The Aran Islands (Forgotten Books) - Softcover

M. Synge, J.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1605061549 ISBN 13: 9781605061542

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2007

Synopsis

Book Description:

"The Aran Islands (Irish: Oileáin Árann, Aran Islands Dialect:) are a group of three islands located at the mouth of Galway Bay, on the west coast of Ireland.

[...] The largest island is Inishmore (Irish: Árainn (Mhór) or Inis Mór; Aran Islands Dialect:) the middle and second-largest is Inishmaan (Inis Meáin / Inis Meadhóin; Aran Islands Dialect:), and the smallest and most eastern is Inisheer (Inis Thiar or Inis Oírr / Inis Oirthir; Aran Islands Dialect:). Irish is a spoken language on all three islands, and is the language used for the names of the islands and many of the island's villages and place names." (Quote from wikipedia.org)

Table of Contents:

Publisher’s Preface; Introduction; Author's Forword; Part I; Part ii; Part iii; Part iv

About the Publisher:

Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, Esoteric and Mythology. www.forgottenbooks.org

Forgotten Books is about sharing information, not about making money. All books are priced at wholesale prices. We are also the only publisher we know of to print in large sans-serif font, which is proven to make the text easier to read and put less strain on your eyes.

About this title

Review

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

From the Inside Flap

Scotland has always done things its own way, and that is what akes the country's history so interesting. More than four thousand years ago, its Stone Age inhabitants were among the most advanced builders of Europe. About two thousand years ago, the Romans decided it was wiser to build a wall than attempt conquest. A thousand years ago, Scotland was one of the first medieval European kingdoms to emerge as a political unity from the Dark Ages. The decendants of those first Scots still inhabit the country. This original and immensely readable history charts the long, painful, sometimes tragic, often inspiring process that has formed the Scottish people of today. It reveals how the Scots' sense of nationhood has always been under test and how that pressure has shaped the ways in which they see themselves and are seen by others. A special and unique feature are the 'fact windows' in the text. They light up many fascinating aspects of the national story not normally covered in history books and present a range of outstanding people who at different times have played a part in Scotland's life and still-evolving history.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 1605061549
• ISBN 13: 9781605061542
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 191