10 Best Irish Books by Famous Authors From Ireland

Quick List of Good Irish Books to Read By Ireland’s Most Famous Authors

TOP PICKS

Angela’s Ashes: best for fans of memoirs
The Heart’s Invisible Furies: best for fans of Irish historical fiction
Normal People: best for fans of contemporary literary fiction

1. Bram Stoker: Gothic horror pioneer who wrote Dracula
2. C.S. Lewis: Fantasy and theology writer of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
3. Frank McCourt: Memoirist of Irish childhood in Angela’s Ashes
4. James Joyce: Modernist literary genius best known for Ulysses
5. John Boyne: Historical fiction author of The Heart’s Invisible Furies
6. Jonathan Swift: Satirist and essayist who wrote Gulliver’s Travels
7. Maeve Binchy: Heartwarming fiction storyteller of Circle of Friends
8. Oscar Wilde: Playwright and wit master in The Picture of Dorian Gray
9. Sally Rooney: Millennial voice in literature like Normal People
10. Tana French: Psychological crime novelist of In the Woods

More Details About the Best Irish Books by Each Famous Author

Bram Stoker (1847-1912) was a Gothic novelist who wrote supernatural horror, romance, and adventure stories.

Stoker’s most popular book, Dracula, is an epistolary vampire novel that has been credited with creating the vampire trope in literature. It remains one of the most well-known works in English literature to date.

C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) wrote over 30 books that were translated into over 30 languages, and he sold millions of copies.

Of course, Lewis is most known for his bestselling book series Chronicles of Narnia, in which a wardrobe door transports four children into the land of Narnia, which the White Witch rules. It remains popular to date.

Frank McCourt (1930-2009) is an Irish American author who spent most of his childhood impoverished in Limerick, Ireland, before immigrating to the United States.

McCourt’s memoir, Angela’s Ashes, about being Irish and poor in both countries, is known for illustrating his distinctly Irish dialogue, so it works incredibly well on audio.

Related Post: Quotes from Angela’s Ashes

James Joyce (1882-1914) is one of the most famous Irish novelists and writers ever. He is known for drawing upon his own Irish culture and sharing experimental writing forms with unique structures and language. (His works are often deemed “difficult” as a result.)

Ulysses, widely considered the most famous Irish book, parallels Homer’s Odyssey, as it tells the story of a man named Leopold Bloom through Dublin on one ordinary day in 1904.

John Boyne (1971-present) hails from Dublin and has penned nearly two dozen works to date, which are primarily historical fiction.

The Heart’s Invisible Furies is the history of modern Ireland, told through the colorful lens of a gay man named Cyril Avery and a cast of unforgettable characters, including the birth mother who was forced to give him up. It’s a remarkable work of art and a favorite of many avid readers. It contains some of the best dialogue I’ve ever read.

Jonathan Swift (1667-1775) is one of the most famous Irish authors in Irish literature, known for using his ironic and satirical writing style to comment on Irish politics, religion, and culture.

Indeed, Swift’s most well-known work, Gulliver’s Travels, is a satire about a man who loves to travel, which acts as a commentary on human nature.

Maeve Binchy (1939-2012) is a beloved Irish author, most of whose books are warm-hearted novels with the charm of Ireland as their backdrop. They often explore the tensions between urban and rural living, particularly from World War II to the present day, and some of these novels are interrelated.

In one of Binchy’s most popular books, Circle of Friends, two female friends leave their small town in the 1950s to attend university when they come of age and deal with issues of gender, class, and friendship.

Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was a famous Irish poet and playwright known for his humor and flamboyant personality. Ultimately, he was imprisoned for “homosexuality” and died at a young age from meningitis.

Wilde’s only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, is about the moral descent of a man after his portrait is painted. He traverses down a path of moral debauchery in his obsession with youth and beauty. Over time, the portrait, rather than him, becomes less attractive.

Sally Rooney (1991-present) is one of the most popular modern Irish authors. She writes about the experiences of contemporary Irish young adults with raw, real, and character-driven writing. Often, she explores themes like gender and class.

Rooney’s most famous novel is the unforgettable love story of Connell and Marianne in Normal People. This gripping cat-and-mouse relationship between two college students pulled in readers who felt deeply about them and their actions. In addition to first love, the novel also very emotionally explores coming-of-age amidst issues of social class, depression, and abuse. You leave the novel feeling like you know the characters.

Tana French (1973-present) is a beloved modern psychological thriller writer from Dublin, lovingly known as Ireland’s “First Lady of Irish Crime.”

In the Woods is her popular debut novel (and the first in a series about two Irish detectives). It centers on the investigation of a 12-year-old girl’s murder, which has links to one of the investigator’s pasts. Crime readers devour her novels.

Recap

SHOP THE TOP 3 IRISH BOOKS

• Angela’s Ashes: best for fans of memoirs
• The Heart’s Invisible Furies: best for fans of Irish historical fiction
• Normal People: best for fans of contemporary literary fiction

remember, it’s a good day to read a book. – jules