journey to sovereinty - that of the All Mother - is truley the most beautiful and emotional journey I have ever had - each time it is taken it is no less magnificent. Much like the book - Steven Blamires has put forth an exceptional work of the Celtic Pagans and their basis of belief. this book is an absolute MUST HAVE for any student of that tradition. No magical library is complete without it!

"Irish storyteller Marrie Walsh pens a memoir rich with the gifts of warmth, magic and wonder, revisting the scenes of her youth, where every neighbor was family, where hermits and bogey men and ghosts were all equally real and frightening, and where time seemed to have stopped for a while." (synopsis by Alibris)
I love personal accounts of growing up in an earlier generation. This is not the gritty, struggle that was Frank McCourt's experience of a city, depression era childhood. Instead the reader gets the country view of that same period.

Reading this book recently allowed me to discover a worthy successor to Flora Thompson's "Lark Rise to Candleford". Which to my mind stands as the classic textured literary time machine, that allows the reader to taste, touch, hear & smell a bygone era in full measure. Marrie Walsh has created a minor masterpiece with her (first?) book. Not only will those devotees of the country life memoirs find similarities with Thompson, but also touches of Miss Read as well as WB Yeats and Thomas Hardy here. The bitter as well as the sweet with a magical touch of folklife for good measure. Highly recommended. And may we see many more works from Ms Walsh's pen.

This is a marvelous little book recounting a childhood in Ireland. It is eminently readable and will transport you to a simpler world for a few hours.

Another stunning book of Irish Crochet lace. Same setout as Masterpieces of Irish Crochet Lace. (photo of each piece and written out instructions) Lots of beautiful flowers and motifs. Challenging but well worth the effort. I have found this very inspiring and eventhough I may not make any irish lace I will definitly use some of the techniques and patterns in my crochet.

I have been looking for patterns that were beyond the norm, something unusual and timeless, and this book contains more than I had even hoped for. I am delighted with this crochet book. These lovely creations were made during an era that wasn't congested with computer technology and television, perhaps this is why it seems so much more creative and, though time consuming, worth every moment of effort. I intend to use this book a lot, and I am so glad I ordered this one, it is filled with patterns that are so beautiful it's breath-taking. Worth every penny, I intend to buy every book from the historical series. I'm sure I will not be disapointed.

This is a treasury of exquisite vintage designs of breathtaking delicacy and intricacy, of wild roses, tea roses, old roses, passion flowers, ferns, narcissi, blackberries,trefoils, daisies, fuschia, chrysanthemums, numerous types of butterflies, a variety of leaves, thistles, shamrocks, acorns, and grapevines. These designs are amazing in their three-dimensionality, and many of these can be made into decorative pendants of nodding fuschias, dropping acorns, and alighting butterflies -- enchanting! There are instructions for making up -- using the various background and edge stitches -- into a variety of beautiful items, not only edgings, insertions, medallions, doilies, and baby bonnets and booties, but also more unusual items such as opera bags, curtain tiebacks, hatpins, jabots, bows, necklaces, brooches, buttons, and belt pins, and even stunning masterpieces such as portrait hats, shirtwaists, gowns, and coats. If you are a lace-crocheter and buy only one book this year, let this be the book and you will not regret it!

Nothing can ever really be compared to the courage displayed by Anne Frank in her diary, but Cynthia Neale's Nora McCabe in Neale's famine book, THE IRISH DRESSER, comes close. Both Nora and Anne experience day-to-day life in a world gone mad. While nothing can extinguish their inner lights, the world they live in is pitch black, terrifying and cruel. The wonder of Anne Frank has always been how did she manage to cope at all. She has provided unending inspiration for any of us who is ever tempted to indulge in self-pity or despair. Neale's 13-year-old Nora McCabe, like Anne, sees the magic in the ordinary things around her-chickens with personalities and the thrill of an upcoming party where there might actually be food to eat, instead of the hopelessness which has wrapped itself around her family. Anne Frank hid in a cramped apartment in Amsterdam,and Nora McCabe literally hides in a piece of furniture-the Irish dresser, as she, unlike Anne,manages to escape from starvation and political oppression and start over again in New York. If you want to get a real sense of what the Great Famine in Ireland must have been like from a child's point of view, when over one million died and two million fled the island, read this book.

