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What Would Ma Say?
(Kathleen and her eleven brothers and sisters had a laugh turning their kitchen into a swimming pool on a hot summer's day, or trying to hide a stolen pig's carcass in the bath, or eating chocolate from the dump until they all got the runs! Kathleen's big dream was to some day sink into a hot bath filled with bubble bath. And then Kathleen grew up, met and married Alan, and their honeymoon was a time she ll never forget' What Would Ma Say? is a hilarious, nostalgic reminder of a Dublin that's long gone.)
329 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
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October 25, 2012When I read books of this type I can't help thinking that I would like to see what the people next door would have written :-)
March 9, 2025
Tl;dr: very good story, poor writing
This book has stayed in my mind all throughout my time reading it, and is a great snapshot of life in Dublin in the 50s and 60s.
Made me look at the city and the people of a certain age in a different way, and I really liked that about it.
It took me a while to get into the writing, though. It's a biography that's a bit loose with the details I find important, and it was hard to keep track of characters and dates when they were not explicitly talked about, only for a fact to come out and change my perspective of the story.
Like it'd not mention a very important character for a while, only to mention they'd moved or died, and they never kept up with the years, so I had no clue what age all of the children were as it progressed, which was very important to characterise them.
Once I realised that this wasn't a true biography, and it was more a collection of family stories loosely put into a chronological order, I relaxed and enjoyed it a lot more.
Emotion moments, crazy antics, fond storytelling. It was like a cosy cup of tea with my granny, hearing stories of the past.
This book has stayed in my mind all throughout my time reading it, and is a great snapshot of life in Dublin in the 50s and 60s.
Made me look at the city and the people of a certain age in a different way, and I really liked that about it.
It took me a while to get into the writing, though. It's a biography that's a bit loose with the details I find important, and it was hard to keep track of characters and dates when they were not explicitly talked about, only for a fact to come out and change my perspective of the story.
Like it'd not mention a very important character for a while, only to mention they'd moved or died, and they never kept up with the years, so I had no clue what age all of the children were as it progressed, which was very important to characterise them.
Once I realised that this wasn't a true biography, and it was more a collection of family stories loosely put into a chronological order, I relaxed and enjoyed it a lot more.
Emotion moments, crazy antics, fond storytelling. It was like a cosy cup of tea with my granny, hearing stories of the past.
February 1, 2020
Entertaining and colorful look at a family in 1950s-60s Dublin.
December 7, 2024
I actually really liked this. Life in Dublin back in the 50s onwards has been quite something. The story of a family with 12 children will make you wonder and it does make you laugh. There's no dull moment in that house. I had zero expectations and I was delighted to read their story. All the ups and downs. Dublin looked such a different place back then.
July 29, 2024
Fabulous
Had me hooked reading, I laughed an cried throughout the book, lovely read and now on to the next book.
Had me hooked reading, I laughed an cried throughout the book, lovely read and now on to the next book.
September 26, 2010
Subtitled a Dublin Memoir. Edna thought that someone would have to be from Dublin to fully appreciate this book, and she may be right. I found it not funny but disturbing. Yes, there were some hilarious scenes, but I was terrified by the underlying anxiety of it. Aptly titled, "What would Ma say?" because the truth is her mother would NOT have found it funny. Perhaps I have just enough Irish cultural background to understand that.
Then there's the pain of alcoholism. P.262, on her wedding day "It's never too late to change." "And tha' wha' I'll be doin'." Off he went, believing to the very depth of his soul that he meant what he said, but I knew he didn't."
More thoughts while reading:
*The disaster of her fairy tale wedding: perhaps it was funny and I'm glad she could think so, but I heard my mother's disappointment with her own fairy tale dreams.
*I really disliked the hint of violence, which was only explicit once: p.273 "He had his two fists clenched.He never hit Ma; she did enough of that for the two of them."
*There was the fierce desire to look good, to put on a good front. This is a useful mechanism to maintain a sense of dignity, but it can also be a mechanism for lying to oneself.
*Her judgement on her mother's lack of affection: p.284: "She let herself get so hard over the years."
*She did try to get at that very Irish conflict between rebellion and obedience, both honored: p.300 "I wasn't sure if she would have proud of me for standing up for myself or boxed the head off me for answering back."
I'm not sure either.
Then there's the pain of alcoholism. P.262, on her wedding day "It's never too late to change." "And tha' wha' I'll be doin'." Off he went, believing to the very depth of his soul that he meant what he said, but I knew he didn't."
More thoughts while reading:
*The disaster of her fairy tale wedding: perhaps it was funny and I'm glad she could think so, but I heard my mother's disappointment with her own fairy tale dreams.
*I really disliked the hint of violence, which was only explicit once: p.273 "He had his two fists clenched.He never hit Ma; she did enough of that for the two of them."
*There was the fierce desire to look good, to put on a good front. This is a useful mechanism to maintain a sense of dignity, but it can also be a mechanism for lying to oneself.
*Her judgement on her mother's lack of affection: p.284: "She let herself get so hard over the years."
*She did try to get at that very Irish conflict between rebellion and obedience, both honored: p.300 "I wasn't sure if she would have proud of me for standing up for myself or boxed the head off me for answering back."
I'm not sure either.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2012
One of the best books I have ever Read I could not put it down I was in Tear and I was for ever Laughing it was Nice to read about Ireland and Give me the wake up call to see what us Irish people are really about
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews