One for the Road: Ireland’s Literary Revival

by Kelly Amabile on

I’ve already mentioned how much I love the Roaring Forties ArtPlace series, but I won’t apologize for saying it again. The latest creative guide in this fantastic alternative series is A Journey into Ireland’s Literary Revival by R. Todd Felton. Instead of focusing on the life of one artist in a particular city, this unique guide takes a look at an entire group of writers and their individual relationships with various nooks and crannies of the entire Emerald Isle.

Felton takes the authentically Irish literature of writers such as W. B. Yeats, Lady Augusta Gregory and Sean O’Casey and uses it as a tool for exploration. This historic literary travelogue takes readers to places like Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Dublin. And along the way makes visits to the cottages, castles, theaters and pubs where some of the country’s finest writers shaped a vision of Ireland. This is a nice series for armchair travelers looking to bypass logistical details, and a perfect fit for literary fans who wish to see the country from a cultural perspective.

One for the Road: Celebrate Literary London

by Kelly Amabile on

The Southbank Centre in London is gearing up for a summer full of exciting events that celebrate the city. At the forefront of the festivities that focus on Literature and the Spoken Word is the brand new London Literature Festival, a two-week collection of literature, writing and performance activities that will take place throughout the Southbank complex beginning June 29.

One of the main themes of the festival is Metropolitan Lines, which honors London as muse with readings and performances inspired by the city. A headliner event of this series will celebrate the re-opening of The Poetry Library, which has been closed during the Royal Hall renovations. The library will be showcasing an exhibition of books on the theme of London and on July 4, three poets (Sean Borodale, Tobias Hill and Iain Sinclair) will pay tribute to the city.

One for the Road (04/06/07)

by Kelly Amabile on

In honor of Tartan Week, a Scottish selection for our book of the day:

Over 60 years ago, George Orwell came to the Isle of Jura to write 1984. He left crowded London for the remote Scottish island, remaining there until 1950, when illness forced him to return to mainland Britain. Could a stay at this secluded place prove successful for other writers?

The Scottish Trust seems to think so. In late 2006 it launched the Isle of Jura Retreat program, a unique opportunity for three writers per year to spend a month on the idyllic island off the west coast of Scotland.

To celebrate the kickoff of this program, the Trust, along with Jura Whiskey, has produced Jura: Taste Island Life, a collection of stunning photography and works inspired by time spent on the writers haven. It includes a foreword from Alexander McCall Smith and an essay on Orwell on Jura by his biographer Sir Bernard Crick. The featured writing is all a direct response to having spent time on the island, is only available from the Scottish Book Trust or Jura Whiskey.