On an Irish Island
Robert Kanigel
February 2012
336 pages
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I remember very little about this book, mostly because it talked about a bunch of authors I’d never even heard of (I’m sorry, Irish literature!!)*.
But. That’s okay, because that’s not why I read the book. I read it for its stories of Great Blasket Island, the island that the aforementioned authors often visited (or in a few cases, lived on). Great Blasket is a remote island off of the west coast of Ireland. Today it’s uninhabited, but in the early 1900s it still had a lively community, and was a magnet for visiting authors and scholars. The residents spoke Gaelic, and evidently it was The Place To Go to learn the unique island version.
I love stories about life in remote places. If you don’t then you’d likely find this book god-awful boring. And even with my love of remote places, there were still parts of the book that I trudged through (going back to those authors and scholars that I’d never heard of and still can’t remember). Also…in regards to Gaelic…holy crap, can it be any more confusing?? Evidently, my distant Irish heritage does not give me an instinctual understanding of the language. Heck, not even a glimmer of understanding.
I foisted this book off on OJ, because I figured it anyone could appreciate it, it’d be her. Not that I expect her to read some random book that some crazy blogger sent to her out of the blue. But if she does read it, I’m interested to hear what she has to say. It’s bound be more enlightening than this.
* Okay…the guilt got to me and I googled. They were: John Millington Synge, Carl Marstrander, Robin Flower, Brian Kelly, Marie-Louise Sjoestedt, George Thomson, Maurice O’Sullivan and Tomás Ó Criomhthain. (Now do you see why I forgot?)
I would be interested in hearing about that Island too! Now I have to look for this book!
I’m intrigued — I’d love to hear more about the island. And if it makes you feel better, I’d never heard of any of those authors. (Forgive me, Ireland)
This is probably not the book for me.
Haven’t read it yet, debated taking it on our trip, but decided no hardbacks, so will probably read it when I get back. Who can resist a book about a place named Great Blasket Island?!!! (And when I give you the book I’m going to give you in July, you may think, Who can resist a book about a gun-toting evolved kangaroo?)
I read a book about Pitcairn a few years ago, and loved it. And I was OBSESSED with Tristan da Cunha for a while. There’s just something about those remote islands…
Aw. I want to live on that island. I want something remote and Gaelic, where kids romp in the surf. That alone would be enough for me to pick this up. But I guarantee, I would not have remembered the authors either. That is beside the point. The point is to feed my fantasies.
We have such different taste in books! I adored this one, even went on to read selections by those authors that you googled.
In a way, it was like a fantasy because the island he was describing and the people he captured are no longer there. I mean, I know those particular people would have been dead anyway, but I mourned the loss of the vibrant life that he wrote about on that island.
(I reviewed this one for the San Francisco Book Review, if you are interested http://citybookreview.com/2012/03/on-an-irish-island/ )
Have you read Far Afield by Susanna Kaysen? It’s a well-written book set in the Faroe Islands – suitably remote, I think. I just recently tried to read a book about John Synge but made the mistake of looking up his bio. I disliked him so much I couldn’t talk myself into finishing the book – and it was fiction. I still think that’s weird.
As to the Irish heritage helping you with Gaelic — yeah, I probably ought to try to figure out German because I’ve got a lot of that in my blood, but everything looks like another Fahrvergnügen to me.
The mailman just dropped off the book you sent me! Thanks so much, Jill!
Great Blasket has got to be one of the best names ever.
I thought Great Blasket Island was a typo – twice. I’d rather visit Great Blanket Island.
OH, sure. THOSE Irish authors. But of course.
Since I like to live within 10 minutes of a Target, I don’t think this book is for me.
I am curious to know more about the Irish Island. I will have to get that book.