Georgia Books

It goes beyond talent. Stafford captures your heart as each shell he finds opens a new passage way for the reader to explore. Stories which cause us to question our beliefs, our thoughts of people, and our inner most feelings. I've read and reread this book and would highly recommend that you do as well.

Fifty years ago Anne Lindbergh inspired us by drawing analogies between found sea shells and the role of womanhood. Now, Richard Dobson Stafford has done the same for men. He reminds the reader that the world has changed for both men and women. This would make a great Father's Day gift. Wit and good sense! 50+ Magazine, Raleigh, North carolina

There is wit and good sense in what Stafford writes as he shares how his spirit was reawakened while examining his newly found shells. If there is one word to sum up this book it is "grace." This would make a splendid Father's Day gift, so forget agonizing over another tie or aftershave lotion. Women, too, will find the book to be compelling. A thought provoking book! It would make a good read for a book club. Mae Woods Bell- Rocky Mount Telegraph

This book offers a look into a man's life of whom we know nothing. It allows us to hear his life story through an interesting comparison of sea shells. This book is great for all ages, but especially good for moms and dads whose son(s) or daughter(s) is about to go to college. A definite "Must read" book for the whole family.

Looking for a new way of understanding your life? Beyond the Beach delivers a powerful message for every father, grandfather, and son. This is a wonderful companion piece for Anne Morrow Lindbergh's Gift from the Sea. A must for your summer reading...see you at the beach! Mike Fitsko, New Braunfels Herald New Braunfels, Texas

Being a true southerner I seriously questioned the ability of a "Yankee" to write a quality and unbiased biography of someone that the south considers "one of our own".

I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised to find a tremendous amount of information which proved to be both interesting and intruiging. Most importantly, I learned something. Dr. Brasch did an incredible amount of research on Joel Chandler Harris, his works, his life and his legacy. The material in this work is presented in such a way that you walk away feeling that Mr. Harris was an author willing to take chances in a time that taking chances wasn't considered politically correct. It is also presented in such a way that the reader comes away with a sense of the true south in a time of racial uprising and disruption.

The Uncle Remus series has and always will be a part of the southern heritage - learning about its creator should be part of the mandatory cirriculum set forth in the higher educational forums of not only the south, but those across the country. Joel Chandler Harris has proven to be a character worth studying. I would not have believed this had I not picked up this book.

For those who enjoy biographies, this is a must read. An added bonus is the attractive artwork on each page as well as the high quality photographs depicting Joel Chandler Harris, his home and his surroundings.

This is a fascinating book. Anyone interested in the story behind the characters we knew as children--Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, and Uncle Remus--would find Walter Brasch's thorough research, his extensive collection of photographs and illustrations, and his thoughtful treatment of recent and current debate over the work of Joel Chandler Harris to be well worth an investment of $... and a few hours of pleasurable reading.

While the tales of Uncle Remus are some of the most notable American folk tales, the name of their author Joel Chandler Harris is less known, and many have no awareness of this preserver of Afro-American dialect and folklore. Brer Rabbit, Uncle Remus & The 'Cornfield Journalist' uses primary sources from letters and newspaper accounts to diaries and art to provide a cultural biography of Harris, a man who lived in the South and preserved a tradition which might otherwise have been lost. Involving and engrossing, yet scholarly in research and depth.

I have seldom read a book more enjoyable than this history of one of the greatest storytellers in America. This was a newspaper editor who created the stories of Brer Rabbit and Uncle Remus, yet was one of the most liberal voices in America after the Civil War. This is a nicely-illustrated book, one that explores all sorts of themes, including why the author is no longer remembered, and whether Brer Rabbit is racist, or whether people who haven't read the stories made him out to be racist.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in history, sociology, journalism, popular culture--or just learning about life.