This book tells you what really happened in Ireland during the Potato Famine. It is also a story about family strength and love. Nora and her family are very near starving to death, so their father decides to move them all to America. The family gets split up on the boat to America, and a china cabinet becomes Nora's magical place. Sometimes this story is a little scary and sad, and sometimes it is full of hope and promise. But it is a story that needs to be told. If you have some Irish roots, this books helps you to understand your family history a little better.

The Irish Dresser: A Story Of Hope During The Great Hunger by Cynthia G. Neale is a novel written for young adults and set in the Irish Famine of 1845-1850. The Irish Dresser follows the struggles of Nora McCabe, a thirteen-year-old girl who wages a daily battle with hunger. Nora's adventure begins when her father decides to take her to America for an escape from famine and a chance at survival in a new world. The Irish Dresser is an exciting, entertaining, and highly recommended story of taking risks and facing new challenges for the sake of hope.

"When Irish eyes are smiling..." , and sure won't they steal your heart
away? That's the effect this book, and its protagonist, will have on
you.
Michael Maguire arrived in the U.S. from his native land, Ireland, as a young lad. He settles in Philadelphia, where he finds his new homeland
can be rough, but works hard to establish himself. Michael has no
green card; he is an illegal from across the Atlantic.
His story begins in the harsh winter of Philadelphia; he has lost his
family and home, and most of his savings, in his pending divorce.
It is a cold, blistery night as he fends his way to Saint William's
church, his sanctuary. Little does he know that the cold would be
the least of his worries.
His first marriage in the U.S. ends in failure, yet produced a daughter who is his pride and life. Michael encounters a few undesirables from the seedier side of life that would do him harm. Still, he remains hopeful. He maintains his Catholic upbringing, thinking daily of his dear father,
who, by his words and life, sustains Michael's character and goals.
There are a couple sexual scenes, but only as an integral and minor
part of the story. The "feast" is served to you as every adventurous
and productible part of Michael's life unfolds; as he maintains being
a father to his daughter; as he finds new love; as the culmination of
his hard work comes to fruition in 1986 by the Immigration Act.
When you realize the story is coming to its end, you can only hope
author Marty Kay has another Michael Maguire book in the making.

A very well written and intriguing work that shows a keen eye for detail and taps into a reservoir of emotions. The characters are real, the plot solid and the moral strong.

The author has obviously drawn on experiences from both sides of the Atlantic and presented them in an enjoyable and memorable way.

I hope there is a sequel to this work.

Marty Kay has hit on a niche market with "Irish Eyes".
The link between Ireland and the U.S. as seen through the eyes of the main character helps to make the book unique.
The full gamut of emotions is well explored and the Irish Catholic immigrant's story fully covered.
A very enjoyable read, that brought home the rags to riches story.

I suppose Jon Riley's Irish File could be classified as a travel book. However, that description falls short of the true value of this book. This is a travel book with spirit and soul. Riley doesn't just look "at" Ireland, but looks "into" the spirit of Ireland. The photographs and the words, both Riley's and O'Faolain's, give the viewer a sense of, not only seeing images of Ireland, but feeling, hearing and almost smelling the countryside. This is a beautiful book- beautifully photographed, written, and designed- worth owning for those reasons alone, even if you don't have a specific interest in the Emerald Isle.

The Irish File is the strikingly beautiful photographic works of Jon Michael Riley. Riley lives in North Carolina has done award winning works for numerous magazines and other publications. On his journey to the Emerald Isle, Riley incorporate in his photos a conjoining of dramatic elements.

