Review: I'll Know It When I See It

I'll Know It When I See It: A Daughter's Search for Home in Ireland by Alice Carey tells the story of Alice and her husband's search for a home in Ireland and the reconciliation of Alice's past. Alice Carey, the daughter of two Irish immigrants from Co. Kerry, was raised in an immigrant neighborhood in Astoria Queens. Her mother was a house cleaner for Jean Dalrymple , a famous theater producer of the time, and Alice spent most afternoons in Dalrymple's luxurious Manhattan townhouse while her Mother cooked and cleaned. This early exposure to the world of theater seems to have heavily influenced her life - Alice became a musical theater performer as an adult.

Another strong influence in Alice's life is that of her mother's Irish heritage and her longing for "Home" in Ireland. Alice's mother saved diligently for years so that she and Alice could travel back to Ireland by boat. Although this trip home was not as idyllic as either Mother or Daughter imagined, it had a strong influence on Alice's life in both positive and negative ways. It certainly is a major driver for her return to Ireland with her husband and her search for a home to buy in Ireland.

There were many points in this memoir where I could identify with Alice despite the fact that our paths in adult life are very different - she an artist, me a scientist. For example, Alice observes as the boat she and and her mother take to Ireland pulls into the dock at Co.Kerry, Ireland:

She's [Alice's mother] completely Irish now. And me? I'm . . . Irish American. No, I'm not at all like those Americans eager to wear green, kiss the Blarney Stone, and soak up the culture. I'm a New Yorker. And I am Irish. Just like Mammie

.

I think Alice does an excellent job in the above quote of characterizing the immigrant experience - the experience of living between two worlds. Both her Mother and Alice are caught between being New Yorkers and being Irish. Of course, you can be both and that is the beauty of the melting pot which is celebrated in this country but the reality of feeling like you only partly belong to two worlds but don't completely fit into either is also part of the immigrant experience.

Alice also struggles with this as an adult - she imagines her what her (now dead) mother might think of her and her husband's return to Ireland to buy a home:

Alice Marie, ye've dyed yer hair, and ye're not a teacher. Ye lived with a man for how many years, before marrying him? Ye ran from home, moved to Greenwich Village and ye now live in a ruin in Ireland. A ruin! What can I tell them at home? I ran from Ireland to better myself in New York. And now you wind up back in County Cork, no less! Not even Kerry. Living in a ruin

.

I know my mother would feel the same way - she was so intent on building a better life for herself and ultimately for her family in NY that she would struggle to understand my desire to go back to live in Ireland. She wants me to love it there and to respect where she cam from but living there is an entirely different story.

I really enjoyed this memoir and not just because I feel I share some of Alice's experience. I did expect the book to focus more on Alice and her husband's adjustment to life back in Ireland but the exploration on her childhood and her family's history was equally satisfying!

This book meets the criteria for the Memorable Memoirs Challenge and the Ireland Reading Challenge

Review: Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show by Frank Delaney

Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show: A Novel by Frank Delaney

Summary (from Frank Delaney.com): January 1932: While Ireland roils in the run-up to the most important national election in the Republics short history, Ben MacCarthy and his father watch a vagabond variety revue making a stop in the Irish countryside. After a two-hour kaleidoscope of low comedy, Shakespearean recitations, juggling, tumbling, and other entertainments, Bens father, mesmerized by Venetia Kelly, the troupe's magnetic headliner, makes a fateful decision: to abandon his family and set off on the road with Miss Kelly and her caravan. Ben's mother, shattered by the desertion, exhorts, Find him and bring him back, thereby sending the boy on a Homeric voyage into manhood, a quest that traverses the churning currents of Ireland's fractious society and splinters the MacCarthy family.

Interweaving historical figures including W.B. Yeats and a host of unforgettable creationsKing Kelly, Venetia's violent, Mephistophelean grandfather; Sarah Kelly, Venetia's mysterious, amoral mother; and even a truth-telling ventriloquist's dummy named Blarney. Frank Delaney unfurls a splendid narrative that spans half the world and a tumultuous, eventful decade.

