Philip Ó Ceallaigh

SEPTEMBER 7, 2021 JÓZEF CZAPSKI was a reserve officer in the Polish army when German and Soviet forces invaded his country in September 1939. His unit surrendered to the Soviets toward the end of that month. In “Memories of Starobielsk,” the 40-page essay that gives this collection its title, Czapski tells how he and his comrades were deceived by the promise that they would be sent through neutral territory to France, from where they could continue the fight against the Germans.

He bought the tickets and descended the marble stairway with his daughter. She was two years old and had to hang from his hand taking each of the big steps. She swung down with her right foot first, then with her left to the same level, over and over, until they reached the basement floor. Now they were underwater. Sharks and sturgeon and stingrays and carp and pike freeze-framed behind diorama glass. Something like sunlight flickered down through dark waves.

Posted 2 hours ago by Cathy746books With Reading Ireland Month just around the corner, I thought I would take part in Karen and Liz’ brilliant Reading Independent Publisher’s Month initiative by celebrating my favourite independent Irish publishers! NO ALIBIS PRESS No Alibis Press is relatively new to the Irish publishing scene, but David Torrens and his team have over twenty years of book-selling experience as the brilliant No Alibis Bookstore! Since their launch in 2018, No Alibis Press has...