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Some Experiences of an Irish R.M.
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321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1899
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About the author
Edith Œnone Somerville
69 books15 followersEdith Anna Œnone Somerville (1858 - 1949) was an Irish novelist who habitually signed herself as "E. Œ. Somerville". She wrote in collaboration with her cousin Violet Martin aka "Martin Ross" under the pseudonym "Somerville and Ross". Her 'Irish RM' books were made into a TV series in 1983
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_S...
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_S...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
July 11, 2021
This was an absolutely delight to read. I laughed out loud on several occasions. The book is episodic in nature, containing 12 misadventures of an Irish countryside magistrate at the very end of the 19th century. Most of these misadventures involve the hapless magistrate's landlord, Mr Flurry Knox, who "belonged to clan that cropped up in every grade of society in the county, from Sir Valentine Knox of Castle Knox down to the auctioneer Knox, who bore the attractive title of Larry the Liar (...) and all were prepared at any moment of the day or night to sell a horse."
Life in the county seems to revolve mostly around horses and alcohol, and most of the inhabitants are up to no good, but in a charming and non-malicious way. The Irish magistrate gets embroiled in it all because his education in England has given him a most British way of not asking pointed questions and of just bearing up silently when chaos erupts. His English wife conversely dives into everything with such enthusiasm and good humour that the locals seem to forgive and forget that she is from England.
At times I felt a pang at getting such enjoyment from reading about fox hunting and a way of treating animals that would never fly today. But I figure it is possible to be opposed to fox hunting today and still laugh like a loon at the antics of a fictional fox hunt that took place over a hundred years ago.
The book doesn't really problematise British rule (even the Knox clan are "Black Protestants") or show you the point of view of the servant class. It is very much the work of someone from a privileged position in society, but it is also irreverent and full of strong-willed women. It's a bit of fun and very well written. The perfect holiday read.
The book was written by cousins Edith Sommerville and Violet Russell, who completed 14 books together before Russell died, after which Sommerville continued writing as Sommerville and Russell for more than 30 years until her death at age 91. They are buried next to each other, together again at last. I am looking forward to exploring more of their books, and I really wish someone would make a TV-series based on the experiences of the Irish R.M.
Life in the county seems to revolve mostly around horses and alcohol, and most of the inhabitants are up to no good, but in a charming and non-malicious way. The Irish magistrate gets embroiled in it all because his education in England has given him a most British way of not asking pointed questions and of just bearing up silently when chaos erupts. His English wife conversely dives into everything with such enthusiasm and good humour that the locals seem to forgive and forget that she is from England.
At times I felt a pang at getting such enjoyment from reading about fox hunting and a way of treating animals that would never fly today. But I figure it is possible to be opposed to fox hunting today and still laugh like a loon at the antics of a fictional fox hunt that took place over a hundred years ago.
The book doesn't really problematise British rule (even the Knox clan are "Black Protestants") or show you the point of view of the servant class. It is very much the work of someone from a privileged position in society, but it is also irreverent and full of strong-willed women. It's a bit of fun and very well written. The perfect holiday read.
The book was written by cousins Edith Sommerville and Violet Russell, who completed 14 books together before Russell died, after which Sommerville continued writing as Sommerville and Russell for more than 30 years until her death at age 91. They are buried next to each other, together again at last. I am looking forward to exploring more of their books, and I really wish someone would make a TV-series based on the experiences of the Irish R.M.
September 28, 2016
Absolutely hilarious. The British judge, Major Yeates the RM (for Royal Magistrate), arrives in rain, soon offered a horse by his savvy landlord who's already overcharging: "…a stout grey animal. I recognised with despair that I was about to be compelled to buy a horse. Jolting to my entrance gate and back, I decided as he had neither fallen down nor kicked me off, it was worth paying ￡25 for him, if only to get in out of the rain"(8).
