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Title: The Truth About the Irish by Terry Eagleton ISBN: 0-312-26403-8 Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin Pub. Date: 27 February, 2001 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3 (9 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Funny, iconoclastic and irreverent
Comment: Terry Eagleton has long been known in academic circles as a maverick iconoclast willing to say what others were either unable to articulate and unwilling to say for fear of standing out. Truth be told, he was never a favorite of mine. However this book, changed my mind.
As the reviewers above show, the begrudgers and naysayers in Ireland (and Irish-America) are as plentiful as ever.
It is a sad commentary that people writing about Ireland still have to overcome stereotypes and establish their bona fides as "really" Irish. When one reads a book about France by an American author, no one demands to know what his family's relationship to France was or what his parents' religion was. With Ireland, however, it is another story.
Yes, Eagleton was born and raised and lives in Englan. But, he is the child of Irish Catholic immigrants and he undoubtedly has more knowledge of Ireland than those whose main connection is created by St Patrick's parades, Guinness at the local Shannon (or Shamrock or Shillelagh) Pub and singing "Ooh, aah, up the 'RA!"
Eagleton's take certainly tweaks some noses, but it does so in the good natured way that friends tease one another. There definitely is nothing "anti-Irish" in it. Any one who would take offense at this sort of thing would be akin to Joyce's caricature of Michael Cusack (AKA, The Citizen) in Ulysses.
In other words, people should lighten up and take this warmly affectionate slagging in the spirit it would be taken by most Irish people I know.
Rating: 3
Summary: Ironically amusing, but not for the easily offended
Comment: An amusing little encyclopedia of items related to the Emerald Isle by one of the giants of social criticism. Eagleton's relationship to Marxism has gone through many permutations over the years, until the 1970's when he rejected the development of literary theory entirely in favor of a more functional ideal - bringing about social change. He continues to teach literary theory, as well as English and Irish literature to this day, but this book shows the professor more interested in educating and entertaining his readers than in filling their heads with yet another abstruse theory, possibly operating under the principle that knowledge promotes better understanding. This book covers a lot of Irish territory, including standard geographic data, frank discussion about some major figures from Irish history (both political and literary), and the major tourist attractions, but he presents everything in a way that is as succinct and delightful as it is informative. In doing so, he debunks a lot of the common misconceptions about Ireland, while still managing to offend just about everyone. (How many Irish mothers does it take to change a light bulb? None, I'll just sit here in the dark...)
Irony has always been one of Eagleton's preferred tools, and he is most effective when turning it towards the Irish's undeserved international reputation for hard drinking, fighting, and blarney. Eagleton always tries to be even-handed, even when discussing such dangerous topics as The Troubles and Environmentalism; and on the whole, he is successful, coming across as a likable, convivial guide to one of Europe's least understood countries. The encyclopedia format allows readers the convenience of looking up any items of particular interest, while skipping over topics that don't appeal to you. Recommended for those who want to know more about Ireland, and would rather risk being offended for the sake of entertainment than pore over a dry, scholarly treatment of the subject.
Rating: 1
Summary: Don't bother
Comment: The Irish culture according to an an Englishman's perspective. Truth? Maybe some of it. Stereotypes? Yes.
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Title: The Gatekeeper: A Memoir by Terry Eagleton ISBN: 0312316135 Publisher: St. Martin's Press Pub. Date: June, 2003 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
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Title: After Theory by Terry Eagleton ISBN: 0465017738 Publisher: Basic Books Pub. Date: 23 December, 2003 List Price(USD): $25.00 |
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Title: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Irish History and Culture by Sonja Massie ISBN: 0028627105 Publisher: Alpha Books Pub. Date: 18 February, 1999 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: Literary Theory: An Introduction by Terry Eagleton ISBN: 081661251X Publisher: Univ of Minnesota Pr (Txt) Pub. Date: November, 1996 List Price(USD): $17.95 |
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Title: Belfast Diary : War as a Way of Life by John Conroy ISBN: 0807002178 Publisher: Beacon Press Pub. Date: 30 June, 1995 List Price(USD): $17.00 |
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