The Great Recoil: Politics after Populism and Pandemic
In this insightful, thought-provoking and ultimately hopeful book, Italian sociologist and political theorist Paulo Gerbaudo argues that the devastating recession which followed the 2008 financial crash and the more recent Coronavirus pandemic have led to The Great Recoil.
Here are some of the most popular titles borrowed by you in 2022, our book-loving Dublin City library members. It’s great to see the One Dublin One Book choice, the Dublin Literary Award winner and some short-listed titles making the list. And always great to see Irish writers featuring so strongly as well.
Bog bodies suffered violent and grisly deaths. Of these bodies, the most famous, Cashel Man was discovered near Portlaoise in 2011, and at over 4000 years old, is said to be the oldest European bog body ever found with skin intact; then there is Old Croghan Man from Co. Offaly, and Clonycavan Man from Co. Meath. At 6’6", Old Croghan Man, who was killed between 362 BC and 175 BC, was a giant of a man. He bore the appearance of a nobleman from his well-manicured soft hands to his diet, rich in meat. Clonycavan Man was little more than 5 ft and used pine resin to keep his hair in place, probably sourced from Spain (a precursor to hair gel!) and demonstrates that he was a person of some wealth and standing in the community.Photo on the left shows the bog body found in Cashel Bog. Old Croghan man had holes cut through his upper arms through which ropes were inserted to restrain him, after which he was repeatedly stabbed, had his nipples sliced off, and was then cut in half. Clonycavan man was disemboweled and suffered three blows to the head with an axe, once across his body, and then had his nipples removed too. Ned Kelly, former keeper of antiquities at the National Museum of Ireland told the Irish Examiner that a clear pattern has emerged in each case. "We do not think of these bog bodies in the same way as we do axes or implements that are found," he said."You have to remember that these are individuals and it is absolutely essential to deal with their remains in a dignified manner. There would be no justification for taking these bodies unless we do so with respect and with the serious intent to tell their stories on their behalf.""Human sacrifice was apparently a normal part of the Celtic rituals, especially of kings in hard times. The killings tend to be excessive in that more is done to the bodies than would be required to bring about their deaths. Bog bodies may have their throats cut, been stabbed in the heart and have other cut marks. However, it is absolutely not torture, but a form of ritual sacrifice.""The king had great power but also great responsibility to ensure the prosperity of his people. Through his marriage on his inauguration to the goddess of the land, he was meant to guarantee her benevolence. He had to ensure the land was productive, so if the weather turned bad, or there was plague, cattle disease or losses in war, he was held personally responsible."Cutting the nipples was more than torture. The aim was to dethrone the king. "Sucking a king’s nipples was a gesture of submission in ancient Ireland," says Kelly. "Cutting them would have made him incapable of kingship in this world or the next.""By using a range of methods to kill the victim, the ancient Irish sacrificed to the goddess in all her forms. This manner of death is peculiar to the ritual killing of kings. It means that a king was being decommissioned."
Welcome to the third entry in our blog series 'Lost in the Stacks' - recommendations by Dublin City Libraries staff exploring overlooked gems and helping you find your next read!Our entry today comes from one of our wonderful librarians, Jessica, and looks at some of the best essay collections in our libraries!Essay CollectionsIs there a greater joy than settling comfortably with a beverage of your choice and reading a well-crafted essay?There is a particular form of literary alchemy that takes place in the best essays - the fusion of the personal with social commentary combined with a stylistic elegance. Often offering a unique perspective on a cultural moment or a brief window into another world, a good essay has a habit of staying with you long after the pages have turned and the book is closed.Here is a selection of the very best essay collections for you to enjoy. If you'd like to borrow any of the books discussed below, simply click on the book cover or title to be taken to the reserves page, where you'll need your library card and PIN to request the book.1. Pulphead: dispatches from the other side of America by John Jeremiah SullivanPulphead is a fascinating collection of essays exploring pop culture and subcultures of American life fused with memoir and aspects from the writer’s own life. Written with a gentle wit and probing intelligence, it is hard to resist reading the entire collection in one go.2. Changing my mind: occasional essays by Zadie SmithThis is a fabulous collection of Zadie Smith’s book reviews, film reviews and non-fiction prose. Witty, honest and refreshing, it is a pleasure to dip in and out of.3. Naked by David SedarisDavid Sedaris has cornered the market in humorous memoir based essays. The stories here are sardonic, wry and darkly hilarious with a touch of pathos and just the right amount of hindsight and self-knowledge to balance the comic absurdity.4. Men explain things to me by Rebecca SolnitThe title essay of this book has gained iconic status since it was published but each of the essays in this book are powerful reminders of why we need feminism. Essential reading.5. This is the story of a happy marriage by Ann PatchettAnn Patchett is best known as a novelist but this book collects her earlier non-fiction articles. This is a fabulous collection of personal essays and memoir pieces that explore key moments in her life. Her writing is warm, engaging, and shining through with humour and kindness.