The house is vast, with unexplored inner reaches--unexplored until various fugitives lodge there. Mr Flurry recalls his great-uncle dying in it, but after he had seen the devil coming up the avenue. "Good Lord! Look at the two horns on him' says he, and he out with his his gun and shot him, and, begad, it was his own donkey!"(11)
Wonderful Anglo-Irish idiom, like Mrs Cadogan's "he's all night raising tallywhack and tandem to get at the chimbleys"(24).
Much hunting of foxes, sometimes in his own barn: "'Gone to Ground!' Tremendous horn blowings followed, then, all in the same moment, I saw the hounds breaking in full cry from the wood,…were they running a fresh fox into the stables?…A long flight of stone steps lead to the lofts, and up these…the hounds were struggling, helter-skelter"(30).
Without fear of contradiction, the best fox hunt in all of literature, despite attempts to dampen it by feeding Flurry Knox's hounds at 6AM "so as to spoil their hunting"(57). It is an Irish fox hunt with everyone participating, bicycles, carts, several horses of varied abilities and instincts regarding walls, ditches and fences. During it, the Major is advised, "it's well for you that's a big-jumped horse. I thought you were a dead man a while ago you faced him at the bohereen"(169). Of Philippa, Mrs Yeates, Lady Knox observes, "I thought you told me your wife was no sportswoman…but when I saw her a minute ago she had abandoned her bicycle and was running across country like…' I beheld my wife in mid-air, hand in hand with a couple of stalwart country boys, with whom she was leaping in unison from a top of the bank on to the road"(170).
I do not know the current state of Irish reaction to this book, whether it is seen as baldly critical: humor always has that possibility of serious misapprehension. (Many readers of Confederacy of Dunces resent the book, though it is a modern classic.) But take it from me, with an Irish surname at least, Hilarious.
The house is vast, with unexplored inner reaches--unexplored until various fugitives lodge there. Mr Flurry recalls his great-uncle dying in it, but after he had seen the devil coming up the avenue. "Good Lord! Look at the two horns on him' says he, and he out with his his gun and shot him, and, begad, it was his own donkey!"(11)
Wonderful Anglo-Irish idiom, like Mrs Cadogan's "he's all night raising tallywhack and tandem to get at the chimbleys"(24).
Much hunting of foxes, sometimes in his own barn: "'Gone to Ground!' Tremendous horn blowings followed, then, all in the same moment, I saw the hounds breaking in full cry from the wood,…were they running a fresh fox into the stables?…A long flight of stone steps lead to the lofts, and up these…the hounds were struggling, helter-skelter"(30).
Without fear of contradiction, the best fox hunt in all of literature, despite attempts to dampen it by feeding Flurry Knox's hounds at 6AM "so as to spoil their hunting"(57). It is an Irish fox hunt with everyone participating, bicycles, carts, several horses of varied abilities and instincts regarding walls, ditches and fences. During it, the Major is advised, "it's well for you that's a big-jumped horse. I thought you were a dead man a while ago you faced him at the bohereen"(169). Of Philippa, Mrs Yeates, Lady Knox observes, "I thought you told me your wife was no sportswoman…but when I saw her a minute ago she had abandoned her bicycle and was running across country like…' I beheld my wife in mid-air, hand in hand with a couple of stalwart country boys, with whom she was leaping in unison from a top of the bank on to the road"(170).
I do not know the current state of Irish reaction to this book, whether it is seen as baldly critical: humor always has that possibility of serious misapprehension. (Many readers of Confederacy of Dunces resent the book, though it is a modern classic.) But take it from me, with an Irish surname at least, Hilarious.
March 21, 2023
Originally published in 1899, the series of vignettes circulates around a magistrate, Major Yeates, soon joined by his wife Philippa, who moves to Ireland and encounters a variety of personalities. It was a charming story filled with plenty of humor. I am not quite sure I always understood the jokes BUT there were some great scenes. My verdict is that this was a much better Irish read than my experience with James Joyce.
