Book Discussion Group
Fall 2024 – Spring 2025 Theme – “Women in Irish Literature”
Women have featured prominently in Irish literature, both as authors and as subjects of novels. No longer dismissed as inferior to their male counterparts, many are hailed as award winners. They are seen along with their fellow male novelists as exploring many of today’s complex issues. We will be looking at some of these contemporary women artists and examining the skill and artistry that is found in their works. We will also look at two novels by men that feature women as main characters.
In fact, we begin with a woman novelist whose works have won prestigious awards and an outstanding male novelist who takes on the troubling problem of abuse. In December, we are discussing two short works by Claire Keegan. If names on this list look familiar, it’s because we’ve read other works by Doyle, Keegan, Barry, and O’Brien. We hope you enjoy the challenges presented by the familiar writers and the opportunities to explore new ones. We will also occasionally include poems to complement the work being discussed.
Below are the selections. Each month, a guide will be posted on the website page to prepare you for the discussion of the writer and the selected work.
The Book Discussion Group at the McClelland Library is led by Dr. Joyce East (left), a retired professor of Irish Studies, and Mary Wilber (right), a retired librarian and former member of the Scottsdale Library Board. The group seeks to engage members of our community with the tradition and excellence of all forms of Irish Literature.
Schedule for Fall 2024 – Spring 2025
September 28: Mary Costello, “The River Capture” (2019)
October 26: Roddy Doyle, “The Woman Who Walked into Doors” (1996)
December 7: Claire Keegan, “Small Things Like These” (2021) & “So Late in the Day” (2023)
January 25: Sebastian Barry, “The Secret Scripture” (2008)
February 22: Anne Enright, “The Gathering” (2007)
March 29: Edna O’Brien, “The Little Red Chairs” (2016)
April 26: Elaine Feeney, “How to Build a Boat” (2023)
** Availability of texts: We’ve tried to be sensitive to the costs of these works and their availability, but you may want to find a “reading buddy” to share the costs. Most of these will be in local libraries, in bookstores (new and used) and available from on-line sources (Amazon, ABE Books, and Powell’s books). Amazon offers new, used, and Kindle editions for sale. Putting your title in the search engine will usually generate a series of sites for the book.
Meetings will be held in person in the Irish Cultural Center and McClelland Library Norton Conference Room from 10am – 12pm.
Meeting Policy: All the meetings are scheduled for the McClelland Library (Norton Room). Masks are not required. We observe the safety protocols of the Irish Center and the City of Phoenix.
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