This collection brings together three of Tom Murphy's finest plays, Famine, A Whistle in the Dark and Conversations on a Homecoming. Together, they tell the story of Irish emigration - of those who went and those who were left behind. Crossing oceans and spanning decades, Murphy's three plays cover the period from the Great Hunger of the nineteenth century to the 'new' Ireland of the 1970s, exploring what we mean when we call a place 'home'. Conversations on a Homecoming: County Galway, 1970s. Even the humblest of small-town pubs can be a magnet for dreamers. Michael, after a ten-year absence, suddenly returns from New York and has a reunion with old friends, in that same pub 'The White House'. A Whistle in the Dark: Coventry, 1960 Irish emigrants, the uprooted Carney family, adapt aggressively to life in an English city. Famine: County Mayo, 1846 In Glanconnor village in the west of Ireland, the second crop of potatoes fails. The community now faces the real prospect of starvation. With an introduction by Dr Patrick Lonergan, NUI Galway DruidMurphy, presented by Druid in a co-production with Quinnipiac University Connecticut, NUI Galway, Lincoln Center Festival and Galway Arts Festival, marks a major celebration of one of Ireland's most respected living dramatists and toured Ireland, London and the US in 2012.
Murphy Plays: 6 brings together four plays by the author inspired by other great works of literature: The Cherry Orchard: In Chekhov's tragi-comedy - perhaps his most popular play - the Gayev family is torn by powerful forces, forces rooted deep in history and in the society around them. Tom Murphy's fine vernacular version allows us to re-imagine the events of the play in the last days of Anglo-Irish colonialism. It gives this great play vivid new life within our own history and social consciousness. She Stoops to Folly: Modelled on Oliver Goldsmith's classic novel The Vicar of Wakefield, Murphy builds a comedy peopled with thieves, pimps, bawds, lechers and imposters who will prey on innocence unless God - or the ruling class - takes a hand. The Drunkard is inspired by the American temperance play first performed in 1844 and attributed to W. H. Smith and A gentleman. A drama in five acts, it was perhaps the most popular play produced in the United States before the dramatization of Uncle Tom's Cabin in the 1850s. An epic family drama, shot through with dark humour, The Last Days of a Reluctant Tyrant tells the tragic story of a family disintegrating, having lost its moral values and is inspired by The Golovlyov Family by Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin. It follows Arina who rises from servant girl to matriarch controlling a vast family estate and empire until she slackens her hold and loses her power to the hypocrisy and relentless grasping of her chosen son.
A historical saga of one strong woman’s journey from poverty and servitude in New York City to a new life in turn-of-the-century San Francisco. At ten, Lily Malone watched her mother die in their shabby apartment on Mulberry Street. Ma’s last wish was for Lily to keep an eye on her wild, rebellious brother—but after the two children move into the Catholic orphanage, she’s helpless to stop Fergy from abandoning her and heading out west to find gold in California. With the last of her family gone, Lily has little choice but to eventually accept a position in another family’s household. They’re Irish like her, but far wealthier—and it is here that the innocent girl begins to understand that she has little to bargain with aside from her beauty. This is the story of a young woman fighting her way out of hardship, as she learns to sell her body at an elegant brothel; becomes a mother desperately trying to keep the truth from her daughter; and finally is forced by love to return to the city of her shame and seek to conquer it. Moving from tenement squalor to the Fifth Avenue splendor of old New York, from the rolling decks of a great clipper ship to the brawling streets and magnificent Nob Hill mansions of San Francisco, through storm and earthquake and fire, Lily Cigar is a breathless saga of love, intrigue, and illicit passion.
The most distinctive, the most restless, the most obsessive imagination at work in the Irish theatre today" Brian Friel Modelled on Oliver Goldsmith's classic novel The Vicar of Wakefield, Murphy builds a comedy peopled with thieves, pimps, bawds, lechers and imposters who will prey on innocence unless God - or the ruling class - takes a hand. It centres around the downfall of Dr Primrose, who relates the misadventures that have caused his downfall and brought disintegration and ruin on his loved ones.
