Recently a customer, knowing how much I admire Niall Williams and am drawn to most things Irish, brought me two of his earlier works of nonfiction which he co-wrote with his wife. I was not disappointed. Together the books cover their first three years in Ireland after leaving their lives and their jobs in Manhattan in 1985. Niall and Christine share in the writing, and each describes in their own way the hardships, trials and joys of learning to farm on the rugged land in western Ireland. The authors never sugar coat the obstacles they face-the cold, the rain, their childlessness, but they also share the sense of community, the friendships they make and the satisfaction they felt when they could finally produce what they ate.

These books are probably hard to find, but I promise it will be worth the effort.