IS SHANE MACGOWAN STILL ALIVE?

Rating:
Summary: pretty good but not stellar
Review: First of all, let me confess I laughed a lot while reading this book; that said, let me add I remember very few details. That tells me it was excellent mind candy. The tale of a briton who goes to Ireland to sell his girlfriend's car, IS SHANE MACGOWAN STILL ALIVE? profiles regional Irish culture and comments on it with a good bit of wit. Like most British wit, there is a bit of contrived, or even forced, humor afoot, and it catches up with him.

Especially touching are his experiences in Donegal and the Southeast (on a sad resort town in Waterford), but his tales are more often than not somewhat hypocritical, in that he is critiquing tourists, even as he is one.

Rating:
Summary: pretty good but not stellar
Review: First of all, let me confess I laughed a lot while reading this book; that said, let me add I remember very few details. That tells me it was excellent mind candy. The tale of a briton who goes to Ireland to sell his girlfriend's car, IS SHANE MACGOWAN STILL ALIVE? profiles regional Irish culture and comments on it with a good bit of wit. Like most British wit, there is a bit of contrived, or even forced, humor afoot, and it catches up with him.

Especially touching are his experiences in Donegal and the Southeast (on a sad resort town in Waterford), but his tales are more often than not somewhat hypocritical, in that he is critiquing tourists, even as he is one.

Rating:
Summary: Not quite what I thought it was
Review: I'd hoped for an entertaining romp through all things Irish. Instead, the book delivered a few random drinking stories. They're well-written and occasionally entertaining, but the book's premise is really just a starting point for a series of meandering adventures.

Rating:
Summary: Rib-ticklingly funny travel literature
Review: I'm a big fan of both Tim Bradford and Ireland, so when me and my wife went on our honeymoon there this book (sectioned, obviously, just next by "Bryson" for some free publicity, as Tim himself points out) was an absolute must.

Bradford has a fantastic way with words which makes the few sections in the book when he drones on a bit entertaining, even if longish.

Under the cover of going to Ireland to sell his girly car for a quick buck, Bradford takes us on a marvellous journey around this fantastic island. The highlight for me was the part on Doolin and "the greatest pub walk in the world". Well, we went to Doolin, took the pub walk as prescribed in the book, and although Ted McCormac was nowhere to be seen, went home both drunk and happy!

The book is full of interesting references to things and sites of interest in Ireland which otherwise might pass the visitor by and as such works very well indeed as an unorthodox travel book. We certainly weren't preparing for a two-day round-trip in the Drogheda area, but having been enlightened by the historical wisdom of Tim we got a fantastic experience out of the Boyne valley with surrounding historic magnificencies, and that's merely one example.

Add that to Bradford's magnificent self irony, sarcasm and talent for witty one-liners, and this book is one to buy. Nice work, Tim!

Rating:
Summary: Rib-ticklingly funny travel literature
Review: I'm a big fan of both Tim Bradford and Ireland, so when me and my wife went on our honeymoon there this book (sectioned, obviously, just next by "Bryson" for some free publicity, as Tim himself points out) was an absolute must.

Bradford has a fantastic way with words which makes the few sections in the book when he drones on a bit entertaining, even if longish.

Under the cover of going to Ireland to sell his girly car for a quick buck, Bradford takes us on a marvellous journey around this fantastic island. The highlight for me was the part on Doolin and "the greatest pub walk in the world". Well, we went to Doolin, took the pub walk as prescribed in the book, and although Ted McCormac was nowhere to be seen, went home both drunk and happy!

The book is full of interesting references to things and sites of interest in Ireland which otherwise might pass the visitor by and as such works very well indeed as an unorthodox travel book. We certainly weren't preparing for a two-day round-trip in the Drogheda area, but having been enlightened by the historical wisdom of Tim we got a fantastic experience out of the Boyne valley with surrounding historic magnificencies, and that's merely one example.

Add that to Bradford's magnificent self irony, sarcasm and talent for witty one-liners, and this book is one to buy. Nice work, Tim!

Rating:
Summary: Hilarious and Warm-Hearted look at Ireland and The Irish
Review: If you love Ireland and the Irish, know who Shane MacGowan is, don't know who Shane MacGowan is (but are curious), enjoy warm, humorous, good-hearted travelogues and don't mind if the author is as daft-as-a-brush, then this is the book for you.

Tim Bradford's travels around Ireland are laugh-out-loud funny - his gift for reporting on the eccentric, the humorous and the just-plain-bizarre is wonderful. Not your typical travel guide (many of his attempts to 'do things' - such as attend plays, visit monuments are often (hilariously) thwarted), but his style and charm are guaranteed to win you over.

If you would like to take an 'alternative' journey into the heart of Ireland and the Irish, via many pubs, music sessions and meetings with altogether wonderful characters - then why not pick up this terrifically enjoyable guide to the Emerald Isle; you won't be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Superbly funny, entertaining and helpful intro to Eire
Review: Me and my wife went to Ireland and took Tim Bradford's excellent and massively funny book with us. As travel books go, Tim's is unorthodox, packed with information while always a funny, bizarre and entertaining read. Thanks to Tim me and the missus, among many other things, went to tiny Doolin on the west coast for the "world's best pub walk" and a wonderful session in a wonderful Irish bar. Never did get to see Ted though!

I've read, re-read and cross-referenced to this book so many times I soon will know it by heart. Bradford writes excellently and in a manner which makes "Is Shane..." a difficult book to put down at all. That, coupled with funny drawings, a view of the world firmly tongue-in-cheek and the most stupid scheme for selling a car ever made makes this book great for entertainment value, very helpful as an introduction to what Ireland and "irishry" is all about and, as was the case for me and my wife, essential if you're planning a tour of Ireland!

Buy it today!

Rating:
Summary: Mildly Amusing
Review: This account of a trip around Ireland never really reaches the heights it should. Although well written the problem is that the writer simply isn't that funny. Two things to remember: 1) this has nothing to do with Shane MacGowan, and 2) I reckon any reasonable writer could turn out this standard fare.