The Author: Tom Murphy is a retired Navy Captain, a combat veteran, an Olmsted Scholar, and served as a U.S. Navy SEAL for 25 years, rising through the ranks to become Commanding Officer of two different SEAL commands, including the much-publicized SEAL Team Six. This is his story. The Book: One of the proudest insignia a man can wear in the U.S. Military is the U.S. Navy SEAL Trident. Embark on an extraordinary journey through the life of this U.S. Navy SEAL as he transcends the depths of trauma to explore the essence of spirituality in "Beyond the Trident." Follow the captivating narrative of the author’s evolution from the rigors of military training and combat operations to the profound realms of the human spirit, where the pursuit of purpose and the quest for spiritual understanding converge in a narrative of courage, resilience, and self-discovery. Drawing upon the metaphor of a three-legged stool representing mind, body, and spirit, this autobiographical memoir delves into the enduring impacts of trauma on each facet of our existence. Through the lenses of religion, science, and metaphysics, the author reflects on his odyssey from skepticism to a profound spiritual understanding, enriched by a wealth of reading culminating in a curated list of insightful books. Experience the multifaceted world of a Navy SEAL, from the intensity of SEAL training and operations to the vibrant, life-filled camaraderie of individual SEALs as they transition from young men to being the world’s most highly trained commandos. From the adrenaline-fueled world of SEAL operations to the introspective depths of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), this book provides a rare glimpse into the dual nature of the military combat experience. Gain insights into the universal quest for meaning, the interplay between spirituality and science, and the transformative power of self-discovery. Key Themes Explored: The human psyche: Mind, Body, and Spirit Trauma and resilience in life The intersection of science, religion, and spirituality Navy SEAL training and combat operations A personal journey towards spirituality Metaphysics, mysticism, and out-of-body experiences Self-help guidance for navigating life's challenges Keywords: non-fiction, memoir, human trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), military, military combat, Navy SEAL, U.S. Naval Academy, self-motivation, spiritual journey, metaphysics, out-of-body experiences, mysticism, enlightenment, self-help, life-path guidance.
A reporter and an ex-baseball-player-turned-cameraman search for a mysterious runner in this cozy mystery inspired by a real-life Boston Marathon legend. There has been a long-standing belief that a woman slipped into the 1951 Boston Marathon undetected and ran the race. If that could be proven it would make her the first woman to have run a marathon on American soil. She wore “red,” as claimed by a group of Canadian runners who say they tried to bring the matter to the attention of race Director Jock Semple and other race officials. But to no avail, their story was never corroborated, and so today the “Runner in Red” remains a mystery and an urban legend. A period piece set against the backdrop of the 2000 Boston Marathon, the Millennial marathon, this fictional mystery novel is also a love story, family drama, and uplifting tale of the human spirit that explores the history of women’s running in page-turning fashion. “A great story of three amazing women.”—Bill Rodgers, four-time winner of the Boston Marathon “Moves faster than a speeding bullet through the streets of Boston.”—Katherine Switzer, first registered woman runner of the Boston Marathon (1967) “An entertaining, fast-paced mystery thriller.”—Jack Fultz, winner of the 1976 Boston Marathon “A magical story!”—Uta Pippig, three-time Boston Marathon women’s champion (1993-1995)
The poetic canvas of Pearl is as vast as the poet's extensive learning. The thrust of the book is a series of achingly poignant poems about the poet's early life in California. Gifted with a prodigious memory for detail and an expansive heart, Murphy probes a litany of seminal life events including rebelliousness, drug and alcohol abuse, friendship, intellectual inquisitiveness, creativity, suicide, loss, and human sensuality, and he does so with extraordinary emotional honesty and courage. The stinging "bite" of these poems will remain with the reader long after the poems are read. -Larry D. Thomas is a Member, Texas Institute of Letters and the 2008 Texas Poet Laureate