Dublin Festival of History returns for it's sixth year and takes place from the 24th September to 7th October. This year will see over 140 events across the city, with talks, walks, tours and exhibitions on a wide range of topics, including the historical impact of gaming, former slave and abolitionist Frederick Douglass’ time spent in Ireland, a queer history of Kilmainham Gaol, an evening of conversation and music with Christy Dignam, as well as numerous events marking 100 years of Irish women’s suffrage. All events are free.The Festival will culminate with a ‘Big Weekend’ series of talks at City Hall and the Printworks, Dublin Castle, taking place from Friday 5th to Sunday 7th October featuring many best-selling historians. Michael Palin will bring to life the history of the ship HMS Erebus, Anne Applebaum will discuss Stalin’s war on the Ukraine in the 1930s, while Helen Rappaport will shed new light on the murder of the Russian Imperial Family after the Bolshevik Revolution, 100 years after their death.Commenting on the launch of the full programme of events, Brendan Teeling, Dublin City Librarian, said: “The Dublin Festival of History has been growing year-on-year since we started in 2013 and we’re delighted to launch an expanded and diverse programme of events for this year’s Festival, all completely free of charge. We’re immensely proud of the diversity of topics, and we’re also really pleased that once again the Festival has achieved gender balance, in fact we have a majority of female speakers on our line-up this year. “History isn’t just for academics – whether you have an interest in fashion, gaming, GAA, maps or want to know more about the first wave of Irish feminism – we’ll have an event for you. We’d encourage everyone to check out our programme, come along to an event and learn something new.”If you have an interest in history you can’t miss this Festival and remember, all events are free!The Dublin Festival of History is brought to you by Dublin City Council and is organised by Dublin City Public Libraries.View the full programme at dublinfestivalofhistory.ie | Library-based Events | Dublin Festival of History programme (PDF, 6.32MB)
As 2018 marks the centenary of the end of the First World War, Rathmines Library will host a book display called Witnesses to War throughout the month of March. This will include both fiction and non fiction works. These titles include personal accounts that document the callousness, cruelty and tragedy of war while others demonstrate how the experience of war continues to inform a writer’s work long after a war has ended.Two of our chosen authors, Irene Nemirovsky and Anne Frank did not survive the wars they witnessed. Their accounts demand our attention and demonstrate the enduring power of the human imagination and spirit over the bleak realities, and sense of hopelessness that accompanies war.Others including Ernest Hemingway, J.R.R. Tolkien and George Orwell allowed their experiences to permeate their words to create classic works that are just as relevant today as they were when they were first published. We have also selected a number of authors from more recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan who have recorded their experiences by writing gripping memoirs.All our selected authors bore witness to war, and their work leaves a lasting legacy, often serving as a warning, but also enriching and giving hope to all in these increasingly fractured times.