After a lifetime of reading Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Dickens, Gaskell, Hardy, Tolstoy, Twain, Steinbeck, Hemingway, Hugo, Stoker, Shelley, and a host of other popular writers of the 19th and 20th centuries, I felt it was time to expand the literary palate with authors that get less buzz. But just who were Edith Oenone Somerville and Violet Martin? They were Irish second cousins that wrote under the pen as Somerville and Ross. Since the two ladies resided together it is often speculated that they were more than just partners in the literary world. Between 1889 and 1915, the two women collaborated on thirteen novels.
Would I read more of their works? Although not in my immediate plans, I would like to revisit these authors at another time.
Goodreads review published 21/03/23
June 20, 2011
This is about the most agreeable, humorous novel from this time period, now considered a classic, you're likely to find.
Major Sinclair Yeates has the detached, slightly jaded air that makes the "fish out of water" (maybe not out of water - more like fish in slightly bracken water when he's a fresh water fish) tale hilarious in parts. It's a novel-length missive. It struck me as an unaired Britcom - in fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised to find out the BBC has made a series out of it. The 12 chapters each function as stories in their own right.
Mr. Minter's reading is excellent as always, so if you're inclined to do this as an audiobook, I recommend the free downloadable version at librivox.
(Incidentally, the book makes a quick snarky comment about The Swiss Family Robinson that will make me swear allegiance to this book no matter what bad reports you may bring me).
Major Sinclair Yeates has the detached, slightly jaded air that makes the "fish out of water" (maybe not out of water - more like fish in slightly bracken water when he's a fresh water fish) tale hilarious in parts. It's a novel-length missive. It struck me as an unaired Britcom - in fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised to find out the BBC has made a series out of it. The 12 chapters each function as stories in their own right.
Mr. Minter's reading is excellent as always, so if you're inclined to do this as an audiobook, I recommend the free downloadable version at librivox.
(Incidentally, the book makes a quick snarky comment about The Swiss Family Robinson that will make me swear allegiance to this book no matter what bad reports you may bring me).
June 24, 2011
Written at the turn of the last century, Some Experiences of an Irish R.M. is a curious thing. The authors were cousins, women of the Anglo-Irish Protestant Ascendancy who nevertheless write from the point of view of the eponymous (male) Resident Magistrate. There’s a bit of “Upstairs/Downstairs” about it, but it’s very sympathetic to the native population even while it pokes fun and is somewhat patronising. Indeed, while the “locals” provide a cast of humorous background figures, the majority of the satire is saved of the members of their own class, the “quality”, whose foibles (particularly the spectacle of fox hunting) are dissected with charming precision. I certainly laughed out loud at least once in each of the twelve chronological stories included in this collection.
Edith Oenone Somerville (1858-1949) was from Castletownsend, Co. Cork, and descended from Scottish Normans who were “planted” in Ireland in the seventeenth century at the end of the Cromwellian Wars; Violet Martin (1862-1915) was from the estate of Ross (from whence she derived her nom de plume), in Co. Galway. By the time they met in 1886, the fortunes of both families were significantly diminished, and they wrote as much for the money as for any other reason. Roughly contemporary with W.B. Yeats, Lady Gregory and other luminaries of the “Celtic Revival”, they were well aware that their stories chronicled a way of life that was passing into history. Their main character, Major Sinclair Yeates, a well-bred and partly Irish Englishman, is one of their own really. Though we aren’t given too much backstory for the Major, he has recently retired from the British army to take up a post as Resident Magistrate in West Cork, a position secured for him by his fiancée Philippa’s connections; she will join him after their nuptials. At least once in the text, the Major specifically identifies himself as Irish; this, I think is significant to under- standing the cultural milieu in which the stories are set. As mentioned, the depiction of the “natives” is patronising (certainly by modern standards) but never (it seems to me) racially nor ethnically derisive. Indeed, for the most part, the “quality” were in fact the patrons; they were the landed gentry: down in the heel as their houses and clothing and even livestock may have been, they had the land, and it was from the land that everyone in the district ultimately derived their livelihoods.
We could file this book as an historical anomaly, especially compared with contemporaneous works of Yeats and Synge. But it is a glimpse at a time passed, and perhaps provides some background for later works, particularly the endless fascination of the “Big House” in Irish literature and culture.
Edith Oenone Somerville (1858-1949) was from Castletownsend, Co. Cork, and descended from Scottish Normans who were “planted” in Ireland in the seventeenth century at the end of the Cromwellian Wars; Violet Martin (1862-1915) was from the estate of Ross (from whence she derived her nom de plume), in Co. Galway. By the time they met in 1886, the fortunes of both families were significantly diminished, and they wrote as much for the money as for any other reason. Roughly contemporary with W.B. Yeats, Lady Gregory and other luminaries of the “Celtic Revival”, they were well aware that their stories chronicled a way of life that was passing into history. Their main character, Major Sinclair Yeates, a well-bred and partly Irish Englishman, is one of their own really. Though we aren’t given too much backstory for the Major, he has recently retired from the British army to take up a post as Resident Magistrate in West Cork, a position secured for him by his fiancée Philippa’s connections; she will join him after their nuptials. At least once in the text, the Major specifically identifies himself as Irish; this, I think is significant to under- standing the cultural milieu in which the stories are set. As mentioned, the depiction of the “natives” is patronising (certainly by modern standards) but never (it seems to me) racially nor ethnically derisive. Indeed, for the most part, the “quality” were in fact the patrons; they were the landed gentry: down in the heel as their houses and clothing and even livestock may have been, they had the land, and it was from the land that everyone in the district ultimately derived their livelihoods.
We could file this book as an historical anomaly, especially compared with contemporaneous works of Yeats and Synge. But it is a glimpse at a time passed, and perhaps provides some background for later works, particularly the endless fascination of the “Big House” in Irish literature and culture.
July 28, 2019
3.5 stars. A collection of humorous, entertaining short stories about resident magistrate, Major Sinclair Yeates’ experiences in Ireland. Yeates is not quite English, but neither is he Irish! The stories involve hunting, horse trading, shooting and sailing. In each story there is an amusing incident or two. For example, in one story Yeates, his wife and friends going sailing. Yeates’ dog sneaks on board. In the early evening their sailing boat is marooned. They walk up to a building asking to stay the night. Yeates’ group has to sleep in the only available room of an asylum overnight. A window is accidentally broken and Yeates’ dog kills a pet bird!
First published in 1899.
First published in 1899.
May 19, 2020
Some Experiences of an Irish RM (RM refers to 'Residential Magistrate') was first published in 1899 by cousins Edith Oenone Somerville and Violet Martin, who took the pen name Martin Ross.
The RM of the title is Major Sinclair Yeates, a man of 'Irish extraction' who is considered by the locals of Skebawn as not quite Irish and yet not quite English.
The novel consists of a series of amusing anecdotes (some more than others) involving Yeates, his wife, his landlord and other local characters.
There is a particular focus on horses in these tales, especially fox hunting and other cross country riding that involves jumping over various fences and hedges and venturing into bogs. There are also several references to the excessive consumption of alcohol, leading to dancing, brawling and other intemperate behaviours, which is something of a long-standing cliche in regard to the Irish.
I enjoyed a few mild chuckles from reading this, but i couldn't say that it was hilarious. It seemed a bit dated, but it was generally entertaining.
The RM of the title is Major Sinclair Yeates, a man of 'Irish extraction' who is considered by the locals of Skebawn as not quite Irish and yet not quite English.
The novel consists of a series of amusing anecdotes (some more than others) involving Yeates, his wife, his landlord and other local characters.
