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Books

Book Reviews   •   Fighting Words
Face Down by David Blake Knox: A detailed and deeply disturbing read

Face Down by David Blake Knox: A detailed and deeply disturbing read

By Ray Burke
Listen | 02:29
Book reviews: A swim around Ireland, GAA clubs and a history of the Soviet Union

Book reviews: A swim around Ireland, GAA clubs and a history of the Soviet Union

Listen | 03:26

Paul Lynch’s Prophet Song set for increase in global book sales amid ‘Booker bounce’

Before being shortlisted for the prize, Lynch’s book sold 2,643 copies. Last weekend that figure rose to 8,095

By Martin Doyle

Dear Gay: Letters to The Gay Byrne Show - a myth-destroying mirror to show the Irish who we are


Slow, laboured, but steady progress for women’s writing since the 1980s


The Last Politician; and Why We’re Polarised: Joe Biden takes on US anti-democracy forces


Herbert Simms by Lindie Naughton: a useful if brief biography


Paul Lynch: ‘When I think of who’s come before me ... it’s just pinch yourself stuff’


Fanatic Heart by Thomas Keneally: unsatisfying story of an Irish freedom fighter turned pro-slavery


Unearthing gems in the John McGahern archive


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 by David Nash

Poem of the week by David Nash

By David Nash
The Map of the World by Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin: the earthly and the cosmic

The Map of the World by Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin: the earthly and the cosmic

By Maria Johnston
Poem of the Week: ‘Objects in an Abandoned Handbag’

Poem of the Week: ‘Objects in an Abandoned Handbag’

By Amanda Bell
Paul Lynch wins Booker Prize for Prophet Song

Paul Lynch wins Booker Prize for Prophet Song

By Martin Doyle
Provincial news photography raised to the level of fine art

Provincial news photography raised to the level of fine art

By Keith Duggan
The Material for Victory: Grassroots memoir of 19th-century democratic political practice behind Irish land ownership

The Material for Victory: Grassroots memoir of 19th-century democratic political practice behind Irish land ownership

By Niamh Reilly
PJ Gallagher: Mental illness is the most articulate liar you will ever live with in your life

PJ Gallagher: Mental illness is the most articulate liar you will ever live with in your life

By Martin Doyle
Crime fiction: Running the rule over docs, cops and villains

Crime fiction: Running the rule over docs, cops and villains

By Declan Burke
Books that should be on your reading list

Books that should be on your reading list

Gavin Esler on British politics: ‘We’ve got a lot of fairly rotten people in parliament’

Gavin Esler on British politics: ‘We’ve got a lot of fairly rotten people in parliament’

By Mark Hennessy
Jan Carson’s year of focused reading: A voyage around Toni Morrison and Kurt Vonnegut

Jan Carson’s year of focused reading: A voyage around Toni Morrison and Kurt Vonnegut

By Jan Carson
Michael Healy 1873-1941 and The Illuminated Window: illuminating the divine

Michael Healy 1873-1941 and The Illuminated Window: illuminating the divine

By Gemma Tipton
The Glutton by AK Blakemore: A delicious novel on hunger and survival

The Glutton by AK Blakemore: A delicious novel on hunger and survival

By Aimée Walsh
Playing Games by Huma Qureshi: A philosophical debate about the line between real life and fiction

Playing Games by Huma Qureshi: A philosophical debate about the line between real life and fiction

By Edel Coffey
Poem of the week by David Nash

Poem of the week by David Nash

By David Nash
Disobedient Bodies by Emma Dabiri: A polemic that offers liberating solutions

Disobedient Bodies by Emma Dabiri: A polemic that offers liberating solutions

By Anna Carey
Death Valley by Melissa Broder: A surrealistic tale of survival

Death Valley by Melissa Broder: A surrealistic tale of survival

By Lucie Shelly
The Politics of Time by Guy Standing: An indictment of our prevailing ‘jobs fetish’ as anything but progressive

The Politics of Time by Guy Standing: An indictment of our prevailing ‘jobs fetish’ as anything but progressive

By Niamh Jiménez
Irish Writers for Palestine event switches to Vicar St; An Post Irish Book of the Year 2023 shortlist

Irish Writers for Palestine event switches to Vicar St; An Post Irish Book of the Year 2023 shortlist

By Martin Doyle
Three Hundred Thousand Kisses: Queer love in the ancient world

Three Hundred Thousand Kisses: Queer love in the ancient world

By Declan Ryan
Dublin Tales combines scholarly quality with tourist appeal

Dublin Tales combines scholarly quality with tourist appeal

By Catherine Toal
Karma by Boy George: A by-the-numbers celebrity tale

Karma by Boy George: A by-the-numbers celebrity tale

By Kate Demolder
Paul Murray wins Novel of the Year for The Bee Sting at the An Post Irish Book Awards

Paul Murray wins Novel of the Year for The Bee Sting at the An Post Irish Book Awards

By Deirdre Falvey
Terry Hayes: ‘In Hollywood meetings, the dumbest idea tends to get the most currency because everybody can understand it’

Terry Hayes: ‘In Hollywood meetings, the dumbest idea tends to get the most currency because everybody can understand it’

By Henrietta McKervey
Topographia Hibernica by Blindboy Boatclub: Short stories that fail to play to the author’s obvious strengths

Topographia Hibernica by Blindboy Boatclub: Short stories that fail to play to the author’s obvious strengths

By NJ McGarrigle
Friends pay tribute on death of poet Eddie Linden at 88

Friends pay tribute on death of poet Eddie Linden at 88

By Martin Doyle
Irish authors dominate Nero adult fiction awards

Irish authors dominate Nero adult fiction awards

By Martin Doyle
A Deep Well of Want. Visualising the World of John McGahern: a Leitrim love song

A Deep Well of Want. Visualising the World of John McGahern: a Leitrim love song

By Barry Houlihan
A Fabulous Failure: the Clinton presidency and how it transformed US capitalism

A Fabulous Failure: the Clinton presidency and how it transformed US capitalism

By Keith Duggan
The Dunlop dynasty’s triumphs and tragedies: ‘A vortex of speed and noise and colour’

The Dunlop dynasty’s triumphs and tragedies: ‘A vortex of speed and noise and colour’

By Freya McClements
Grit and ghosts: November’s best YA picks

Grit and ghosts: November’s best YA picks

By Claire Hennessy
Marie Cassidy: ‘It’s the man in your bed you should be worried about, not the man under your bed’

Marie Cassidy: ‘It’s the man in your bed you should be worried about, not the man under your bed’

By Fiona Gartland
Roy Foster: Irish reunification ‘is nearer than I would have thought it a couple of decades ago’

Roy Foster: Irish reunification ‘is nearer than I would have thought it a couple of decades ago’

By Martin Doyle
MOST READ

1

BP Fallon on his photo of Shane MacGowan and Sinéad O’Connor ‘having a vibe’ in 1988


2

Shane MacGowan obituary: Outsider who became one of Ireland’s most feted sons


3

The property I was due to inherit was sold. Where does that leave me?


4

Ireland has lost ‘one of music’s greatest lyricists’: Tributes paid to Shane MacGowan


5

Weather: Snow showers and ice forecast across Ireland as yellow warning issued for entire country


© 2023 The Irish Times DAC

© 2023 The Irish Times DAC

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