Summer With the Leprechauns: A True Story

by Tanis Helliwell

During a summer spent in Ireland, the author was befriended by a Leprechaun. His urgent message for "Humans are harming our own environment and theirs." With charming style and humor, Ms. Helliwell recounts the instructions from the Leprechaun on how humans can interact with elemental beings, as well as revealing the fascinating relationship she developed with this delightful fellow. "At first you won't believe it, then you will...!" "An Irish jewel, far more than a simple 'fairy tale.'"

Genres: Nonfiction, Spirituality, Ireland, Book Club, Memoir

191 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1997

Reviews

[Laura Leaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given this book to read in Glendalough and finished it in Galway. It surprised me that people believe in leprechauns, but the writer makes the case that the magical entities of folklore are manifestations of elemental power. In fact, she calls the leprechauns, gnomes, and faeries "elementals."

While traveling through the Burren, I'd the opportunity to meet an organic farmer who gave a tour of the "holy well" and the faerie circles on his land. These places were sacred to him, and the land remained untouched in these locations. He was a believer.

I'm too skeptical to believe in faeries, but certain places do seem resonant with history and nature. That's the kind of magic that speaks to me. I could not quite get behind the author's assertion that she'd met a leprechaun who taught her how to live in both worlds, but the story gives good insight into Irish cottage life and folklore.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED IT. Everyone should read this book :)

[midnightfaerie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very disappointed in this. I love celtic/irish/scottish folklore and have read many books on faeries, elves, leprechauns, and all sorts of magical creatures. I love the idea that magic still exists in the world and there are huge societies of people who still believe in this magic. If you want to see for yourself, go to Ireland sometime. This book, however, made it out to be something it's not. At least I don't believe it to be. I like to learn the facts and the history of the culture, with an element of magic. This, to me, was all nonsense. I felt the author made up everything to sound like an expert and just expected people to believe her. I felt it was a little too farfetched to be real, and reading a story about unbelievable things, such as a woman going on a date with a leprechaun, didn't inspire magic or mystery to me. I felt she used this as a platform to put out her metaphysical rhetoric. There's even an Appendix which gives advice on "Ways humans can work with elementals" and "guidelines for manifesting". I don't believe the magical world (if it exists - that's for you to decide), would agree or appreciate the tripes Helliwell spouts as aspects of their manifestation. I do believe there is magic in this world, all around us, and mostly in nature, but I don't believe a leprechaun would hop into a woman's bathtub and start talking sex or joke that he's going to become a Christian. This book was all over the place and even tried to use science to explain the elemental's energy. If the fae world creatures did have an agenda, I think it would be something closer to environmentalism and getting us humans to clean up after ourselves more. But that's just my opinion.

I've been asked to make a list of my favorite celtic/fae world type books and I have yet to do that, but I need to. Hopefully you can find something better to read than this. Sorry I spent money on it.

[Marina Quattrocchi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit before I read Tanis Helliwell's book I had no idea that Leprechauns actually existed. Like many people I believed there were just the stuff of Irish folk lore. This is a fascinating read describing two months the author spent in an Irish cottage that was inhabited by a family of leprechauns. The father taught her all about elementals; leprechauns, fairies, elves, and goblins. I'd been taught many years ago, that approximately 400 years ago, we all had the ability to see these elementals that lived in other dimensions, and there was a wonderful relationship that existed between us. Tanis explains that the elementals help everything grow, and bring joy and spontaneity to our lives. But when we began disrespecting the environment and not co-operating, they retreated, until the relationship was lost and we could see them no longer.(however many children retain this ability) According to Tanis we are approaching a time then this relationship will exist again. This is a wonderful book, so chock full of amazing information that I want to read it a second time. A real eye-opener for any skeptics!

[Tammie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was such a weird book. I read it for book club and it wasn't what any of us were expecting. We thought this was going to be a cute magical realism story about leprechauns, sort of like Darby O'Gill and the Little People, but somehow missed that it's supposedly a woman's real life spiritual journey. We thought the true story claims were going to be tongue in cheek. I can't figure out if the author really believes this crazy stuff happened to her or if that's just a gimmick. This is categorized as non-fiction, but I'm not shelving it as that. Apparently there are sequels, but needless to say, I'll pass.




