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The village
Part of an attractive set of new releases by Taylor from St. Martin's--including To School Through the Fields and Quench the Lamp--this wonderful memoir is sure to please Taylor's legion of fans and beckon new readers to her world. "Poignant".--The Los Angeles Times.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1992
About the author
Alice Taylor
113 books63 followersAlice Taylor lives in the village of Innishannon in County Cork, in a house attached to the local supermarket and post office. Since her eldest son has taken over responsibility for the shop, she has been able to devote more time to her writing.
Alice Taylor worked as a telephonist in Killarney and Bandon. When she married, she moved to Innishannon where she ran a guesthouse at first, then the supermarket and post office. She and her husband, Gabriel Murphy, who sadly passed away in 2005, had four sons and one daughter. In 1984 she edited and published the first issue of Candlelight, a local magazine which has since appeared annually. In 1986 she published an illustrated collection of her own verse.
To School Through the Fields was published in May 1988. It was an immediate success, launching Alice on a series of signing sessions, talks and readings the length and breadth of Ireland. Her first radio interview, forty two minutes long on RTÉ Radio's Gay Byrne Show, was the most talked about radio programme of 1988, and her first television interview, of the same length, was the highlight of the year on RTÉ television's Late Late Show. Since then she has appeared on radio programmes such as Woman's Hour, Midweek and The Gloria Hunniford Show, and she has been the subject of major profiles in the Observer and the Mail on Sunday.
To School Through the Fields quickly became the biggest selling book ever published in Ireland, and her sequels, Quench the Lamp, The Village, Country Days and The Night Before Christmas, were also outstandingly successful. Since their initial publication these books of memoirs have also been translated and sold internationally.
In 1997 her first novel, The Woman of the House, was an immediate bestseller in Ireland, topping the paperback fiction lists for many weeks. A moving story of land, love and family, it was followed by a sequel, Across the River in 2000, which was also a bestseller.
One of Ireland's most popular authors, she has continued writing fiction, non-fiction and poetry since.
Alice Taylor worked as a telephonist in Killarney and Bandon. When she married, she moved to Innishannon where she ran a guesthouse at first, then the supermarket and post office. She and her husband, Gabriel Murphy, who sadly passed away in 2005, had four sons and one daughter. In 1984 she edited and published the first issue of Candlelight, a local magazine which has since appeared annually. In 1986 she published an illustrated collection of her own verse.
To School Through the Fields was published in May 1988. It was an immediate success, launching Alice on a series of signing sessions, talks and readings the length and breadth of Ireland. Her first radio interview, forty two minutes long on RTÉ Radio's Gay Byrne Show, was the most talked about radio programme of 1988, and her first television interview, of the same length, was the highlight of the year on RTÉ television's Late Late Show. Since then she has appeared on radio programmes such as Woman's Hour, Midweek and The Gloria Hunniford Show, and she has been the subject of major profiles in the Observer and the Mail on Sunday.
To School Through the Fields quickly became the biggest selling book ever published in Ireland, and her sequels, Quench the Lamp, The Village, Country Days and The Night Before Christmas, were also outstandingly successful. Since their initial publication these books of memoirs have also been translated and sold internationally.
In 1997 her first novel, The Woman of the House, was an immediate bestseller in Ireland, topping the paperback fiction lists for many weeks. A moving story of land, love and family, it was followed by a sequel, Across the River in 2000, which was also a bestseller.
One of Ireland's most popular authors, she has continued writing fiction, non-fiction and poetry since.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 11, 2019
Another of Alice Taylor's books of essays about a simpler time. Very calming read.
April 25, 2017
This was part of my Modern Mrs. Darcy reading challenge as a book set somewhere I'd like to visit. The writing was fun and endearing and she describes the time and place very vividly. The author has a great voice and a lot of delightful Irish humor. There are also some touching moments. It isn't plot driven, its more a slice of life over a period of twenty years or so during changing times in a small Irish village. I really enjoyed this!
December 12, 2010
The descriptions of the village shops and traditional craftsmen (the village's confectionist, blacksmith, tailor, etc.) and the interesting quick history of Innishannon made this book on the same level as Taylor's first book. Although change is good in many ways, you can tell there is a bittersweet tone to Taylor's look back at the village as it was. On an interesting note, some of the changes that occurred during the later part of the book are now slowly reversing themselves, in some ways. Midwifery is coming back into vogue, farmers producing a variety of crops and raising different livestock to sell to the villagers (local food) - just shows that some things do run full circle if given enough time.
January 14, 2025
"This is the story of life in a village... an old world was slipping out the back door while a new way of life marched in the front."
The Village is a slice-of-life novel that highlights the complexity of a small Irish village trying to hold onto what it has always known, while being forced by time to embrace what is new and unknown.
Each short chapter focuses on a person or element of the village that gives Innishannon its personality and charm, slowly introducing ideas and circumstances that force the individual or village as a whole to adapt to newer and more modern ways.
While not a sad account overall, Alice Taylor writes in such a way to demonstrate the loss of the quaint village's personality through change across the years. Not only do the people change, move on or pass away, but so do the buildings, the culture and the former ways of life.
Written from the perspective of a woman, once and outsider but now thoroughly part of the heartbeat of the village, it is hard not to long for the simple village life when viewed through her eyes.
"I fell in love with Innishannon the first time I saw it, and my life here has been a continuing love affair with this very special village, which I now think of as my place."
A quick and easy comfort read.
The Village is a slice-of-life novel that highlights the complexity of a small Irish village trying to hold onto what it has always known, while being forced by time to embrace what is new and unknown.
Each short chapter focuses on a person or element of the village that gives Innishannon its personality and charm, slowly introducing ideas and circumstances that force the individual or village as a whole to adapt to newer and more modern ways.
While not a sad account overall, Alice Taylor writes in such a way to demonstrate the loss of the quaint village's personality through change across the years. Not only do the people change, move on or pass away, but so do the buildings, the culture and the former ways of life.
Written from the perspective of a woman, once and outsider but now thoroughly part of the heartbeat of the village, it is hard not to long for the simple village life when viewed through her eyes.
"I fell in love with Innishannon the first time I saw it, and my life here has been a continuing love affair with this very special village, which I now think of as my place."
A quick and easy comfort read.
February 23, 2025
A short, easy-to-read account of the author's life in the village of Innishannon, which follows on from her earlier memoirs. I read her account of her childhood, 'To School Through the Fields', many years ago and remember enjoying it. This is also enjoyable.
It starts with Taylor recounting her first job, how she met her husband-to-be and how they ended up moving to the village, first of all working in his family's post office and village shop before setting up a guest house. Once the guest house is up and running, the later chapters become more 'slice of life' in style, recounting unusual guests, village characters, changes in the village and notable village traditions or events. Throughout, there is a sense of gradual change as the old ways die out, but while there is a tinge of sadness, in general, the book is very upbeat and positive. It's the kind of book you can pick up, read a few pages and put down again, so ideal reading for coffee breaks or in between more challenging material.
It starts with Taylor recounting her first job, how she met her husband-to-be and how they ended up moving to the village, first of all working in his family's post office and village shop before setting up a guest house. Once the guest house is up and running, the later chapters become more 'slice of life' in style, recounting unusual guests, village characters, changes in the village and notable village traditions or events. Throughout, there is a sense of gradual change as the old ways die out, but while there is a tinge of sadness, in general, the book is very upbeat and positive. It's the kind of book you can pick up, read a few pages and put down again, so ideal reading for coffee breaks or in between more challenging material.
May 16, 2023
Cute little book about living in a small town in Ireland. Alice and her husband were the hub of activity overseeing the telephone switchboard, the post office and general store. They later renovated their buildings to include a bed and breakfast, then later added the town's first supermarket. Full of colorful characters and of a time gone by.
April 5, 2025
This is the third in a series of memoirs from Taylor dealing with her reminiscences of her life in Innishannon in County Cork, Ireland. This covers about 20 years of slice of life stories about moving there, people who visit and live there, changes to the general way of life in Ireland and developing the home and land they own. Easily read in bits and pieces.
December 8, 2021
Was an odd read about a little village and the stories of those who lived there.
June 6, 2022
magical book worth reading
May 30, 2023
Stories of human kindness. A pleasant counter to most reading.
September 26, 2014
This book was a sweet remembrance of the author's life as a new bride in her husband's home village in Ireland. It's a very small sized book, and each chapter is generally only about 3 pages long. But it's endearing, and in that compact form still manages to convey the sense of what it was like to come as a stranger and be welcomed into a new family and new life in a new town. You especially feel like you get to know the older generation of Irish townspeople--in this book, the one's who's way of life was quickly disappearing as modern times and modern ways overtook the small village.
March 18, 2014
Another reminiscence by an Irish author? You better believe it, and I loved it!
Taylor makes you feel as if you're sitting in her cottage kitchen in the Irish countryside, sharing a cup of tea and yarns about her life. Her voice is smooth as Irish cream and warm as a peat fire.
I was totally captivated by her story. Makes me yearn for a trip to the home country to raise a cuppa.
Taylor makes you feel as if you're sitting in her cottage kitchen in the Irish countryside, sharing a cup of tea and yarns about her life. Her voice is smooth as Irish cream and warm as a peat fire.
I was totally captivated by her story. Makes me yearn for a trip to the home country to raise a cuppa.
November 5, 2009
Life in an Irish village during the 50's and 60's. Very satisfying and some great character studies.
August 2, 2011
Stories of her life after she married and was raising her children in 60's and 70's Ireland. A very enjoyable book.
November 2, 2016
A beautiful view into village life in earlier years and of older ways which are slowly but surely coming to an end, a sad yet warm tone to the book which I enjoyed.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews