Life, bullies and silver linings
CHILDREN’S BOOKS AND THE BEST TEEN READS FOR CHRISTMAS,
FILL a stocking and do a good deed at the same time by purchasing The Broken Spiral for the book lover in your life. Launched in aid of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, this interesting and worthwhile anthology has writing from some of our leading authors, among them Louise O’Neill, Pat McCabe and Sinead Gleeson as well as work by emerging talent. Priced at €15 (and it’s good to note that all proceeds go to the charity), The Broken Spiral is available at Dubray Books, Hodges Figgis and Books Upstairs.
A few years ago I was treated to lunch and a masterclass at Ballymaloe Cookery School. I loved Rory O’Connell’s food and his unfussy delivery and was thrilled to see his Cook Well, Eat Well win Eurospar’s Cookbook of the Year at the Irish Book Awards.
To celebrate their first year’s sponsorship Eurospar offered a fab prize — a €500 Christmas food voucher and a hamper of all six books in their category.
The winner was Geraldine Turbitt from Mayo who correctly answered that The World of the Happy Pear was 2016’s culinary winner.
Kudos to the cool Kerry crew in Listowel who have recruited American poet laureate Billy Collins to judge their annual Pigott Poetry Prize. Now in its fifth year, and awarded for the best collection by an Irish poet published between February 2017 and February 2018, the first prize has just been increased to €8,000; the remaining two finalists will each receive €1,000. Three shortlisted collections will be revealed next March and the winner announced at Listowel Writers’ Week in May. I’ve long had designs on living in Paris, so I was intrigued to come by The Madeleine Project: Uncovering a Parisian Life (New Vessel Press) written by Ciara Beaudoux who, upon moving into her new apartment, came across a stash of memorabilia belonging to the previous owner. Documenting her finds on Twitter with posts and pictures, she reconstructs Madeleine’s life and loves in a moving and absorbing manner. Vaut le detour. Alison Spittle, writer and star of RTE’s whimsical new comedy Nowhere Fast, teams up with Eilis Ni Dhuibhne, Anna Carey et al for the Irish Writers Centre’s annual celebration of Nollaig na mBan on Saturday, January 6. With music from Loah, wine and Kris Kindle — attendees are encouraged to wrap and bring a book by a much-loved female writer — it has the makings of a fun evening. Tickets are €15 at the Irish Writers Centre.