There is a particular focus on horses in these tales, especially fox hunting and other cross country riding that involves jumping over various fences and hedges and venturing into bogs. There are also several references to the excessive consumption of alcohol, leading to dancing, brawling and other intemperate behaviours, which is something of a long-standing cliche in regard to the Irish.
I enjoyed a few mild chuckles from reading this, but i couldn't say that it was hilarious. It seemed a bit dated, but it was generally entertaining.
August 13, 2017
I sighed with pleasure as I turned the pages, but I can well understand how some will be underwhelmed. It is not necessary to be au fait with every nuance of Irishness to enjoy this, but the Irish obsession with horses and foxhunting is a central concern, and those without any knowledge or interest in matters equine or vulpine may be nonplussed or bemused. R S Surtees also writes about foxhunting - the English variety - with comic genius, but this is just as good - and the humour is kinder than Surtees.
Many find this patronising about the native Irish. As it is the native Irish who are most often shown as victors in the battles of wits, I am not so sure. The begrudgers can console themselves with the reflection that the ruling class were enjoying a final Indian summer before their fine houses were burnt down and they were killed or driven out of the country (the Protestant population of southern Ireland declined by 70% after independence). The authors didn't know this was going to happen, of course, but I think they sensed their days were numbered - and this gives the book a poignant edge.
Many find this patronising about the native Irish. As it is the native Irish who are most often shown as victors in the battles of wits, I am not so sure. The begrudgers can console themselves with the reflection that the ruling class were enjoying a final Indian summer before their fine houses were burnt down and they were killed or driven out of the country (the Protestant population of southern Ireland declined by 70% after independence). The authors didn't know this was going to happen, of course, but I think they sensed their days were numbered - and this gives the book a poignant edge.
February 2, 2020
Lovely collection of stories about Englishman Major Sinclair Yeates who becomes embroiled in the peculiar moralities of the West of Ireland as a Resident Magistrate. Justice is usually served as our hero becomes the unwitting stooge of Flurry Knox and a cast of eccentric rural folk. Warm and funny, they deserve to be widely read, but I fear the concentration on fox-hunting will make the subject matter toxic for some modern audiences.
December 1, 2011
I was driven to this by the television series, but the stories of the stolid Englishman, his devoted wife, and his madcap Irish friends are even more delightful, though one must imagine the Irish scenery.
August 5, 2024
At first glance, I couldn't get a feel for whether this book of "experiences" was funny or serious, but I picked up an accent, started to enjoy it more, and found several chapters quite humorous. (Apparently there's a BBC series which I haven't seen).
May 20, 2015
There is something familiar and comforting about the tales of the Irish, at least it seems so to me. This book was clever and witty, and very funny, and seemed like it should have been read next to a warm fire while sitting in a comfy chair.
It made me laugh out loud numerous times, and the ending was unexpectedly sweet and perfect.
It made me laugh out loud numerous times, and the ending was unexpectedly sweet and perfect.
June 13, 2025
This was recommended to me by my father-in-law, Tom, last summer, on the eve of our holiday to the west of Ireland. Only just got round to reading it. It’s a bit like an Irish P. G. Wodehouse: an English Resident Magistrate (a former soldier) tells of his life in rural Ireland: the servants, the dilapidated houses, the horses, the hunts, the sports days, the sailing trips, the dances, the rivalries and spats. I never really laughed out loud, but it was amusing and there’s a nice turn of phrase from time to time, including a deliciously intoned Irish brogue. It feels quite modern even though it was published in 1899: I guess it has the same register as Three Men in a Boat: we’re definitely not in the Victorian era anymore, but it’s still a time of the British Empire and patrician attitudes towards the subjugated colonies. The Irish (although often foolish) don’t suffer fools gladly, and often take advantage of their English lords. There’s a lot of stuff about horses and hunting with hounds, which gives a good insight into the thrills of the chase. Apart from that, it’s good-natured fun. Interested to learn that this was written by two women. Not sure yet if I’ll continue to read the sequel: Further Experiences of an Irish R.M. (1908). I feel like another Pym.
