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The Strangers' House: Writing Northern Ireland
A penetrating study and celebration of Northern Irish literature— telling the region’s story through the extraordinary novels and poetry produced by decades of conflict.
Northern Ireland is one hundred years old. Northern Ireland does not exist. Both of these statements are true. It just depends on who you ask. How do you write about a place like this? THE STRANGERS' HOUSE asks this question of the region’s greatest writers, living and dead. What have they made of Northern Ireland – and what has Northern Ireland made of them?
Northern Ireland is roughly the same size as the State of Connecticut, yet has produced an extraordinary number of celebrated poets and novelists. Louis MacNeice , too clever to be happy, formed by his childhood on the shores of Belfast Lough. C. S. Lewis, who discovered Narnia in the rolling drumlins and black rock of County Down. Anna Burns , chronicler of North Belfast and winner of the Booker Prize. And Seamus Heaney , the man of wry precision, the poet with the gift of surprise.
As well as household names, Poots also examines writers who may be less familiar to an American readership. These include the dark and bawdy novels of Ian Cochrane, a celebrated raconteur obsessed with Columbo , and Forrest Reid, a man who saw Arcadia in the Irish countryside, and who was, perhaps, the North’s first queer author. Reading the work of these writers together produces a testament to over one hundred years of literary endeavor and human struggle. THE STRANGERS' HOUSE is the story of how men and women have written about a home divided, and used their work to move, in the words of Seamus Heaney, “like a double agent among the big concepts.”
Authors and works discussed…
C. S. Lewis – Surprised by Joy
Seamus Heaney – North
Anna Burns – Milkman
Louis MacNeice – Autumn Journal
Forrest Reid – Brian Westby
Derek Mahon – A Disused Shed in Co. Wexford
Michael Longley – Kindertotenlieder
Medbh McGuckian – Drawing Ballerinas
Patrick Kavanagh – The Green Fool
Ian Cochrane – F for Ferg
Northern Ireland is one hundred years old. Northern Ireland does not exist. Both of these statements are true. It just depends on who you ask. How do you write about a place like this? THE STRANGERS' HOUSE asks this question of the region’s greatest writers, living and dead. What have they made of Northern Ireland – and what has Northern Ireland made of them?
Northern Ireland is roughly the same size as the State of Connecticut, yet has produced an extraordinary number of celebrated poets and novelists. Louis MacNeice , too clever to be happy, formed by his childhood on the shores of Belfast Lough. C. S. Lewis, who discovered Narnia in the rolling drumlins and black rock of County Down. Anna Burns , chronicler of North Belfast and winner of the Booker Prize. And Seamus Heaney , the man of wry precision, the poet with the gift of surprise.
As well as household names, Poots also examines writers who may be less familiar to an American readership. These include the dark and bawdy novels of Ian Cochrane, a celebrated raconteur obsessed with Columbo , and Forrest Reid, a man who saw Arcadia in the Irish countryside, and who was, perhaps, the North’s first queer author. Reading the work of these writers together produces a testament to over one hundred years of literary endeavor and human struggle. THE STRANGERS' HOUSE is the story of how men and women have written about a home divided, and used their work to move, in the words of Seamus Heaney, “like a double agent among the big concepts.”
Authors and works discussed…
C. S. Lewis – Surprised by Joy
Seamus Heaney – North
Anna Burns – Milkman
Louis MacNeice – Autumn Journal
Forrest Reid – Brian Westby
Derek Mahon – A Disused Shed in Co. Wexford
Michael Longley – Kindertotenlieder
Medbh McGuckian – Drawing Ballerinas
Patrick Kavanagh – The Green Fool
Ian Cochrane – F for Ferg
- GenresNonfictionIreland
256 pages, Hardcover
First published March 14, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 17, 2023
I can't quite tell you what Alexander Poots' The Strangers House is about. Sure, Northern Ireland and some of the writers who come from there or passed through. Is it history? Somewhat. Is it literary criticism? Yes, but not entirely. Is it an attempt by the author to understand a place that often defies explanation? Yes, definitely.
Generally, doing all of these things in one book is a total disaster. Somehow, Poots put together a book which seems to flow so easily that you can't help but float along with the narrative. In some ways, the book feels like a poem itself. You get short biographies of authors and events but just enough to understand how they connect to the greater narrative. You'll hear about the Troubles, but almost as a background detail to a piece of literature. It begs the question of what someone who knows nothing about Northern Ireland would take from this. However, as someone whose ancestors all came from Ireland, I can only speak as someone who has at least a baseline understanding of the people and topics in the book.
An author talking about other authors can come off as fawning, and at its worst, pretentious. Poots never falls into this trap. He doesn't tell the reader these authors changed the world. Instead, he just lets us know how important they are to him.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Twelve Books.)