Very informative book. I learned so much about my African heritage. I thought the name 'BRASCH' was a strange name for a brother. Who knew a white man could teach me so much about my roots!! It took me a long time to read the book because each chapter was full of information. I had to give my brain time to process it all. I was sorry when I had read the last chapter. I live near Atlanta and plan to visit the home of Joel Chandler Harris.

I bought several copies to send as gifts to relatives.

This book captures the entire deep south experience from a boy's point of view. The creeks and fields, as well as the dirt, comes alive with Davis' descriptions. He aptly tells of Southern relationships, community, and the hardships that were endured as a part of life. What a delightful find. I hope that Davis will continue to write such treasures!

I am a teacher of literature and I highly recommend this book for all ages. I am suggesting it for my bookclub read this month!

Ironically, I read this book on Christmas Eve. However, it's message can be realized at any time of the year. The book's focus is on a twelve-year old boy during the final months of his grandmother's life. His relationship with her and her "final lessons" are very heart warming. No nail-biting plot, nor exploding ending, but I finished the book feeling renewed. If you want a feel-good book with no profanity, violence or sex, give this book a try. Recommended to all readers of Christian fiction.

This was a different type of book. You know in the first paragraph what goes on at Christmas, but the book is then a lead up to those events. It is an interesting look at family and struggle in the poor rural south. The truth you find out about Joe I suspected, but it was a realistic ending for the time and place. I think in the end you see that these months in 1942 are what changes a boy into a man who can make something out of himself, instead of following in his uncle's footsteps.

As I read this, I kept thinking of my grandmother, whose childhood was very similar. This is a good read for teens and adults alike, as it is told from the viewpoint of an older man as he remembers seven months of his childhood during 1942. A teen struggling to find him/herself can relate to this young man growing up in a small town torn between the draw of the world and the love of home. Those who grew up in a rural or small town, will identify greatly with the lifestyle and story presented. It features no profanity or other adult-content imagery. It is sweet without being sappy, so enjoy!

I also loved this because the descriptions and way of life recalled are part of my own past. I am young, but this tells a life similar to my ancestors and brings this way of living to reality for me.

This book has saved me major $ from the sale of my home to the purchase of a new one. Mr. Howard cover it all from credit cards, credit reports, buying cars etc..... This book was written for me (the consumer)and I will recomend that all my friends buy, plus I have bought serveral copies for Christmas gifts...

This book should be the most dog-eared volume in any household where watching finances is a priority. Howard and Meltzer explain the ins and outs of consumer issues in an easy-to-understand and thorough manner. As co-author of a consumer book (Debt Free: Your Guide to Personal Bankruptcy Without Shame), I recommend this guide. John M. Caher

This book, the third edition of a worthy effort, has been superseded by Howard's GET CLARK SMART (2000), which is the fourth edition, with numerous changes and updates. The more recent book is published with no reference to the earlier editions and under a different title, so the unwary consumer is liable to buy either the outdated edition, or (as in my case) both editions, without realizing that he's getting two versions of the same book. This is ironic, given the author's reputation as a consumer advisor.

Clark takes his talk show and puts it into book form for those who can't hear him. This geek can speak, and his simple tips will save you money, time, aggrevation and embarassment. Buy it for someone who needs tips but is too lazy or shy too ask! He has a crack staff behind him, and while they differ on saving money, they all know they owe Clark a huge thanx for taking them to Italy for $200 apiece. One money-saving idea will pay for the book, and your friends will literally start calling you "Clark".

Clarks newest book is excellent!!! Well written andeasy to read. It is a good read cover to cover, or as a flip thorughreference for what you need at the current time. This book has already saved me the purchase price. However, a word of Clark like advice: I bought mine at costco and Clark even signed it. Dennis

"The Dark Side of Hopkinsville" is a collection of short stories written by the distinguished African American journalist Ted Poston. Mr. Poston was a reporter for the New York Post for years. When joined the paper, he became the first black reporter for a major metropolitan newspaper.