March 31, 2019
I read just over half of the stories and while they were extremely well written and rather comical in places, I simply couldn’t bring myself to finish. Not enough human-character to-human-character dynamics; far too much about hunting and horse-racing and buying horses. Oh my God!
December 30, 2018
A sweet and funny tale of rural life in Ireland in the 19th century.
February 10, 2016
These experiences are rollicking yarns explained in deadpan tones by Major Sinclair Yeates, recently retired from the British Army and trying to settle somewhere on the West Coast of Ireland. His qualifications for his new role are unclear and his duties do not appear to be especially onerous as he has time for lots of fox hunting, some snipe shooting and even a sailing trip. He is joined after a year or so by his new wife, Philippa, who takes to hunting and her new life with great aplomb. The aspirations for independence of Ireland from Great Britain are scarcely hinted at, and although the new magistrate is tricked by his servants and sold a dubious horse, there is scarcely a hint of animosity in his dealings with the local characters who come to the notice of the law. The book is really a series of escapades, some more hilarious than others, but all told with great affection for the foibles of humanity. Much drinking is enjoyed, sometimes with calamitous results. The authors, female cousins, have a great ear for the Irish brogue. I had fun trying to pin down when the stories were set. Telegraph was being used, but not telephone. There were no cars, but people were taking steamers to the U.S. I guessed about 1890-95, and I was almost right.
maybe-someday
October 20, 2010Maybe someday or there's always netflix.
addendum- added 10/20/10 -- I did watch the Irish RM series a couple years back and enjoyed it. I know that doesn't make me a good reader but some people listen to books on tape, too. Why should I be to be so harsh on myself for not reading everything out there???
addendum- added 10/20/10 -- I did watch the Irish RM series a couple years back and enjoyed it. I know that doesn't make me a good reader but some people listen to books on tape, too. Why should I be to be so harsh on myself for not reading everything out there???
March 20, 2008
Read this after seeing the Masterpiece Theater presentation of the novel. Again, which is the better work: the book or the mini-series? If you love to try to figure out the Irish then this is the book for you. Set in Ireland, the Irish magistrate learns to live with the local Irish population's follies, foibles, and way of life. Amusing and a rollicking good read!
March 8, 2015
Some clever and even funny bits, but my lack of knowledge of the culture and perhaps the audiobook format made the book more of a challenge. On the other hand, the excellent narrator also filled out parts that would have passed me by otherwise.
Clearly, it was well written and a pleasant read, though I wasn't always able to follow.
Clearly, it was well written and a pleasant read, though I wasn't always able to follow.
May 16, 2019
It was very much of its time and very funny. The characters were likeable and amusing and while the book's hero may have sought to poke fun at the bit players, it was they who had the last laugh and exposed the hero as the true fool. Still an enjoyable read, after the passing of years and change of cultures, it stands the test of time.
August 20, 2012
Fun book, my version was a collection of these two books plus "In Mr. Knox's Country" by the same authors and published in 1915. Got a wonderful feel for Irish country life at the turn of the century, a peak at another age and place.
August 15, 2016
These are my favourite books. I love the Irish idiom, and the Irish eccentricities are offset perfectly by Major Yeates's understated commentary. I re-read them every year and they still make me laugh. Oh and it helps to know a little about horses and hunting to appreciate them fully.
October 2, 2009
Wonderful series on BBC and the book is great fun, too. Actually written in 1899, so the language is a bit quaint, but it all just fits so nicely. Each chapter is a separate escapade or episode.
November 17, 2010
Funny collections of stories. I'd love to get the videos and watch them! This won't be an easy read for most people. But I loved it.
September 23, 2011
This was hilarious. Andy Minter is an excellent reader. The Librivox version is a quality audio book available for free from Librivox dot com and Archive dot org.
