An Irish Christmas Feast: The Best of John B. Keane

Irish Christmas Stories #1?

by John Brendan Keane

This bountiful, first-time-ever omnibus collection of more than fifty tales by one of Ireland's liveliest and most popular story writers offers holiday charm, human idiosyncrasy, and Gaelic humor by the Christmas stockingful. Drawing on the rich folk culture of County Kerry, John B. Keane brings new life to old custom in his portrayals of the special holiday dreams and everyday shortcomings of not-so-ordinary country people during the Christmas season. At the same time that he revels in the charms and eccentricities of the Irish, Keane also exposes the fallible souls that lie behind them. With enough good cheer to warm the heart throughout the holiday season and the long nights of winter, Keane's congenial volume revisits the Christmases celebrated by characters like Dotie Tupper and Johnny Naile, the doughty Canon Doyle and deaf Canon Cornelius Coodle, the amiable spendthrift Aenias Mackson and Hiccups O'Reilly, who disappears one Christmas Eve for seven years. Whether recounting "The Miracle of Ballybradawn," "The Great Christmas Raid at Balleybooley," or "The Order of MacMoolamawn," whether telling the tales of "The Magic Stoolin," "A Tasmanian Backhander," "The Fourth Wise Man," or the "Last Christmas Eve of the Twentieth Century," Keane bears delightful witness to the strengths and failings, the trials and triumphs, of the inhabitants in his eccentric corner of County Kerry, Ireland.

Genres: Christmas, Ireland, Holiday, Fiction, Short Stories

416 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Lora · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading his book The Teapots are Out...I was disappointed enough by this one to actually stop even though I had read more than half the book. These stories turned the drunken back story into the main story, lost some of their warmth in favor of just telling tales of questionable value, and boring the heck out of me when I usually like a well turned tale telling. There were some good nuggets in here, but unfortunately, they were small nuggets. Too much of the rest made me feel as if I'd stumbled into a coarse and whiskey scented place. And also, Christmas played less than the drinking in these so-called Christmas stories, which put me off.

[Dylan Rock · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of John B Keane Christmas stories that explore the every situation really and fantastic, every emotion good and bad that the holiday brings up. The stories feature a interconnected cast of recurring characters and a big dash of Irish humour. I would recommend anyone reading this to feel free to dip in and out, as the stories are quite fun at first. But over four hundred pages of talk about drink, farming and turkeys can be quite grating repeating like so many over played festive songs.

[Caitlyn]

Couldn't get past the cat soup.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I haven't read all of the stories, Christmas is now over and I will put this away until next Christmas, but will start in November so to give me some runway. As an exile Christmas can be a challenge as there is nowhere in the world like Christmas in Ireland. Anyone who has experienced it will hopefully agree. It has been over fifty years since I spent Christmas in Ireland but happy memories are deeply entrenched but now also carry a lot of sadness due to time and its consequences.
JB has the gift of the gab and with it comes a wink and a nod, and an egregious but wanton leg-pulling. I could hear his voice as he tells these stories and they are deeply Irish and alas of a past bygone age. The scene is well set by JB's recollections of his youthful independent insightful mind when such gifts were frowned upon by the Church (who controlled the schools). Unfortunately while the society has changed much from the days of these stories the Church while thankfully waning still has too much say. Ironically the first story is a cracker and sets the tone for the book ; being about a Parish Priest and his housekeeper and true spirit of kindness, not the narrow version from the pulpit. Thanks JB you were and are "a man of the people".

[Dena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book as part of a basket I won several years ago in a raffle at a charity event. The theme was Ireland. I figured it would be a nice cozy book to start during the Christmas season. It was. However. I'm not a big fan of the short story collections idea and this was one LONG collection. I enjoyed the stories but I didn't really find myself reaching for the book to read more than a few a night. So it took well past Christmas to finish. As I continued reading, I found characters reappeared and that helped me keep on reading as I began to know and enjoy these recurring characters. It was fun and different and not something I would have chosen but - such is the variety of life.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of short stories. I read several and will continue to pick up the book and read one or two at a time. Quaint.

[Joseph Whelan]

As expected some great storytelling by John B. In these pages you will find stories that will make you feel happy, make you feel sad and make you fondly remember a more innocent time.

[Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book the the three previous collections of Keane's Christmas Stories are combined in one single volume, with three or four new stories to boot. I particularly liked Keane's own introduction. It was all the more poignant because he passed away six months after it's publication.
Some of my favorite stories are "Groodles," "The Raid of the Black and Tans," and "High Fielding." Each one has a great, winking sense of humor.

[Gail · Rating 2 out of 5]

a vast collection of stories; some funny, some somber, some a little bittersweet - how irish.
Not as "wipe the tear from your eye" funny as Brendan O'Carroll's series (The Mammy, The Chiselers, The Granny), and a bit more "wordy", but overall a decent enough way to pass a couple of hours - especially on a cold, snowy day.

[Lizze]

Thank you so much for Greg's pizza! That was so thoughtful of you. He's really enjoying it! I was to be surprised by my sister coming and Greg drove into Milwaukee and she is stuck in Grand Rapids Michigan ..they landed there due to running out of fuel from circling Milwaukee and then they wouldn't let them land. So we don't know when she will get here. Hope Jack had a good game. Love you

[Mhartain O'Treasaigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humour, is good, reminded me of stories my mother told me of life living in the country in Ireland. Some of the lingo I found hard and I had to look it up to understand, his work. I liked it very much, and recommend it to anyone thinking of reading John Brendan Keane.

[sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

FUNNYYYYY!

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book. Mr. Keane is quite the story-teller, and I would enjoy checking out some of his other works.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and could read it again!!
If you are Irish, you will find these stories engaging, poignant, and endearing.

[Marcia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't get into this one. I didn't finish it.