Happy Saint Patrick’s Day, bookworms! I know I’ve been a bad book blogger lately and I’m trying to do my best to make it up to you.
To start, a St. Paddy’s Day celebration of some of my favorite Irish writers. Just about a year ago, I spent a week in the Emerald Isle for the first time and fell in love. If I could, I would pack up and leave tomorrow to return. Since I can’t, at least not realistically, I will indulge my Irish ancestors by reading some of my favorite authors, writers, playwrights and books Ireland has to offer.
- Oscar Wilde – Oh, Oscar! So witty, so funny, so very naughty! Despite his literary genius, he died penniless in Paris after being jailed in Ireland for, by today’s standards, simply being himself. Still, flamboyant personality aside, Wilde did write some of the cleverest plays in Irish theater. With a delightful ability to play on words and spin a tale, Wilde’s works are beloved still, years after they were written are particularly known for their quotable quips and quotes.
- Dubliners, James Joyce – Joyce might well be the best-known Irish author, at least of the 20th century, and many of his works are well worth reading. But for me, Dubliners stands out as Joyce’s best: a collection of short stories, woven together by themes of identity and purpose and tracing the progression of a life, from childhood to death. Joyce doesn’t use flowery language and he doesn’t tell people what to think – he presents the characters, their stories and their families and leaves us readers to come to our own conclusions. The result is a vivid portrayal of Dublin like no one else could write.
- W.B. Yeats – In addition to being a major force in the Irish Literary Revival of the early 20th century (and that’s certainly no small feat), Yeats was a brilliant poet whose fascination with the occult led him to pen several poems imbued with a sense of myth and folklore, coming directly from the heart of Ireland. And perhaps not so coincidentally, Yeats and his siblings comprised the single most significant artistic family in 20th century Ireland. Also not so coincidentally, Yeats was the first Irishman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.
- Circle of Friends, Maeve Binchy – I confess that I have not read a lot of Binchy’s books, but of those that I have read, Circle of Friends remains my favorite. I suppose if you absolutely must, you can see the 1995 movie with Minnie Driver (who is actually English!) and Chris O’Donnell. But you should really read the book – a lovely, wonderful, warm book that’s like receiving a hug from a good friend. And since friendship is a predominant theme in Binchy’s best-known novel, you really have no excuse.
- Clodagh Murphy – A recent addition to the ranks of contemporary Irish authors, Murphy may not yet be compared to the Yeats’, Joyce’s and Binchy’s of the Irish literary world, but she makes my list for two very simple reasons: (1) her debut novel was so addictive to read that I can pick it up, open it up to any page and lose myself in the story and (2) she’s a real person who cares about her writing and her readers. We follow each other on Twitter and unlike some other Twitter authors, Murphy will actually talk to her followers, even if they are random 20-somethings an ocean away.
- Irish Fairy Tales – During my unforgettable trip to Ireland last year, I picked up two collections of Irish fairy tales and legends. Like many other fairy tales, there are morals and lessons to be learned, but I love the richness of these stories, their sense of history and connection to the land and the timelessness of them – I love the idea that these stories have been handed down through the generations for thousands of years and I imagine telling my own (eventual future) children the tales of Fair, Brown, and Trembling and the King of Erin (and his many, many sons).
Which Irish authors do you love? How are you celebrating St. Patrick’s Day? Don’t forget to look for that pot of gold – it could buy a lot of books!
[Photo Credit: Me, from my trip to Ireland last year - it's an Oscar Wilde statue in Dublin]
