Book Reccomendation

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 20 Jan 04 - 07:05 AM

Kerry Slides is by Paul Muldoon. Available in paperback.

(Anyone wishing to find this thread again, note that recommendation is mis-spelled)

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 20 Jan 04 - 04:32 AM

Fair enough Ed I'm just being my stupid aggravating self, sometimes I think I'm mellowing with age, but mostly I'm an annoying pillock.
I enjoyed Ciaron Carsons book too.
eric

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: Folkiedave
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 08:19 PM

Sorry.pressed the wrong button before proof reading........

Lovely writer.and since MacColl himself claimed to have come from Auchterader..........

Dave
www.collectorsfolk.co.uk

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: Folkiedave
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 08:16 PM

Just to put in a note on this..Colin has got other thigns wrong.BUT he has got so much right...lovey writer.

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: Ed.
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 03:08 PM

Eric the Red,

I fear you might be being a little harsh on Colin Irwin. If he did, indeed, suggest that Ewan MacColl was born in Auchterarder, it was obviouly a bad mistake. Which of us haven't made those?

Read A Carthy Chronicle and tell me that he's a bad writer if you still wish to.

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: PoppaGator
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 12:33 PM

After seeing one vote for and one against Ciaran Carson's "Last Night's Fun," let me break the tie with my affirmative vote. Perhaps I'm not as well qualified as someone else because I've spent a total of six days in Ireland, and I don't know a jig from a reel, but Carson's combination of personal anecdotes, musical analysis, and folk-scene history was extremely interesting and enjoyable to me.

I'd also recommend Pete McCarthy's "McCarthy's Bar," even though it doesn't even pretend to be about music. It's about (among other things) identifying oneself as Irish without having been born in Ireland, a common enough condition. Actual Irish people who live in Ireland seem to have enjoyed at as well, making it a #1 best seller there a while ago.

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: Clark
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 09:14 AM

While I haven't noticed any instructional books mentioned in this thread there is one I want to mention because it is so extraordinary. It is the MelBay publication of Grey Larsons Essential Guide to Irish Flute and Tin Whistle. This is 480 pages of everything ... and I mean everything... you ever needed or wanted to know about playing Irish music on the flute or tin whistle. So if these are your instruments - GET THIS BOOK!

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: Fiolar
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 08:43 AM

Colin's book is not just about pub music but he has some great information about some of the folk he meets, including Dolores Keane, Seamus Tansey, Tommy Peoples among others. Read it.

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 08:26 AM

There are Two things that no one should EVER write another book about..Camelot and Irish Pub Music..Enough already.

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 07:12 AM

And incidently Ewan himself recorded Karl Dallas's fine song ' Derek Bentley '
eric

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 07:09 AM

Guest irwin the great, Ewan MacColl? born in Auchterarder?
Enough said.
eric

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 04:07 PM

Thanks Big Tim. I have not seen the movie, so the book will be unknown territory for me. Can't say as I'm reading anything with any consistancy now. My Sing Out magazine I suppose.

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: GUEST,Irwin the Great
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 03:53 PM

Eric the Red, how dare you critise the great Colin Irwin. I remember when he was the chief folk reporter for the Melody Maker and he introduced me to lots of names who became favourites. He was a good journalist. He always allowed the artist to speak for himself, unlike other writers who think their own opinions of much more weight than the person whom they are interviewing. He wrote in a concise and clear style. Karl Dallas, on the other hand, was always forcing his opinions down people's throats...like we cared what he thought. He said the most stupid things as well. I remember once he slagged off people who didnt like electric folk by saying that they were quite happy to listen to acoustic folk on electronic record players. Tosser! I would love to have a collection of Colin Irwin's journalism to read: and one of Dallas' as well -to use as toilet paper.

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: GUEST,Guest, Big Tim
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 09:41 AM

I read "Bound for Glory" in '67, when I was young and impressionable, and thought it was terrific. I re-read it last year, not now being so young or impressionable, and found it unbelieveable, literally: still interesting and entertaining tho.

Other recent music read "A drink with Shane MacGowan" (a Christmas present): unbelieveable in every sense of the word!

(PS Thanks wr)

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Jan 04 - 10:33 AM

Bible

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: Sonnet
Date: 17 Jan 04 - 10:30 AM

One man's meat is another man's poison, so I'll post in praise of Ciaran Carson's 'Last Night's Fun.'

For me the book was full of vivid imagery, accessible ,informative, and sheer joy to read.

There's a poetry book called 'Kerry Slides' that I had from the university library where I work, but I can't recall the poet. Possibly Paul Muldoon???

