St. Patrick's Day 2011: Irish Books, Huffington Post Readers Pick Their Favorites (PHOTOS)

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2011, and in honor of the day of shamrocks, parades and green beer, we asked you to tell us your favorite books by Irish authors and about all things Irish. James Joyce of course took the lead, but there were a few surprises. If your favorite didn't make it into this year's entry, let us know in the comments section. Erin go Bragh!

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"Ulysses" by James Joyce

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This Irish Book

Rank #2  |  Average: 4

This book was horrible This is one of my favorites, too!

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Top 5 Irish Books

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Comments

[triplettam]

06:28 PM on 03/20/2011

"Godot" is a book? I thought it was a play. I liked Finnegan's Wake" better than "Ulysses" but that's just me.

[dmac]

11:29 AM on 03/25/2011

Lots of fun at Finnegan's Wake.

[Stephen Dedalus]

05:12 PM on 03/19/2011

Happy to see Ulysses!

I would have added something from Flann O'Brien (aka Brian Ó Nualláin and Myles na gCopaleen), Edna O'Brien, and poet Ciarán Carson.

[dmac]

11:31 AM on 03/25/2011

Absolutely, he's marvelous.

And Strumpet City by James Plunkett.

[Dragoon]

12:02 AM on 03/19/2011

While my pick is a non-fiction writer, I believe he deserves mention. Tim Pat Coogan has written several great books on Irish history including Michael Collins, On the Blanket, The Troubles.

Also read Bobby Sand's Writings from Prison Collection.

[Luke McIntosh]

11:54 AM on 03/18/2011

I am constantly embarrassed by my own nations complete and utter lack of knowledge or understanding of Irish history, culture, and national identity.

Case in point, this article ending with "Erin go Bragh!", the horribly misspelled and anglicized (which in itself is insulting) form of "Éirinn go Brách." My embarrassment was compounded when the NYT horribly butchered the name of Ireland's Taoiseach (prime minister), Enda Kenny, by spelling it "Edna Kenny" and making him a female.

For a nation who so closely associates themselves with Ireland, we have a horrific knowledge of it.

[kareemachan]

09:00 PM on 03/18/2011

As someone of no importance, let me be the first to apologize to Ireland for our country's lack of knowledge - and even more importantly, lack of editing and research skills.

[AJOHMSS]

03:30 AM on 03/18/2011

"Puckoon" by Spike Milligan, the funniest writer of all time.

[hueylover]

08:31 PM on 03/17/2011

Edna O'brien's books - esp the stories from the 60s/ 70s. A voice for the Irish girls and women emerging from a stifling culture!

[playflute2]

10:39 AM on 03/18/2011

Will have to check her out. :)

[JDM73]

08:26 PM on 03/17/2011

"Godot" is great, but it loses something on the printed page. You're much better off with Beckett's famous trilogy of novels ("Molloy", "Malone Dies", "The Unnamable") or his short pieces (collected in "The Complete Short Prose"). Difficult but rewarding material that you'll never be sorry for reading.

[Mum]

06:48 AM on 03/18/2011

Love the trilogy.  And you're right about "Godot."  I've seen it performed twice, and it was amazing.  I've read it twice, once in the original French and again in English.  The words on the page are brilliant, but to see them brought to life on the stage is transcendent.

[MSchlagel]

01:40 PM on 03/17/2011

Missing: Roddy Doyle, Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, Sheridan Le Fanu, J.P. Donleavy, Brendan Behan, Brian Moore, John Banville, Colm Tóibín, Anne Enright, Brian Friel, John Connolly, Frank O'Connor, Tana French, William Trevor, Synge and Bernard Shaw. Hurray at least for Cal, and "Are You Somebody"

How did we get Leon Uris? I know Trinity takes place in Ireland and is considered one of Uris's best works but if the first thing a reader thinks of when asked about Irish literature is Leon Uris that might mean their reading habits are phenomenally out of date.

[Mum]

06:54 AM on 03/18/2011

Those are some of my favorites.  And let's not forget Laurence Sterne, Iris Murdoch, Elizabeth Bowen, and Flann O'Brien (Brian O'Nolan).

[kareemachan]

09:01 PM on 03/18/2011

YES! Thank you for mentioning Tana French. I've just discovered her, and absolutely adore her writing. Also, Roddy Doyle is the tops.

[Soulfest]

12:17 PM on 03/17/2011

I really love the 4 books by Niall Williams & Christine Breen. He was born in Ireland and she is Irish American.

They were living in New York and inherited a cottage in County Claire. They pack up and go leaving Manhattan behind.

"O Come Ye Back to Ireland," "When Summer's In The Meadow," "The Pipes Are Calling," & "The Luck Of The Irish."

[Ripedia]

11:54 AM on 03/17/2011

Nothing by Roddy Doyle?! It is a disgrace that his works were left out of this list. A Star Called Henry, which is a brilliantly told story about coming of age during Ireland's war of independence, should at least replace Dracula, which may have been written by an Irish author but has nothing to do with Ireland or the Irish.

[Richard Lee Wilson]

11:56 AM on 03/17/2011

agreed, often think it's make a damn fine movie

[Soulfest]

11:59 AM on 03/17/2011

I just clicked in and was going to say the same thing? All of Roddy Doyle!

[Richard Lee Wilson]

11:35 AM on 03/17/2011

why is huffpo ungainly when they walk in a book store?jesus mary and joseph, yer irish books are ghastly, no myles nA Gopaleen?????No Shaw, Wilde, Behan, Carson?Pearce, Synge, O' Casey, Trevor?Mother of God, may your reading eyes be turned to moss.

[Soulfest]

12:03 PM on 03/17/2011

"Mother of God, may your reading eyes be turned to moss."

Fanned & Faved for being spot on and funny!

[kareemachan]

09:03 PM on 03/18/2011

X2!

[another1]

11:32 AM on 03/17/2011

"My Dream of You" and "The Onward Journey of a Dublin Woman" by Nuala O'Faolain

[Jim Kearns]

10:52 AM on 03/17/2011

'Eureka Street' by Robert McLiam Wilson
'Playboy of the Western World' by Synge
and of course 'How the Irish saved Civilization' by Cahil

[naschkatze]

11:33 AM on 03/17/2011

How the Irish Saved Civilization, good addition.

[FPhoebe]

10:49 AM on 03/17/2011

The Weaver's Grave by Seamus O'Kelly...short story, but one of the best.

[IrishgirlsUSA]

10:40 AM on 03/17/2011

"Is that it" by Bob Geldof............. a little Joyce mixed in with McCourts Ashes.