Kenny’s Choice : 101 Irish Books You Must Read

Des Kenny’s choice of the 101 Irish Books you should read ranges over novels, plays, poetry, memoir, history and travelogue, written in the past two centuries by Irish writers or by foreign writers on Irish topics. The book features a two page review of each title, some as Gaeilge, as well as information on each author. All of the major writers such as John Banville, Seamus Heaney, Jennifer Johnston, Brian Moore, William Trevor, Samuel Beckett, and WB Yeats are included. However, Kenny also wanted to include writers whose work has suffered neglect or marginalisation over the last few decades and to convince people to read them again. As with all such ‘lists’ it is the books that are excluded as much as those included that generate interest. Everyone’s 101 books would be different but Des Kenny’s list will no doubt surprise, intrigue and perhaps even infuriate readers. Kenny’s Choice : 101 Irish Books You Must Read by Des Kenny is published by Currach Press, 2008.