Goodreads Ireland discussion
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The Fields
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September Monthly Read 2013: The Fields
It's only in hardcover in the US but there is a kindle edition as well as Kobo (can buy it through your local indie bookstore). I found a used copy for for about the same price as the e-book, I will be getting the physical book from New Jersey:)
This looks like it will be a good read (no pun intended). I'll see if I can find it online, second-hand or otherwise.
I think my LIBS should be able to do me proud, this time. Fingers crossed. :)
Having read quite a lot of Goodreads reviews, I can tell you that the reviewers often aren't quite as capable as they'd like to think they are.
I'm quite looking forward to this. I won't have the book until next week, so I'll be a little behind. With luck I'll be able to catch up pretty quickly.
I'm quite looking forward to this. I won't have the book until next week, so I'll be a little behind. With luck I'll be able to catch up pretty quickly.
I'm sure we'll all do our best to give you a fair and accurate impression of the book.
On advantage of asking someone directly what they think, as opposed to just reading their reviews, is they don't feel the need to dress up their response. To many people try too hard to be witty and entertaining when they write reviews. Which is fine, if you're up to it.
On advantage of asking someone directly what they think, as opposed to just reading their reviews, is they don't feel the need to dress up their response. To many people try too hard to be witty and entertaining when they write reviews. Which is fine, if you're up to it.
You'll laugh while dealing with the public!!?? So you're in agreement with McLW then? Lol!
I look forward to seeing what a culchie from the wild west makes of it. Lol!
I didn't think I'd be getting into good, auld, Irish parochial strife on GR. And it's been a while since someone called me a jackeen.
I didn't think I'd be getting into good, auld, Irish parochial strife on GR. And it's been a while since someone called me a jackeen.
I know, but it's a normal reflex to being called a jackeen. Can't be helped, lo1!
Out of interest, my brother's response was always "there are only two counties in Ireland: Dublin and the country."
Strangely enough, he didn't have many friends from outside the county limits.
Out of interest, my brother's response was always "there are only two counties in Ireland: Dublin and the country."
Strangely enough, he didn't have many friends from outside the county limits.
I have friends all over the country, but I met the vast majority of those while they worked in Dublin during the boom times. We'd banter all the time with that sort of stuff.
I quite enjoy it, to be honest. It would certainly be backward, though, to mean it.
I quite enjoy it, to be honest. It would certainly be backward, though, to mean it.
I often don't join in if I can't get the audiobook, but started the Kindle version of this last night at midnight. Didn't get too far before I conked out! But really enjoyed the opening pages. So, off to a good start. Will probably take me ages to get through it though. Find it impossible to get time to actually read stuff! (sorry I'm like a broken record with this stuff).
John wrote: "I often don't join in if I can't get the audiobook, but started the Kindle version of this last night at midnight. Didn't get too far before I conked out! But really enjoyed the opening pages. So, ..."
It'll be good to have you back in a discussion, John, whenever you can find the time. I won't even be starting this until the weekend at the earliest.
It'll be good to have you back in a discussion, John, whenever you can find the time. I won't even be starting this until the weekend at the earliest.
I started it last night. It's still early days, but so far it hasn't won me over. The language and characters feel off, and the humour feels belaboured and not worth the time spent setting it up.
I'm fifty pages in and I still can't decide if Maher is trying to give us true-to-life portrayal of Dublin or a Ross-O'Carroll-kelly-esque satire of Dublin life. I still haven't decided which tier of Dublin's society he's writing about. Girls' Hockey teams would start at least as high as middle class as would having an Aer lingus pilot as a neighbour, but things like open back gardens and having a single mother as a neighbour whose ex worked in fish processing are firmly working class. And as for the the mothers' chin-wag...
Hopefully once we've gotten to the meat of the story I'll feel better about it.
I'm fifty pages in and I still can't decide if Maher is trying to give us true-to-life portrayal of Dublin or a Ross-O'Carroll-kelly-esque satire of Dublin life. I still haven't decided which tier of Dublin's society he's writing about. Girls' Hockey teams would start at least as high as middle class as would having an Aer lingus pilot as a neighbour, but things like open back gardens and having a single mother as a neighbour whose ex worked in fish processing are firmly working class. And as for the the mothers' chin-wag...
Hopefully once we've gotten to the meat of the story I'll feel better about it.
From my point of view it needs a sudden change. So far it just feels wrong. It's like reading a school essay by a child whose trying to imagine life in another country without ever having been there. I'm surprised that Maher is from Dublin.
At the moment I can't see it getting more than a 2* rating from me.
At the moment I can't see it getting more than a 2* rating from me.
I haven't brought this book yet, but from Declan's comments I don't think I'll bother.
Now I feel terrible, Kate. If it does get better once its tone changes, I'll feel like of short-changed you.
Don't feel bad you've just saved me €11.99 :-)
Eddie Hobbs, eat your heart out. Lol!
