Sorry, Saint Patrick
I celebrated one of my many heritages over the weekend by going out for some corned beef and cabbage on Saturday, then made some Irish soda bread (my green-eyed and freckled mom’s recipe) and went to the St. Patty’s Day parade on Sunday... and it’s a good thing because being here in San Diego on actual Saint Patrick’s Day, I FORGOT.
Not like Saint Patty’s is a high holiday for me or anything, but any excuse toget drunk and eat and partake in general goofiness is good for me. It’s hard to miss in Boston with all our Irish pride, the Celtics, the Departed, good old Southie, and roughly one Irish pub for each college student in town. Saint Patty’s in other towns is like Boston on a normal day, and Boston on Saint Patty’s can be described only as one hell of a crazy leprechaun situation.
To do my part, I’m going to share two things with you, both relating at least a little to the Irish. One will make you cry and one will make you laugh. Just like us sad and loveable Irish.
All Souls
This book is a must-read TRUE STORY – the autobiographical non-fiction from Michael Patrick MacDonald, an Irish kid who grew up in Southie during integration and forced bussing in the 70s. Not at all a cliché overcoming-hardship book, it’s one of those stories that is so unbelievably filled with history and drama that it’s almost too coincidental that it happened to someone who writes well enough to do the story justice... and it's that thick gritty history that makes Boston rough and interesting. When reading this on the T about 5 years ago, I was approached regularly by local Bostonians saying how much they loved the book. (Bostonians being nice to strangers! Can you believe it?) But, get ready for the waterworks. It’s a sad one.
Crazy Leprechaun Situation
Absolutely no relevance to anything except it makes me laugh until I lose bladder control.
Not like Saint Patty’s is a high holiday for me or anything, but any excuse to
To do my part, I’m going to share two things with you, both relating at least a little to the Irish. One will make you cry and one will make you laugh. Just like us sad and loveable Irish.
All SoulsThis book is a must-read TRUE STORY – the autobiographical non-fiction from Michael Patrick MacDonald, an Irish kid who grew up in Southie during integration and forced bussing in the 70s. Not at all a cliché overcoming-hardship book, it’s one of those stories that is so unbelievably filled with history and drama that it’s almost too coincidental that it happened to someone who writes well enough to do the story justice... and it's that thick gritty history that makes Boston rough and interesting. When reading this on the T about 5 years ago, I was approached regularly by local Bostonians saying how much they loved the book. (Bostonians being nice to strangers! Can you believe it?) But, get ready for the waterworks. It’s a sad one.
Crazy Leprechaun Situation
Absolutely no relevance to anything except it makes me laugh until I lose bladder control.
Comments
#1 was published by beacon press, my old employer! i used to chat with the author when he had events and stuff! hurrah! woh, enough with the !!
#2 = one of me and clay's most favoritest things. so glad you like it too.