Fragments
David Willows’ collection of essays, Fragments, offers unabated access to his personal life with the subjects of the essays ranging from weighty topics such as death and divorce to more light-hearted topics such as urban legends.
Willows never tries to do too much with his writing – rather he presents a collection of stories from his life, embedding reflection within the storytelling. The pacing is efficient (Willows, amongst other things, has a background in blogging), giving the book fluidity without inundating the reader with too much superfluous details and information. Fragments, as a whole, is an engaging, easy-to-read book that touches upon subjects that concern us all.
Roots & Routes
From his time in Uganda as a development assistant to experiences as a travel guide, Brendan Cardiff’s life has been, if nothing else, eventful. His self-deprecating and bare-all writing style give Roots and Routes a personal feel, especially when he describes his early life in Dublin. In this memoir, Cardiff also touches on his experiences of being in places many of us will never visit – Yemen, Borneo, Namibia – and many of the places we’ve always longed to go – Machu Picchu, the Amazon Rainforest. His literary journalistic approach to travel writing allows for affecting stories that are enriched by his impressive photographs.
Fragments: David Willows €11
Roots & Routes: Memoirs and Musings of a Dublin Nomad: Brendan Cardiff €24