I've almost halfway through the book, and does improve a little in part two. I think dropping the iffy teen speak helps.
I've almost halfway through the book, and does improve a little in part two. I think dropping the iffy teen speak helps.
Mod
I managed to get a copy of this from the library today, so that's good--no money spent! It seems like it's getting a lukewarm reception, so that makes me even more glad I was able to get a library copy. No guilt if I don't finish it :)
It's kind of sad and pathetic that the mere mention of teenage boys seem to almost necessitate the mention of masturbation. It's almost as though teenage boys have been stripped of sort of real depth. That (the constant mention of masturbation) bothered me also, Sara. It just wasn't very high on the list.
@Cathleen. Would you not feel guilty of robbing us of your insights?
@Cathleen. Would you not feel guilty of robbing us of your insights?
Declan wrote: "It's kind of sad and pathetic that the mere mention of teenage boys seem to almost necessitate the mention of masturbation. It's almost as though teenage boys have been stripped of sort of real dep..."Ha Ha. Well, now that you put it that way....:)
Fwiw I'm still enjoying it, with caveats, but I haven't got very far yet.Caveats: A coming of age books like this based on our own youth... well every single one of us could write this couldn't we? That's not to say I don't enjoy "coming of age books based on our own youth" I really enjoyed David Mitchell's Black Swan Green, and others like it. Just because it's very easy to write doesn't make it any less enjoyable to read.
Declan surprised that you think he writes like someone who's not from Dublin, I'm finding it very reminiscent so far. Just one very small thing jarred with me... We always went 'knacker drinking' but actually calling people knackers is something that came much later (not that I ever join in with calling people that,bit of a bugbear actually).
I could quite easily forget it's set in Dublin, apart from the occasional 'Jaysus' or 'feck,' it doesn't feel like Dublin at all. I think Maher is aware of this which is why he goes to lengths to explain everything specific to Ireland or Dublin. It's like the clichéd view of the Eiffel tower, visible from every hotel window in paris. It doesn't let you forget where it's set.
The iffy teen-speak started up again. It really gets on my nerves.
The iffy teen-speak started up again. It really gets on my nerves.
@Jamielynn. I know I've mentioned it before, but I really like the sound of your dad. He sounds like a great man.
I saw the amount of of Unionist/Loyalist hard-liners were devout Christians during the Causeway fiasco. Abortion is an issue I'd usually give a wide berth, but I would be interested to know what choice they'd make if they were pushed to make it: Abortion or Union?
I saw the amount of of Unionist/Loyalist hard-liners were devout Christians during the Causeway fiasco. Abortion is an issue I'd usually give a wide berth, but I would be interested to know what choice they'd make if they were pushed to make it: Abortion or Union?
Gotta say, I really respect Ford for keeping to his convictions. And that's why they'll lose, Allan: Right trumps wrong. It may take a while, but eventually people get tired of hatred. Hate takes effort and gains nothing in return.
Declan wrote: "@Jamielynn. I know I've mentioned it before, but I really like the sound of your dad. He sounds like a great man.
I saw the amount of of Unionist/Loyalist hard-liners were devout Christians during..."
Thank you Declan he really was.
I saw the amount of of Unionist/Loyalist hard-liners were devout Christians during..."
Thank you Declan he really was.
Allan wrote: "There's plenty of issues other than abortion are the same in NI, Declan-it's completely hypocritical but something I'm well used to. And long as people vote along sectarian lines, it's something th..."Living now in the "South", for the first time in my adult life I am surrounded by many evangelical Christians. I have learned, however, not to make assumptions. Our former department secretary who was a Pentacostal Christian (Assemblies of God) did not believe the government should legislate abortion. She was, of course, against abortion but believed it was between the woman and God. My own mother shifted her views later in life towards not opposing abortion in cases of rape and incest.
Interesting as the nun in this book talks about the moment of conception being "a baby". This is another idea that I am not 100% sure is chronologically accurate, though it may be. The debate that life begins at conception has been dominant lately in the US.
At least so far, LMM. I get the impression that it was written to be controversial. There's quite a lot about abortion, divorce, gay rights and clerical paedophilia without ever going into any real depth; just an acknowledgement that the issues were controversial or divisive.
Mod
@Sarah. I'll open a spoiler thread shortly, once I've cracked my laptop open.
I see glimpses of good writing here and there, but it's not long until it's totally blown, for me.
I see glimpses of good writing here and there, but it's not long until it's totally blown, for me.
Finished this last week - had downloaded it to the Kindle and started reading without knowing anything about the book apart from the fact that the author was Irish.I won't give any spoilers but, for me, this was not an enjoyable book to read for several reasons.
For one thing, the writing style has been commented on and does tend to grate.
Will post more when spoiler thread is opened.
I meant to open a spoiler thread last night, Sean. I'll do that shortly.
