My Recent Reading Obsession

Maile and I lived in England for four years—we started a business there, had our first two children there, and started to feel like we belonged. Those countrysides in summer, the old estates, the rolling hills, and with the Dickensian nature of cities like London and Birmingham and Brighton quickly ignited our imaginations and stole our hearts.

But my true love was Ireland, even though we only spent a few weeks there. The emptiness of the shorelines, the brutal coasts, and the kindness of the people all drew me in. I still find myself occasionally searching Zillow for a place on the Irish coast to run off to.

So it shouldn’t be a surprise that over the last year or so, I’ve realized I have a new reading obsession: Irish writers. Their stories are so steeped in families (often dysfunctional), community (often imperfect), faith (and the corresponding doubts), and difficulty, the kind that makes it feel like everyone is against you. It’s extraordinary to me how these writers are able to talk about the troubles of our day through the stories of characters that feel universal—the son trying to impress his father; the siblings trying to outdo one another; the women quietly running things while their society disregards them and their trials.

Here are a few of the Irish writers I’ve loved recently, along with one book I can’t wait to read:

Heart, Be at Peace by Donal Ryan

Nearly two dozen chapters all written from a different (but related) perspective in a community trying to deal with past trials, current mistakes, and an uncertain future for their young people. A beautiful, hard story.

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

What will each of us do when presented with wrongs we have the power to right, but at great cost to ourselves? The questions posed by this quiet, poignant novel have stayed with me long after reading.

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

A wild tale of a dysfunctional family, told in four parts, one from each family member. As the situation devolves, its mirrored in the lack of punctuation used by Murray, until the final part is told with only capital letters to keep us grounded in the story. One of the most intense stories I’ve read in a long time.

The Witch Elm by Tana French

French’s writing is beautifully literary while her plot is fantastically commercial. These combine for one of my favorite mysteries ever.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

A classic Irish writer with a story set in London, about the tradeoffs we’re willing to make. A short but powerful read.

Night Swimming by Roisin McGuire

This is the one I haven’t read yet…and am eager to based on the endorsement offered by my daughter Lucy. I know nothing about it, but I always love the books she loves, so I’m excited to dig in.

Do you have any favorite Irish writers?

Or have you found yourself drawn to a particular nationality’s way of storytelling?