Theodore Roosevelt Augustus March Poston spent his early years in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, the youngest of eight children. His parents were educators with his father often called upon to settle disputes of fact among the men of the local community.

These stories are about segregation, the complexion game, social pretension and how silly these issues really are. Set in the early twentieth century, they cover the final idyllic years of Ted's childhood before the death of his mother. These stories are not angry, they are humorous and entertain as well as educate.

The character's are vivid and well developed. Mr. Poston is efficient yet thorough in developing them vividly in remarkably few words. There's Rat Joiner, Ted's best friend from Billy Goat Hill. Rat is Huck Finn to Ted's Tom Sawyer. There's Mrs. Nixola Green head of the `Blue Vein Society'. The membership was reserved for Negroes of light-complexion enough to see their veins. Knee Baby Watkins a kid that absolutely, positively refuses to walk. Mr. Fertilizer Ferguson who's rough exterior (and smell) hides his entrepreneurial genius. The humorous cast of characters goes on.

This slim volume necessarily includes "The Revolt of the Evil Fairies" Ted's most anthologized story. (If you haven't read it, you know nothing about African-American literature.) In it he rebels against the complexion discrimination perpetrated by Black people by other Black people in the context of a school play.

Mr. Poston led a long and successful career as a journalist. This reviewer just wishes he'd written more fiction than this gem he has left us.

While this book is about life for a Black child in rural Knetucky in the early 1990s, much of this will be easy for people of almost any background to relate to.

This look on a Black child's life is not entirely the fun stuff of Bill Cosby's Fat Albert or the grimness and despair of Richard Wright's Black Boy, but it combines the good and the bad to prevent it from being either rose-colored memories or gloom-despair-and agony-on-me. We get the fun of beign a kid and palying games and getting into srapes with your friends as welll as the brutal racism and classism of the times in whcih Ted Poston had lived. This would make a good cartoon series or movie (anyone at Disney listening)?

In either case, it would be a good idea of older folks from the pre-television era would read this book with the kids and talk about it afterwards.

Truly one of the most fascinating books of the decade. It is the African American version of The Little Rascals. It is an amazing tale of friendship, and a community that truly lives the African proverb, "It takes a whole village to raise a child." This books gives meaning the prejudices even within the same race and social class in a fun loving,yet serious way. The Dark Side of Hopkinsville should be read by children of all ages. The adventures of several friends during the turn of the century will affix your mind to yester year. It will bring back memories of your childhood and the wonderful experiences you shared with your closets classmates and friends. You will remember the times you "cut out", of school to go fishing or perhaps wish you would have. There are stories that you haven't told for perhaps decades. Reading this book will recall familiar stories from days gone by, it will make you smile, laugh, cry and at times wonder why. But, through it all you will realize that you made it over and suddenly you are here and you are still here. As I read the story it helped me realize that although things change they somehow stay the same. There is really nothing new under the sun. There is a Rat Joiner who still whipps the Kaiser. Some people are meant to stay alive even after they are gone so generations after generations can meet them, they are meant to be known for ever, such is the case with the characters in this book.

Truly one of the most fascinating books of the decade. It is the African American version of The Little Rascals. It is an amazing tale of friendship, and a community that truly lives the African proverb, "It takes a whole village to raise a child." This books gives meaning the prejudices even within the same race and social class in a fun loving,yet serious way. The Dark Side of Hopkinsville should be read by children of all ages. The adventures of several friends during the turn of the century will affix your mind to yester year. It will bring back memories of your childhood and the wonderful experiences you shared with your closets classmates and friends. You will remember the times you "cut out", of school to go fishing or perhaps wish you would have. There are stories that you haven't told for perhaps decades. Reading this book will recall familiar stories from days gone by, it will make you smile, laugh, cry and at times wonder why. But, through it all you will realize that you made it over and suddenly you are here and you are still here. As I read the story it helped me realize that although things change they somehow stay the same. There is really nothing new under the sun. There is a Rat Joiner who still whipps the Kaiser. Some people are meant to stay alive even after they are gone so generations after generations can meet them, they are meant to be known for ever, such is the case with the characters in this book.

