Read Ireland Book Reviews
Issue 449
30/31 May 2009
Thomas Roberts, 1748-1777 by William Laffan and Brendan Rooney
Large Format Hardback; 60 Euro / 75 USD / 50 UK; 416 pages, 329 illustrations
Although Thomas Roberts (1748-1777) is justly regarded as the finest Irish landscape painter of the eighteenth century, he is still little appreciated outside specialist circles. This important new publication aims to make his work more widely known and to explore the richness of his landscape art. Roberts died at the age of just 28, having fled Ireland for Portugal to seek respite from the consumption that haunted his last days.
This detailed study publishes many previously unknown works by Roberts, greatly increasing his recognised oeuvre, but it also examines the world of his patrons, who included many of the leading figures of eighteenth-century Ireland.
Roberts produced paintings that were distinctive, at times idiosyncratic, but consistently accomplished. This book explores a variety of themes: Roberts’s connections with his Dublin Group contemporaries; the specifically Irish elements of his art; and the way in which his work reflects the interests and mentalité of his patrons. The influences of Irish Grand Tourists and the classical tradition are balanced by that of Irish antiquities. Patriotism, ‘improvement’, emulation, exhibiting practices and the aesthetics of landscape gardening are all themes invoked to illuminate the artistic and social context that Roberts reflects and, on occasion, shapes.
The book coincides with a retrospective exhibition Thomas Roberts 1748-1777 at the National Gallery of Ireland that runs from 28 March to 28 June, 2009.
Great Family Food by Kevin Dundon
Hardback; 22 Euro / 30 USD / 18 UK; 188 pages [Add To Basket]
Irish celebrity chef Kevin Dundon shares the recipes he cooks at home and shows how easy it is to eat good food every day. Do you have a kitchen full of hungry kids? Expectant guests sat round the dining table? Perhaps you need a hearty pick-me-up or a quick and comforting supper at the end of a long day. Kevin knows that the best home cooked food is straightforward and satisfying but certainly never boring. He gathers together classic dishes and creative twists to give a delicious collection of recipes for all types of occasion. Full of bold flavours and fresh, seasonal ingredients, these confident recipes are guaranteed to become firm family favourites. Kevin also shows how to get a second outing from your efforts, with clever ways to turn leftovers into a whole new meal. Whether you're a beginner in the kitchen or an experienced cook, these are reliable recipes you'll return to again and again.Recipes Include: Roasted Root Vegetable, Chilli and Pumpkin Soup Traditional Beef Casserole with Herb Dumplings Pan fried Trout with Toasted Almonds Savoury Bread and Butter Pudding Pot Roasted Pork with Apples Chicken and Broccoli Taglitelle Summer Berry Pudding Treacle Tart Chapter breakdown: One Pot Wonders, Quick Suppers, Food For Many, Clever Leftovers, Accompaniments, Desserts.
Blasket Spirit: Stories from the Islands by Anita Fennelly
Paperback; 13 Euro / 18 USD / 10 UK; 210 pages
Seeking solitude after personal crisis, Anita Fennelly spent a summer alone on the Great Blasket Island. This is her account, written by candlelight, of the gradual thawing of her personal isolation through the friendship of the characters of Blasket Island life today: fishermen, ferrymen, backpackers, islanders descendants, a dolphin, a weaver, a trio of seals and even a former taoiseach. Anita weaves a tapestry of tales: ghost stories told by the fireside, stories of love and hatred, stories celebrating womanhood. Ultimately, Anita s own story is one of healing, survival and hope. Blasket Spirit reveals a timeless place where the souls of the past and present are inextricably linked with the emotional and physical struggles of island life. Into this story of personal healing and recovery, the island stories, its people and places and wildlife are interwoven to form an original and multi-layered memoir.
A World of Our Own: A Journey of Love Through Autism by Aileen McCallan
Paperback; 13 Euro / 16 USD / 11 UK; 338 pages [Add To Basket]
Young mother Aileen McCallan is filled with love and joy at the birth of her second son, Cian. Now she feels she can settle into motherhood and a comfortable life. But it is not to be. From the age of about eighteen months, Cian’s behaviour grows increasingly strange: his language fails to develop; he shows little emotional or social connection; and he screams and writhes at night, wearing down his parents. They face an endless series of assessments and tests as the truth gradually dawns: Cian has autism. Aileen determines to hold onto Cian, to stop her son from slipping away from her. She spends her waking hours working with him and searching for therapists who can connect with him using Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA). It is an uphill battle that strains Aileen’s sanity, her marriage, her world. She feels caught in a world where there is only Cian and her. A World of Our Own is a mother’s account of how autism challenged her family and changed her life.
Tuesday’s Child by Kathy Evans
Paperback; 13 Euro / 16 USD / 11 UK; 212 pages
Tuesday's Child tells of a mother’s journey from the diagnosis of her baby’s Down Syndrome through shock, anger, grief and ultimately, a kind of acceptance. This beautifully written memoir is a compelling mix of heartfelt personal story and insightful journalism. "Tuesday's Child" highlights society's attitudes to difference, but more importantly the defining moment that was to reshape a family's life. It is heart-warming and thought-provoking.
A Mother’s Nightmare: My Fight to Get My Children Back by Louise Mason
Paperback; 10 Euro / 13 USD / 9 UK; 152 pages [Add To Basket]
Louise Mason lived through every mother's nightmare. Both her children were taken into care following the false accusation that Louise had harmed the younger child, who was just four weeks old at the time. Social services kept the children - and tried to put them up for adoption - even after Louise had been cleared in a criminal court of all charges against her. When she gave birth to a third child three years later, social services were at the hospital within hours to take her baby away. Failed by the system and unjustly labelled an unfit mother, Louise never stopped fighting to get her children back.With the unwavering support of her solicitor, Carmel McGilloway, Louise fought a four-year battle through the courts. In June 2006 a judge ruled that her children should be returned to her. Told here for the first time, this is Louise's own story: her feelings when her children were taken away, her fears as she took on the system and her hopes for the future as she tries to rebuild her family life. "A Mother's Nightmare" is the story of a woman who found the strength to keep fighting when it seemed as though the whole world was against her.
Wild Dublin: Exploring Nature in the City by Eanna Ni Lamhna
Large Format Paperback; 15 Euro / 20 USD / 11 UK; 188 pages with colour photographs throughout [Add To Basket]
Dublin is not only home to a million inhabitants but is also residence for an exquisite array of creatures, flora and fauna. Minks in the Dodder, Whales on the coastline, Newts in Dundrum, Badgers in Rathfarnham, Otters in Ringsend - these are just some of the fantastic wild life you'll spot in the capital. Half of the bird species on the Irish list have been recorded here, as have more than a third of our wild plants. All of our terrestrial wild mammals, with just five or six exceptions, have been recorded inside the M50. This book shows you Dublin city's rich biodiversity of wildlife, with wonderful photographs by Anthony Woods, while the text, written by Eanna Ni Lamhna, provides a running commentary in her distinctive voice. "Wild Dublin" will inspire any reader - old or young - to go out there and see for themselves.
Ruinairski by Paul Kilduff
Paperback; 13 Euro / 18 USD / 10 UK; 266 pages [Add To Basket]
Fortunately still allowed to fly on Europe's lowest airline, he unfolds the former Iron Curtain to reveal our fellow New Europeans. He meets the Latvian politician who refers to Ruinair passengers as 'savages'; he searches for a second vowel in Brno; he learns there is more to Gdansk than a shipyard wall; he finds beauty in Bratislava and he endures Romania's very own low fares airline. And what does Ruinair's Chief Executive, Michael O'Leary, think of Kilduff's first book? 'I heard it should be in the fiction list but keep up the good work. Fly Ruinair. Best wishes, Mick'. 'Humorous, witty and evocative ...every bit as good as McCarthy's bar' - "Evening Echo". 'Our view of thebooks that have been published to date is one of total indifference' - A Ruinair Spokesman. 'I hope we will have the pleasure of welcoming you on many more low cost, on-time flights and that you will continue with your wonderful writing, which helps keep us entertained and spreads the gospel of our lowest fares across Europe' - Ruinair Customer Service Department.
Not Enough Hours: The Secrets of Making Every Second Count by Owen Fitzpatrick
Large Format Paperback; 14 Euro / 19 USD / 11 UK; 382 pages [Add To Basket]
Have you taken on far more than you can handle? Is your life an exhausting cycle of commuting, work, housework, children and bed? Find it impossible to say no? Does the pace of modern life leave you breathless? Are there just not enough hours in your day? Then this is the book for you! We've all heard of the credit crunch but many of us also face a time crunch every day, where we just can't seem to fit everything into 24 hours. The world seems to be moving at a faster speed than ever. And in Ireland, we have a unique approach to time. Owen Fitzpatrick, presenter of RTÉ's Not Enough Hours, shows how you can take control of your life so that you make the most of every second. He describes where our concept of time comes from, and how people s perception of time differs. He profiles the seven time victims - the workaholic, the perfectionist, the walk over, the hurrier, the worrier, the busy bee and the time stranger and outlines the six time eaters. His TimeWise programme explains in simple terms how to solve all of your time problems in four easy steps analyse, prioritise, organise, actualise. And he brings it all down to earth with tips on finding time for yourself, time for love, time for children, time for work, and even time for household chores. With a wealth of practical examples from the RTÉ series and from other people's lives, Not Enough Hours is a simple, easy-to-read, no-nonsense guide for anybody who wants to have the time of their lives. You'll save yourself a lot of time by reading it!
50 Things You Didn’t Know About 1916 by Mick O’Farrell
Paperback; 8 Euro / 11 USD / 7 UK; 160 pages [Add To Basket]
Even those who know a great deal about the Easter Rising may not know that there were temporary ceasefires in the St Stephen's Green area, to allow the park attendants to feed the Green's ducks. Few know that the first shots of the rising were actually fired near Portlaoise and not in Dublin or indeed that both sides issued receipts: the Rebels for food, the British for handcuffs. It features excerpts from a previously unpublished diary, written by a member of the Jacob's garrison; the story of how rebel communications (being sent in a tin can from rooftop to rooftop) were interrupted by a British crack-shot sniper and many other remarkable facts. "50 Things You Didn't Know About 1916" is a treasure trove of trivia and information that will appeal to the avid student of 1916 and the casual reader.
Hide & Speak Irish
Large Format Paperback; 8 Euro / 12 USD / 7 UK [Add To Basket]
"Hide and Speak" goes further than most picture word books. It offers an effective and simple way to learn over 130 key Irish words following the tried-and-tested method of 'look, cover and speak'. Using the two wipe-clean flaps at the back of the book to cover the words or the pictures, you can practise speaking or writing the words as many times as you want. The book is organized into 15 popular themes including farm, school, family, colours and food. It provides an enjoyable and practical way to learn the first essential words in Irish!
Please note: Prices were correct at time of original posting but are subject to subsequent change without notice.
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