Generally, doing all of these things in one book is a total disaster. Somehow, Poots put together a book which seems to flow so easily that you can't help but float along with the narrative. In some ways, the book feels like a poem itself. You get short biographies of authors and events but just enough to understand how they connect to the greater narrative. You'll hear about the Troubles, but almost as a background detail to a piece of literature. It begs the question of what someone who knows nothing about Northern Ireland would take from this. However, as someone whose ancestors all came from Ireland, I can only speak as someone who has at least a baseline understanding of the people and topics in the book.
An author talking about other authors can come off as fawning, and at its worst, pretentious. Poots never falls into this trap. He doesn't tell the reader these authors changed the world. Instead, he just lets us know how important they are to him.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Twelve Books.)
March 1, 2023
This title will be welcomed by academics and others who want to take a deep dive into the literature of Norther Ireland. The context within history and politics is explored in the introduction before moving into the other chapters. These explore works of both poetry and prose. Readers will discover new writers along with those of whom they have already heard. They will also leave the book understanding its title.
This is a book to be read by those who want to understand more about the complexities of Northern Ireland. Insights come from the writers.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Twelve Books for this title. All opinions are my own.
This is a book to be read by those who want to understand more about the complexities of Northern Ireland. Insights come from the writers.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Twelve Books for this title. All opinions are my own.
July 5, 2023
I was looking forward to this, and it far exceeded my high expectations. A great way to express the inexpressible - Poots is not Northern Irish but lived there for many years, and this Outsider Insider viewpoint gives him perhaps the only viewpoint possible to write such a tale.
This is complex territory - from Unionist Ulsters to even Nationalist Ulsters, to the Irish Nationalists to those who are on the fence - how do you make sense of a nation's history through a history of poetry?
This is complex territory - from Unionist Ulsters to even Nationalist Ulsters, to the Irish Nationalists to those who are on the fence - how do you make sense of a nation's history through a history of poetry?
December 25, 2023
I bought this book for my mother, since she traced our ancestors back to the Kirkpatricks, who came from Scotland and settled on the Protestant side of Belfast in the 1700's.
It was interesting to read about the history behind each poem or essay and I liked learning about the author of each piece and how their works may have influenced other writers.
It was not a suspenseful page turner, but it was a nicely researched book to sit and contemplate with.
It was interesting to read about the history behind each poem or essay and I liked learning about the author of each piece and how their works may have influenced other writers.
It was not a suspenseful page turner, but it was a nicely researched book to sit and contemplate with.
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January 3, 2024This is a hard book for me to rate, as it takes a relatively moderate approach to a topic I am deeply not moderate about. Initially, I picked up the book with the expectation that it would discuss Northern Ireland from the perspective of the "native" Northern Irish population. Thus to my surprise, I found the majority of the book written about Protestant, English-settler writers. Granted, many of these writers were in support of a united Ireland, and they were all by product of their birth Irish. Some of them weren't even Northern Irish, however, which I found...strange. The author brought up Oscar Wilde whose only claim to Northern Ireland was a few years he lived there while at school.
Granted, the partition of Ireland didn't happen until after some of these authors were born, and granted also, that poetry and writing was at the time, a rich man's sport. Considering most of the middle and wealthy classes of Northern Ireland are in fact, English-settlers, it is unsurprising that most famous authors have English-Protestant roots. That being said, in a book discussing Northern Ireland, I would have expected at least a little more fairness in author distribution.
For more than half the book I was insulted that the author had decided that the best Northern Ireland could produce were Protestants who felt bad for displaced native Catholics. When the author moved to the authors of the Troubles, I did find some reprieve, however. I understand the desire for moderation. I understand that I cannot take such a stand in such a personal issue to me. That being said, the author's vague comments on native Irish suffering under English regulation while lauding authors who were literally a part of the settler community was infuriating. Are such people Northern Irish? Yes. Do I wish the author had taken some more space for the impoverished, displaced people group they kept mentioning? Also yes. Simply saying "At this time, Irish natives were kicked out of their homes" and the moving on with C.S. Lewis' life doesn't mean you've covered the consistent systemic issues between Northern Ireland and England. Nor do I think it actually fully discussed Northern Irish literature from a native perspective.
In the sense of being Protestant Northern Irish, this book is probably very insightful with regards to their struggle and displacement. Reading it as the child of a staunch Catholic Northern Irishman meant that I felt like I was only getting the half of the story which one always gets when discussing Northern Ireland. I didn't find much to be excited about here and certainly nothing which encapsulates Northern Irish literature from all sides of the fence.
