The YourShelf Podcast
#11 Prose Book of the Year 2020 with Doireann Ní Ghríofa
Episode Summary
In episode eleven, YourShelf's chief curator Juliano Zaffino (Jay) catches up over Zoom with Doireann Ní Ghríofa, author of the YourShelf Prose Book of the Year 2020, to discuss her mesmerising, genre-defying book A Ghost In The Throat, as well as recapping some of the best books of 2020.
Episode Notes
To support our work and listen to additional content from previous episodes, see here: https://patreon.com/yourshelf and follow us on social media @_yourshelf_ (note: there is no Patreon episode for either of our Books of the Year 2020 episodes). In our latest, eleventh episode of The YourShelf Podcast, Prose Book of the Year 2020, our chief curator Juliano Zaffino (Jay) catches up with Doireann Ní Ghríofa to discuss Doireann's book A Ghost In The Throat, the life of Eibhlín Dubh Ní Chonaill, Dubh's poem Caoineadh Airt Uí Laoghaire which survives in the Irish oral tradition, motherhood, voices, astonishment, Doireann's forthcoming bilingual collection of poetry (due spring 2021), and a recap of the best books of 2020. For full show notes, see here: https://podcast.yourshelf.uk/episodes/11. Thanks for listening.
Links
Episode Notes
- Jay asks Doireann about the books that made her, what her bookshelves look like, and what book she'd send backwards in time if she could. (from 0:01)
- Doireann explains the origins of her book A Ghost In The Throat, her poetry work including (in English) Clasp and Lies (a bilingual publication), the life and work of Eibhlín Dubh Ní Chonaill, astonishment, engineering the breath in the white space on the page, and more. (from 11:40)
- Doireann recaps her favourite books and TV shows of 2020, recommends some titles for 2021, and muses on what's next from her. (from 54:20)
- Doireann gives a special reading of a passage from A Ghost In The Throat. (from 1:12:23)
- The books and authors discussed in this episode include: the work of Edmund Lenihan, the artist Dorothy Cross' Montenotte, Tramp Press' 'Recovered Voices' series, Lucy Ellmann’s Ducks, Newburyport, Max Porter's Grief Is The Thing With Feathers, and Han Kang's The White Book.
- Doireann's 2020 highlights include Sara Baume’s handiwork, Celia Paul’s Self-Portrait, Ella Frears’ Shine, Darling, Seán Hewitt’s Tongues of Fire, Mark O’Connell’s Notes from an Apocalypse, and Janet Malcolm's The Silent Woman: Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes. Aside from books, Doireann also recommends repeatedly rewatching the 2017 film The Meyerowitz Stories, and the 2020 TV series The Queen's Gambit and Ratched.
- Doireann's most anticipated releases of 2021 include Megan Nolan’s Acts of Desperation and Kerri Ní Dochartaigh’s Thin Places.
- Doireann's book A Ghost In The Throat is available now from Tramp Press. Her poetry collections Clasp and Lies are available now from Dedalus Press. Her next collection is forthcoming in Spring 2021.
- Thanks for listening and tune in again soon for new episodes embracing all the books 2021 has to offer.