These Irish eyes spent the month of March reading books by Irish authors.

Book 1: Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

This is a memoir I very much wanted to reread, but since the great sadness descended on the family with first Mom’s death and then Dad’s, it has seemed wise to hold off until I felt sturdier emotionally. The story about that story is here in an earlier post.

As with seemingly all rereads, there were many plot points I remembered clearly and just as many I didn’t. I won’t hesitate to read Angela’s Ashes again someday. Frank McCourt remains among my favorite Irish authors.

Book 2: Death Need Not Be Fatal by Malachy McCourt

Just as I finished Angela’s Ashes, I saw the sad news that the last of the McCourt siblings had passed. Oh, Malachy, rest in peace.

Although I hadn’t planned to read Death Need Not Be Fatal this month, it felt like an appropriate tribute to himself.

Malachy was the rascally second-born of the McCourts. After a wretched childhood in the Limerick slums, he sailed to New York and eventually became an actor, writer, pub owner, and beloved raconteur.

It was fascinating to read Malachy’s childhood remembrances so soon after reading Frank’s. Malachy shares stories about all of his siblings, as well as his parents. Oh, and also about how he broke Richard Harris’s nose – on purpose!

When this book was published, he was the last still breathing of the clan born to Angela and Malachy Sr. He knew his time was coming and made sure we wouldn’t take it too hard.

Book 3: A Couple of Blaguards by Frank & Malachy McCourt

Sure, why not? The McCourt brothers weren’t just writers, they were storytellers. They put together a stage performance of their stories and traveled the world performing it. This is the script.

Book 4: The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis

When I read the Narnia books as a pre-teen, there were six volumes.

Now that I have my parents’ collection, I see there are seven. After a bit of confusion, I can pass along that The Magician’s Nephew is a prequel (as you can see by looking at the cover). It wasn’t written first – in fact it was sixth of the seven to be published, hence my confusion.

The prequel sets up how Narnia came about, and why. All I can say is thank goodness for clever children, as the adults are ruthless and dim-witted as ever.

Book 5: Danny Boy by Malachy McCourt

Back again with Malachy as we spend the month of March with favorite Irish authors.

The subtitle of this book is The Legend of the Beloved Irish Ballad.

This book is an interesting study of who wrote the tune and, centuries later, the lyrics. And then comes the question of who is singing the ballad and to whom? As always, Malachy wiggles in some humor as well as political jabs.

Book 6: Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett

The title was so familiar, but not having read it, nor seen the play or movie, I didn’t know what to expect.

I remember when our sons were in high school and grumbled about English teachers’ quest for discovering symbolism in classic writings. Let’s just say I was no help to them at all.

Book 7: What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon

This is another book recommended by Mom’s cousin Patty. Although the author is technically American, her roots are in Ireland.

The novel spins a time-traveling tale of a youngish woman who visits Ireland to spread her granddad’s ashes. Before long she finds herself living nearly a century back in time, and wondering what the future will bring.

Book 8: The Copper Beech by Maeve Binchy

This was one of Mom’s hand-me-downs. The book tells the stories of eight people who live in a small Irish village where children for generations carved their initials and cryptic messages on the trunk of the massive copper beech tree behind the stone schoolhouse.

Those stories weave together like a cozy Irish shawl.

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