As a child my grand-daddy "Rat Joiner" often called Ted Poston's name and I never paid close attention that he was a real person and best friend to my grand-daddy. After growing up leaving home, my mother Anna Joiner Harvey "Rat Joiner's" daughter, informed me that a lady by the name of Kathleen Hauke came to Hopkinsville interviewed many residents and initiated a book signing of "The Dark Side Of Hopkinsville". As I eagerly read the book in one sitting I happily recalled some of the stories grand-daddy told of Ted Poston over the years. The annedotes are heart warming and so real to almost anyone who lived in a southern or rural setting. The experiences and relationships forged in the book among the various characters can be applicable to most of our lives. The challenges that were over come by the characters as children encourage us all that life is one test after the next. With deep rooted faith,family and friends we can overcome any obstacles in life. This is evident in that Ted Poston and Theodore Roosevelt "Rat" Joiner, came from such humble beginnings and made outstanding contributions in life. Ted became a noted author and reporter and "Rat Joiner" left a long line of descendents (over 350 grand and great-grand children alone).

This book gives you the opportunity to get a feeling of what your life may have been like living in the Jim Crow era of Georgia. My name is Bullard and I am a white genealogist. Eugene Bullard was the son of ex-slaves that were owned by a family named Bullard.

It is fabulous to see a black person rise out of impossible circumstances to become an expatriate combat pilot in the French Air Force during World War I. Jazz and Blues is what I listen to every day and the Jazz story in this book is very interesting to me.

A must read for any aviation buff who's ever wondered if there was a black pilot in WWI, and how he lived that life is truly an extraordinary saga.

Eugene Bullard was an African American man who was born in 1895 in Columbus, Georgia, and lived a really fascinating live. After leaving the U.S. in 1912 to escape the existing suffocating racist oppression, he stayed first in Britain, and then settled in France where he lived as a boxer, entertainer, jazz drummer, was a war hero in the trenches in Verdun, and become the first African American combat pilot in 1917 (in French service: the U.S. would allow black combat pilots only in 1941...). After the war, like so many other African Americans, he remained in Europe. He become a well known entrepeneur in the Parisian night club life during the 20s and 30s. At the German invasion in 1940, and after a brief stint in the French army, he went back to the U.S. where he died in New York in 1961. Revered in France as a national hero during is life, and completely unknown in his country until more than twenty years after his death, the life of this extraordinary man has in this book a much deserved homage and, probably, its definitive biography.

A very well documented biography on a genuine American and French hero. Unfortunately he was born during the Jim Crow era in the south (even though the constitution which was written over 100 years before his birth mentions "all men are created equal", this did not include any non-caucasian's or women, did it? Did not use the word minority since it denotes less than some majority, there are more non-caucasian's in the world anyway and what is really meant by that word is just that, non-caucasian. I find it odd that the USA was founded by European descendants like the English, French and even though the country prided itself on it's progresive nature, it did not include equality, even though Europe itself did not practice racial discrimination). He was born the seventh child of a large family and his father always had a premonition of a very distinguished future for him and let it be known to him when he was young. Talks about his travel through the south after he left home and was told early by his father of a country (France) where all men are truly free. This had a profound effect on him because he eventually made it to France via England first.

He began his livelyhood as a theatre performer and boxer; two opposing and similar avocations. He joined the military and became the first Black American and Black Frenchman aviator and was awarded medals for his bravery, dedication and skills. Very well liked, he had a contagious personality and started working at a famous Paris club later in life and eventually became a club owner himself. He met the famous of the day like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Langston Hughes, Bricktop and many others. This biography also got me interested in Jazz age Paris to request both autobiographies of Hughes and Bricktop.

