Six Brilliant Books by Irish Authors You Need to Read

One of the many things I love about books is finding patterns in my reading! For example, this year I’ve read a lot of Argentinian lit without setting out to. I read The Henna Wars by Irish-Bangladeshi author Adiba Jaigirdar recently and I loved it. It made me want to scour my shelves for other books by Irish authors I’ve read – and lo and behold they were all brilliant!

I put together a little list of some books by Irish authors I’ve read that you might not have read yet (okay, except for one which you definitely have). There are some heavy-hitters I haven’t included because I’m sure if you haven’t read Dracula or The Picture of Dorian Grey by now, you either have it on your TBR already or aren’t interested!

So let’s dive into some fabulous books by Irish authors that you definitely need to check out!

Disclosure: titles with an asterisk* were gifted by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I’m an affiliate for Blackwell’s, so this post contains affiliate links to their site. If you buy a book via my links, I’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you – thank you!

1. Don’t Touch My Hair by Emma Dabiri

Don’t Touch My Hair by Irish-Nigerian author Emma Dabiri is an excellent non-fiction to add to your TBR. Dabiri weaves together history, politics, philosophy and structural racism together with her own personal story of growing up in Ireland. She grew up at a time when there wasn’t really a visible Black community in Ireland, so she struggled to care for her hair properly due to the lack of products and salons available.

This book is so full of fascinating and oftentimes frustrating facts. Like how essential mathematical calculations originated in ancient Africa, but modern euro-centric history glosses over this fact because it doesn’t fit the ‘primitive’ narrative of the continent. Or how the modern-day ‘grind’ has robbed Black women of the time they need to do their hair. These days, if you’re not working 24/7, then whatever else you’re doing is irrelevant. Whereas in the past, taking the time to do your hair properly was seen as a social time that Black people could take joy in.

I listened to the audiobook which Dabiri narrates herself. While it’s a great audiobook, some of the history she delves into is quite complex and I wished I had a physical copy to take notes from. Just something to keep in mind! Also this book is called Twisted in America, if any Americans are struggling to find it!

Buy Don’t Touch My Hair from Blackwell’s

2. The Woman Who Walked into Doors by Roddy Doyle

I put off reading Roddy Doyle for years, despite seeing his books almost every time I went charity shopping. For some reason (this is embarrassing, okay, don’t laugh at me), whenever I saw Roddy Doyle on a spine, I immediately thought of the Two Ronnies. And somehow, I had it in my head they were all related and I wouldn’t be interested in Doyle’s work… ahem.

It took me until last year and a great review from @aseriesofunreadbooks to realise that, actually, I might like his work. I read The Woman Who Walked into Doors and it was brilliant. I often feel hesitant about male authors writing women – many of them haven’t realised that we don’t spend all day thinking about the way our nipples feel or look under our shirts. But thankfully Roddy Doyle does not fall into this category.

Paula Spencer is a sarcastic, funny, foul-mouthed woman with a tragic story. You can probably intuit from the title what the book is about. Proceed carefully if you’re sensitive to domestic abuse. It’s set in Dublin during the 60s and 70s, and Doyle paints a grim picture of working-class life in Ireland. But despite the violence and despair, Paula’s sense of humour despite everything offers the book a slight lift.

I still need to read Paula Spencer, but I’m sure it will be just as brilliant!

Buy The Woman Who Walked into Doors at Blackwell’s

3. The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

If you’re feeling gloomy at the state of the world, this adorable sapphic YA romcom will put a smile on your face! As well as cuteness, Jaigirdar also delivers some real talk about issues such as cultural appropriation and homophobia.

16-year-old Nishat has just come out to her parents. But rather than welcoming their daughters news, her parents cannot accept it. Muslim girls aren’t supposed to be lesbians. Meanwhile, at school, Nishat has other problems. For a school business competition, Nishat starts a henna business, passionate about her designs and keen on developing her already brilliant skills. But Flávia, a girl Nishat can’t keep off her mind, has also started a henna business, appropriating Nishat’s culture for her own.

I loved that Nishat and Flávia’s relationship wasn’t picture-perfect. It wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies, but they talked to each other about issues and their relationship was stronger for it. I also adored the dynamic between Nishat and her little sister Priti! Jaigirdar really nails the love-to-hate-and-back-to-love-again sisterly bond!

If you want the bookish equivalent of a Netflix Original romcom, with a perfect blend of fluffy and serious, then this is your book!

Buy The Henna Wars at Blackwell’s

4. When All Is Said* by Anne Griffin

I know we probably all spend too much time crying these days, but if you want a cathartic cry not brought on by the news, then try this one! I’m always a sucker for a crotchety elderly character who’s a softie at heart. 84-year-old Maurice is the epitome of that character.

Throughout this book, Maurice raises five different toasts to five important people from his life. Through these speeches, we get to see all the different sides to Maurice. It reminds you that people are more than what they might seem on the surface. Just because someone keeps their emotions close to their chest, doesn’t mean they don’t care.

Maurice’s toasts to his son, sister-in-law and wife were my favourites, and all of them had me choked up. While the other two chapters didn’t feel quite as strong, overall the book is effective and moving. Griffin’s narrative voice is super compelling, and I read all 280 pages in a day.

Grab a whiskey or a cup of tea and sit down with Maurice as he recounts his life’s story!

Buy When All Is Said at Blackwell’s

5. Show Them a Good Time* by Nicole Flattery

I recently talked about this short story collection in this post, and I just want to give you another nudge towards it. This is probably one of the lesser known books by Irish authors since it’s Flattery’s debut collection.

The stories within Show Them a Good Time are often longer than your average short story. It might be a good fit for those who like a little more meat on the bones of their short stories. These pages are filled with a strangeness that’s hard to put your finger on. There isn’t anything supernatural, but there’s a pervasive sense of unease all the same. It’s also filled with women who refuse to stay in the roles society has assigned them. They are frustrated, angry, lost, lonely, confused, directionless and so much more.

One of my favourite stories is the first titular story, where a former porn star returns to Ireland and finds work in a garage. But it’s really a solid collection overall. Flattery’s voice is fresh, and I look forward to seeing what else she comes out with. I think fans of Sally Rooney and Ottessa Moshfegh will enjoy her work!

Buy Show Them a Good Time at Blackwell’s

6. Normal People by Sally Rooney

Did you really think I was going to write a post on Irish writers and not include Sally Rooney? DID YOU?! Impossible. I know Rooney divides readers, but I fell HARD for this book. I read Conversations with Friends first and really liked it but this book. This book is on another level.

It’s the sort of book where, if you love it, you struggle to word exactly WHY you love it so much. It’s a feeling. I read Normal People in early January 2019, tucked up with two blankets and devoured the whole thing in a day. Marianne and Connell had such a hold over me, as did Rooney’s hypnotic prose.

If you haven’t already added this one to your TBR then please give it a try. And if you don’t like it for your own reasons, then please don’t burst my Rooney bubble, okay? Let’s just agree to disagree on this one. But if you love it… you’re welcome.

(And no, I have not seen the adaptation because the BBC hates people without TV licenses.)

Buy Normal People at Blackwell’s

So what do you think? Are there any other books by Irish authors you’d add to this list? Any I should check out? I do have Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan on my TBR still!

If you like the sound of any of these titles, I would really appreciate it if you considered shopping through my affiliate link at Blackwell’s – thank you!