January 1, 2012
Loved it, funny in places and smiled often as Yeates tried to keep do his job as magistrate.
October 27, 2014
The humor eluded me.
December 10, 2015
I've read and retread this book multiple times. The funniest pages I've ever had the pleasure to read. The jokes are timeless and the stories moving. Cant recommend it enough.
February 16, 2024
I probably wouldn't have bought Some Experiences of an Irish R.M. if it weren't on the list. I felt gutsy, so I went in blind, having no previous knowledge of the authors and their creation. By a twist of fate, the book landed in my hands just after taking on the grandiose Moby Dick, and it turned out to be a perfect counterweight to an exquisite but lofty yarn about men fighting the elements and their selves.
Not that this collection of short stories (only occasionally tied up by a narrative progression) does not deal with men and their hardships, but it manages to subvert the narrative by making use of situational comedy. The kind of waggish jocularity one finds in Sommerville and Ross's tales is fresh even after one century, and it adroitly avoids devolving into parody. I have very low tolerance for modern comedy, as its attempts at jest are often forced and cringeworthy, but the humor of Some Experiences... is brilliant in its subtlety, and by no means excessive. Sometimes, it takes several pages to arrive at a punchline, but when it comes, it is as rewarding as it's unexpected.
Mellow humor is inseparably connected with the book's panoply of outlandish characters, representing many strata of the Irish society. The titular Irish R.M., Sinclair Yeates, is a former military man (in the rank of a major) who decides to take up a magistrate's position back in Ireland. The career change inevitably triggers a subtle cultural reawakening in the retired soldier. Throughout twelve stories, he gets embroiled in the wildest of local intrigues, many of which put him too close to breaking the same law that he's supposed to uphold.
The other Irish vessels of mischief are as colorful as the main character; my favorite must be Lady Knox, representing the matriarchal no-nonsense authority we guiltily wish was a part of our lives. The Irish society is duly presented as lively and relatively optimistic. Their days are filled with hunts, boat races, horse theft, family feuds, dancing, and scavenging jetsam from a rum-laden shipwreck. Love is in the air, even if, at least considering contemporary standards, it borders on incest. It sounds a bit too idyllic - the history of Ireland's oppression by imperial powers was far more tragic. But don't start dwelling on it now, perhaps we all need a smidgen of such a dream, just like the Irish needed it one hundred and twenty-five years ago.
Some Experiences... doesn't deserve the status of highbrow literature, although it has never aspired to such. It's silly and uplifting, but it is just a comma, a gasp of breath, a short rest. We all need interludes before coming back to the inevitable drudgery of work, family, or social life, don't we? And if this little collection of short stories serves its purpose, why not give it a try?
Not that this collection of short stories (only occasionally tied up by a narrative progression) does not deal with men and their hardships, but it manages to subvert the narrative by making use of situational comedy. The kind of waggish jocularity one finds in Sommerville and Ross's tales is fresh even after one century, and it adroitly avoids devolving into parody. I have very low tolerance for modern comedy, as its attempts at jest are often forced and cringeworthy, but the humor of Some Experiences... is brilliant in its subtlety, and by no means excessive. Sometimes, it takes several pages to arrive at a punchline, but when it comes, it is as rewarding as it's unexpected.
Mellow humor is inseparably connected with the book's panoply of outlandish characters, representing many strata of the Irish society. The titular Irish R.M., Sinclair Yeates, is a former military man (in the rank of a major) who decides to take up a magistrate's position back in Ireland. The career change inevitably triggers a subtle cultural reawakening in the retired soldier. Throughout twelve stories, he gets embroiled in the wildest of local intrigues, many of which put him too close to breaking the same law that he's supposed to uphold.
