I have decided in honor of St Patrick's Day and Irish Literature to host what I hope will become an annual event on The Reading Life, Irish Short Story Week. Ireland might not be a huge country but it has produced some of the best writers of all time. In the Twentieth Century, many would say the best novelist is James Joyce and the best Poet W. B. Yeats. Oscar Wilde has tremendous iconic standing and helped to define a new sensibility. Samuel Beckett taught us about nothing and won the Nobel Prize doing it. Elizabeth Bowen's (Anglo-Irish are included) stories about WWII in London are part of the canon and her The Heat of the Day is considered one of the best novels set in London during the Blitz.
During the week of March 14 to March 20 (St Patrick's Day is March 17) I will post on a short story by an Irish Author every day. Five will be authors that are new to me. One of them was lucky enough to have a romance with Elizabeth Bowen and another with Ayn Rand. Four of the stories I will post on can be read online. Wikipedia has a good introductory article on Irish Literature.
If anybody wants to join in that would be great and I will link to your posts.
Every Friday Jennifer of Crazy For Books hosts The Book Blogger Hop-The Book Blogger Hop is a great way to meet new to you bloggers, find some new blogs to follow and gain some great readers for your own blog. Every week about 275 or so bloggers from all over the world participate. I have found some excellent new blogs this way and gained some wonderful readers.
If you decide to follow my blog I will return the follow-please leave a comment if you would like me to follow your blog or return a visit to you-
This week Jenifer asks us to say if we had ever wished we wanted to change the name of our blog? No I have not-I am happy with "The Reading Life".
My blog for the last year has been one third Asian literature, one third classics and one third short stories but I do read contemporary fiction also and even some YA once in a great while. Lately I have been very into short stories.
28 comments:
Love the site! Hopping over to say Hi! Love meeting avid readers and bloggers!! Hooray for the hop!
Hi,
Hopping through and now following. You have a lovely blog - I adore your idea of an Irish reading week coming up this March!
Feel free to stop by my blog in your spare time, www.coffeetalereviews.blogspot.com
Take care,
Ms. C
I haven't thought about changing my blog title either. :)
I would love to participate in Irish Short Stories Week. Do you have any short stories to recommend?
Would love to participate. Do you have some rec's?
Thanks for stopping by my blog. :)
Thanks for the invitation but I will not be able to access books to join in. My books turn up suddenly and out of the blue almost and I never know what I am going to find!
Coming through on the blog hop and wishing you a good weekend.
Great Idea.
Following from the hops - I have a hop you might be interested in too. Pop by and return the love if you like. I review books and movies and write all sorts. It's an eclectic blog. Oh and I'd love it if you popped your button up on my blog directory page too. Theres a linky to make it easy.
Shah of wordsinsync.blogspot.com
Mystica-there are lots of great Irish short stories that can be read online for free-
Except for chick-lit, I don't think I read Irish authors at all. How bad is that? Depending on my reading time, I may join in. Great idea!
Hooray for Irish literature! (I'm from the USA, but my family came from Derry.) Sally Hanan is an Irish short story writer who writes inspirational/Christian fiction. She's very good.
I stopped by from the hop. Love your banner.
Ann
your blog is very unique!! Great name too!
In the Hammock Blog
I will definitely attempt at least one story for that week, ideally a very short one. I'm not familiar with many Irish authors but I'll do some research. I'm very eager to see what you post about.
Your blog title is perfect for your blog.
Thank you for the invitation to your upcoming reading challenge. I should be able to read an Irish short story or two next month. May I put the button on my blog?
Suko-of course I will be honored if you but a button in your side bar-
Hey Mel, just stopping by on follow. Love your header. Thanx for visiting my blog. Please send me more info on your Irish event. Have a terrific weekend!!!
See ya!
Dana
Readaholics Anonymous
Thank you for the invitation! I am now a follower. My Bookshelf
Love Celtic literature. I'm probably more traditional than you-the older, the better. I love Yeats and Joyce though. And CS Lewis, though he's not really known as an Irish writer. He just happens to be a wonderful, brilliant writer of some of my favorite books who happens to be from Ireland;)
Thanks for stopping by my blog! I'll definitely check back in during Irish Short Stories Week :) Happy Reading to you!
Mandy Lum @ Embrace Your Oddities
You mean like posting a review of a short story by an Irish Author?
That would be awesome! I would love to post one - I'm A HUGE Oscar Wide fan girl, first time I read his completed works I was 9 and I've loved them ever since -
Let me know if they are additional rules or anything, please!! (also, if it's okay I do just one :( I'm in a tight schedule and I'm not sure I could re-read more than one or maybe two stories :( )
http://animegirlsbookshelf.blogspot.com
Hopping by:) Thanks for stopping by my blog! I love your blog name, too.
Have a great weekend!
Irish Short Story Week sounds like fun! I'll have to make sure to come by and read the stories.
Thanks for visiting Proud Book Nerd! :-)
Ms C-thanks-I hope you will join us for Irish Short Story Week
Darlyn-(your move Nr Dickens)-yes I will be posting some ideas
Dana Wright-yes will have some ideas but to start Wilde, Joyce and Bram Stoker all have lots of short stories that can be read online
Lesswammes-you can easily find on line a story you can read in ten minutes
Bookworm1858-I would love to have you join in-research is fun also!
ham1299-thanks for stopping by and I hope you will be back
Alex-Oscar Wilde is a perfect selection-I love his short stories
Dana Alma-I will be posting on some more ideas-I do hope you can join it
Sharron Henning-I pretty much review and post on older works also but I am very open to new experiences
Hi Mel,
Thanks for the invite to the Irish Short Story Week, it sounds like fun.
Hi - I stopped by - Shah from The Weekend Creation Blog Hop at wordsinsync.blogspot.com
Hey there, I just followed you and thanks for stopping by my blog:
http://sandrathenookworm.blogspot.com/
I'm a new blogger (less than two weeks) so I'd really appreciate any other new followers as well! Thanks. (^_^)
Your Irish Short Story Week sounds like a lot of fun! I'll see what I can find to share! We Irish gals have to stick together! Thanks for stopping by the blog!
Thanks for the invite! I will probably post tomorrow for this, and be back with a link. I've been following your posts on Irish stories in Google Reader. I think this is a great idea. :-)
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