The Aran Islands [Unabridged]

The Aran Islands [Unabridged]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Nothing much happens on the Aran Islands--at least, not much went on there in the late 19th century, when John Synge sailed out to these mist-shrouded, salt-sprayed, and wave-battered chunks of rocks south of Ireland. Therein lies the charm of the setting and of this lovely book, which captures the saltiness of both the marine air and the time-lost characters, who deeply believe in the magical "wee people." In cottages where nets and fishing tackle hang from beams, the women (who always wear red dresses and petticoats, as do some of the boys) sit at their spinning wheels or sew cow-skin sandals, while the fishermen spin yarns about fairies, sunken vessels, and bags of gold gained from adulterous wives. The big happening of the year is when roofs are rethatched--an event that blossoms into a festival with twisted rope stretching from kitchen table through lane to nearby field. Synge seems an ambassador from a different world: addressed as "noble person," he brings tokens of modernity--be they clocks or simple magic tricks that beguile the locals. First published in 1907, this re-released travelogue gives a poignant peek into another time and begs a visit to the Aran Islands to see how, or if, they have changed. --Melissa Rossi --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Book Description
Playwright John Millington Synge visited an isolated group of rocky islands west of Ireland each year between 1898 and 1901, where he found inspiration for his dramas among the folklore and anecdotes told to him by local fisherfolk. This memorable record of Synge’s days amid the islanders and their tales of fairies and Celtic heroes offers an enchanting portrait of the wellspring of the Irish cultural renaissance.

The Aran Islands,J. M. Synge,Dover Publications,0486400484,(John Millington),,1871-1909,Anthropology - Cultural,Aran Islands,Aran Islands (Ireland),Description and travel,Europe - Great Britain - General,Europe - Ireland,General,History,History: World,Ireland,Sociology,Synge, J. M,Synge, J. M.,Travel,History / Great Britain,Journeys

Cheap Books:

1. The Best of the Appalachian Trail: Day Hikes (Official Guides to the Appalachian Trail)
2. The Boston Globe Guide to Boston, 7th (Boston Globe Guide to Boston)
3. The giant's causeway and the North Antrim coast
4. The Guide to Cooking Schools 2003: Cooking Schools, Courses, Vacations, Apprenticeships and Wine Programs Throughout the World (Guide to Cooking Schools)
5. The Hungry Traveler: Mexico (The Hungry Traveler Series)
6. The Las Vegas Advisor Guide to Slot Clubs
7. The Rough Guide to Travel Health 2 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
8. The Search for the Pink-Headed Duck: A Journey into the Himalayas and Down the Brahmaputra
9. This Way Gulf States: Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen (This Way Guides)
10. Traveler's Guide to Camping Mexico's Baja

Cheap Books

Recommended Books

1. Princely Rajasthan : Rajput Palaces and Mansions
2. The International Encyclopedia of Mutual Funds, Closed-End Funds, and REITs
3. Managing Information Security Risks: The OCTAVE Approach
4. Monitoring, Measuring, & Managing Customer Service
5. Hairy Roots: Culture and Applications
6. From Brains to Consciousness
7. Geometry Turned On : Dynamic Software in Learning, Teaching, and Research
8. Master Humphrey's Clock and Other Stories
9. Keeper of Cats
10. How to Make Stew
11. Landscape Trees & Shrubs
12. Laughter Calls Me : A Young Woman's Search for Truth Leads to a Courage Battle to Save Her Children
13. International Politics and Warfare in the Age of Louis XIV and Peter the Great : A Guide to the Hist
14. Gene Isolation and Mapping Protocols
15. Handbook of Early Literacy Research, Volume 2