The other Irish vessels of mischief are as colorful as the main character; my favorite must be Lady Knox, representing the matriarchal no-nonsense authority we guiltily wish was a part of our lives. The Irish society is duly presented as lively and relatively optimistic. Their days are filled with hunts, boat races, horse theft, family feuds, dancing, and scavenging jetsam from a rum-laden shipwreck. Love is in the air, even if, at least considering contemporary standards, it borders on incest. It sounds a bit too idyllic - the history of Ireland's oppression by imperial powers was far more tragic. But don't start dwelling on it now, perhaps we all need a smidgen of such a dream, just like the Irish needed it one hundred and twenty-five years ago.
Some Experiences... doesn't deserve the status of highbrow literature, although it has never aspired to such. It's silly and uplifting, but it is just a comma, a gasp of breath, a short rest. We all need interludes before coming back to the inevitable drudgery of work, family, or social life, don't we? And if this little collection of short stories serves its purpose, why not give it a try?
June 11, 2020
The stories written by Somerville and Ross are filled with humor. The Irish are not just good storytellers, they are also known for their interesting humor. Humor is about being serious at first, and then destroying the "serious" mood with a twist. All the stories in the book about the Irish RM are very humorous, funny and quite intriguing.
The first one is about Yeates that moves in Ireland and he feels haunted by the ghost of the Great Uncle McCarthey. Obviously, it was not a real haunting, it was just noise in the house, probably a sweep moving. The second story is a hunting story, Yeates goes hunting, but he meets a lady that needs a hairpin. He also finds out about the hounds of Knox that had food that was spoiled by someone. The third story is about Kelway, a British lord that knows Yeats and wants to visit Ireland in order to see the races. Unfortunately, things do not go as planned, and they have a few accidents on their way to see the races. The fourth story is called The Holy Island and it is about an island that seems haunted by fairies. But the characters find out at the end that some people simply sell illegal alcohol and it was spilled all over. The Whiteboys is also a hunting story about white hounds that hunt foxes and they were lost by the hunters.
The theme of travelling to another country permeates the book like a red thread. Mr Yeates is a foreigner that travels from Britain to Ireland. Since he is a foreigner, he sees Ireland with different eyes. The author uses the first person narration, and he is also the main narrator. He views the Irish lands with awe, curiosity and amusement. He enjoys the Irish dialect even if it seems strange and odd to him. The new culture is very interesting to him. Obviously, the two authors had in mind the relationship between Ireland and Britain when they wrote the stories. Ireland was still under the influence of Britain, not having gained independence yet. Colonialism is another subtle theme, even if the book is focused on Irish humorous tales. The Irish are good storytellers, indeed.
The first one is about Yeates that moves in Ireland and he feels haunted by the ghost of the Great Uncle McCarthey. Obviously, it was not a real haunting, it was just noise in the house, probably a sweep moving. The second story is a hunting story, Yeates goes hunting, but he meets a lady that needs a hairpin. He also finds out about the hounds of Knox that had food that was spoiled by someone. The third story is about Kelway, a British lord that knows Yeats and wants to visit Ireland in order to see the races. Unfortunately, things do not go as planned, and they have a few accidents on their way to see the races. The fourth story is called The Holy Island and it is about an island that seems haunted by fairies. But the characters find out at the end that some people simply sell illegal alcohol and it was spilled all over. The Whiteboys is also a hunting story about white hounds that hunt foxes and they were lost by the hunters.
The theme of travelling to another country permeates the book like a red thread. Mr Yeates is a foreigner that travels from Britain to Ireland. Since he is a foreigner, he sees Ireland with different eyes. The author uses the first person narration, and he is also the main narrator. He views the Irish lands with awe, curiosity and amusement. He enjoys the Irish dialect even if it seems strange and odd to him. The new culture is very interesting to him. Obviously, the two authors had in mind the relationship between Ireland and Britain when they wrote the stories. Ireland was still under the influence of Britain, not having gained independence yet. Colonialism is another subtle theme, even if the book is focused on Irish humorous tales. The Irish are good storytellers, indeed.
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