Has Michael Finn Been in Today?
Project Type: Publication
Genre: Novel (short stories)
Title: Has Michael Finn Been In Today
Author: Bruce Stewart
Cover Design: Helena S
Format: Paperback
Price: £8.99
The Stewart family contacted us to publish this book, written by their father Bruce. They were looking to make a print copy available, in addition to the Kindle version. We worked together to produce a final edit, mindful of the fact that Bruce is now deceased, and that making too many changes would not be appropriate, but that some of the language may no longer chime in quite the same way as when the book was originally written. Editorial decisions were discussed between the Stewart siblings (one of whom has published her poetry with us) before the final edit was agreed. It was a pleasure working on the book, and with the family.
In a series of seven short stories - some comic, some poignant, some deeply thoughtful, the screenwriter & actor Bruce Stewart looks back on his eighty years of life as an emigrant Irish-Catholic, journeying across the world as part of the Irish ‘diaspora’.
His stories examine how both Catholicism & the Irish Emigrant differ all over the globe – and how the post-war twentieth century brought profound change to what it meant to be Irish-and-Catholic.
Above all, these stories reflect the humanity of those who struggle to make sense of their and the world’s changing beliefs – and who sometimes, when no sense can be found, must just simply stop and laugh at it all…
This beautifully readable and very amusing book is semi-autobiographical I think and is created as a number of different stories and experiences set over five decades. I loved the stories about the grumpy priest who was more charitable to the homeless than to his own parishioners, and the Irish funeral in the snow where the coffin-bearers get lost, which was hilarious... The story of the Maori soldier who lost his girl to war was sad though. All in all, very readable – and recommended!
Marie (via goodreads.com)