Down by the river by edna obrien book cover, description, publication history. Expatriate irish writer o brien house of splendid isolation, 1994, etc. Down by the river by edna obrien fantastic fiction. Down by the river is loosely based on an incident that occurred in 1992 involving a fourteenyearold girl, pregnant, it was thought, as the result of. This critical work fills a gap of nearly thirty years, when the first book about edna obrien and her work was published.
A novel, of course, is not a howto book for legislators or a manual of moral etiquette. Not to my parents, not to my brother or sister, not even to my wife. Obriens prolific writing is a fertile land to explore. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. A river, he wouldve said, this slow flat muddy river. In 2010, the cashstrapped state announced that it would be closing the parks, but the. Obrien does a fine job capturing the horrors of incest as well as the ramifications of a closedminded society upon the victim. Girl with green eyes by edna obrien books hachette. Acclaimed novelist and poet edna obrien reads an original poem about the inauguration, watching obama.
Josephine edna obrien, dbe born 15 december 1930 is an irish novelist, memoirist, playwright, poet and short story writer. Farther down the waterfront is the quartermaster depot, where the riverboats used to unload. Just some borrowed gear from discovery unlimited, the outdoor education program jessie and her new companions have just ditched. Down by the river, though written in 1996, is relevant in todays political climate where government and religious forces wage war on womens bodies. The case several years ago of an irish girl who was barred by judicial decree from leaving the country to procure an abortion was bound to work its way into fiction, and obrien was probably the. A controversial novel which challenges the moral standing of the roman catholic church in ireland down by the river begins, deceptively, in an idyllic rur. Country girl edna obrien on a lifetime of lit, loneliness and love the irish writer scandalized audiences with her 1960 novel, the country girls. Speaking of courage the war was over and there was no place in particular to go. Expatriate irish writer obrien house of splendid isolation, 1994, etc. Edna obrien novels, short stories, memoir 23 books. View a descriptive list of the edna obrien paperspdf899 kb. Rosaries aru ovaries, i dont know which does the most damage to this countryl. Down river puts readers in the mind of topics explored by thomas wolfe, tennessee williams and william faulkner, with a contemporary vision and edge that is memorable and haunting.
She is also an honorary member of the american academy of letters. Ireland as aspace of compulsory motherhood in edna obriens. She wrote her new novel, girl, which is about a nigerian teenager, on loose sheets of paper, in a corner of her. Josephine edna obrien was born in 1930 to farmer michael obrien and lena cleary at tuamgraney, county clare, ireland, a place she would later describe as fervid and enclosed.
Last month novelist edna obrien was elected a saoi in her native ireland, alongside william trevor. Edna obrien is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers writes of feminist issues without flinching away from violence, in dark, turbulent prose juxtaposed by settings in pastoral ireland. Philip roth described her as the most gifted woman now writing in english, while a former president of ireland, mary robinson, cited her as one of the great creative writers of her generation obriens works often revolve around the inner feelings of women. Set in her native ireland, edna obriens newest novel explores t. A classic title in edna obriens country girls trilogy the second volume. On the rainy river tim obrien was born in 1946 in austin, minnesota, to an insurance salesman and an elementary school teacher. Edna obrien was born in tuamgraney, co clare to michael obrien and lena o. Edna obrien on her novel, down by the river see more irish writers in america on cuny tv. Buy a cheap copy of down by the river book by edna obrien. Buy down by the river by obrien, edna from amazons fiction books store. Edna obrien, irish novelist, shortstory writer, and screenwriter whose work has been noted for its portrayals of women, evocative description, and sexual candor. Her 1997 novel down by the river shows us a father raping a daughter.
Down by the river by edna obrien, 9781857998733, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. The novel depicts the response of a local community the a girl, mary, abuse by her father being. Down by the river is a 1997 novel by irish novelist edna obrien. Edna obrien s dark look at the motherdaughter bond. Irish writer edna obrien revisits this embattled territory in her novel down by the river, a bleak, uncompromising chronicle of poverty, unwanted pregnancy, and despair. Down by the river is loosely based on an incident that occurred in 1992 involving a fourteenyearold girl, pregnant, it was thought, as the result of rape. Silenceiswhatallowsindividualstofocusontheirinternalratherthantheexternal. Greenwoods book about edna obrien belongs to the new series of northcote house in collaboration with the british council called irish writers and their work. Edna obrien is still writing about women on the run the. Before the settlers were the sioux, and before the sioux were the vast open prairies, and. Like the works of her predecessors james joyce and frank oconnor, some of her books were banned in ireland. Irish writer edna obrien revisits this embattled territory in her novel down by the river, a bleak, uncompromising chronicle of poverty, unwanted pregnancy, and. Obriens mother country, and mothers, as we know, are often. Edna obrien born in 1930 is an irish novelist, memoirist, playwright, poet and short story writer.
Obriens fictional tale of mary macnamara reflects a number of notorious cases in recent irish history, amply debated in the irish press. Out in the country things get very murky, says mary, the protagonist of down by the river, edna obriens forlorn, unsparing and consciously exquisite novel of rural despair. The country girls trilogy and epilogue by edna obrien. Jessie and the others are having the time of their lives floating beneath sheer red walls, exploring unknown caves and dangerous waterfalls, and plunging through the grand canyons roaring rapids.
Edna obriens most recent books are the novel the light of evening 2006 and byron in love 2009. The ensuing legal battle in a country which bans abortions. Reviews of down by the river are some of the best of obriens distinguished career. Irish writers in america edna obrien down by the river. The family lived at drewsborough also drewsboro, a large twostorey house, which her mother kept in semigrandeur. The case several years ago of an irish girl who was barred by judicial decree from leaving the country to procure an abortion was bound to work its way into fiction, and o brien was probably the likeliest to. By 1996 and down by the river, obriens suggestion that the literary father has. Down by the river 1996 was inspired by the miss x case, in which an underage rape victim sought an abortion in england, and in the forest 2002 by the case of brendan odonnell, a disturbed. Michael obrien, whose family had seen wealthier times as landowners, had. View a descriptive list of the edna obrien papers pdf 899 kb. Edna obrien, the irish writer of novels and short stories, doesnt type.
To go into it, ive always thought, would only cause embarrassment for all of us, a sudden need to be elsewhere, which is the natural response to a confession. From eccentric joannas boarding house, predatory baba roams dublin looking for men to give her a good time and dragging with her a reluctant cait, worrying about her figure and wanting to talk about books. Click to read more about down by the river by edna obrien. Mary, the protagonist of down by the river, edna obriens forlorn. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. Obriens previous novel, the house of splendid isolation, is now in its 7th printing in plume. Philip roth considers her the most gifted woman now writing in english, while former president of ireland mary robinson regards her as one of the great creative writers of her generation. Edna obrien is the internationallyacclaimed author of 18 books including down by the river, the house of splendid isolation, mother ireland, the country girls trilogy, and a fanatic heart all available from plume. A few years ago, ireland was forced to confront its conscience when a 14yearold girl, the purported victim of rape, sought an abortion in england. On the rainy river this is one story ive never told before. Hart is a deep and strong talent whose future offerings will be greatly anticipated and welcomed.
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