Granted, the partition of Ireland didn't happen until after some of these authors were born, and granted also, that poetry and writing was at the time, a rich man's sport. Considering most of the middle and wealthy classes of Northern Ireland are in fact, English-settlers, it is unsurprising that most famous authors have English-Protestant roots. That being said, in a book discussing Northern Ireland, I would have expected at least a little more fairness in author distribution.
For more than half the book I was insulted that the author had decided that the best Northern Ireland could produce were Protestants who felt bad for displaced native Catholics. When the author moved to the authors of the Troubles, I did find some reprieve, however. I understand the desire for moderation. I understand that I cannot take such a stand in such a personal issue to me. That being said, the author's vague comments on native Irish suffering under English regulation while lauding authors who were literally a part of the settler community was infuriating. Are such people Northern Irish? Yes. Do I wish the author had taken some more space for the impoverished, displaced people group they kept mentioning? Also yes. Simply saying "At this time, Irish natives were kicked out of their homes" and the moving on with C.S. Lewis' life doesn't mean you've covered the consistent systemic issues between Northern Ireland and England. Nor do I think it actually fully discussed Northern Irish literature from a native perspective.
In the sense of being Protestant Northern Irish, this book is probably very insightful with regards to their struggle and displacement. Reading it as the child of a staunch Catholic Northern Irishman meant that I felt like I was only getting the half of the story which one always gets when discussing Northern Ireland. I didn't find much to be excited about here and certainly nothing which encapsulates Northern Irish literature from all sides of the fence.
June 26, 2023
Ever since traveling to Ireland and Northern Ireland in 2019, I have been drawn to books about the two places. Northern Ireland is still a very divided country with loyalties beyond this six county area with Protestants identifying more with England and Catholics more with Ireland. Poots looks at how the place of Northern Ireland influenced the writings of authors from there. He examines the biographies of about eight different writers in-depth, both Protestant and Catholic and tries to find themes in their writing. Most he found were apolitical, but wrote with a sadness about not feeling totally connected to Northern Ireland. The book is written well as both a literary study and as a study on identity and the influence of a fractured place like Northern Ireland.
September 5, 2023
I really enjoyed this book more than I thought I would it is about northern Ireland poets in those who write literary fiction The book talks about the different counties the rivalries the things most written about and the theme that writers from Ireland cannot avoid from the beginning of poetry, literary books ET see The thing I enjoyed the most was the samples of the books and poetry and the little biography of the author put in I learned about authors I never knew love poems I’ve never heard and found it all so very interesting this is really a great book and anyone who loves literary fiction and or poetry should love this book I certainly do and I certainly did. I want to think the author AnNet Galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review
September 12, 2023
Thank you to Net Galley for a copy of The Stranger’s House by Alexander Poots in exchange for a honest review.This is a well written non-fiction book about Northern Ireland- a country set apart from the Republic trying to find its own voice and identity after years under British rule.As a first generation daughter of a mother born in the republic but still part of Ulster in County Cavan, this story hit home with me.It describes the trouble and violence that became synonymous with the name Northern Ireland but it also describes the rich cultural history that is part of Northern Ireland’s heritage.I particularly loved the poetry included in this book.A must read for lovers of Irish heritage.
October 20, 2023
The Strangers House is a really interesting read - part history lesson about Northern Ireland and events leading up and including "the Troubles" as well as mini biographies about many Irish authors and poets - and I am embarrassed to admit until I read this book, I was only familiar with two of them. Not only did I learn about these authors and their upbringing, Alexander Poots very capably analyzes their writings in the context of their biographies and the importance and meaning of home to each of these authors. I found the writing to be really enjoyable and I have added new authors to my list to read!
Thank you to Netgalley and Twelve Books for an ARC and I left this review voluntarily.
Thank you to Netgalley and Twelve Books for an ARC and I left this review voluntarily.
May 30, 2023
An incredible book that takes the history of Northern Ireland through the best and worst of times.
Alexander Poots has the knack to delve into the most honest and understanding take of accounts and tales with the writers and their stories surrounding the lives of the NI people.
A brilliantly written glimpse at understanding modern NI today through its writers, poets and the people.
Alexander Poots has the knack to delve into the most honest and understanding take of accounts and tales with the writers and their stories surrounding the lives of the NI people.
A brilliantly written glimpse at understanding modern NI today through its writers, poets and the people.
March 30, 2024
Engrossing and entertaining yet tasteful and non-sectarian overview of common threads to be found in Northern Irish writers and poets, from CS Lewis all the way to Anna Burns, through beloved poets like Patrick Kavanagh and Seamus Heaney.
I found a lot of NI authors I want to read now!
I found a lot of NI authors I want to read now!
September 16, 2023
"Artists are the first to call for revolution and the first to be disappointed by it"
October 27, 2023
Enjoyable literary analysis that I will come back to in the future. I'm left much to think about regarding environment and it's relationship with writers.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews