Check out these Brigid’s Library picks for new Irish titles you might find under the tree
LITERARY FICTION
CONVERSATION WITH THE SEA, by Hugo Hamilton (Hachette Books Ireland)
This rich story asks what’s true and what’s illusion, when a German man lands on Achill Island seeking solace in the wake of his failed 20-year marriage. Lukas Dorn and his wife honeymooned there happily, so he returns to sort out his emotional detritus, of which there is much. As he parses out his personal crises amid worries of the larger world, he is forced to confront the inherited trauma of the Nazi Holocaust as he meets a refugee from a recent war zone. As Lukas connects to the wild terrain of the West Coast of Ireland, through journal entries, we see him learning to accept the “complexities of love in a time of displacement.” The prose is this book is so smooth, it’s nearly hypnotic, underscoring Hamilton’s gift for moving emotional drama that rings true and timely. This book has been chosen as Brigid’s Library’s Book Club pick for December. JOIN US
Buy the book here: https://a.co/d/6XAXbz7
THRILLER/MYSTERY
THE ACCOMPLICE, by Steve Cavanaugh (Orion)
Not all lawyers require their clients to be innocent. But lawyer Eddie Flynn does. The Sandman murders have been solved, Daniel Miller killed 14 people before he disappeared. Everyone believes his wife, now the most hated woman in America, helped cover up his irredeemable crimes. Flynn has to prove to a jury—what did she know and when? She will take the fall, unless the Sandman himself returns to set the record straight. Book 7 of this suspenseful, twist-and-turn series is full of surprises, and basically unputdownable, right to the end. Its repulsive, burn-the-world villain and the return of other favorite characters make this quick-paced thriller an indulgent, pulpy delight.
Buy the book here: https://a.co/d/7NQXFdU
HISTORY
GREAT IRISH WIVES, by Nicola Pierce (The O’Brien Press)
Written in the year’s time it took for Nicola Pierce to become a widow, this touching compendium brings the lives of Irish wives to the forefront before history forgot them altogether. The stories of 10 remarkable women, from Mary O’Connell to Beatrice Behan, illustrate how their creativity, talent, and means often discreetly rescued their husbands from obscurity and set them on the path that made them. Each of these great men had one thing in common, as Pierce points out: They married well. With so much at stake in each of their personal lives, often the work of these women remained obscured in their husbands’ shadows out of necessity. The details of their personal lives are fascinating, as Pierce’s specialty of research has guided her work in the past. She said she wrote about these men before, without knowing or even considering if they were married at all. Now history won’t be able to forget them, these Irish wives of great influence.
Buy the book here: https://a.co/d/4FJ8e4u
THE DUBLIN PUB, A Social and Cultural History, by Donal Fallon (New Island Books)
Who can resist the good craig of a warm Irish pub? For centuries, the “public house” has centered itself as the social and cultural setting of a many-faceted Dublin. It’s been the headquarters of major revolution, the heart of the literary world, a cornerstone of daily life for millions. The hard work that goes into these centers of is the lifeblood of a nation, one that has reached across the ocean to succeed in other countries as well. Historian and podcaster Donal Fallon brings this colorful history to life, as loud as a trad session and just as endearing, with The Dublin Pub. This edition includes previously unpublished photos.
Buy the book here: https://a.co/d/dcCn5BN
NONFICTION
CHARLIE VS. GARRET: The Rivalry That Shaped Modern Ireland, by Eoin O’Malley (Eriu)
This gripping political biography takes readers back to the 1980s, when the Irish political landscape was dominated by a fierce rivalry between Charles J. Haughney and Dr. Garret FitzGerald, leaders of the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael respectively. Their leadership differed greatly but both reflected the time, signifying a great deal more than party loyalty or policy wonkery: They each fought for a worldview. And as O’Malley, a political science professor at Dublin City University, shows through his extensive research and interviews, these two powerful men were as focused on beating the other as they were shaping the country that relied on them. The intrigue in this book is fascinating as it stands, but the story also provides deep context for how Ireland came to terms with the source of its Troubles, and indulged the visions of dueling powermongers, jockeying for position in the political vacuum that was forming.
Buy the book here: https://a.co/d/78RKuSX (Not yet available in the US, updates to come)
CONTEMPORARY FICTION
AN ALTERNATIVE IRISH CHRISTMAS, AN ANTHOLOGY, Edited by Lisa Cohn and Sarah Davis-Goff (Tramp Press)
This is not your mother’s Night Before Christmas. It’s just the kind of book we love here at Brigid’s Library, because it takes something nostalgic and turns it on its head, forcing us to reassess what we think we know about Ireland and her people. This anthology has lovingly collected stories from the best and most exciting Irish writers on the topic of Christmas—mundane, dark, funny, chaotic, and ultimately unexpected. It offers us a chance to park our perceptions and steep ourselves instead in modern, nontraditional perspectives, moving beyond the cliches to explore new territory. This collection captures the vivid complexity of the holiday, how it is celebrated in Ireland today. It explores the depth behind old traditions and invites the creation of new ones, showing not just the evolving nature of Christmas, but how it might be celebrated going forward.
Buy the book here: https://a.co/d/jiyn35z
For the remaining six Irish book reviews and recommendations, follow Brigid’s Library. We’ll roll out a shiny new pick once a day, to satisfy all your winter reading dreams.
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