Brigit I'd like it to be perfect . . . Beautiful . . . The statue . . . Unbeatable? . . . I'd like it to be what I feel . . . And I don't know what that is. Set in the 1950s, Brigit, a prequel to Murphy's critically-acclaimed Bailegangaire (1985), tells the story of Mommo and Séamus, grandparents living on the breadline, who are raising three grandchildren: Mary, Dolly and Tom, when Séamus is offered a job to carve a statue of St Brigit. Brigit premiered in September 2014, in a production by Druid Theatre Company, Galway, Ireland. Bailegangaire 'One of the finest and most inventive pieces of Irish dramatic writing ever - the power of its language soaring beyond the loftiest aspirations of Synge and its insights on the human spirit cutting deeper than O'Casey's' - Sunday Independent A Thief of a Christmas 'Grand opera . . . both timeless and contemporary' - Fintan O'Toole
An epic family drama, shot through with dark humour, The Last Days of a Reluctant Tyrant tells the tragic story of a family disintegrating, having lost its moral values. Arina is an ambitious woman. As a servant girl she marries into the degenerative family she works for; her ruthless energy saves it from bankruptcy and she expands the family estate into an 'empire'. As matriarch she rules with an iron hand, her avarice insatiable, until she questions what it is all for. She slackens her hold and loses her power to the hypocrisy and relentless grasping of her 'chosen son'. Inspired by The Golovlyov Family by Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, The Last Days of a Reluctant Tyrant is a haunting new work from leading Irish dramatist Tom Murphy, who has worked closely with the Abbey Theatre throughout his career. The play premiered at the Abbey Theatre, Ireland, on 3 June 2009.
When she becomes half owner of the most exclusive restaurant in New York upon the death of her father, Elsie Villeromain struggles to succeed in a world in which she is not welcome
The author, Tom Murphy, shares how unhealthy exposure during his youth led to his obsession with gang members and their behaviors. These early experiences led to a life of criminality and eventually a prison sentence. Mr. Murphy writes this personal introspection to document his commitment to change.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, thousands of airline and airport professionals headed off for what they assumed would be just another day on the job. It was anything but. Approaching the fifth anniversary of that tragic day, the stories of the heroes and casualties among these dedicated air travel workers remain largely untold--until now. A compassionate and ultimately uplifting reflection on the nature of loss and the seeds of recovery, Reclaiming the Sky honors not only those workers who died doing their jobs, but also the ones that soldiered through on that day and in the aftermath, tirelessly piecing back together the fragments of a shattered industry--and indeed a critical social and economic force--while putting aside their own fears and grief.In conjunction with a website, reclaimingthesky.com--where readers can share their stories and thoughts--the book not only honors the heroes and casualties of 9/11, it also offers common ground to those seeking meaning, purpose and the strength to move forward.
Le Palais-Royal is the most exclusive restaurant in New York, and Elise Villeromain will risk all to keep the tradition of good food and good gossip alive. Only there are those that have a desire for Le Palais-Royal and a desire for Elise. Martin's.
A novel of murder, romance, and Cold War espionage set in the world of professional ballet, by the author of Lily Cigar. One by one they died. In Paris. In Switzerland. In Ireland. In California. The most gifted and famous Soviet defectors: victims of an unknown assassin, pawns in a monstrous game. One prize target remains. Dima Lubov. He is the most celebrated new ballet star, leaping from triumph to triumph on stage and plunging into a passionate love affair with Jennifer Hale, the exquisite American prima ballerina who is the perfect partner in his art and in his arms. But a global orchestration of evil is mounting towards a crescendo as the pair of unsuspecting lovers dance ever closer to the abyss . . .
This is the second volume in photographer Tom Murphy's The Seasons of Yellowstone four volume set. The first volume is The Light of Spring. Autumn in Yellowstone is the season when life can be at rest in comfortable peace in life's constantly spinning push to appear and grow. It is a time when the earth can take a deep breath and show off its colors, when the bison cow can play as she did when she was a calf. More than 150 exquisite color photos. Murphy's first book, Silence & Solitude: Yellowstone's Winter Wilderness won a 2002 Montana Book Award.
The second book on Yellowstone's seasons by Montana photographer Tom Murphy (Silence & Solitude: Yellowstone's Winter Wilderness). A sweeping, exquisite portrait of Yellowstone National Park in its season of annual rebirth. Beatiful photography accompanied by compelling notes and stories.
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