Are You Somebody?

De: Nuala O' Faolain

Narrado por: Nuala O'Faolain

Born one of nine children into a penniless North Dublin family, Nuala O'Faolain was saved from a harrowing childhood by her love of books and reading. Pushing constantly at the boundaries of Ireland's confining Catholic culture, she became one of the country's most visible and respected columnists. When she was asked to write a 500-word introduction to a collection of her best-known political columns, that "introduction" grew to nearly 200 pages, evolving as a startlingly candid memoir that chronicled many of the abuses of Irish society, and tore at the emotional fabric of her homeland.

As she entered middle age alone, O'Faolain's professional success did little to ease her longing for a deep connection to the world - for a lover, for a child, for a country that, as she says, only upholds that role for a woman. In this extraordinary work, she has distilled her life experiences into a wisdom that springs from her obstinate refusal to shrink from life. She tells her story beautifully, with great heart and a Celtic touch for poetic emotion and insight - providing an exhilarating example of courage, honesty, and bold living.

©1996 by Nuala O'Faolain (P)1999 by Dan Barrett

Reseñas de la Crítica

"You don't want the book to end." (Frank McCourt, author of Angela's Ashes)
"This book has to be read." (Zöe Heller, The New York Times Book Review)

Wonderful & heartfelt

I loved this story - having lived in Ireland in the late 1960s, so much of the descriptions of the family were familiar to me, the mother at home with too many children, no opportunity, then the drinking, tragic - yet Nuala’s coming to understand herself & accepting who she was (yes, a success by any measure) & yet longing for something she never got….beautifully narrated in her voice

Shared Through Haunting, Lovely Prose

’I was born in a Dublin that was much more like something from an earlier century than like the present day. I was one of nine children, when nine was not even thought of as a big family, among the teeming, penniless, anonymous Irish of the day. I was typical: a nobody, who came of an unrecorded line of nobodies. In a conservative Catholic country, which feared sexuality and forbade me even information about my body, I could expect difficulty in getting through my life as a girl and a woman. But at least--it would have been assumed--I wouldn’t have the burden of having to earn a good wage. Eventually some man would marry me and keep me.’

O’Faolain was a journalist for the Irish Times, and this memoir was born in a roundabout way, sitting down to write an introduction to a collection of her columns. I can only imagine that in revisiting some of her work she felt the need to offer a more expanded view of her life, her family, her love of the written word, as well as some of the men she shared parts of her life with.

Sharing the story of her life, from her younger years, with one younger sibling and seven older ones, there’s a lot that seems to echo other Irish memoirs. Her father was a journalist, a man who spent as much of his time away from home and family as he possibly could, leaving her mother to shoulder the responsibility of raising them. Her mother spent much of her time in a book or a bottle, or both and they seemed to raise themselves, or each other. As she entered her teen years, she was sent to a convent school, which proved to be, for her, a welcome refuge from home. But this is not a story of neglect, she never seems to feel that her parents did less than they were capable of, they each had their own reasons, their own ghosts to deal with, as does she. In some ways, as this is an era where women are just beginning to have a voice, she views that her voice is heard because the other, ’hitherto silent voices...were just on the brink of speaking out. I was just slightly ahead.’

Listening to this was captivating, she held me as if under a spell, her voice soothing, and her story mesmerizing, her acceptance of things recognized, perhaps, as not ideal. An unflinchingly honest sharing of her life, and her love of this experience of life despite the limitations. Without resentment. Her narration held an air of wistfulness, and yet embraced the moments of love and loveliness that make life worth living. While there are moments which are heartbreaking - because life tends to be that way - overall this is a memoir of a life well lived, and lived on her terms. Lived with a passion for life, despite the sadness, and shared through some lovely, haunting prose that made my heart sing.

love her

Would you listen to Are You Somebody? again? Why?

Yes, I've listened once and read it once - I love her books, she's my favorite author. My Dream of You is the best, but this one's great too

What did you like best about this story?

She has this gift of being and to make everything so real but so beautiful that you would give anything to experience it with her, to touch what she touches, live in her world.

Have you listened to any of Nuala O'Faolain’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes - she does a great job always, but the quality of the sound was not very good - I had to turn it up really far to understand (not her fault, sounds like a badly transferred recording)

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

For the most part - not as much as My Dream of You

Any additional comments?

Sound quality in the recording needs work

Beautiful sadness

It’s not a cheery book . She expresses really beautiful words the yearnings and sadness that so many experience. She Told the story of parents who, Like all parents,hold the great responsibility of making their children feel loved while dealing with their own Shortcomings

Finding Yourself

I loved this book, I found myself routing for the author throughout. What a lovely person she is...

Shot to heart

I truly enjoyed this book being read by the author Nuala. It felt authentic, sincere and truly heartfelt. Like so many other readers that reacted to her all over the world and in Ireland, she really touched how I felt too. I’m grateful I heard about this book from another wonderful author, Ms Bell Hooks in her book “All About Love.”
I really loved the transitions between chapters, it added a pensiveness to help you feel the emotion of the whole experience…

I’m confused

When I listen to it on audible I also have The book in front of me. The book seems to have more writing and I keep losing my place because of it. This audiobook is missing pages out of the book. I would at least like an explanation why and for it to be advised in the description. This is so upsetting.