Books

Book ReviewsFighting Words

Blinding by Mircea Cărtărescu: A deep understanding that dreams are an integral part of our reality

Great news for those who have longed for Cărtărescu’s complete Orbitor trilogy to be available in English: translator Sean Cotter has been commissioned to complete it

By Declan O’Driscoll

How Patrick Kavanagh’s immortal poem On Raglan Road was lost and then found

Irish Book Awards 2025: Roisín O’Donnell, Claire Gleeson and Manchán Magan among winners

Sally Rooney says she will be unable to publish books in UK while Palestine Action banned

Gift a Book appeal: ‘Our vision is an Ireland where every child can be a reader’

Betsy Cornwell’s Ring of Salt: A memoir that emotionally winds the reader and floods our minds with beauty

Lessons for the would-be writer: An aborted interview with Andy Miller

The Great Global Transformation review: too substantial to be a primer, too panoramic to be conclusive

SHORT STORIES

POETRY

‘Dear monster under the bed’: Books that will make the perfect Christmas gift for younger readers

‘Dear monster under the bed’: Books that will make the perfect Christmas gift for younger readers

By Niamh Donnelly

The Dublin Pub by Donal Fallon: A joy from start to finish

The Dublin Pub by Donal Fallon: A joy from start to finish

By Pat Carty

Julian Brave NoiseCat’s We Survived the Night: First Nation seanchaí

Julian Brave NoiseCat’s We Survived the Night: First Nation seanchaí

By Helena Mulkerns

The Kate Clanchy affair: Was the ‘posh do-gooder’ ever really cancelled?

The Kate Clanchy affair: Was the ‘posh do-gooder’ ever really cancelled?

By Donald Clarke

November YA titles: surviving real and mystical horrors

November YA titles: surviving real and mystical horrors

By Claire Hennessy

America’s Middle East by Marc Lynch: An excellent and angry analysis of an American mess

America’s Middle East by Marc Lynch: An excellent and angry analysis of an American mess

By Daniel Geary

Annemarie Ní Churreáin: ‘There’s a deep respect embedded in Gaeltacht culture for troublemakers’

Annemarie Ní Churreáin: ‘There’s a deep respect embedded in Gaeltacht culture for troublemakers’

By Martin Doyle

Borderline Fiction by Derek Owusu: Ambitious novel reaches almost spiritual heights

Borderline Fiction by Derek Owusu: Ambitious novel reaches almost spiritual heights

By Ruby Eastwood

Druid Theatre: Fifty Years by Patrick Lonergan – a thorough and persuasive account of Druid’s first half century

Druid Theatre: Fifty Years by Patrick Lonergan – a thorough and persuasive account of Druid’s first half century

By Anthony Roche

The Hour of the Predator: Exposing this era that facilitates relationships between modern ‘Borgias’

The Hour of the Predator: Exposing this era that facilitates relationships between modern ‘Borgias’

By Karlin Lillington

The End of the Gay Rights Revolution: fear must not blind us to our interlinked fates

The End of the Gay Rights Revolution: fear must not blind us to our interlinked fates

By Diarmuid Hester

Journalist and cartoonist Joe Sacco: ‘Ireland is my favourite place in Europe. It’s sane’

Journalist and cartoonist Joe Sacco: ‘Ireland is my favourite place in Europe. It’s sane’

By Tadhg Hoey

The Irish Unity Dividend by Ben Collins: Little to entice unionists to join the conversation

The Irish Unity Dividend by Ben Collins: Little to entice unionists to join the conversation

By Etain Tannam

Poem of the Week: Before Saint Genevieve’s Tomb

Poem of the Week: Before Saint Genevieve’s Tomb

By Mícheál McCann

Books in brief: A State of Siege; Before the Leaves Fall; and Far Above the World: The Time and Space of David Bowie

Books in brief: A State of Siege; Before the Leaves Fall; and Far Above the World: The Time and Space of David Bowie

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1

Mother of former conjoined twins Hassan and Hussein Benhaffaf named Carer of the Year

2

‘Christ, I’m angry’: Ciara Doherty’s striking interview with Andrew McGinley

3

Rich are getting richer, poor are getting poorer and the middle class is disappearing

4

Mother of missing boy Benjamin Spot (14) pleads for him to return

5

Conor Murray: The game of rugby is in trouble. Genuinely, serious trouble

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