25 Books by Irish Authors You Should Read

As St. Patrick's Day (March 17) approaches, people around the world will honor Irish culture by throwing parties (virtual or otherwise), eating traditional dishes like soda bread, and reciting their favorite Irish blessings. But might we suggest celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with an O-approved activity: reading books by Irish authors?

Ireland is a country with a rich storytelling tradition. In the modern context, that means there are endless excellent literary options from the place James Joyce called home. Read about Dublin in the '80s with Roddy Doyle's Barrytown trilogy, or rural life in the '60s with Edna O'Brien's Country Girls trilogy. If it's funny books you're looking for, you're in luck: Maeve Higgins's hilarious essays and Lisa McInerney's debut crime novel are the perfect starts. Or, enjoy the work of 21st century Irish authors, including Sally Rooney and Eimear McBride. And while you're here, you might as well order all of Tana French's engrossing mysteries or Maeve Binchy's warm novels.

From contemporary classics like Colm Tóibín’s Brooklyn to Booker Prize-winners like Anna Burns's The Milkman, here are 25 books that are just as lush and captivating as the Emerald Isle, written by some of Ireland's foremost authors.