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Far From the Land: An Irish Memoir

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To say I loved this memoir would not be enough to express my feelings as I read this book. I am third generation Irish and I had knowledge on what living conditions were in Ireland found this story fascinating. He tells of his absent father who only came around every so often,and how his mother Maggie O'Toole, who was an amazing woman in her own right, held the family together with love and also discipline. Thomas becomes the man at an early age and helps out on the farm, plowing,seeding,harvesting, raising and selling sheep and his ability to work with horses. Thomas's goal is to sell the farm and move to America taking his mother along. That goal is a long time coming.

The story takes place in rural Ireland in the 50's and is a coming of age story of the author and the good times and the bad times that he and his family and neighbors endured to survive. In spite of the hard times the story portrayed how strong and prideful the Irish are of their customs and beliefs. Despite the lack of obtainable education,the poverty, and lack of jobs, these families persevered and did the best with what they had with pride and dignity.

The characters that Thomas writes about are interesting, funny and a joy to read about. The way Thomas wrote his story was so easy to read, I almost could smell the turf burning in the fireplace, or the cold seeping through the cracks in the house in the bleak winters. I felt like I was in the same room as Thomas described the craic( music and entertainment). This is his life, sometimes funny and sometimes sad and very down to earth. I highly recommend this book...Irish storytelling at it's best!!!

About the Author
Thomas J. Rice grew up in Ireland. On July 4th, 2009, he celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of his arrival in New York City. He was granted a scholarship to Cornell University, earned a doctorate, and became a college professor and social activist. He lives with his wife in Andover, Massachusetts I received this book from Lauren Pires, Book Publicist, Jane Wesman Public Relations, Inc. for review. I was not compensated monetarily for my honest review.

As society changes, customs change, and some are lost to time. "Far from the Land: An Irish Memoir" tells the story of Thomas J. Rice, a man who grew up in rural Ireland, as he reflects on the fading history of the Irish countryside and its people, granting a lot of insight and thought about the world and what it is leaving behind, for the better and for the worse. "Far from the Land" is a choice read, well deserving of entry into any memoir collection.

If you yearn for a trip to Ireland but can't quite make it happen this year, despair not. Pour yourself a Guinness, sit back in your favorite reading chair, and open Far from the Land, an Irish memoir, by Thomas Rice. You'll be in Ireland, circa 1950, where you'll be entertained and educated, enjoy an intimate look at the growing up years of a gutsy Irish lad, meet an array of Irish that rival the cast of Canterbury Tales, see the effects of poverty and sisters and an absent, alcoholic father, dogs and sheep and Arabian horses, Irish tenors and testosterone, the rain, the dark sky and the land, always the land. And then there's the mother, who raises the bar on the meaning of love, sacrifice and control, whose spirit permeates this book the way a powerful river defines it's valley.
Far from the Land is a delightful, passionate, honest, inspirational book. It is a wonderful coming of age story, a study of a society rooted in the religion and customs of a bygone era, a family saga, and a tale of courage, hard work, and determination. It is a good book to read if you are down, and want to hear the story of a boy who persevered to overcome obstacles far beyond what most Americans will confront in their life times. It is a good book to read if you are up, and want to hear the story of a lad who took the good with the bad, assimilated life's lessons, and courageously moved on to the next challenge. The story is superb. The characters pop off the page. The prose is lively. The history is thought provoking and radical. In a long line of splendid literature bequethed to us from Ireland, this memoir stands with the best. If you like memoirs, if you're interested in Ireland, or if you want a good read to accompany your pint or your tea, you can't do better than Far From the Land.

Far From the Land has all the elements of great storytelling: fascinating and finely drawn characters, adventure, romance, humor, rebellion, and lessons hard-learned. All told in a lyrical, easygoing cadence. Thomas Rice does much more than describe the harsh and magical world of his childhood. He opens the door wide and invites us in; he gives us the best seat in the house, offers us a pint, and then asks us to dance. I can almost hear the music!

Behind the shamrocks and shillelaghs exists a culture that is deeply rooted in agriculture, insurrection, music, art, and religion. The Irish survived genocide and foreign tyranny, triumphed in a war of independence, shed tears and blood in a civil war, and persevered in the face of bigotry and economic destitution. All the while they built most of the free world, created some of the most beautiful pieces of music, and suffered collectively as many fell victim to drink and forced emigration. And, at the heart of it all in 1959 was Tom Rice and his mother, Maggie O'Toole.

Tom Rice was the youngest (and only) son of Maggie O'Toole and Arthur Rice, both revolutionary heroes from County Carlow, Ireland. Growing up in the shadow of his father's notoriety, his mother's reputation, and the wants and needs of his older sisters, Tom spent most of his childhood learning the ropes of running a farm. Unlike so many, Tom was secure in the knowledge that he would never have to emigrate because he had what most Irishmen could only wish for...he had land. What he didn't have was a desire to be a farmer in rural corner of Ireland. So, in 1959, Tom sells off his livestock, packs up his mother, and begins an adventure that leads him "far from the land" and towards the realization of his dreams in the America.

Far From the Land is an autobiography chronicling the early life of Doctor Rice, his childhood in rural Ireland, and his immigration to the United States as a young adult. Through Rice's recounting, the reader becomes immersed in the farming culture and political climate of Ireland right after World War II. The revolutionary fervor and the social stigmatization inherent in Ireland and England come to life as Rice narrates the events of his interesting yet typical life. Far From the Land is more than just one man's history. It is the history of Ireland and America in the latter half of the 20th century.

One of the best books that my wife and I have ever read. Far From the Land draws your into the life lessons learned by a young man growing up in rural Ireland. It is one of those books that you want to keep handy as it has many simple messages that are so meaningful about perseverance, love and passion for a better life.

I loved every chapter, every page of Thomas Rice's groundbreaking memoir "Far From The Land". He tells the story of his first 17 years on a rural farm in Ireland and describes the backbreaking work, the cast of eccentric characters, the song and dance in his rambling house all leading up to the heart-rending decision to leave the land he loves and set out for America. His tale is his own, Irish to the core and yet universal in its life-lessons and inspiration. The honesty of the telling bleeds through every sentence.

The writing style is clear, the pace just right, and it hit me right in the heart.

--David Green