More interesting-sounding books for 2005:: 1. "Ireland, Take the Kids," by Amy CORZINE (Cadogan Guides) p/b. "Children-friendly places to eat, sleep, picnic and shop; activities for tots and teens; stories, games, proverbs and riddles; a condensed overview of Ireland's history - complete with hints and tips for hassled adults. All you need to ensure a holiday's worth of happy memories for all concerned." 2. "Something Beginning with P, New Poems from Irish Poets," ed. Seamus CASHMAN and illustrated by Corrina ASKIN and Alan CLARKE (O'Brien Press) - h./b. "The veteran publisher Seamus CASHMAN must have had some months of marvellous fun working on this book with over a hundred living Irish poets to choose from and the creative genius of two gifted artists at his disposal - in full page glorious colour! Collection is designed for children - but like all the great classics for children - it is a pleasure for an adult to dip into. For example, Seamus HEANEY's "A Keen for Coins" -- "O henny penny! Oh horsed half-crown!/O florin salmon! O sixpence hound!/O woodcock! Piglets! Hare and bull!/O mint of field and flood farewell!/Be Ireland's lost ark, gone to ground/And where the rainbow ends, be found." How many of Ireland's marvellous pre-Euro coins can YOU recall? 3. "The Castles and Fortified Houses of West Cork," and "The Castles Of the Kingdom of Kerry," two paperbacks by Michael J. CARROLL (Bantry Studio Pub.) Per review - "Michael CARROLL lives in Bantry, in West Cork where he used to run a famous bookshop. In 2001, he closed his bookshop and now devotes his time to writing books. He first listed and described the 150 castles and fortified houses dotted all over West Cork. Next, he listed and described over 100 castles whose ruins enhance the beautiful county of Kerry. Where there is enough left to warrant an illustration one is included, but many of these once formidable buildings are now smashed walls and piles of stones. Mr. CARROLL has made sure that the sites and names of the families who once occupied them are not forgotten." 4. "See You At The Hall, Boston's Golden Era of Irish Music and Dance," by Susan GEDUTIS (Northeastern University Press), h/b. Per review -- "Names to dream about, one supposes, in the years between the 40s and the 60s -- the Intercolonial, the Hibernian, Winslow Hall, the Rose Croix and the Dudley Street Opera House - the huge bustling dance halls in the neighborhood of Dudley Square in Boston "the American capital of Galway." This is a charming account of the dancers, the musicians and their eimigrant world illustrated with some treasured photographs as 'Casey would waltz with a strawberry blond and the band played on.'" 5. "Stories From A Small Town," by Peter McNIFF (Greystonesww.com), h/b. "This book was written by an experienced reporter and photojournalist who went on to a career in current affairs TV. He records the lives of 25 people in their own words - parlour maid, judge, plumber, air ace, boat builder, milkman - living in Greystones, a self-contained village on the Wicklow coast south of Dublin. A very particular part of Greystones is The Burnaby -- 'Sure, we could have started our own army, airforce and navy. We had air marshals, admirals and generals on The Burnaby. Colonels were two a penny.' Strangely enough, Eamon de VALERA had a family home there for some years. The author lets the spotlight illuminate each personality in turn, keeping his readers constantly engaged..." 6. "All Changed, Fifty Years of Photographing Ireland," photos by Colman DOYLE and Text by John QUINN (O'Brien Press), h/b. (QUINN's home village in Ballivor, Co. Meath). Per review - "There are many great photographers about the globe these days, particularly in the newspaper world. Colman DOYLE, late of the much lamented 'Irish Press' who also photographed Ireland for 'Paris Match' for 40 years, is one of the very best going and his work is superbly reproduced, from the splendid features of the Blasket man to the transit of Venus as seen from Ballinastockan, Co. Wicklow. The choice of John QUINN to write a long essay linking together five decades of photography was nothing short of inspired. Don't stop to think. Buy this book." 7. "The Throw-In. The GAA and the Men Who Made It," by Brendan FULLAM (Wolfhound/Merlin), h/b. Per review -- "The Gaelic Athletic Association, founded in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, in 1884, is one of the most remarkable institutions in Ireland. In his book, Mr. FULLAM recalls the idealists, the visionaries - and the athletes - who graced the infant years of the GAA. His chapter on neglected heroes, recalling the remarkable AHERNs and the PURCELLs is particularly interesting." 8. "U2 The Best Of Propaganda, 20 Years of the Official U2 Magazine," (Carleton Books), large format h/b, and "U2 Show" by Diana SCRIMREOUR (Riverhead Books), large format h/b. Per review - "The biggest rock band in the world, God bless them , hit the road again across the globe this summer and you might chance to see them - you'll certainly hear them - in Croke Park this June! The best interviews and photos selected from 'Propaganda,' their fan club magazine available since 1981, appear in this fine Carleton Books publication, and "U2 Show" is a gorgeous, glorious book and a truly fantastic example of modern photography and the publisher's art. Though when it comes to these four blokes we've learned to sit back and watch out for the next innovation to dazzle ear - and eye!" 9. "Irish Oyster Cuisine" by Mairin Ni CHOMAIN (A&A Farmar) p/b. Per review - "According to that Galway legend Henry COMERFORD - an expert in these matters - 'Bisexual the oyster is/And cannot tell his her from his/And goes a-courting every day/With him or her or even they/But your oyster squeals when firmly bit/Please, I'm not him or her: I'm it.' I love my oysters raw. But this book is hard to put aside. First there are all the things you would ever want to know about oysters and what to eat and drink with oysters and oyster-laden recipes for soups, hot and cold snacks, finger food and main courses, topped of with a handful of gourmet recipes sourced from Dublin experts - all beautifully photographed by Walter PFEIFFER. This book ends with a selection of very interesting recipes for breads suited to eating with the delicate mollusk ... I keep going back to a recipe for oysters cooked with spinach, butter, yolk of egg and slivers of truffle .. served with a glass of champagne, of course!" 10. "Words, Words, Words," by Diarmaid O MUIRITHE (The Lilliput Press) p/b. Per review - "'Obsolete words fascinate me. So many good ones have died, and we'll never know why,' says the author, who collects words, their meanings and information about their origins. Did you know that Commodore John BARRY, Father of the American Navy registered the first American book for copyright in June 1790, entitled 'The Philadelphia Spelling Book.'?"