My favorite read of 2007…so far
I started this book Friday night. I finished it Sunday afternoon. I only stopped to eat, sleep, and go to church. Oh, and do some housework. I wouldn’t have stopped for cleaning except that my parents came to dinner last night and I didn’t want to be mortified by the state of my house.
Barry Laverty has a brand-spanking-new medical degree from Belfast, and is heading to his first post as a country doctor in the fictional village of Ballybucklebo. He thinks he has this medicine thing all figured out. Until he meets the man he’ll be working with, Dr. Fingal Flahertie O’Reilly.
Dr. O’Reilly has been in practice in Ballybucklebo for years and years, and pretty near walks on water, according to the residents. His methods of examination, diagnosis and treatment are a little eccentric. Actually, a lot eccentric. Barry is thrust into the lives of Dr. O’Reilly and his patients - and learns what it means to be a doctor.
Along the way, we meet Mrs. Kinkaid - otherwise known as Kinky - housekeeper and cook extraordinaire; Arthur Guiness, the dog who is always extremely happy to see Barry; a half-crazy old couple who won’t marry due to lack of a roof; a young unwed mother who refuses to name the father of her child; a hypochondriacal major and his pushy wife; and a corrupt and arrogant city councilman. I laughed aloud while reading this book more than I ever remember doing before.
An Irish Country Doctor is based on Patrick Taylor’s years as a doctor in a country practice in Northern Ireland. I had to keep reminding myself that this is a novel - the characters are so true and real I felt I was reading a memoir.
I hope Mr. Taylor writes a sequel and continues the adventures in Ballybucklebo, since I turned the last page of this book with a sense that I will miss all the people there.
5 out of 5 stars
Ooh…thanks for the review! I am always on the lookout for a great book to read! I’ll put this on my reads list! Thanks for visiting my blog…have a blessed day!
March 12th, 2007 at 1:21 pmOh, this one sounds like a good one! I’ll have to see if the library has it.
I was bad. I skipped church Sunday.
March 13th, 2007 at 3:22 pmKaren - It is well worth going on your reads list!
Carrie - I’ve done a lot of that lately - skipping church, I mean. Trying to get back in the habit.
March 13th, 2007 at 3:28 pmOh, I can’t resist your review. I’m a click away from Amazon.com. I can’t keep a secret either, but please don’t mention this on my blog…my boss (I work one afternoon a week) just gave me and my husband a week anywhere in the world we want to go. His timeshare for the week and his miles to get us there. We’re planning on a week in Scotland and an extra week in Ireland. I can hardly contain the excitement.
And this book WILL be read before we go!! Where did you find it, Carrie?
March 15th, 2007 at 10:04 amOh, Carol, I am so jealous I can hardly stand it! You must keep a journal so you can blog all about your trip when you get back and I can experience it vicariously through you! You’ll love this book. I think I saw it in the Book of the Month catalogue - it might have been one of their monthly selections. I had one more to buy before I could cancel my membership, and this was the one - and I am so glad!
March 15th, 2007 at 10:10 amThanks for reviewing this book - makes me want to find a copy for myself. It’s going on my list!
March 17th, 2007 at 10:59 amI just looked at this book tonight as a possible add to the TBR list. So glad I came across your review. It sounds like my type of book.
March 21st, 2007 at 8:56 pmLaura and Framed - thanks for stopping by!
March 22nd, 2007 at 7:41 am[…] 1. Alyssa (Emma Vol. 1)2. Laura (The Northern Lights)3. MFS (On the nightstand)4. Cathy (What we’re reading)5. Krakovianka (North and South)6. Jennifer, Snapshot (Nonfiction recs for students)7. sage (The Valley of Light)8. Heather (Seabird)9. 3M (The Echo Maker)10. Just One More Book! (Getting to Know Ruben Plotnick)11. DominionFamily (Between Walden & the Whirlwind)12. CoversGirl (I Knit Water)13. Coffeeteabooksme(The Thirteenth Tale)14. violet (Renovating Becky Miller)15. whimsy (kidlit we are currently enjoying)16. SFP (New books)17. SFP (The Terror)18. Bonnie (The Poetry of John Donne)19. MichelleD (Songbird by Lisa Samson)20. Carrie K. (An Irish Country Doctor) […]
March 23rd, 2007 at 8:13 pm