Jay McS

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: bbc
Date: 17 Jan 04 - 10:13 AM

Some people may be interested to know that Silverlock by John Myers Myers will be available in a new hardcover edition, combined w/ the Silverlock Companion, at the end of February. It is now available at bn.com for preorder. Interesting book, w/ a huge number of amusing literary references--only available used for ages. It was recommended to me by one of our own.

best,

bbc

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 17 Jan 04 - 10:07 AM

Colin Irwin was never a good ' folk ' journalist anyway. He repeated many glaring and well known myths many times in print, ie Ewan MacColl was born in Auchterarder, crediting Carolan with other peoples tunes, ie Rory Dhall's ' Give Me You Hand ' and the traditional tune ' The South Wind. ' There was only one good folk journalist [ nationally ] Karl Dallas, good musician too.
eric

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: MickyMan
Date: 17 Jan 04 - 08:36 AM

I'll keep my eye out for the American edition .... not for the cover of course, oh no, not for the cover! (Is that what it takes to sell good book larnin to us Yanks?)

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: LadyJean
Date: 17 Jan 04 - 12:33 AM

Perhaps this is thread drift, but I just finished reading the proof of Sarah Zettel's "Camelot's Shadow". She went to mudcat to research the book.
"Camelot's Shadow" won't be out until May, but it's very good. The English edition has a gorgeous cover. If the American edition has a half naked woman on it, ignore her. It isn't that kind of a book at all.

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 17 Jan 04 - 12:28 AM

Has anyone read Bound for Glory? What did you think of it? Just asking.

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 17 Jan 04 - 12:22 AM

Nowt to do directly with Irish song, but I recently got a copy of "The Ballad as Song," by Bertrand H. Bronson. It is a series of essays on songs, starting with "Edward, Edward, a Scottish Ballad, and progressing through "Samuel Hall's Family Tree," "George Pullen Jackson and the Shaped Note Spirituals," Toward the Comparative Analysis of British-American Folk-Tunes, and Folk-Song in the United States, 1910-1960" and others. This was published in 1969, so used copies should be available.

Bronson wrote "The Singing Tradition of Child's Popular Ballads," with which many of us are familiar.

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: GUEST,Tommy
Date: 16 Jan 04 - 09:25 PM

The majority of Irish music doesn't happen in pubs, though one would never know that from the publicity it gets and the books about it that get published.

I really do tire of these sorts of "music and craic" books--I had the same problem with Ciaran Carson's "Last Night's Fun".

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: Emma B
Date: 16 Jan 04 - 05:29 PM

A birthday present last year - "Turlough" by Brian Keenan
- " a recreation of an extraordinary historical story and also, obliquely, a parallel life - another life imprisoned, shaped by the dark" Irish Times
I saw the Dick Boak book in Waterstones in December it looked very good - I know someone who may be receiving it as a birthday present this year! (but don't tell)

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 16 Jan 04 - 02:01 PM

These titles sound great. I've been reading Martin Guitar Masterpeices. In this Dick Boak relates the stories of how the artist limited edition Martin guitars came about. Eric Clapton is featured quite prominately. Joan Baezs' story is humerous. I ordered it from the companys' 1833 Shop. Jim Croces' guitar is very poinient.

Subject: RE: Book Reccomendation
From: GUEST,weerover
Date: 16 Jan 04 - 10:58 AM

Just in case (God forbid) anyone missed it, don't forget "One Green Hill - a journey through Irish Songs" by Mudcat's own Big Tim.

wr

Subject: RE: Carter Family Biography
From: MickyMan
Date: 16 Jan 04 - 10:03 AM

Let's share some other books. I recently read a pretty good book about the Carter Family, stars of American Old Time Music. See Amazon.com for review...etc.

Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone?: The Carter Family and Their Legacy in American Music
by Charles Hirshberg (Author), Mark Zwonitzer (Author)

Subject: Book Reccomendation
From: Fiolar
Date: 16 Jan 04 - 08:37 AM

'Catters may be interested in a book by Colin Irwin entitled "In Search of the Craic" subtitled "One Man's Pub Crawl through Irish Music." Described and I quote, "In Search of the Craic is an anecdotal account of a glorified pub crawl through Ireland." Irwin describes his experiences of some 25 years visiting Ireland as a music writer and a tourist.
He has some great stories to tell of his visits with some of the giants of the Irish music scene as well as his time spent in dozens of pubs. Well worth a read although take some of his descriptions with a pinch of salt. In addition there are some great pictures.
ISBN = 0 233 00004 6