Are You Somebody : The Life and Times of Nuala O'Faolain

Rating:
Summary: insightful
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed Nuola O'Faolain's memoir. My family is Irish. Many of her recollections regarding her family, her childhood, and her Catholic boarding school are similar to those of my mother's. Anyone who loves modern Irish literature and culture should read this book. She is brutally honest about her life. This book is not a sweet Irish memoir, nor is it Angela's Ashes.

Rating:
Summary: An intriguing woman - one of the makers of modern Ireland
Review: This is an interesting memoir. In part it's the story of how a wonderfully bright woman finds herself. It's also an overview of how Ireland came to grips with the modern world through such artists and writers as Ms. O'Faolin and others like her. There are some portions that seem unfulfilled. For instance, her home life was horrible, but she wasn't there for the brunt of it. Her peregrinations through alcohol and ill fated romances are painful, yet she keeps them distant. Nuala O'Faolin is an honest woman who lets us know clearly where she stands as an Irish woman, but the journey isn't so well lit. However, clear writing and commitment to truth make it worth reading.