For anyone ready to get stuck in, the spoiler thread is now open.
I'll be joining in at some stage tomorrow, myself.
This comment has been edited to fix the link to the spoiler thread.
I'll be joining in at some stage tomorrow, myself.
This comment has been edited to fix the link to the spoiler thread.
Declan- you'll probably hear from more than me :) but the link is wonky.
Fixed it, Barbara. I couldn't see what was wrong with the link so I just re-entered the whole thing.
I love the comment thread. John, for heaven's sake, what is knacker drinking and bugbear? I learned the word wanker when I was in Ireland and have used it several times. Luckily, no one knew what it meant. :)
Knacker drinking is drinking outdoors. Not in the sense if organising a bbq or picnic, though. It's called that because cheap and nasty. Knacker is term that that describes someone with poor standards of hygiene and behaviour.
*Knacker can be used as a derogatory term for Travellers (Irish gypsies).
In that context it's incredibly offensive and taboo.
*Knacker can be used as a derogatory term for Travellers (Irish gypsies).
In that context it's incredibly offensive and taboo.
So I could call the stumble bums who could through town knackers? They certainly have poor hygiene and sleep in the park drinking out of paper bags. In so sense would I confuse them with Travellers. I think it would be great to have a term for these lowlifes.
You could call someone who picks their nose or farts in public or belches loudly and shamelessly a knacker. Calling a homeless person a knacker seems unfair. I've never heard it done. I've been called a knacker by posh kids from D4 (postal code) just for being from the Liberties.
Typing all if this out, I'm realising that it's use is surprisingly complicated.
If you take anything away from this it should be that it's acceptible among friebds but completely taboo to refer to Travellers
Typing all if this out, I'm realising that it's use is surprisingly complicated.
If you take anything away from this it should be that it's acceptible among friebds but completely taboo to refer to Travellers
Declan wrote: "Typing all if this out, I'm realising that it's use is surprisingly complicated."Indeed. When I was growing up, and the time this book seems to be set in, a Knacker was a term for a traveller, which may or may not be derogatory. The origin of the word is someone who traded in dead horses.
In the last decade Knacker and Scumbag have been used by (in my mind) snobs, but in my experience used by about 95% of people to describe uneducated working class people.
If you tackle them on it, they will say that a knacker/scumbag is someone who is genuinely a scumbag: violent, agressive trouble makers. But that's more often than not a veneer for utter snobiness in my experience.
More here: http://www.johnbraine.com/2008/02/you... :)
Susan wrote: "and bugbear? "I honestly thought that one was in common parlance but can't find an online definition, bizarre!
Bugbear is just... one of those things that really gets on your nerves but doesn't necessarily bug everyone else.
Going back to 'knacker drinking', yeah it mostly refers to people drinking in fields or woods by people too young to drink in pubs or at home... I guess it refers to people drinking outdoors who don't HAVE a home.
Declan, there is a big difference between a truly homeless person and someone who chooses to travel around from marijuana grow to marijuana grow. When I was in Sacramento, we used to call them river livers because they live by one of the two rivers.I have empathy for those who are homeless but not for those who make it a life style choice.
That never occurred to me Susan. We don't really have that kind of migrant homeless people in Ireland. At least not in any numbers that would bring them to people's attention.
You're lucky. We are moving into harvest season so we are seeing more and more of them.
Are the very disruptive, Susan?
My dad actually talked to the bums in my town. He knew their names. He used to tell me he saw everyone as equals from prince to pauper. He would hand them money and ask them to please use it for food. He didn't judge whether they bought booze or not. I keep bringing him up! LOL! He worked downtown and that was where they were. If I went to downtown shops with him he'd say, "This I Mel," or whichever one we saw walking by. They would say hello and not chat long. If they were dangerous I know dad would not have done that. He knew them so trust me. It was safe. In fact he would point out the more dangerous guys and tell me to stay clear. I didn't run up to the ones dad knew and talk to them on my own either. So I was safe.
He probably had a soft spot for those men because of the amount of men who would have been living homeless in Ireland at the time. Things have gotten much better but you'll always see them in town.
There's another great thing you've told me about your da.
There's another great thing you've told me about your da.
Well, they are not looking for work and they're not our local alcoholics. They are kids 25-35 with backpacks and usually a dog in the group. They are looking for the marijuana. They set up in the day at the park and get high all day long. They sometimes play a guitar. One that I was fond of did some juggling. I sometimes take small bags of dog food with me when I am walking the dog to give to people. I hate the idea that they may be suffering. As for the grownups, I feel it's their choice. There's a lot of money to make trimming bud and they don't even do that.As for our local homeless, our community runs a free kitchen daily that many people participate in. On Saturdays when the soup kitchen is closed, different organizations rotate making lunch and handing them out at the park.
I look forward to reading this book and reading all of your thoughts and opinions of it.
Declan. :)