Slowly (too slowly) more is being known about this man and his acomplishments and contributions to the human race.

You won't be able to put it down. Jack Johnson's autobiography "In the Ring and Out" is another good bio of that era too.

I had earlier learned of some of Eugene Bullard's exploits, but Craig Lloyd's book spotlights an endless list of amazing achievements that seem unbelievable for any man to accomplish in just one lifetime. It's a shame Bullard's life has been up to now unexplored and uncelebrated. Hopefully this extremely well-researched biography will fix that.

Very inspiring book. The pictures are gorgeous and will inspire any gardener. The info is helpful, although directed to a particular climate. If you are a beginning gardener, get this book so you can get ideas for your own garden.

Monty Don is very cool. I've not seen him on television, but he comes across as defiantly insistent on the inescapable value of organic gardening for our souls and our bodies. A great read that you will treasure forever.

A great read. Made me want to get out there and start digging. Make everything sound so simple.

This is one of the most practical and comprehensive books on organic gardening I have come across. It is full of useful advice on the plants he,(Monty Don) grows in his own farm, turned garden. It is also nice that it is not your standard gardening book, that is, one that gives sterile advice on every species(hight:10',hardy to:-5 ect.). He even has information on taking care of small livestock(chickens,ducks) In order to "complete the livestock circle". All in all this book is a must on the bookshelf of any gardener, as much for inspiration from Montys beautyful british garden as for the wealth of practical advice it holds.

Inspiring, warm, homely, earthy... a book to read, not just for reference... Monty takes you so deep into his garden, you can feel the mud squishing under your wellies, smell the lavender and taste the ripe tomatoes, with the feel of gentle sunshine on the back of your neck, and the scent of a thousand sweet peas helping you to forget the scratches from the pruning job you just finished.

The book is written in England, about a English garden with a particular climate and environment. But the practises can be adopted anywhere: know your land, know the climate, experiment, and don't be afraid to make mistakes.

I will read this book over and over and over again. Sweet peas don't do so well in Sacramento as they used to back home in Leicestershire, but... maybe this year I'll try them at a time of year that suits them, not me!

I started the book about 6 p.m and finished about 1 a.m; I could not put it down. Every golfer, every Masters fan, every body in Augusta will want this. Lots of great (and courteous) insider stories about the the Club; the creek, the community power fights about the creek; about great golfers, the caddies; the role of women; the founders of the club; the author's learning golf; rubbing elbows with Washington big whigs.

I know the author personally; I never dreamed her book would be interesting; I certainly never expected to be glued to her book, but it is a gem. I've got a couple of golfing buddies in mind who will want to read this book.

The story about the golfer who would "never" play with a woman was great...he parted with a dollar of two.

The "ownership" of the caddies, the nicknames of caddies and the nicknames given by caddies to their "horses" was fascinating.

The stories about the club president show a man "bigger than life."

Perhaps some of you know what trunk bangers are...now I know.

My grandmother lived a few blocks from the club and she rented to people who attended the Masters...so the book brings back memories...

Anyone struggling with golf, all you addicts out there, who day dream about shots, greens, the rough, creeks and sandtraps will identify with the author, whether male or female.

I'm not even a golfer, but my daddy was; and after listening to him talk golf, get down with 90, high on 72, talk about lights for night golfing, discuss the game over a few drinks, I found this book a clincher. I never expected to enjoy a book so much.

I enjoyed the book, but I was eager to learn more about the men in their lives. Who were these men and how did they feel about the experiences.

I started the book about 6 p.m and finished about 1 a.m; I could not put it down. Every golfer, every Masters fan, every body in Augusta will want this. Lots of great (and courteous) insider stories about the the Club; the creek, the community power fights about the creek; about great golfers, the caddies; the role of women; the founders of the club; the author's learning golf; rubbing elbows with Washington big whigs.

I know the author personally; I never dreamed her book would be interesting; I certainly never expected to be glued to her book, but it is a gem. I've got a couple of golfing buddies in mind who will want to read this book.

The story about the golfer who would "never" play with a woman was great...he parted with a dollar of two.

The "ownership" of the caddies, the nicknames of caddies and the nicknames given by caddies to their "horses" was fascinating.

The stories about the club president show a man "bigger than life."

Perhaps some of you know what trunk bangers are...now I know.

My grandmother lived a few blocks from the club and she rented to people who attended the Masters...so the book brings back memories...

Anyone struggling with golf, all you addicts out there, who day dream about shots, greens, the rough, creeks and sandtraps will identify with the author, whether male or female.

I'm not even a golfer, but my daddy was; and after listening to him talk golf, get down with 90, high on 72, talk about lights for night golfing, discuss the game over a few drinks, I found this book a clincher. I never expected to enjoy a book so much.

This is a terrific book written by a member's wife and their daughter. I am a big golf fan and have read several books about Augusta National and the Masters in recent years, but this one has an entirely different angle--a woman's perspective, and an insider-woman at that. The authors are respectful of the club, but they also are open in offering dozens of refreshing anecdotes that are funny and border on irreverent. There are also a bunch of photos in the book depicting the golf course from a candid viewpoint.

I started the book about 6 and finished about 12. Every golfer, Masters fan, everyone in Augusta will want one of theses books.

It's full of real inside stories of the Club, its founders, the grounds, the caddies, the famous players.

I know the author personally and figured her book would be interesting but did not expected to be glued to it. The wording contained many of the unique phrases used at the National and un golfing. I could not put the book down.

I am not a golfer, but my dad was and I have heard him day dream about golf; I've seen him high on 72 and down on 90; it seems the author got to the point she day dreamed about sandtraps, the rough, the fairways, how she would handle different shots.

Stories about personal encounters with famous golfers and politicians were great. The stories about the caddies and their betting, "ownership" of golfers, their nicknames were fascinating.

The stories about how one gets into the club gives the Augusta National a sense of intrigue.

The stories about the president of the club presented a man bigger than life, who put fear into the hearts of the wealthy and powerful.

Fishing stories, access to the club during the Masters, access to the club during off season were all highly readable and clearly inside, non-public, unpublished views into a closed society.

That only a few people were there at a time off season was amazing; there is/or was a wonderful wine cellar; there were no socials unrelated to golf and no 5 somes.

This is a wonderful book of private information that every golfer will enjoy, buy 2 of (one to keep and one to give away).

Here is a coffee table book that is worthy of reading as well as enjoying the pictures and illustrations. Well conceived with wit and wisdom of the players, peripheral personalities, and the low down on the Low country courses.
Written with an obvious love of the game, and a way with words, the author entertains us with interesting profiles as well as incisive reviews of the courses. Who knows ...... it may even take a few strokes off your score as you are forewarned about the hazards that will be encountered.
Great book for the local Low landers and those who may visit the area.

Fabulous and funny essays about golf and golfers, coupled with insightful reviews of the area's courses. A must read for anyone planning to partake of the Low Country's golf course treasures.

I was given this book as a birthday gift, and thought it would just be a pretty picture book about the fine courses of Hilton Head Island and Savannah. That element is definitely present, but what surprised me were the funny essays about the game of golf the author intersperses with the course reviews and area personality profiles. It's really a nice read--entertaining and informative in the same breath.

Having never played golf in that neck of the country, I am sorely tempted to head down that way when I'm next on vacation. Zuckerman does a great job in making these courses come alive and his style of writing is breezy and fun --and with great insight into the sport of golf.

I've been playing golf in the Hilton Head-Savannah area for several years, and this is a truly excellent representation of the courses, people and situations any visitor will encounter there.
The photos and drawings are really nice, and the text is both funny and compelling. I would recommend this book to any fan of golf in this area.

... then buy, borrow or steal a copy! Never before have I read such a good exploration of Irish exile. Stranded in a dismal flat in England, the protagonist remembers his happy childhood in Ireland, the rough living and working conditions in England, and his only love. The language is quite simple and often Hiberno Irish, but deeply imaginative and so lyrical, that the line between prose and poetry gets blurred. The beautiful black/white pictures added to this book, and the author's ability to portray Irish music help to give an insight into Irish culture. Sometimes it's like watching a documentary, and suddenly you can't help but feeling you're listening to a song; a song of heartache and terrible longing. Despite far from being soppy the book is very moving in the end; you actually hope for a happy ending. But that wouldn't be Irish.

Tim O'Grady creates exquisitely wrought, archetypal prose that could even overpower Pyke's perfect documentary photos. (Without offense to Walker Evans, now I'm wishing Pyke had been around to collaborate with James Agee).

Amazingly, requires very little interest in Ireland or the Irish - O'Grady is from Chicago anyway and this book is more about experiences of all mankind. His crystalline narrative is hardly bound by ethnicity.

Extraordinary and inspiring new use of the verb, can. If you read poetry, you couldn't regret buying this experimental novel.

This book is beautiful and tragic and joyful and moving, all at the same time and independently over the course of the story. Through the poetic language of the text and the poetic imagery of the photos, the drama of every day life in Ireland is brought across as quietly epic, if such a thing can be.

... then buy, borrow or steal a copy! Never before have I read such a good exploration of Irish exile. Stranded in a dismal flat in England, the protagonist remembers his happy childhood in Ireland, the rough living and working conditions in England, and his only love. The language is quite simple and often Hiberno Irish, but deeply imaginative and so lyrical, that the line between prose and poetry gets blurred. The beautiful black/white pictures added to this book, and the author's ability to portray Irish music help to give an insight into Irish culture. Sometimes it's like watching a documentary, and suddenly you can't help but feeling you're listening to a song; a song of heartache and terrible longing. Despite far from being soppy the book is very moving in the end; you actually hope for a happy ending. But that wouldn't be Irish.

I am very familiar with the works of old time Irish writers including the works of James Joyce who wrote about Ireland in exile. I still don't know much about modern Irish novelists until I had the opportunity of meeting and listening to parts of Timothy O'Grady's novel at Perth Writer's Festival early this year. Immediately afterwards I bought a copy and later talked to Timothy briefly about writers in exile and their struggle with dislocation. This story is not only about dislocation and exile. This is the story of a man coming of age and following a journey during which he struggles to make sense of his life, dislocation, loss of love and loneliness.

This lyrically crafted novel is a great collaboration between O'Grady and photographer Steve Pyke. They collectively create a visual journey of a musical Irishman, his journey from one location to another, looking for work and the love of his life. O'Grady's begins his novel with a description of the protagonist's life back at home as a child:

"This room is dark, as dark as it ever gets - the hour before dawn in winter. I have sounds and pictures but they flit and crash before I can get them..."

For me, it is a metaphor of not been able to recreate the places and the people he left behind as a result of his journey.

O'Grady ends his novel with a similar narrative:

"In the room now a breeze comes in through the window and on it there is the smell of spring. Downstairs the girl turns on her radio... There is a time after long work when you can look for strength and there is nothing there....

In the morning light I let go."

In between, we learn about his journey, his recollection of Irish landscapes, the places left behind, the music he played and his love. But this is not just a mere description of a nostalgic mental journey of an Irishman in exile. This can happen anywhere, anytime, and to anyone.

Reading this novel is like watching a visually crafted documentary embedded with voice and music that we can see and hear.

I'm glad that I met O'Grady and read his novel as my introduction to modern Irish novelists. But this novel had another positive effect on me. When I met O'Grady I was writing a novel about my own dislocation. This novel inspired me to look at my private journey again and again, and continue my writing in exile!

I recommend this book to anyone interested in the beauty and tragic of moving from one place to another.