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Return To Killybegs
Nov-Jan: Return to Killybegs
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Susan
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rated it 5 stars
Nov 02, 2016 09:40PM
I hope everyone gives this one a try. It's a truly moving story of a man put in an awful position? What would you do?
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Oh, I am so glad so many are giving it a go.
I have to say that I'm not really loving this book. I am not really fond of books about the 'Troubles' so I suppose that I am biased against this. I like the writing style, though. It is quite 'spare', no wasted words.
For those of us that have through the troubles, they are the last thing we want to read about. Reading is supposed to be about escapism ;-)
Perhaps that's the reason you read, Margo, but it is not the same for everyone. I read to learn about places and people who are totally different than me. I haven't lived through the times so I appreciated learning about them. I read about experiences I have lived through such as the Civil Rights movement but didn't have the same experiences as everyone. I assume you didn't have the same experience of Jack as I can't see you being a member of the IRA.I hope you didn't mean to imply that the reason you read is the same as mine. We can also like different genres. I don't care for some of the genres you are fond of but I don't try to make you defensive about it.
I think it's good to read sometimes out of our comfort zone.
Sorry Susan , think I agree with Margo in that a lot of Irish don't like reading about the troubles, with it being a dark time still a little too close for comfort.Speaking of reading outside of comfort zones, are you joining next years genre challenge.
Should fit the bill nicely ;-)
Paul, I don't know why you want to pick an argument but I think I read much more out of my comfort zone than you do. I do know you take your favored genre and break in down into smaller areas so it looks like your reading is more varied but I don't know why you want to throw stones at me. It is quite surprising to me to discover a lot of Irish don't like to read about their own history. What's the old saying? Those that don't know their history are doomed to repeat it. We in America have dark times but yet here we are reading the Underground Railway about an extremely dark time in our time and you didn't hear us throwing up our hands and going it's too upsetting.Besides if you don't like a selection, don't read it. But please allow room for others to have an opportunity to read something else . If someone wants to read something different there should be a place for them. We don't need to have a narrow prescribed reading list. It almost smacks of censorship.
Susan , I wasnt picking any fight here . I was just pointing to the troubles still being a little too close for a lot of Irish peoples comfort. And I also threw in a sly plug for the challenge I'm hosting for the group.
I never questioned your reading.
I would like a moderator to please read my comment below and tell me if any of Susans accusations against me are warrented. I find the whole post unfair . To be accused of censorship and closed mindedness out of a couple of lines like that is completely unfair.
I don't think Paul is picking an argument Susan. You may be reading too much into his comments. And nobody said the Irish don't like to read about our history, quite the opposite. But for many, the Troubles don't qualify as history. It is well within living memory and very raw for a lot of people. I don't think Margo was trying to dissuade anyone from reading your selection, merely pointing out why it won't work for many of us.
this all looks like over reaction, perhaps everyone should focus on the book itself. comments on the book is what the thread is for not people's personal reasons for reading etc. this lively argument does make me want to read the book though now. hope you got to work OK Emma
Oh dear, I'm so sorry my thoughtless comment started all of this. I only meant that that I had read a little about the book and on closer examination decided against reading it. By no means am I trying to censor what anybody else reads.1) I apologise for the comment "reading is supposed to be about escapism" which seems to have caused offence. I omited the crucial words "for me".
2) Susan I really hope you were joking with some of your comments to me.
3) I am not going to defend my decision not to not to read this book and I certainly don't feel I should have to.
Thank Emma. I needed a bit of reassurence there. I'm still feeling bad that it was my comment that started the whole thing off.
This has all been interesting and reminds of the emotions raised when areas in modern Spain began to dig up those shot in the Civil War. A lot of people were against the act of digging up the bodies because denial had been so effective to stifle the reality of what happened.Btw, you shot the wrong people in the 1920s, IMO. Quite the wrong people. You now have a total group of wankers in office and keep recycling them. FF to FG to FF to FG. It's ludicrous.
(And yes, I did live there for severalyearsthankyouverymuch.)
your so right js about ff and fg, they should all be shot
Mod
Ok I'll ask the question because I'm a stupid American and don't understand JS remark about killing the wrong person first and what is ff and fg ? Is it important to understand the novel ? I plan on reading this but after the other quarterly read.
FF and FG are Fianna Fail and Fine Gael the two biggest political parties here and the pretty much spawned from the two sides of the Civil war .They have pretty much rotated as the governing parties here since independence and even with bad corruption and major screw ups people still seem to vote for one or the other. As the book is set in Tyrone I doubt any of this is actually relevant so you'll be grand.
Lol thanks Paul that's a relief:) but who was the wrong one that got killed ?
Probably more a comment that we were left with the awful politicians and the likes of Michael Collins got shot .
