Clippings 18: Read me, I’m Irish
In honor of today’s religious feast-cum-drinking holiday (not that the two are necessarily separate in Christian history!), here’s a little round-up of all things Irish:
From the archives of Books & Culture, Edward Short reviews the Everyman’s Library edition of the complete novels of Flann O’Brien. Â I don’t believe I have read him, but I must put The Third Policeman on my TBR list. And I do love the Everyman’s Library collection — they are well-stitched and include those handy self-marking ribbons. Â Whenever a paperback classic needs replacing, I seek out one of these.
If you have not read the late poet John O’Donohue, today is certainly a good day to discover him. Â Pick up a copy of Anam Cara, and watch this video featuring his reading of “Beannacht”:
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Finally, a bit about the man behind the day. Â The chapter on St. Patrick in my Peril and Peace is a favorite, not just because a couple of secondary characters bear the names of a niece and nephew to whom the volume was dedicated, but also simply because his is such an interesting story. Â Little is known of the details of Patrick’s life, but one can encounter the most likely possibilities by reading up on the history and culture of his region. Â The most helpful book I discovered in my research — being both accurate and highly readable — is Philip Freeman’s St. Patrick of Ireland: A Biography, now out in paperback.
Sláinte!