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[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not at all my cup of tea. Very reminiscent of the’90s middle-aged New Age aficionado takes a trip to another country for enlightenment books, but labeled nonfiction rather than an metaphor or fiction and starring a Canadian. Like an even more poorly written Mutant Message Down Under.

I can deal with the boring passages of metaphysics and even the lecherous leprechaun but until about halfway through when there story gets going, this is just a Lot of Gobbledygook with a Mary Sue heroine.

Book group liked it, I was an outlier.

[Lisal Kayati Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read this as fiction. I believe in the unexplainable and have had encounters throughout my life. I think it was the author’s delivery - she assumes the reader will just take her word without preamble. I learned enough in this book to research elementals more in depth. It was a light, fun read!

[Christine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Нещата между мен и тази книга приключиха на 122 страница...Купих си я, защото бях чела друга книга от поредицата и беше приятно четиво, а и има много симпатична корица...Обаче не бях прочела ревюто...Още не мога да взема решение авторката на LSD или на гъби е.
Прелиствам книгата, очаквайки някаква художествена измислица...мне...книгата е по "истински случай"...Преди 10 години авторката била в Ирландия и се запознала с леприкони и разказва за общуването си с един леприкон...Тя можела да ги чува от малка (леприкони, гноми, мисли, караконджули) най-вероятно може да говори и с дърветата...Чета, чета нищо не се случва...нито една мърда леприконска мисъл, от която да припадна от възторг...После взе, че се изкъпа с леприкона, с когото си говори (защото те се учат един друг и обменят енергии и вибрации)...това вече ми дойде в повече...Още 1-2 глави, казах си, винаги дочитам книгите, колкото и нелепи да са, ама това не успях...Прехвърлих оставащите страници до края, дори финалът е нищо...едно голямо нищо.
Книгата има доста висока оценка, което ме озадачава още повече...

[Jim Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, Leprechauns! Almost every culture has legends of "Little People", and most of these cultures have not been in contact until recently. So maybe there's something to it. This book was recommended by Regina Meredith, whom I respect highly, on Gaia, so I read the excerpt on Gaia and reassured myself that the author was neither crazy nor stupid. She appears to be the opposite of these things and has written a charming and informative story of a summer in rural Ireland … with Leprechauns.
This book will tell you interesting things about the universe that you probably did not know. It's not for swallowing hook, line and sinker, but what it has to say is worthy of consideration and investigation.

[Laren · Rating 5 out of 5]

The metaphysical and folkloric worlds meet in this beautiful book. Thought forms are explained, so best to imagine/manifest beauty, clean oceans and clear skies....and kindness. And oh, leprechauns are vegetarians! All faeries are....

[Jen Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun Book! I read it when I went to Ireland. I'd read it again.

[Tonya Trapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

lively, fun, and inspiring.....

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

funny, thought provoking, and a wise outlook,

[SophieJazz · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to know the real deal about fairies and elementals, this is the book to read.

[Miranda Tringis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Faerie folk are real! After reading this book you'll want to go on a Leprechaun quest in Ireland.

[Jenna Harman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating book! A great introduction to learning about elementals and how we can better co-exist.

[Jack · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could enjoy the first part of the book but seriously, as she starts to meet weirder and weirder elementals, my patience was exhausted. I did not finish the book.

[Julio R. Ra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really good book for people who are magical, in other words, psychics and mediums. It also integrates the idea of enlightenment, although not much happens in the field of consciousness, but enlightenment is mentioned as a goal. Many of the events that happen is this book are pretty interesting, not purely imagination, and it all seems very plausible. For those who are already magical though, this is just confirmation of the many messages that are passed on from the elemental world to the human world. Summer with the Leprechauns is truly a classic in magical and divine literature, if there was such. Also, it is quick read, by the way.

[Dodie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author of this book is Canadian author with Irish roots. She was inspired to go to Ireland to right a book but she came back with a book she didn’t expect and didn’t plan on writing, Summer With The Leprechauns. In she book she does share her experiences with the Leprechauns and Elementals. What I thought was the most interesting thing about the book is when the author deals with collective consciousness in regards to believing and how believing is connected to creation.

