Being read and to be read (with some Christmas presents that haven’t been touched yet).
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Endurance by Alfred Lansing is another terrific one. I am due a reread actually.
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Finally read this after seeing it mentioned here multiple times over the years. Brilliant book, really well written and from a completely different angle to most books of that type.
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It’s a cracker. Utterly compelling
Finished Young Mungo last week, 9/10, probably not as good as Shuggie but outstanding all the same, similar characters
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Looking for book recommendation
Preferably non fiction but not boring or a pure autobiography
I read ‘Orangutan’ by Colin Broderick last week, phenomenal
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Audio or physical?
Emily Maitlis book as recommended by Flatty is a great listen. Full of little insights, nuggets and yarns and moves at a fine pace.
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You can get books on tapes ?
I read Susan McKay’s Northern Protestants on Shifting Ground last month. The topic interests me greatly and the book is superb. She interviews a range of people in Northern Ireland. This includes some contrarians like a woman who is an Irish language speaking Rangers fan from Derry. McKay is a fantastic writer.
Some learnings:
- Those who are socially liberal but strongly in favour of the union between NI and Britain have no real party to vote for.
- Young Protestants from working class backgrounds tend to perform much worse in school than working class Catholics.
- Integrated education has been opposed by the Catholic Church. Not surprising perhaps but a real block on progress.
I would have liked her to interview some Protestants in Donegal, Cavan or Monaghan as I think she did in the first book. Overall it’s well worth a read.
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Would Alliance not be the answer to no1?
They are no longer pro union so no.
Informative. Where do they stand on the national question?
They don’t take a position.
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Reading this now, bucko. Very good read. Thanks for the heads up.
You made me aware of these books a while back, I read both and thoroughly enjoyed them. The progression from a bitter people to a more confused and contradictory people over the 20 years is consistent with what I would see myself here. That is why I think McKay is probably the most despised commentator up here by the loudest loyalist mouthpieces - she actually reflects the position of the silent majority far better than what it is the loyalists try to portray.
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Somebody (maybe @backinatracksuit ) recommended Replay by Ken Grimwood to me recently
I really enjoyed it. Had a look on Wikipedia and his manner of death was ironic and this i thought was good fodder for here
Yet in spite of all the pain and anguish we go through as we follow Jeff through his search for an understanding of why he is replaying his life, the book has some important things to say to the reader. First, life is full of endless happenings that we have little control over. We should live our lives with our eyes set upon the horizon and never look back, controlling those things we can and giving no second thought to those events out of our hands. Second, given that we only have one life to live (Jeff is never sure he will replay again with each heart attack) we should live it to the fullest extent possible and with the least regret for our actions. Everybody makes mistakes; the point is not to dwell on them but to pick ourselves up and keep on going. Keep moving ahead. Third, choices must be made—we cannot avoid them. The only failure is to live a life without risks. In fact, I believe Jeff Winston would advise risking everything for those you love and for the life you want for them and with them. To not experience risk is to fail. And what does Replay have to say to a poor, old man like me who is still going through his mid-life crisis? Just this—that every year will be new. Every day a new chance to begin again. There can be no mid-life crisis when we are living each day to the fullest extent possible. From what Jeff Winston has taught me, I would define mid-life crisis as a period of selfishness when we turn inward and think only of ourselves. Jeff inspires us to look outward toward others and think less of ourselves.
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Reading this now. Very interesting read particularly for anyone with an interest in the highways and byways and departed streets of central Dublin.