February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
IRELAND
AN ISLAND REVEALED
This timely and beautiful book presents a unique portrait of Ireland in the new millennium. Appealing landscapes from Derry to Dingle and from Achill to Arklow are delicately captured by award-winning photographers. The breathtaking views are intertwined with informative text. The warmth, friendliness and wit of the people has also been captured in a style that depicts a vibrant, modern country that remains true to its heritage, traditions and culture. W.W. Norton & Co. 160 pp. $49.95.
PRAY FOR US SINNERS
Patrick Taylor
Set in 1974 Belfast, in the midst of a sustained campaign of terror by the Provisional Irish Republican Army, this novel revolves around the exploits of a British army explosives expert, Lt. Marcus Richardson, who, while recuperating in hospital after a car bombing, contemplates leaving the explosives division with his dignity intact. His final task is to infiltrate the Belfast Provos and identify its top men. As Richardson goes undercover as a working-class Catholic, what was once black and white suddenly becomes murky. Insomniac Press. 305 PP. $15.99.
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KINDLING THE CELTIC SPIRIT
Ancient traditions to illumine
your life throughout the seasons
Mara Freeman
The author shares the rich legacy of the Celts in this compendium of customs and traditions over the centuries. The festivals, gods, goddesses, saints, fairies, music, poetry and storytelling that anchor this mystical and mysterious Celtic tradition are thoughtfully rendered and captivating. HarperSanFrancisco, a division of HarperCollinsPublishers. 381 pp. $26. 381
THE MAN WHO WAS DORIAN GRAY
Jerusha Hull McCormack
In this riveting biography, Jerusha Hull McCormack, noted expert on Oscar Wilde and his circle, tells the story of John Gray, a working-class boy who had a passionate friendship with Wilde and became know as the reputed model for the character of Dorian Gray. McCormack traces Gray’s life from decadent poet to Roman Catholic priest, exploring his changing relationship with Wilde and his lifelong companion, Andre Raffalovich. This is an authoritative yet sympathetic view of a complex, troubled and contradictory man. St. Martin’s Press. 302 pp. $24.95.
STARS & STRIPES IN PERIL
Harry Harrison
Harrison is a science fiction writer of considerable renown who here delves into sci-fi’s first cousin: the "alternate history" genre. "In Stars & Stripes in Peril," he has North and South fighting Britain instead of each other in the American Civil War. And, as it states on the cover, Lincoln and Lee end up at Britain’s mercy and the road to freedom leads through, surprise, surprise, Ireland. Ballantine, a division of Random House. 322pp. $25.95.