Margo wrote: "Thank Emma. I needed a bit of reassurence there. I'm still feeling bad that it was my comment that started the whole thing off."Margo, I read the whole thread. I think the troubles being so recent causes strong emotions. The feelings were already there. You didnt cause them. Its a hot topic. By the way, reading for escapism isn't a sin and its ok to say it. I think any reason for reading is good. I also think if something is too upsetting you can choose not to read it.
I'm reading a cat cozy right now for heavens sake, LOL
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Me too Cphe and I like light as well. Burial Rites is one of my top books and its not a cozy for sure.
It does actually sound like a very good book. I didn't realize it was based on a true story - my reading problems sometimes lead to my missing things.I think Emma expressed our misgivings about reading books set in that time extremely well and much more eloquently than I ever could. I'm not denying that period of time in any way. I, like most irish, was indirectly touched by it. A close friend of mine lost family members in an atrocity. Many were more directly affected.
I guess in many ways it has become part of our culture not to discuss the troubles for fear of opening old wounds and causing distress. It's certainly not a case that we are, or even could, pretend it never happened. It has shaped too much of our lives for that. Maybe in order for the healing process to continue we fear dredging up the past. Mayde it's more pertinent than ever now with the threat of the return of the hard border.
I think in my case it's probably having friends from the north who were, and are, so badly affected by things that happened that I sometimes feel I don't have the right to an opinion on their reality.
Apologies for the locational blip. A bit silly of me. :-)
To add an interesting layer for those who don't follow Irish news one of the main stories over the last couple if weeks is Gerry Adams, SinnFeins leader refusing to name killers, specifically in the case of a murdered prison guard.The troubles is definitely a hot topic at the moment and the news story may be of interest to those reading the book
That's probably why it's not history to us, and won't be until all those involved are dead and gone. We have constant, daily reminders.
I was replying to Emma. I am a slow typist. I was referring to the fact that we see Adams on the news most days refusing to tell where the bodies are buried.
Margo wrote: "That's probably why it's not history to us, and won't be until all those involved are dead and gone. We have constant, daily reminders."I am just curious since I don't live in Ireland. What constant daily reminders do you have?
Absolutely. Sorry about repeating the question. I withdraw it.
Ask a million people and you'll get a million different versions. Off the top of my head Conor and Maire Cruise O'Brien wrote a pretty concise history of Ireland.
I have just finished this and I am ambivalent as to whether I liked it. The story didn't really appeal to me but I was very impressed with the writing. As I said before, the writing was very sparse and quite suited the story, in my opinion. I found the writing was quite journalistic, it was obvious that the author was a journalist. Can anyone tell me though, was this written in english or was it translated? It doesn't say anything about a translator but it did win many French prizes. If feels like it isn't a translation.
Cphe wrote: "Sherry wrote: "Me too Cphe and I like light as well. Burial Rites is one of my top books and its not a cozy for sure."Will you read the new Kent book Sherry?"
Yes, I love the way she writes. Burial Rites was a very sad story but she managed to bring in some beauty by showing the compassiion in some people in a very ugly situation.
Bookworm with Kids wrote: "I have just finished this and I am ambivalent as to whether I liked it. The story didn't really appeal to me but I was very impressed with the writing. As I said before, the writing was very sparse..."I think the author wrote it in French but as she lived and worked in Belfast for many years, she probably did the English version which makes it sound less like a translation. She was a French journalist who covered The Troubles for her publication. Many people have pointed out that it was a foreigner who wrote such an impactful story. Maybe it was the distance or just the journalistic training.
Cphe , I don't think anyone has a problem with you discussing the troubles or other parts of the history.Just nore a case of being aware its still topical here. To be fair yo you , your being more than sensitive in your queries which everyone can respect.
and I am respectfully leaving this thread as I haven't read the book.
Margo wrote: "and I am respectfully leaving this thread as I haven't read the book."Margo, you can quietly lurk with me :-D
Cphe wrote: "Susan wrote: "Bookworm with Kids wrote: "I have just finished this and I am ambivalent as to whether I liked it. The story didn't really appeal to me but I was very impressed with the writing. As I..."Actually, Cphe, the author is male : Wikipedia page of the author
Why does the author's sex put a different connotation on things, out of interest?
Yes, I corrected my mistake somewhere.I think it makes a difference as I think men and women write from very different viewpoints.
I think it would be fun to give a group of people 2 books. One written by a man and one by a woman. Then have them guess which is which.
Bookworm with Kids wrote: "I have just finished this and I am ambivalent as to whether I liked it. The story didn't really appeal to me but I was very impressed with the writing. As I said before, the writing was very sparse..."Can anyone tell me though, was this written in english or was it translated?
My version of the book has a sticker in it saying it was translated by Ursula Meany Scott. It's like they forgot her or something?
I note that it was funded by the Irish Arts Council, is available in the British Library, printed in Spain and written by a French man. Does this have something to say about Ireland and Northern Ireland's new place in Europe?
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Sara
