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Far from the Land: An Irish Memoir
The setting of Far From the Land is rural Ireland in the 1950s. Thomas Rice has written a memoir about a way of life that no longer no running water, no toilets, no electricity, and little access to education, jobs or basic health care. Early on the story plunges into a culture haunted by recent memories of famines and still showing some of the scars from The Great Hunger of the 1840s. Writing about father-son relationships, the author recalls the night his absentee IRA father returns from England for the first time in ten years. Known as "The Voice" because of his tenor's talent, the impact of his first song, Thomas Moore's haunting tribute to the sweetheart of his martyred friend, Robert Emmet, was beautiful. The poem was titled, She is Far From the Land. No one in the kitchen that night ever forgot it. It was the perfect song, sung by the perfect voice, at the perfect time. Far From the Land has the benefit of five decades of retrospection as the author brings each of his characters to life with startling honesty, without nostalgia or cliché. Readers will come away with a renewed respect for rural Irish culture and her people.
- GenresIreland
376 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 28, 2010
It's been quite a while since I've read a memoir. I used to devour them when I was younger but in recent years I have got so sick of seeing the mis-mems littering the shelves in supermarkets and bookshops: "Don't Hit me with That Bottle of Vodka, Mummy" or "Daddy, Please Don't Make Me Steel Another Packet of Cigarettes For You " (you get the picture). Something about the Far From the Land caught my interest though; a mixture of the cover (which I think if beautiful) and the fact that it isn't a hard-luck, triumph-over-adversity type memoir. Thomas J Rice's book is "a telling of a culture that no longer existed" and a "memoir about the way of life he had abandoned but that had not abandoned him".
Tom Rice (or Sonny as he was known back then) was born in 1940's Ireland and lived on a farm with no electricity with his Mother and six older sisters. The telling of Tom's childhood is of a simple time when his days consisted of helping his Mother milk the cows, surrounded by a gaggle of mewing cats, playing in the fields surrounding the farm with his friends and sing-alongs round the kitchen table. Being an absolute sucker for animals, most of my favourite parts involved dogs, cats or horses. I laughed out loud at Tom's very protective dogs snarling and barking at anyone who came up the path, his first dog Captain who was so protective that when he was helping Tom round up the cows he did his job a little too thoroughly and a few poor and unsuspecting cows got a nip on the backside. Another favourite moment of mine was when the young Tom wanted to copy his older friend Davy who was ploughing the fields with his horses, Tom would tether up the dogs and have him pull him up and down the fields too.
One of my favourite characters in the book was Tom's Mother, Maggie O'Toole, a feisty, independent woman with a really interesting story of her own (in fact, her story would make a great book). When Tom finally left Ireland in 1959, he took his Mother with him. This is a book of two halves: An Irish childhood in a remote farm and a ticket to the industrial north of England where Tom experienced racism for the first time.
I enjoyed this book. To fans of biographies and memoirs and anyone who enjoys reading about life in Ireland or the Irish it's well worth a read. I hope you enjoy.
Tom Rice (or Sonny as he was known back then) was born in 1940's Ireland and lived on a farm with no electricity with his Mother and six older sisters. The telling of Tom's childhood is of a simple time when his days consisted of helping his Mother milk the cows, surrounded by a gaggle of mewing cats, playing in the fields surrounding the farm with his friends and sing-alongs round the kitchen table. Being an absolute sucker for animals, most of my favourite parts involved dogs, cats or horses. I laughed out loud at Tom's very protective dogs snarling and barking at anyone who came up the path, his first dog Captain who was so protective that when he was helping Tom round up the cows he did his job a little too thoroughly and a few poor and unsuspecting cows got a nip on the backside. Another favourite moment of mine was when the young Tom wanted to copy his older friend Davy who was ploughing the fields with his horses, Tom would tether up the dogs and have him pull him up and down the fields too.
One of my favourite characters in the book was Tom's Mother, Maggie O'Toole, a feisty, independent woman with a really interesting story of her own (in fact, her story would make a great book). When Tom finally left Ireland in 1959, he took his Mother with him. This is a book of two halves: An Irish childhood in a remote farm and a ticket to the industrial north of England where Tom experienced racism for the first time.
I enjoyed this book. To fans of biographies and memoirs and anyone who enjoys reading about life in Ireland or the Irish it's well worth a read. I hope you enjoy.
February 9, 2010
To say I loved this memoir would not be enough to express my feelings as I read this book. I am third generation Irish and I had knowledge on what living conditions were in Ireland found this story fascinating. He tells of his absent father who only came around every so often,and how his mother Maggie O'Toole, who was an amazing woman in her own right, held the family together with love and also discipline. Thomas becomes the man at an early age and helps out on the farm, plowing,seeding,harvesting, raising and selling sheep and his ability to work with horses. Thomas's goal is to sell the farm and move to America taking his mother along. That goal is a long time coming.
The story takes place in rural Ireland in the 50's and is a coming of age story of the author and the good times and the bad times that he and his family and neighbors endured to survive. In spite of the hard times the story portrayed how strong and prideful the Irish are of their customs and beliefs. Despite the lack of obtainable education,the poverty, and lack of jobs, these families persevered and did the best with what they had with pride and dignity.
The characters that Thomas writes about are interesting, funny and a joy to read about. The way Thomas wrote his story was so easy to read, I almost could smell the turf burning in the fireplace, or the cold seeping through the cracks in the house in the bleak winters. I felt like I was in the same room as Thomas described the craic( music and entertainment). This is his life, sometimes funny and sometimes sad and very down to earth. I highly recommend this book...Irish storytelling at it's best!!!
About the Author
Thomas J. Rice grew up in Ireland. On July 4th, 2009, he celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of his arrival in New York City. He was granted a scholarship to Cornell University, earned a doctorate, and became a college professor and social activist. He lives with his wife in Andover, Massachusetts.
I received this book from Lauren Pires, Book Publicist, Jane Wesman Public Relations, Inc. for review. I was not compensated monetarily for my honest review.
The story takes place in rural Ireland in the 50's and is a coming of age story of the author and the good times and the bad times that he and his family and neighbors endured to survive. In spite of the hard times the story portrayed how strong and prideful the Irish are of their customs and beliefs. Despite the lack of obtainable education,the poverty, and lack of jobs, these families persevered and did the best with what they had with pride and dignity.
The characters that Thomas writes about are interesting, funny and a joy to read about. The way Thomas wrote his story was so easy to read, I almost could smell the turf burning in the fireplace, or the cold seeping through the cracks in the house in the bleak winters. I felt like I was in the same room as Thomas described the craic( music and entertainment). This is his life, sometimes funny and sometimes sad and very down to earth. I highly recommend this book...Irish storytelling at it's best!!!
About the Author
Thomas J. Rice grew up in Ireland. On July 4th, 2009, he celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of his arrival in New York City. He was granted a scholarship to Cornell University, earned a doctorate, and became a college professor and social activist. He lives with his wife in Andover, Massachusetts.
I received this book from Lauren Pires, Book Publicist, Jane Wesman Public Relations, Inc. for review. I was not compensated monetarily for my honest review.
March 4, 2010
Review written for and posted on www.luxuryreading.com
Behind the shamrocks and shillelaghs exists a culture that is deeply rooted in agriculture, insurrection, music, art, and religion. The Irish survived genocide and foreign tyranny, triumphed in a war of independence, shed tears and blood in a civil war, and persevered in the face of bigotry and economic destitution. All the while they built most of the free world, created some of the most beautiful pieces of music, and suffered collectively as many fell victim to drink and forced emigration. And, at the heart of it all in 1959 was Tom Rice and his mother, Maggie O’Toole.
Tom Rice was the youngest (and only) son of Maggie O’Toole and Arthur Rice, both revolutionary heroes from County Carlow, Ireland. Growing up in the shadow of his father’s notoriety, his mother’s reputation, and the wants and needs of his older sisters, Tom spent most of his childhood learning the ropes of running a farm. Unlike so many, Tom was secure in the knowledge that he would never have to emigrate because he had what most Irishmen could only wish for…he had land. What he didn’t have was a desire to be a farmer in rural corner of Ireland. So, in 1959, Tom sells off his livestock, packs up his mother, and begins an adventure that leads him “far from the land” and towards the realization of his dreams in the America.
Far From the Land is an autobiography chronicling the early life of Doctor Rice, his childhood in rural Ireland, and his immigration to the United States as a young adult. Through Rice’s recounting, the reader becomes immersed in the farming culture and political climate of Ireland right after World War II. The revolutionary fervor and the social stigmatization inherent in Ireland and England come to life as Rice narrates the events of his interesting yet typical life. Far From the Land is more than just one man’s history. It is the history of Ireland and America in the latter half of the 20th century.
Behind the shamrocks and shillelaghs exists a culture that is deeply rooted in agriculture, insurrection, music, art, and religion. The Irish survived genocide and foreign tyranny, triumphed in a war of independence, shed tears and blood in a civil war, and persevered in the face of bigotry and economic destitution. All the while they built most of the free world, created some of the most beautiful pieces of music, and suffered collectively as many fell victim to drink and forced emigration. And, at the heart of it all in 1959 was Tom Rice and his mother, Maggie O’Toole.
Tom Rice was the youngest (and only) son of Maggie O’Toole and Arthur Rice, both revolutionary heroes from County Carlow, Ireland. Growing up in the shadow of his father’s notoriety, his mother’s reputation, and the wants and needs of his older sisters, Tom spent most of his childhood learning the ropes of running a farm. Unlike so many, Tom was secure in the knowledge that he would never have to emigrate because he had what most Irishmen could only wish for…he had land. What he didn’t have was a desire to be a farmer in rural corner of Ireland. So, in 1959, Tom sells off his livestock, packs up his mother, and begins an adventure that leads him “far from the land” and towards the realization of his dreams in the America.
Far From the Land is an autobiography chronicling the early life of Doctor Rice, his childhood in rural Ireland, and his immigration to the United States as a young adult. Through Rice’s recounting, the reader becomes immersed in the farming culture and political climate of Ireland right after World War II. The revolutionary fervor and the social stigmatization inherent in Ireland and England come to life as Rice narrates the events of his interesting yet typical life. Far From the Land is more than just one man’s history. It is the history of Ireland and America in the latter half of the 20th century.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2010
An excellent memoir of a young man's coming-of-age in rural Ireland in the 1940s-50s, and his decision to leave his country for America.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews