As the end of the year approaches, I have been looking back this week at some of the books that I most enjoyed reading in 2012. It has been a good year for fiction and there has no been no…
12 books I enjoyed in 2012
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Sebastian Barry
The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty by Sebastian Barry
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Sligo is such a beautiful place that it is not surprising it never leaves the soul of Eneas McNulty through all his long exile from his native land. Eneas, a survivor of WWI, returns to find little or no work…
On Canaan’s Side by Sebastian Barry
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On Canaan’s Side opens with eighty-nine year old Lilly Dunne grieving for her grandson Bill who, having returned from war, has taken his own life just as the novel opens. Bill’s suicide is the latest in a series of losses…
Book club recommendations: five highly readable historical novels
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My definition of historical fiction is simple: fiction that is set in the past. The Star of the Sea by Joseph O’Connor In the bitter winter of 1847, from an Ireland torn by injustice and natural disaster, the Star of…
A Long Long Way by Sebatian Barry
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Regular readers of this blog will know that I am a fan of Sebastian Barry. He tells a great story and his writing is accomplished and beautiful. But it was Pat Barker’s Regeneration trilogy, that led me to A Long…
Book club recommendations: five contemporary Irish novels
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Earlier this week, St Patrick’s Day set me thinking about contemporary Irish literature and musing on what I would recommend if I had to put together a sampling of fiction for someone wanting to get a taste of modern Irish…
100 Really Great Reads – Fiction for Book Lovers Selected by Izzy
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Here is my list of 100 favourite books. I’d like to know which ones you think I should drop, and what you substitute for them? The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams The Five People You Meet…
The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry
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Sebastian Barry never disappoints. The Secret Scripture is essentially about memory and what struck me as most original is the way that he makes you question your own reading. I found myself turning back to check if I was remembering accurately…