“Thirty-Two Words for Field: Lost Words of the Irish Landscape” by Manchán Magan is the September selection for IrishCentral’s Book Club.
Each month, we will pick a new Irish book or a great book by an Irish author and celebrate the amazing ability of the Irish to tell a good story for IrishCentral's Book Club.
Throughout September, we'll be reading “Thirty-Two Words for Field: Lost Words of the Irish Landscape” by Irish author Manchán Magan.
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Synopsis of “Thirty-Two Words for Field: Lost Words of the Irish Landscape” by Manchán Magan:
The Irish language has thirty-two words for field. Among them are:
Geamhar – a field of corn-grass
Tuar – a field for cattle at night
Réidhleán – a field for games or dancing
Cathairín – a field with a fairy-dwelling in it
The richness of a language closely tied to the natural landscape offered our ancestors a more magical way of seeing the world. Before we cast old words aside, let us consider the sublime beauty and profound oddness of the ancient tongue that has been spoken on this island for almost 3,000 years.
In "Thirty-Two Words for Field," Manchán Magan meditates on these words – and the nuances of a way of life that is disappearing with them.
(Synopsis courtesy of Gill Books.)
My first book in over a decade launches on 4th Sept. It's called "Thirty-Two Words for Field", an exploration of the insights the Irish language gives into the landscape, the culture & pysche of Ireland. Pre-order at https://t.co/25jSFknUFC #GillBooksAW20 pic.twitter.com/ILf1FfqM67
— Manchán Magan (@ManchanMagan) August 7, 2020
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Reviews for “Thirty-Two Words for Field: Lost Words of the Irish Landscape”
"A rip-roaring, archaeological and anthropological exploration of the lyricism, mystery and oddities of the Irish language, and the layers of ancient knowledge encoded within." - Jennifer O'Connell, The Irish Times
Just gorgeous. pic.twitter.com/BH0L0mm1wg
— The Irish For 🕯️💀🕯️ (@theirishfor) August 20, 2020
About Manchán Magan
Manchán Magan is a writer and documentary-maker. In English, he has written "Angels and Rabies - a journey through the Americas," "TRUCK FEVER - a journey through Africa," "Manchán's Travels - a journey through India," and "Oddballs: a novel of Affections," while in Irish, he has written "Manchán ar Seachrán," "Baba-ji agus TnaG, Seachrán san India," and "Bí i nGrá."
He writes occasionally for The Irish Times, reports on travel for various radio programmes, and has presented dozens of documentaries on issues of world culture for TG4, RTÉ & Travel Channel. Magan hosts "The Almanac of Ireland," a podcast for RTÉ Radio, which you can listen to here.
You can learn more about Magan on his website, Facebook, and Twitter.
"Thirty-Two Words for Field" is available from Dubray Books and Amazon.
Read More: IrishCentral’s Book of the Month: "The Weight of Love" by Hilary Fannin
Looking for Irish book recommendations or to meet with others who share your love for Irish literature? Join IrishCentral’s Book Club on Facebook and enjoy our book-loving community.
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