My life in books: ‘You can learn a lot outside your usual reading lane’
Patricia Looney: 'I love short stories to cheer me up and Cork has so many great contemporary short story writers.' File picture: David Keane
Patricia Looney is senior executive librarian in Cork City Libraries and also the director of Cork World Book Fest, which runs from April 21 to April 26 in venues across the city.
Writers featuring this year include Roddy Doyle, Danielle McLaughlin, Billy O’Callaghan, and Louis de Paor (see: corkworldbookfest.com).
There are so many books beside my bed. Some have been read and others are waiting to be discovered. They include by Billy O’Callaghan and by Danielle McLaughlin.
Both of these great local writers featured as Cork City Libraries’ One City One Book awardees. Others include by Edel Coffey and Joe Philpott’s recent memoir . So, an eclectic mix.
I love short stories to cheer me up and Cork has so many great contemporary short story writers; I am spoiled for choice.
I particularly love the Cork humour in in by Cónal Creedon, Madeleine D’Arcy’s in , and by Sean Tanner in , published by the wonderful Doire Press. If I need a laugh, I dive right in.
by Eimear McBride. I ghosted this book, the love wasn’t there.
Anything by Elizabeth Strout. I love her deceptively simple and often-conversational style. I am revisiting the pandemic in at the moment.
Kevin Barry’s . Brilliant but too dark for me. I probably shouldn’t have tackled it while sitting beside a cheerful pool in the Spanish sunshine.
This year’s One City One Book, , by Rosamund Taylor, which will be launched during Cork World Book Fest. I thought a novel in verse would not be for me.
Next thing I’m fully invested in the complicated love and teenage angst as well as reading between the lines like I’m studying for an exam.
by Djamel White. Gangland Dublin isn’t usually my go-to, but the voice, the perspective, the environment… I was hooked.
I was intrigued by the character of Tony, the violence, the love story and the difficulty of breaking free even for those who want to. Turns out you can learn a lot outside your usual reading lane.
by Roisín O’Donnell is dedicated to ‘anyone trapped in a place that does not feel like home’ and it is definitely a book that needed to be written.
It tackles coercive control, mothering and the difficulties of housing and leaving ‘home’. Important, powerful, and it lingers. I’m still thinking about it — and waiting for her next one.
Whatever you want. Life is stressful enough without turning reading into a competition. Pick what makes you happy, not what you feel you should read.
Roddy Doyle’s . I laughed reading it, I laughed watching it, and honestly, I’ll probably laugh again tonight if it’s on TG4.
A wonderful snapshot of how the country got carried away during the 1990 World Cup. Casting Colm Meaney as Larry was genius.
Waterstones, Cork, all the way. They are a great support to Cork City Libraries — thanks to John and Tim.
Also, a shoutout to independent bookstores across our towns — especially Fitz-Gerald’s Bookshop in my hometown, Macroom.
Chaos. Yes, I know I’m a librarian…we will leave it there.
Nothing, too enthralled to manage snacks.
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