The photographs are so absolutely beautiful it gives the viewer a sense of a Victorian era painting. The artist gives you the feeling of haunting sounds of music and gentle breezes. The sounds so lovely and celestial like an ethereal song-as he describes his visit in Co. Kerry at the gate entrance of St. Senan's Holy Well. The place inspires the spirit of the breezes tumbling about the metal pipes of the gate [on the front cover]. It's looking at the land with a sense of grace and prefection. Not seeing it as a picture postcard snapshot. Like a scene out of a cinema graphic still with soft overtones. He gives his images a vintage look yet bringing out the realness of their simplicity.

Nuala O'Faolain's author of 'Are You Somebody: The Accidental Memoir of a Dublin Woman', poetic words in the introduction expresses the photogrpher's broader ego to the spirit of the place. This would make a beautiful coffee table book for lovers of breathtaking photography and those who want to reminisce their travels to Ireland.

If you want to know the soul of Ireland then sit in a quiet spot with "The Irish File" and let the images show you an Ireland you probably never knew. As a photographer I am not easily impressed with "photography" books but Jon Riley's images in his book are absolutely stunning! Well done Jon and thank you!

In my own humble and (admittedly) Irish opinion, this is a great collection of stories by a 19th century Irishman who grew up in the older Irish ways yet was educated in the English ways. Thus, you have a group of stories that the man could have written in Irish but in order to sell the stories at all had to write in English. Carleton is writing during an interesting period, when many of the Irish people still spoke Irish! Yet English was gaining as the dominant language, and when a language passes much culture is lost along with it. Carleton bridges an important gap, and his stories are both important and interesting for that reason.
Hurley published these stories as examples of a dying warrior culture on the brink of passing, for the purpose of revealing real Irish stick-fighting, and it is clearly shown. It does not elaborate on techniques of fighting, but there are passsages that deal with how shillelaghs were treated and hardened for use. Carleton's intention was to write good uniquely Irish tales about great clan fights, and to show the Irish spirit. This book shows all of this.

In the early 19th century, an impoverished Gaelic speaking author named Liam O'Cathalain Anglicised his name to William Carleton, and began publishing short stories in English. A former gang member from the farming villages of what is now Northern Ireland, he wrote about the world he knew, and as a result many of his stories are imbued with the same anti-gang message as your stereotypical movie set in the inner city. His stories tell very much about why young Irish men joined gangs or "factions" as they were called. If a young Irish peasant was a faction member, the landlord and his agents would think twice about evicting him, his family, or his friends. If they insisted, the landlord and his agents would likely end up dead. However, the factions spent more time fighting amoung themselves than taking on the system. In the story "Neal Malone," a doughty, but short, tailor has his desire to make his bones on the gang scene shattered after he marries the nastiest shrew in the parish. In "The Battle of the Factions," the love between an Irish Romeo and Juliet is nowhere near enough to end the pathological hatred that exists between two gangs. Editor John W. Hurley has provided copious notes, which I was very grateful for, as otherwise I would have had a very difficult time the dialogue of the stories, a dialect birthed by the shotgun-marriage between the English and Gaelic tongues. In closing, I have to say that I am very grateful both to Mr. Carleton for writing these tales and to Mr. Hurley for finally reissuing them. For this they both deserve a round of applause.

Before you see Martin Scorcese's film 'Gangs Of New York', read John W. Hurley's book 'Irish Gangs And Stick-Fighting'. Scorcese's film is based on the first half of the book'The Gangs Of New York' which deals exclusively with Irish gangs. And while it's flashy and exotic, there isn't much substance in the original book; it doesn't explain the traditions of the Irish gangs or the famous Irish shillelagh, it simply describes them in a sensational way. Hurley's book remedies this problem. It provides first hand accounts of Irish gangs and fights, written by a 'reformed' Irish stick-fighter, and vividly describes Ireland's fighting culture which was goverened by a code of honour which Hurley rightly calls 'Shillelagh Law'. If you are Irish or have an interest in Irish gangs, Irish boxing, the shillelagh, or Scorcese's film, you will really enjoy this book - I highly recommend it.