Digital Leaders asked leaders from across enterprise, government, charities and academia and former winners of their Digital100 Award to recommend their top summer reads. It makes for an interesting and refreshing summer reading list, as not everyone likes to switch off with the latest light fiction or beach read. It will suit those of you who like to keep your brain engaged even while relaxing by the pool. Dip into these books and you're sure to be inspired and informed when you return to your desk.Most of these books are available in our libraries and some can be downloaded as ebooks from BorrowBox. Check our catalogue to borrow or reserve one of the Digital Leaders summer reads: Writing on the Wall: Social Media - the first 2,000 years by Tom StandageThe Future of the Professions by Richard E. Susskind, Daniel SusskindFreedom's Forge by Arthur HermanThe Second Machine Age by Erik Brynjolfsson & Andrew McAfeeMaverick! by Richard SemlerAgile IT Organisation Design by Sriram NarayanBlack Box Thinking by Matthew SayedTribes by Seth GodinDigitizing Government: Understanding and Implementing new digital business models by Alan Brown, Jerry Fishenden & Mark ThompsonPeers Inc by Robin ChaseLeading by Alex Ferguson with Michael MoritzMore Human: Designing a world where people come first by Steve Hilton. More Human eBookThe Sleep Revolution by Arianna HuffingtonReinventing Organizations by Frederic LalouxThe Engaged Leader by Charlene LiThe Chimp Paradox: The Acclaimed Mind Management Programme to Help You by Dr Steve Peters. The Chimp Paradox eBookDigital to the Core by Mark Raskino and Graham WallerLean In by Cherly Sandberg. Lean In eBookCorporations Don't Tweet, People Do by Euan SempleThe Industries of the Future by Alec Ross. The Industries of the Future eBookThe Business of Sharing by Alex StephanyAbout Digital LeadersDigital Leaders is an online community promoting digital know-how, thought leadership and the sharing of best practice in Digital Transformation. See more at digileaders.com and Digital Leaders Summer Reads. e more at digileaders.com: Digital Leaders Summer Reads http://digileaders.com/digital-leaders-summer-reads/
The Battle of the Somme was the largest and bloodiest battle fought on the Western Front during World War I. It was fought between 1 July and 18 November 1916 and left more than 1 million men wounded or killed on both sides, including 3,500 Irish men (read some of their stories as recorded in the RDFA Archive). In our minds, the Somme signifies the horror of war especially the inexorable hardship, suffering and futility of trench warfare.Image: Detail from DCLA/RDFA1.09.047A "War 1914-15-16... in the Somme French Offensive Relieving the trenches at Dompierre" (see larger image).If you would like to read about the Battle of the Somme we have compiled this short reading list. The Somme Stations. Novel by Andrew Martin. Detective Sergeant Jim Stringer who joined the North Eastern Railway Battalion at the start of the war, now finds himself at the front during the Battle of the Somme. Jim and his fellow soldiers are responsible for operating important trains carrying munitions.Birdsong. Novel by Sebastian Faulks. Account of the first day of the battle. See also Philip Martin's TV adaptation of Birdsong starring Eddie RedmayneObserve the sons of Ulster marching towards the Somme. Play by Frank McGuinness.Harry Clarke's War: Illustrations 1914-1918 by Marguerite Helmers. Examines Harry Clarke’s beautiful engravings, of great historical significance, for Ireland’s Memorial Records – the Roll of Honour of Ireland’s First World War Dead. (The Roll of Honour can be accessed via Findmypast, a family history database, available in the Reading Room)The Face of Battle by John Keegan. Detailed analysis of the Battle of the Somme from renowned military historian John KeeganFather Browne's First World War by E.E. O'Donnell. Photographs by Irish Jesuit and prolific photographer Francis Browne. Browne was chaplain to the Irish Guards from 1916 - 1920, serving at the Battle of the Somme and at Locre, Wytschaete, Messines Ridge, Paschendaele, Ypres, Amiens and Arras in Flanders.The Road to the Somme: Men of the Ulster Division tell their story by Philip OrrAn Illustrated Introduction to the Somme 1916 by Robert ParkerThe First Day on the Somme by Martin MiddlebrookBelfast Boys: How Unionists and Nationalists fought and died together in the First World War by Richard Grayson. The story of men from either side of West Belfast’s sectarian divide who went to fight in the Great War, including the volunteers of the 36th and 16th divisions who fought on the Somme. Listen to Richard Grayson's 'Belfast Boys' talk from Festival of History 2015.We have many more books on the subject of the Somme available.The Central Library book display for July is 'Ireland - The Great War - The Somme'.
Fiona from Dog's Trust brought her friend Jake the dog to Pearse Street Library on Wednesday, 8th July 2015, where she (Fiona that is, not Jake!) showed the children all they needed to know about looking after a pet.Fiona and Jake are also appearing in Ballymun, Phibsboro', Pembroke, Pearse Street and Raheny during the same week. Check our Events' Listing for details.Above: Jake got a little tired from all the effort at Pearse Street Library. Bless him!We have a wide ranging selection of books and other material on pet care, just some of which you can see in the photo below taken from a recent display in Pearse Street Library. Jake insisted the following list of just some of the titles you can borrow have a heavy emphasis on dogs, his favourite subject (!) (with links to the catalogue):Cats and DogsOwning a Pet DogHow to Look after Your Pet DogLucy the Dog100 Facts on Dogs and PuppiesMy Pet PuppySmall Pet CareYour Ultimate Pet Guide(Click image above to see larger version)
