in Ireland, in Irish

Orla MacKay: Mouthing

Donal Ryan: The Spinning Heart

We here in the winelands of France have been attacked by a severe heatwave for the past couple of weeks and the course of the days have changed their shape. I have been watering our garden early in the mornings when the temeratures have been bearable around 30. 

 So, the heatwave has presented possibilities to listen to the audio versions of books (when watering) and I now have a pretty good understanding of the Irish people,where do they come from, what is the cultural background (mainly in small villages). 

Here ´s two excellent books I highly recommend and even though I am not a fan of audioversions of the book - these are sponken in the "right" Irish dialect and they have been just marvellous to listen to!

So here I present to you Orla MacKay ´s Mouthing and Donal Ryan The Spinning Heart. Structurally they both a re a lot alike. There are multiple voices telling their side of the life, their happening and how they intertwine and these multiple characters. In the audioversions also have all their own unique voices. This way the story got deep and wide and the way of Irish thinking, their heritage, I have a better understanding now.

I higly recommended these two. You get to go to Ireland without travelling and these are easy to listen, entertaining even without major postmodern structure gimmicks nor lyrical language) to almost the same category fall for example Colm Toibin, Louise Kennedy ´s Tresspasses (yes, I know there is a political aspect in itn, but when in an Irish book/film there isn ´t?)