Journal Entry 1 by azuki from Miami, Florida USA on Saturday, May 29, 2010

This book caughts my eyes at the library book sale for its beautiful cover. The Blaskets may be a pictureque island, but life on it is not easy.

On Christmas Eve 1946, a young man collapsed at home with a headache on this remote island off the west coast of Ireland. There was no priest, no doctor and no policeman on the Great Blasket, and the only telephone was down. Helpless, his family watched him die. The death was the final catalyst for the end of the island community, whose people spoke Gaelic and lived a life changed little for centuries.

Morton's account is imaginative, evocative and sensitively written, as it follows the O Cearna family all the way from Blasket to the mainland, and eventually to America, the New World. The small villages of the Dingle Peninsula come to life through his narration, and the longing and homesickness of those who left are painfully felt.  

Journal Entry 2 by azuki at Miami, Florida USA on Sunday, December 19, 2010

After reading this book I went to google for images of Blasket Islands. What I saw indeed take my breath away. It's so beautiful it's almost difficult to imagine the hardship faced by the residents.

Reading this book allows me to understand more about this part of the world I knew little of. While I have friends with Irish ancestry, they are American born and display little of their Irish colors except during St. Patrick's Day and drinking parties. I am glad this book captures lives on Blaskets and some of the immigration experience before they fade from memories.

Now heading to Nimrodiel who won it in the Non-Fiction Swap on BookObsessed back in June.  

Journal Entry 3 by nimrodiel at Evanston, Illinois USA on Wednesday, June 22, 2011

While rearranging my TBR pile I found a few books that missed being journaled when the got here.

I forgot I had this co
Ing from that last nonfiction swap I took part in. 

Journal Entry 4 by nimrodiel at Evanston, Illinois USA on Tuesday, July 19, 2011

I wasn't sure what to expect of this book really after reading the fly leaf description. I loved the exploration of the hardships faced by the inhabitants of the Blasket Isles, as well as those faced when they migrated to America. I think that was what I enjoyed most, how the author followed as closely as he could the travels taken by these Irish men and women as they left the lives they knew to travel to an unknown country with hope for a better life.

I'm passing this on to AceofHearts as a part of her birthday package. I don't remember f it was one of the books she tries to steal during the non-fiction swap it was offer up by Azuki in. However, I'm pretty sure it is one she will enjoy. 

Journal Entry 5 by AceofHearts at Mississauga, Ontario Canada on Saturday, August 20, 2011

received from my birthday partner. Looks very interesting! Thanks!