Best books written by Irish authors
Robert
2010 books
27 friends
27 friends
Ashley
1571 books
42 friends
42 friends
M
1462 books
0 friends
0 friends
Suzanne
1449 books
59 friends
59 friends
for-much-deliberation
45634 books
1644 friends
1644 friends
Alex
356 books
153 friends
153 friends
Jami
2601 books
58 friends
58 friends
R.
905 books
72 friends
72 friends
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Aug 21, 2008 12:59PM
Have to add Borstal Boy (Brendan Behan), At Swim Two Birds (Flann O'Brien), At Swim Two Boys (O'Neill), "Translations" (Brian Freel), Famine (O'Flaherty)..........There are so many!!! Rita Ann Higgins, Evan Boland, Edna O'Brien, Seamus Heaney....Come on, people!
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Does J.P. Donleavy not count for being Irish American? If he does count, I'd suggest "The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B."
A book that should definitely be there is THE SECRET SCRIPTURE by Sebastian Barry. It's a recent book, published in 2008 and has been nominated for a few awards among which the LA Times one.
"Ireland" by Frank Delaney beautifully combines contemporary Irish characters with classic storytelling of Irish history. Great book!
I was interested to see The Speckled People on the list as my novel also deals with a German child in Ireland (an evacuee helped by the Red Cross). It is fascinating to see Ireland from an outsider's perspective.Dianne Ascroft,
author of 'Hitler and Mars Bars'
www.geocities.com/dianne_ascroft
What about the Irish author William Trevor, Felicia's Journey and The Story of Lucy Gault? Plus don't forget the Irish novelist Molly Keane, author of Good Behavior and Time After Time.
Thanks for the reminder Lynda - I can't believe one my favorite writer's hadn't been mentioned. I just cast my vote for Trevor's Collected Stories.
There is a page 2 at the bottom... it's hard to see, but they're there if people want to vote on them.
I would just like to point out that unless there is a place in Ireland called Wales, Dylan Thomas is not Irish.
I thought it was odd that Dylan Thomas was on this list!Great list- I want to read most of these books.
Melanie wrote: "I would just like to point out that unless there is a place in Ireland called Wales, Dylan Thomas is not Irish."Well, he could drink most Irishmen under the table.
Janna wrote: "I'm surprised Samuel Beckett isn't on here either."Do I not see 'Waiting for Godot' on the list?
Rutherfurd is not Irish even though his Dublin tales are superb.:O)
ETA - Heaney is Irish and executed the new sublime translation, however he is not the author of Beowulf.
I just love Jonathan Swift's A modest proposal and have therefore added his Satires and personal writings.Someone else I was missing on this list was Laurence Sterne, which is why I have added both The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman as well as A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy.
Booklovinglady wrote: "I just love Jonathan Swift's A modest proposal and have therefore added his Satires and personal writings.Someone else I was missing on this list was Laurence Sterne, which is why ..."
Good work - lovely choices
There seem to be some strange entries on this list -- Leon Uris for example (Polish-American). Is this list for books by authors from Ireland or books about Ireland regardless of the author's nationality?In either case, Flannery O'Connor seems inappropriate, as does Gillian Flynn.
Leslie wrote: "There seem to be some strange entries on this list-- Leon Uris for example (Polish-American). Is this list for books by authors from Ireland or books about Ireland regardless of the author's nationality?In either case, Flannery O'Connor seems inappropriate, as does Gillian Flynn. "
As the description of this list clearly says 'Best books written by Irish authors', I fully agree with you and have therefore removed the books by Leon Uris, Gillian Flynn and Flannery O'Connor, as they were all born in the States and are all seen as American (none of them is either from the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland...).
This is a great list , but I know there are so many more from this great Green Irish Island that have written very well and we are just not remembering a great read and author ! Everyone knows the Irish are known for telling tales ! God love them all ! Dawn
Sebastian Faulks (Birdsong, #442) isn't Irish.... He was born in England, studied in England, and lives in London.
Please add The Country Girls and Girls in Their Married Bliss by Edna O'Brien, also Dinosaurs on Other Planets by Danielle McLaughlin.Enjoyed this list so much but how can Edna O'Brien's breakthrough novels be missing?
Evelyn wrote: "Please add The Country Girls and Girls in Their Married Bliss by Edna O'Brien..."The Country Girls Trilogy & Epilogue The Country Girls ~ The Lonely Girl ~ Girls in Their Married Bliss is already on this list... (voted for it ages ago...)
Should Beowulf Really be on this list?I know that its Heaney-wulf, but given that it's a translation is that fair?
I notice that Bettie mentioned this several years ago, but I agree that as he was not the original writer of the poem, it should not be listed here.
In saying that, I have read the translation as a part of college, and I read several others. Heaney is by far the best, even though he takes a few liberties with the original text. (Not enough to be an original book)
Heaney is Irish and he infused his translation with his Irishness, so I vote yes. Consider Joan Aocella's essay on the Tolkien translation (which also includes an interesting take on the Heaney translation).
‘The Strangling Angel’ and ‘Girl From the Gutter’ - both books have been given consistently positive reviews, yet far too little is written about the atrocities of the Irish Famine, so I appeal to writers of historical fiction to bring it to the attention of the ‘me’ society, those privileged among us, who will never know what it feels like to watch a child die of starvation.












