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Books

Book Reviews   •   Fighting Words
National Dish: plenty of food for thought

National Dish: plenty of food for thought

By Mei Chin
Listen | 07:22
YA fiction: Fragmented time, censorship and an utter wagon of a teacher

YA fiction: Fragmented time, censorship and an utter wagon of a teacher

By Claire Hennessy
Listen | 07:56

A new Irish imprint with a European perspective

Central to the Irish literary tradition is a spinal cord of comic exuberance, which Dedalus celebrates

By David Butler

The British Army in Northern Ireland 1969-1975: ‘At all costs we must remain friends with Protestants’


Crime fiction: from Slough House origin myth to Stephen King’s Mr Mercedes spin-off


Night-Side of the River by Jeanette Winterson: Intriguing and unusual supernatural encounters


Emma Dabiri: ‘Growing up in Ireland I aspired to be very thin, as did everyone I knew’


Anne Doyle: ‘I was very lucky many times that the mic was not on live before broadcasts’


Vienna: How the City of Ideas Created the Modern World - A must-read account of Austrian capital’s impact


Heather Morris: ‘There’s only so much I want to learn from the history books’


SHORT STORIES
Upright Carriage by Paul Currion

Upright Carriage by Paul Currion

Moth Short Story prize winner: The Brain Named Itself by Jude Whiley

Moth Short Story prize winner: The Brain Named Itself by Jude Whiley

By Jude Whiley
Book Club
Book Club
Sign up to the Irish Times books newsletter for features, podcasts and more
POETRY
Poem of the Week: Steps

Poem of the Week: Steps

By Peter Sirr
Poem of the Week: Home

Poem of the Week: Home

By Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin
Leontia Flynn: I need to write or nothing makes sense

Leontia Flynn: I need to write or nothing makes sense

By Martin Doyle
Poem of the Week: Steps

Poem of the Week: Steps

By Peter Sirr
Sophie Hannah: ‘My mum normalised writing as a career, so it felt like a possibility for me’

Sophie Hannah: ‘My mum normalised writing as a career, so it felt like a possibility for me’

By Martin Doyle
Patrick; Ada’s Realm; Sidle Creek

Patrick; Ada’s Realm; Sidle Creek

Author Cathy Kelly confirms breast cancer diagnosis: ‘I’m doing well’

Author Cathy Kelly confirms breast cancer diagnosis: ‘I’m doing well’

By Ellen O’Donoghue
Asylum by Brendan Kelly: Ireland’s ‘awkward institutions’ laid bare

Asylum by Brendan Kelly: Ireland’s ‘awkward institutions’ laid bare

By Matthew Shipsey
Dromineer Literary Festival; Dublin Festival of History; Echoes; Bookshop of the Year; Polari Prizes

Dromineer Literary Festival; Dublin Festival of History; Echoes; Bookshop of the Year; Polari Prizes

By Martin Doyle
Maurice Leitch, acclaimed Irish author, dies, aged 90

Maurice Leitch, acclaimed Irish author, dies, aged 90

By Martin Doyle
Children’s books: All kinds of adventures with animals, and a tale about teaming up with a bully to foil a witch

Children’s books: All kinds of adventures with animals, and a tale about teaming up with a bully to foil a witch

By Sara Keating
The End of August by Yu Miri: A monumental work of real importance

The End of August by Yu Miri: A monumental work of real importance

By Rónán Hession
Katherine Rundell: ‘Extraordinary wealth should be looked at the same way as punching a baby in the face’

Katherine Rundell: ‘Extraordinary wealth should be looked at the same way as punching a baby in the face’

By Edel Coffey
We Need to Talk: Tony Holohan doesn’t shy away from saying when he felt let down by others

We Need to Talk: Tony Holohan doesn’t shy away from saying when he felt let down by others

By Jack Horgan-Jones
The Coming Thing by Martina Evans: Punks and teenage poses in 1980s Cork

