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Article: Northern Irish Literature: The Imprint of History.
- Article from:
- Philological Quarterly
- Article date:
- September 22, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 University of Iowa. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Northern Irish Literature: The Imprint of History by Michael Parker. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007. Volume 1, 1956-1975, pp. xx + 357. Volume 2, 1975-2006, pp. xix + 334. $125 per volume.
In a talk given in 1989, the poet Michael Longley told his Northern Ireland audience: "culturally speaking, we're sitting on a gold mine." (1) This two-volume study digs into the rich literary seams that vein with fine writing Ulster's mother lode of cultural ore. Parker expertly extracts a glittering sample of the Province's poetry, fiction, and drama. However, his intention is not just to display some of the best nuggets from this treasure trove but also to grasp the milieu ...