My Review

The book opens with the announcement of the birth of the title character Venetia Kelly, as told by the narrator, Ben McCarthy. It is clear from the first paragraph, if not from the novel's title, that Venetia Kelly will play a pivotal role in this story. It is almost as if she is ordained with mythical power even from birth. But rather than immediately dive into Venetia's story, Delaney carefully weaves a tapestry of characters which surround or are connected to Venetia in some way. At first, it was difficult to see how all the threads were going to come together - the story moved from NYC to Ireland and between members of the Kelly and McCarthy families in the first 100 pages. But those 100 pages served their purpose - I found myself completely drawn into the story at that point. I knew the characters well and was driven to read on and see how the story would unfold and how they would influence each other's stories.

The use of Ben McCarthy as the narrator is an interesting device. Ben is telling this story as a man in his 50's reflecting on events that took place when he was an 18 year old on the verge of manhood. He acknowledges that here:

As you read, please know that I am a man of mature years telling the story of himself when young, so forgive me if at times I make the young me seem and sound older than eighteen.

By having the narrator speak so directly to the reader, Delaney makes the reader feel almost as if they are listening to a story being told by a friend as he reminisces about his childhood. The many "digressions" taken by narrator enhances the sense of the story being told to you - Ben speaks to the reader in the way you would imagine any good Irish storyteller would - by taking a circuitous route with lots of color thrown in for good measure. Interestingly enough, there is a link on Frank Delaney's website to lectures he has given on the tradition of Irish oral storytelling. That tradition is perpetuated in his narrator Ben McCarthy.

I truly enjoyed this expansive novel - it is rich and multi-layered and one of the few books I would choose to reread. There is so much woven into the novel - Irish political history, mythology and complex characters- that I feel it is a book that can be read on many levels and you may see different things upon reread. It has been a long time since I have been so absorbed in a novel; this is my first Delaney but most certainly will not be my last - I will definitely be going back to read his earlier novels!

I received this book from the author's publicist for review. This book meets the criteria for the Ireland Reading Challenge and the New in 2010 category of the Twenty 10 challenge

Sunday Salon 3/14/10: Reading with Small Fry

This weekend I am visiting my young niece and nephew in Dallas - I haven't seen them since Thanksgiving so it has been great hanging out with them all weekend (the warmer climate here isn't bad either!) I have always given my niece and nephew books as part of their presents for birthdays, Christmas, Easter or "just because". Reading was a big part of my childhood and its something I wanted to share with them - honestly, when I first started giving them books when they were infants, I had no idea whether this book thing would "stick". But I have been so gratified to see them develop a real love of reading and when other gifts of dolls and robots are tossed aside, the books remain. On this visit, I have seen my almost 2 year old niece up in the den by herself pretending to read a book and keeping herself entertained turning the pages for almost an hour. My 5 year old nephew has progressed to reading books alound himself - it is great to sit and have him read a book to me (and seeing the pride on his face as he does it is priceless).

I love to take the kids to a bookstore on my visits and let them select a few new books. I usually take them to Barnes and Noble but I have been trying to patronize more independent bookstores. I read about Legacy Books in Dallas and will try to take the kids there tomorrow instead. From their website, it looks like they have a huge kids section which should keep them entertained for a while! Now, I just need to keep myself from stocking up on books for me while there with them - this is no small feat but there is only so much room in that suitcase!

Meanwhile back in NYC . . .
I will be in TX for a couple more days - I love spending the extra time with the kids but I am sorry to be missing the Frank Delaney appearance at Borders on Park and 57th. He will be there Monday night at 7pm. I am currently reading Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show: A Novel and would really like to hear the author read from the book and talk about what inspired him. I guess I will have to settle for the content on his website. Fortunately, the content there is rich and includes a post about the "Delaney Lectures" - these are 4 forty minute talks about 4 Irish Literary figures (Joyce, Beckett, Yeats) and the tradition of Irish oral storytelling. As I discussed in my TSS post two weeks ago, I am featuring books by Irish authors on my blog in March as my way of celebrating St. Patrick's Day. I am interested in hearing Delaney's comments on Irish oral storytelling as I focus this month on Irish authors. My review of Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show: A Novel will be posted on March 17th. Meanwhile, if you are in NYC, head out to Borders tomorrow night and hear Frank Delaney speak (and report back here to let me know what you thought!)

Other News from my blog . . .
My review of Kiran Desai's Inheritance of Loss was included in the Book Reviews Blog Carnival hosted by Bart's Bookshelf. There is a collection of 21 reviews included in the Carnival - I have enjoyed checking them out (and will continue doing so this week). Stop by and see the reviews that have been featured!
Hope you all have a great week!

Review: Yesterday's Weather by Anne Enright

Yesterday's Weather: Storiesis Anne Enright's collection of short stories which were written over the course of 19 years. Enright, winner of the 2007 Man Book Prize for The Gathering (Man Booker Prize), is an Irish author and she writes melancholic stories very typical of many Irish writers. This collection includes 29 stories which are set in modern Ireland and tell mostly mundane tales of daily life. Enright skillfully creates stories with impact which is even more impressive considering the backdrop of everyday life against which the stories are set. The characters grapple with marital strife, infidelity, and the strain of motherhood and Enright's description of the small injuries suffered while shouldering these burdens is precise. The descriptions allow the reader to relate to the characters in an intimate way.

I enjoyed this collection of short stories due in large part to the author's writing style - her prose is beautiful and seems almost poetic. The stories were not, however, all consistently good. Some really stood out while others fell flat for me. The cumulative effect of the melancholy that pervade these stories also started to weigh on me as I moved through the collection. I found myself yearning for something hopeful or uplifting in the next story. Although I appreciate dark stories, I think I need them in smaller doses!

Anne Enright's beautiful writing style and her ability to convey so much with few words far outweigh the sometimes gloomy tone of these stories.

Review: Agnes Browne Trilogy

Brendan O' Carroll's Agnes Browne Trilogy is comprised of: The Mammy, The Chisellers, and The Granny. Each book is short (under 200 pages) and tells the story of Agnes Browne and her seven children's lives in a working class Dublin neighborhood. On the whole, Agnes and her brood eke out an existence in tough economic times by depending on each other and using humor to lighten otherwise dark moments.

We are introduced to Agnes Browne in The Mammy, the first book in the trilogy. This book was also made into the movie "Agnes Browne" starring Anjelica Huston. As the book opens, Agnes Browne has recently lost her husband (Red) and her feelings about his death are mixed. We soon deduce that Red was not the best of husbands and liked to drink too much; at the same time, Agnes recognizes that this is a traumatic moment for her seven young children and she does grieve for the man she married and the father that her children have lost. This scene humanized Agnes for me; despite her foul language and apparent callousness, she is a mother at heart and all her efforts to hide her feelings cannot disguise the fierce love she has for her family.

In The Chisellers, we again meet the Browne brood a number of years on from the scene of their father's funeral which opened the first book. The children have grown into teenagers and young adults and are trying to forge lives for themselves - although they do struggle to separate from their mother. She is a powerful force in all their lives and change is difficult for her so she tenaciously holds on to her children and their lives under one roof. But other changes are afoot - due to a revitalization effort in their Dublin neighborhood, the family is being moved to housing in the suburbs of Dublin. Other challenges face the family (I don't want to reveal any spoilers) but they meet those challenges with their unyielding loyalty to each other and signature, although at times slapstick, humor. Overall, this was my least favorite of the three books - I didn't feel there was a lot of action and some of the humor fell flat for me in this one.

In the final book of the trilogy, The Granny, the Mammy becomes a Granny as her children begin to have their own children. Although Agnes has now grown used to the independence of her children and her relationship with Pierre, a Frenchman living in Dublin, is flourishing (and exploring some interesting ways to spice up their sex life!), she struggles with getting older and the moniker "Granny" only serves to remind her of her advancing age! Despite the different directions taken by all the children - only a few are in Dublin now while the rest are in England and other parts of Ireland. I am not usually a fan of books which end with everything all tied up nicely and, although that does happen to a degree in this book, I found the end so heartwarming that I was able to overlook its "perfection"!

This trilogy of novels is not perfect - the books are brief and they do not explore many issues with any depth. The humor can seem slapstick at times and the use of foul language runs rampant throughout. Despite these flaws, however, I enjoyed the three books; the Browne family with their indomitable matriarch, Agnes, grew on me!

These books qualify for the Ireland Reading Challenge

Review: Waking Up In the Land of Glitter by Kathy Cano-Murillo

Waking Up in the Land of Glitter: A Crafty Chica Novel by Kathy Cano-Murillo tells the story of Estrella (Star) Esteban's antics as she tries to redeem herself in the eyes of her parents, her boyfriend and her friends. Star, the daughter of new age parents Dori and Al, moves relatively aimlessly through life starting projects she never finishes and shirking her responsibilities as she lives rent-free at age 28 in her parents' home. Her father finally gives her an ultimatum requiring Star to plan and execute an event to benefit the family business - this ultimatum sets Star on a path to discover what she really wants from life.

Star and her crafting friends - Ofie, Crafty Chloe and Benecio - are very likeable characters. Star is the "Lucy"of the group and she is caught in crazy scenarios that she brings on herself but you root for her anyway. Ofie is desperate for others approval and the mother figure for the group while Crafty Chloe is an ambitious career woman who looks around and realizes her career is all she has in her life. Benecio, the talented teenager who hides his artistic interests from his absent parents, is actually wise beyond his years and provides steady support for the women in the group. The four embark on a crafting project extraordinaire in order to meet Star's father's ultimatum. Along the way they develop a friendship - this friendship and how it supports them through a variety of challenges is endearing.

With these characters and snappy dialogue with frequent pop culture references, the book has a lot going for it. However, when I reflect on the novel in its entirety, it seems to just miss the mark. Some of the scenes are difficult to believe and not just difficult to imagine happening in real life but difficult to imagine with what we are given with these characters. For example, Star and Crafty Chloe move from being arch enemies to the closest of friends with little to explain the transition. I had difficulty believing how easily everything started to fit together within the storyline. There were many storylines going on at once in the novel - perhaps with a few less characters and by cutting a story line or two, the book would have rung more true for me and seemed less trite.

Bottom line - the is a fun, frothy novel but it is terribly predictable. The book does a good job of honoring friendships and the power that an artistic release can have in a person's life.

Sunday Salon: February in the Rearview Mirror (3/7/10)

One week into March and Spring is definitely in the air! It hit over 50 degrees here in NY today and that felt like a heat wave! I realize I never did a February wrap-up so here it is . . .

Books Read
I am constantly impressed by the number of books some bloggers read every week - somehow I just can't seem to read that much or that quickly. I continue to struggle with finding the balance between blogging and reading but also with the realization that I will likely not read 100 books this year (according to Fyrefly's spreadsheet, as of today, I am 6 books behind where I would need to be to reach 100 books by year end). Oh well, I am enjoying what I am reading and doing my best to work it in between all my other commitments. Here is what I read in February:

Nine Parts of Desire by Geraldine Brooks
The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble
Eternal on The Water by Joseph Monninger
Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven by Susan Jane Gilman
The Chisellers by Brendan O'Carroll (review will be posted this week)
You Can't Drink All Day If You Don't Start in the Morning by Celia Rivenbark (audiobook)

I also posted reviews of books I had read previously:

Notes From a Small Island by Bill Bryson
The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai

Challenge Progress
What's In a Name 1/6
NY Challenge 0/1
South Asian Authors Challenge 2/7
451 Challenge 0/2
Gilmore Girls Challenge 0/5
Memorable Memoirs Challenge 2/4
Typically British Reading Challenge 3/4
World Religion Challenge 1/? (took the unshepherded path)
TwentyTen Challenge 4/20
Battle of the Prizes (British Version) 0/3
Ireland Challenge 2/6
Social Justice Challenge 2/12

Awards



I was the lucky recipient of two awards recently - Kris from Intertextual Chronicles gave me the One Lovely Blog Award. I received this award recently so I won't pass it on again but thanks to Kris for giving it to me!

Mummazappa from The Book Nerd Club gave me the Honest Scrap Award. For this award I have to tell you ten honest things about myself and then pass the award on to 10 bloggers:

1. Candy is my nemesis - I just love it and could eat it for every meal
2. I went skydiving once - loved it but don't see the need to do it again
3. I would love to be able to sing
4. I cannot hold a tune to save my life
5. I have run 7 marathons (but none in the last 5 years)
6. Photography is becoming a new hobby for me
7. I love to travel
8. I have a terrible library track record - I had numerous cards confiscated as a child for forgetting to return books on time
9. I have more books in my home than I could ever read (especially since I keep adding to the shelves)
10. I have an irrational fear of the dentist

I am passing this award on to:
Jennifer of Introverted Reader
Dana from Rantings of a Bookwork Couch Potato
Kals from At Pemberley
Carin from Caroline Bookbinder
Cate from The Bookshelf Project
Kristen from Booknaround
Stacy from A Novel Source
Jo Jo from Jo Jo Loves to Read
Megan from Leafing Through Life
Michelle at Literarily Speaking

Take some time to check out these blogs if they are new to you! Happy Sunday!