Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1572431 in Books
• Published on: 1987-09-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 242 pages

From Publishers Weekly
From 1972 to 1977, the author, an American poet from the Midwest, lived on a small, unmodernized island off the west coast of Ireland. Her adventure begins when Tall, as a rebellious undergraduate, falls under the romantic spell of a much older visiting Irish professor. He, undergoing the dissolution of a marriage, is seeking a pure source of inspiration free from the taint of city life. Together on the island, they gradually establish a communion with the reclusive inhabitants, glorying in the savage beauty of the environment, coping with the lack of amenities, and constantly astounded at the "tight, viperish nest" that, at the memoir's close, is home to only 192 people. A record of two people's futile attempt to keep the world at bay, the book is also an affectionate elegy for a way of life that has very nearly passed. January 27
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
The author, a poet and teacher of creative writing, lived on a rugged and sparsely inhabited island off the west coast of Ireland for five years, from 1972 to 1977. This is the moving account of her experiences there. The traditional way of life is dying as the islanders either leave or embrace modern conveniences. These changes themselves are threatening their existence as they are no longer self-sufficient and have to rely on government support and a short-lived summer tourist season. Tall describes the history, vitality, problems, lives and deaths of the islanders in poignant and enthralling detail. Highly recommended. Christine King, SUNY at Stony Brook Lib.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Living in a vanishing world
In this book, Deborah Tall describes life on Inishbofind, 'Island of the White Cow', a remote island off the coast of western Ireland. An American herself, she meets an Irish writer who gives a lecture at her university. They fall in love and she follows him to the island, far away from the distractions of bustling city life, where they both try to make a living as writers. She describes her stay as if it were one year, divided into four seasons. In actuality, Deborah Tall lived on the island for five years.

I loved this book. Having lived in Ireland for a number of years, this made for a great read. The descriptions of the beauty and harsh life on this barren island, always open to the western winds, were very recognisable. Life feels different on these small islands. Even though it is only a few miles to the mainland, it seems infinitely far removed, and people don't even consider themselves part of Ireland. Life on the island is like living in the past. Inishbofind does not have a doctor. It has no dentist (one comes over periodically to pull teeth - nothing fancy like plaque removal here). There is no secondary education. It has only one telephone. There is no running water.
What it does have is charm, some very interesting people and, above all, quiet.

The islanders are much like the island itself: rugged on one hand, charming on the other. They are always up for a story, always good for a song, always in for a drink, always ready for a new audience. As the book goes on, and once Deborah Tall and 'Owen' are more accepted by the locals, one gets glimpses of the real emotions of the people on Inishbofind, an island slowly losing more and more people - mostly young ones - to the main land.
On one hand, people are helpful, friendly and interested in the new arrivals. On the other hand, there is bitterness, resignation, resentfulness, frustration, desperation and jealousy. And always, there is pride.

This book describes life as it really is on an island - not a tourist experience. If you are looking for a book on how wonderful everything about Ireland is, you may want to read a travel guide. If you are looking to read about Ireland, this is definitely a good choice.

Island of the White Cow ... by Deborah Tall
A rare and wonderful insight into an island community, caught in the struggle between modernity and "the old ways". Naturally, there is an exodus of young people seeking experiences, and hoping to escape the claustrophobia of an insular way of life. Written with the perception and talent of a poetic author, it is kindly, incisive, humorous, gentle and a totally beautiful read. Don't miss it. (I read it first about 15 years ago, and was fortunte enough to find a copy - through Amazon - recently). It's a jewel .

One of the best books of its genre
This memoir describes the time period from 1972 to 1977. It is both a book about Ireland, and a book about college-educated Americans. As a book about Ireland, it is a beautifully written memoir of five years on the small island of Inishbofin. We learn much about the islanders and their hopes and frustrations. Although the book talks much about their struggles with isolation, drink, joblessness, family troubles and jealousies, the overall effect is more uplifting than depressing.

The book is also a record of the way that young, educated Americans encountered the world in the sixties and seventies -- through travel, study, the Peace Corps and many other ways. In the wake of the Sixties, many were seeking new ideas for living and new models of community relations. Some, such as Deborah Tall, hoped to find inspiration for art or writing in their pilgrimages to remote and isolated places. At the time, the far corners of Europe were still quite primitive, and part of Deborah Tall's experience was coping without electricity and running water. Now, of course, Inishbofin has telephones and websites and one would have to go much further afield for as exotic a cultural experience.

The writing in the book is very finely crafted, and its words are carefully chosen. Occasionally the author's prose becomes slightly mannered, but overall she is a pleasure to read and the book merits a continued audience.