Knit to This
Knit to This: Brooklyn + Long Island
I’m here to recommend a book-then-movie combination that will give you so much to think about. It will take you back to your days as a young woman navigating work, or your days as a new arrival in a new country, or your days trying to decide whether a love is true love.
In other words, Brooklyn by Colm Toibin (2009) will set your imagination and memory awhirl. The 1950s setting, both in Ireland and in New York City, is distant enough that Eilis Lacey’s journey feels timeless and universal.
I took this book on our recent family trip as a deliberate antidote to my audiobook habit. It was a print edition, a paperback, and I found the whole experience sort of thrilling. As a knitter, I rely on audiobooks almost to the exclusion of print editions. As a writer, reading the tale of Eilis Lacey in print was such a refreshing experience. I loved it. I’d forgotten the joy of digging out the book I was dying to get back to. I resisted the urge to plug it into my charger.
The 2015 movie version of Brooklyn, starring Saoirse Ronan, does such justice to this mood piece of a story. She was born to play this role, and it’s one of the times when I’m OK with a film adapation of a book I loved. Read the book first!
You may have noticed Colm Toibin’s sequel to Brooklyn just published this summer. Long Island continues the story of Eilis Lacey, and I’m not going to say anything about it except that it is every bit as haunting as Colm Toibin’s first novel staring this young woman. These novels are completely different from the Elena Ferrante novels, but I’m having the same fascination with a character, finding myself hoping there’s a third Eilis Lacey novel in the works.
Please note: during my trip, at one point I dumped an entire water bottle, a quart or so, into my tote bag. My laptop suffered a debilitating flood, but my print copy of Brooklyn absorbed a cup of water, swole up, then dried out just fine. Low tech won the day!
Our book club is reading these books and I agree that they are wonderful.
I loved Brooklyn, like you, but wish I hadn’t read Long Island. I thought all 3 main characters to be perhaps the most selfish individuals I had ever encountered and really disliked them.
I agree! I thought it was just me, but I’m in the middle of Long Island and am really disliking the main characters. I enjoyed Brooklyn far, far more
I agree with you!
A cup of water and laptop are never a good combo! Some times low tech is the winner!
I do listen to audiobooks, but nothing beats a real book with real pages. Just last week I was putting something on the shelf and saw my copy of Brooklyn, and thought it might be time for a reread, so this post is a sign!
One thing I love about real books is letting my eye travel over the spines on my shelves and remembering each book and the feelings it invoked….something that’s hard to do with electronics.
I love the convenience of my kindle, but his experience is lacking!
We read Brooklyn in our book group when it first came out. Loved the movie too.
I just listened to Long Island recently and having grown up in the 60’s and 70’s on Long Island it brought up some memories. I could see my mom and neighbors in the book but not so much the circumstances.
Without saying any spoilers, I found that the story stuck with me – left me a little bit haunted. A third novel would be interesting!
I do love audio books for walking and knitting but nothing beats a good old fashioned book in your hands to read.
I gave this book to my dad because he also grew up in Brooklyn and we both loved reading it! A timeless story. May have to give it a reread!
I just listened to Long Island, somehow missed that it was a sequel until I was telling a friend about it (and that there was a movie of the first book- I live in a fog evidently). I can attest it makes a good stand alone book. The Irish narrator is added joy.
Very sorry about the water bottle in the tote incident.
I too listened to the audio book. I can’t recall the ending so I probably left it in while I was sleeping as I am wont to do.
I will have to go back and catch up with myself.
LOL about sleeping through an audio book, have done it too often. At least if I nod out while holding an actual book it usually falls over on the same 2 pages making it easy to find where I left :-))
Thank you!
A friend just gave me Long Island for my birthday – looking forward to a chunk of reading time! Sorry for the loss of the laptop. I once dumped a water bottle into my knitting bag and half of a malabrigo lace scarf felted!
I just finished listening to Long Island and loved it but realized I should have gone to reread Brooklyn because I had forgotten a good bit of it.
Hopefully, there will be a third book in the Eilis Lacey series because there’s more to tell.
Colm Toibin writes women characters so beautifully.
Read both this summer. Really good read. Though I did prefer Brooklyn. Did not know there was a movie. So will put that on my watch list. Just want to repeat how much I loved the workshop with Cecelia Campochiaro. I have been microswatching all week end. Game changer!
I recently finished “Long Island” and agree it is a book that will haunt you.
Over the past couple years the little libraries in my neighborhood have contributed to an inadvertent mid-century Irish theme in my reading. So if you like Colm Toibin, let me also recommend:
• Edna O’Brien, The Country Girls – the whole trilogy!
• Roddy Doyle, Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, and The Woman Who Walked Into Doors
• Benjamin Black (aka John Banville), Christine Falls and the entire noir Quirke mystery series.
Feeling like something more contemporary? Try Maggie O’Farrell
Both those books are on my “To Read” list. And like you I don’t watch the adaptations of books I love. As a retired librarian, and Swedish Death Cleaner I avoid buying fiction, I borrow them. But I may just have to this time.
Thank you!
I loved the movie! Need to read the book!
Sorry to hear negatives about Long Island and all the selfish characters. It was going to be my next read. But I may get Brooklyn instead. Loved the movie and don’t mind doing it backwards.
Thanks for the suggestion. Always looking for a good read!
I volunteer in a National Trust (a U.K. charity that supports historic houses and estates, as well as many areas of outstanding natural importance) second hand bookshop.
Over the past few years we’ve noticed small children coming in asking for ‘chapter books’, and being delighted when they find a printed, hard copy, book that’s been thumbed, bent, reacted to and shared in ways that simply aren’t possible for electronic versions.
I love to have conversations with these young people that encourage them to think about the various owners and/or readers of these ‘chapter books’, and how they’re different from other book formats.
Perfect timing for a new book recommendation. I just finished The Women yesterday. This one is up next!
I like the knitted blue baby booties!
Oh my gosh. I just finished both HARDBACK books and I had no idea there was a movie! Just watched the trailer and I already agree! It looks like the first book to movie I won’t be disappointed with. Thank you for sharing!
My husband read this book first and recommended it to me. I enjoyed it very much. We were somewhat disappointed in the movie. The acting was great, but it didn’t seem to develop the characters as well. There is so much inner thought to the main character and that’s hard to capture in a film and keep it a reasonable length. We’re waiting for the paperback edition of Long Island. And though I listen to audiobooks, I do prefer holding a real book.