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So Long To Wait An Irish Childhood
181 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1960
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January 31, 2026
A Clear and Honest Memoir About Being a Child
Moira Verschoyle's So Long to Wait: An Irish Childhood is a special book because it sees the world completely through a child's eyes. It's not a simple, cozy story. Instead, it honestly shows how lonely and frustrating childhood can be, even in a comfortable home.
Moira feels this deeply. She is surrounded by adults and watches their lives move forward while she feels stuck. She writes: “I was free enough—but free enough to do nothing... It was exasperating to know that for as long as I was still a child I would be at the mercy of other people's decisions.” This feeling colors everything. She is bored playing alone, and her family's strict social rules stop her from easily making friends her own age.
This makes the happy moments, like her funny talks with friends about where babies come from, feel extra bright. It also makes the sad parts, like the story of her scared puppy Jamesy, truly heartbreaking. She doesn't soften the harder parts of her world, either. She mentions how farmers would drown dogs as a simple fact, which is quietly shocking to a modern reader.
By sticking so closely to a child's point of view—the powerlessness, the keen observation, the deep want for her own life—the book becomes more than just a memory of old Ireland. It becomes a powerful story about what it feels like to be young, waiting, and desperately wanting to grow up.
Moira Verschoyle's So Long to Wait: An Irish Childhood is a special book because it sees the world completely through a child's eyes. It's not a simple, cozy story. Instead, it honestly shows how lonely and frustrating childhood can be, even in a comfortable home.
Moira feels this deeply. She is surrounded by adults and watches their lives move forward while she feels stuck. She writes: “I was free enough—but free enough to do nothing... It was exasperating to know that for as long as I was still a child I would be at the mercy of other people's decisions.” This feeling colors everything. She is bored playing alone, and her family's strict social rules stop her from easily making friends her own age.
This makes the happy moments, like her funny talks with friends about where babies come from, feel extra bright. It also makes the sad parts, like the story of her scared puppy Jamesy, truly heartbreaking. She doesn't soften the harder parts of her world, either. She mentions how farmers would drown dogs as a simple fact, which is quietly shocking to a modern reader.
By sticking so closely to a child's point of view—the powerlessness, the keen observation, the deep want for her own life—the book becomes more than just a memory of old Ireland. It becomes a powerful story about what it feels like to be young, waiting, and desperately wanting to grow up.
Displaying 1 of 1 review