The Coming Thing by Martina Evans: Punks and teenage poses in 1980s Cork

By Joseph O'Connor
Stakeknife’s Dirty War: Revealing insider account of brutal IRA double agent

Stakeknife’s Dirty War: Revealing insider account of brutal IRA double agent

By Stephen Walker
Wild longings: women and gardening, both practical and poetic

Wild longings: women and gardening, both practical and poetic

By Helen Paris
Michael Viney: Nature writer, illustrator and journalist’s last book launched in Letterfrack

Michael Viney: Nature writer, illustrator and journalist’s last book launched in Letterfrack

By Marese McDonagh
Jason Byrne: ‘My brain still thinks I’m going to swing up home in a few months’ time and Dad will be there’

Jason Byrne: ‘My brain still thinks I’m going to swing up home in a few months’ time and Dad will be there’

By Kate Demolder
How often do you think of the Roman Empire? Quite a lot if you are Mary Beard

How often do you think of the Roman Empire? Quite a lot if you are Mary Beard

By Anna Carey
September’s YA fiction: Sending shivers down the spine of anyone who was ever a teenage girl

September’s YA fiction: Sending shivers down the spine of anyone who was ever a teenage girl

By Claire Hennessy
The Booker Prize boost: ‘It certainly changed the way people look at me’

The Booker Prize boost: ‘It certainly changed the way people look at me’

By Ellen O'Riordan and Martin Doyle
Stakeknife: The inside story of IRA double agent Freddie Scappaticci

Stakeknife: The inside story of IRA double agent Freddie Scappaticci

By Mark Devenport
Goth: Three fascinating books explore a musical subculture that is both dead and very much alive

Goth: Three fascinating books explore a musical subculture that is both dead and very much alive

By Ann Scanlon
Daniel Mason: ‘The more time I spend in the woods, the more in awe I am at the richness of the natural world’

Daniel Mason: ‘The more time I spend in the woods, the more in awe I am at the richness of the natural world’

By Martin Doyle
Cures of Ireland: A Treasury of Irish Folk Remedies - An authoritative exploration of alternative medicine

Cures of Ireland: A Treasury of Irish Folk Remedies - An authoritative exploration of alternative medicine

By Dr Muiris Houston
Books in brief: When Things Come To Light; The God Desire; Quartet

Books in brief: When Things Come To Light; The God Desire; Quartet

The Celestial Realm by Molly Hennigan: A brave new voice in Irish literature

The Celestial Realm by Molly Hennigan: A brave new voice in Irish literature

By Aimée Walsh
The Padre by Jennifer O’Leary: A priest with blood on his hands

The Padre by Jennifer O’Leary: A priest with blood on his hands

By Freya McClements
An Invitation To The Kennedys by Emily Hourican: Glamorous historical novel has echoes of the present

An Invitation To The Kennedys by Emily Hourican: Glamorous historical novel has echoes of the present

By Edel Coffey
Booker Prize 2023: Irish authors Paul Murray and Paul Lynch make shortlist

Booker Prize 2023: Irish authors Paul Murray and Paul Lynch make shortlist

By Martin Doyle
Gutter Bookshop changes hands; Irish on Edge Hill prize shortlist; Dublin Book Festival launched

Gutter Bookshop changes hands; Irish on Edge Hill prize shortlist; Dublin Book Festival launched

By Martin Doyle
‘Never write to chase trends or give others what you think they want’

‘Never write to chase trends or give others what you think they want’

MOST READ

1

Apology sought from Dublin school for employing former Nazi SS officer as a teacher


2

‘My mom always had to ask my dad for money and I remember thinking I never wanted to have to rely on anyone else for money’


3

For years, Ireland has been doing something just as economically stupid as Brexit


4

One of America's oldest mummies to be buried as 128-year-old mystery is solved


5

‘People call the US the land of opportunities and dreams, they’ve obviously not heard of Ireland’


© 2023 The Irish Times DAC

© 2023 The Irish Times DAC

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