Do you know much about Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland? I didn’t, so I went looking for more information at the Thunder Bay Public Library. I found some really helpful books in the Children’s Department, namely Joyce K. Kessel’s St. Patrick’s Day, Joanna Ponto’s St. Patrick’s Day, Edna Barth’s Shamrocks, Harps, and Shillelaghs:... Continue Reading →
Becoming Belle by Nuala O’Connor
In “Becoming Belle,” Nuala O’Connor brings the extraordinary life of Isabel (Belle) Bilton into the mind of her readers. As someone who appreciates a believably written period piece, I was grateful for O’Connor’s appropriate choice of language and sentence structure. It allowed me to fully immerse myself into this almost unbelievable story set in the... Continue Reading →
Someone You Know by Brian McGilloway
On my first trip to Ireland, I found myself in a bookstore discovering a number of new authors to me, including couple of great mystery writers, Liz Nugent and Brian McGilloway. While, Nugent has yet to break the North American market, McGilloway has been quietly building a fan base with his Benedict Devlin and DS... Continue Reading →
The Pub across the Pond by Mary Carter
Having returned recently from a wonderful trip to Ireland, I really wanted to love this book. The plot is centered about an American woman from Ohio that wins a pub in Ireland. The pub is being raffled off to pay a gambling debt of Ronan, the son the the deceased former owner. The woman, Carlene... Continue Reading →
Me and my sisters, by Sinéad Moriarty
I read this book on the recommendation of a patron whose two-word justification: “She’s Irish!” apparently explained everything – meaning that because the author is Irish, this is a really good story, obviously very humorous, as well as heart-rending. I couldn’t not read it. When I first started out I was highly skeptical, as it... Continue Reading →
John the Revelator, by Peter Murphy
It’s rare these days to come across a story that actually makes me laugh out loud. Peter Murphy’s book was funny enough to entice a giggle more than once and had me with a ridiculous Mona Lisa smirk on my face for at least the first half. The novel is, however, as tragic as it... Continue Reading →
In The Company Of Others: A Father Tim Novel by Jan Karon
After a 3 year absence Father Tim is back. I was heartbroken when the Mitford series ended. I felt like I knew the residents of Mitford. I even have a Mitford mug from Hallmark. It’s a beautiful fall scene and whenever we travel in the fall, I’m always searching for Mitford. There are small towns... Continue Reading →
A Star Called Henry by Roddy Doyle
I first found Roddy Doyle through the movie, "The Commitments" and was struck by the raw, funny and bawdy style of the writing. The dialogue in the movie, about a talented, dysfunctional band pursuing their dreams of stardom in Dublin, was taken for the most part from the novel. "The Commitments" was the first... Continue Reading →
The Pig Did It
National Pig Day will soon be upon us. It's only 7 days away. To clear up any confusion, it's a day "to accord to the pig its rightful, though generally unrecognized, place as one of man's most intelligent and useful domesticated animals". In honour of NPD (not to be confused with NDP), lets look at... Continue Reading →
If You Could See Me Now
Everyone needs a little magic in their lives, but for Elizabeth Egan, life is black and white .She's raising her nephew Luke, caring for her irresponsible flighty sister,cheering up her permanently depressed father and working 24/7 to pay the bills. So when her nephew comes home with Ivan his imaginary friend,from "Eveileb Ekam", she's sure... Continue Reading →
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