[Pieter Smit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Een prettig geschreven boek waarin Tanis vertelt over haar eerste ervaringen met een leprechaun. Tijdens deze weken in Ierland krijgt ze allerlei details te horen over de samenwerking tussen de elementwezens en de mensen. Ook in dit boek blijkt weer hoe belangrijk onze staat van zijn is richting al wat leeft.

[Dustin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read. This lady had experiences with elements and leprechauns in the 1980’s and this is her enlightening account of it. I enjoyed it :) I wonder how many people in the world can see them like she can.

[Rhonda Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I not only learned about the leprechauns, but also learned about other elementals. There's so much out there that we as humans can't see, and I enjoy hearing about the experiences of people who have seen beyond the physical world.

[Elea Bekkers · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't know why I read this, it brought me nothing. No insight, no entertainment, no clever quotes to take away from it, no new ways of telling stories.

[Slaa!!! · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the stars!! This was such a fun, enjoyable read and I learned so much.

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook

[KayDee · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was really boring. I gave it 2 stars - 1 for effort because I didn’t hate it and 2 because the Irish accents were fun to hear.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book many years ago when it first came out. I loved learning that leprechauns are real and that some people can interact with them. The other day my granddaughter asked me about leprechauns so I got this book off the shelf. Then I looked up Tanis Helliwell and discovered that she has a website and many more books published since this one. So glad to have re-discovered this enchanting author!

A few days later - I just re-read this book and it was like reading it for the first time. So much for my memory! I learned a lot about elementals and have gone on to read The Leprechaun's Story. I started to tell my husband about nature elementals and he thinks I'm nuts, so guess I'll have to keep my knowledge to myself.

[Jamie Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very thought provoking book. I mean when you read the title and find out what it’s about it’s hard to take it seriously. But...what if you imagine for just a moment that it could’ve happened? What if we aren’t tuned in enough to comprehend a whole world we know nothing about but others do?!? There are other books out there by many authors that speak of elementals. I had never heard the term before this book.

I do believe in spirits and fairy’s and gnomes and trolls and and and. So why couldn’t it be possible.

I, personally am going to read a few more books and then form an educated opinion. I urge you to do the same.

I would definitely recommend this book. I very much enjoyed it.

[Elfgirl15 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed Summer with the Leprechauns: the authorized edition, on many levels- it read a like a fairytale come to life (or maybe that should be leprechaun tale), full of drama, darkness mixed with humor, and deeper meanings to the unfolding story when I stepped back and digested it. It was as if some of my own story was being told. I especially liked meeting the leprechaun and getting his perspective on humans, and how we really are silly beings sometimes. I have an appreciation now of how the elementals support our world and feel more of a sense of co-creation with nature. I can see how my own garden responds to love and attention, just as all beings do.

This book really opened my spirit to the elementals and the "unseen" in our world. I felt as if parts of me were seeing a larger picture and I experienced my senses more in depth as I read about the various elementals and ways of connecting with the many layers of our universe.

The book is written in a lively narrative style that has you following the author from her decision to go to Ireland, to meeting The Leprechaun, to meeting the locals and her experiences with the land and the other elementals. It pulls you along because you want to know what happens next.

You will also find yourself, or at least I did, stopping to ponder and take in what she tells you about her experiences with those leprechauns and other beings, and how they interact with our world. With an open mind, you will be seeing the world in a different way by the end of the book, and perhaps looking to meet you own elemental.

A book to be re-read and shared.

[Vania Stoyanova · Rating 3 out of 5]

Танис Хелиуел описва едно свое лято, което прекарва в Ирландия, решена да живее сама, да се откъсне от всичко да медитира и да се развива духовно, но не ѝ се получава, усамотяването, понеже още в първия ден в старата къща, която е избрала се появява цяло семейство леприкони…да… Звучи логично предвид заглавието, нищо странно, смущаващото за мен беше, че Танис представя нещата като наистина случили се, тя се опитва да ни убеди в реалността на случките, а това вече определено ми дойде малко в повече.
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