Vinegar Hill

From the New York Times bestselling author of Brooklyn, Colm Tóibín's first collection of poetry explores travel, sexuality, religion and family through a modern Joycean lens

Fans of Colm Tóibín's novels including Brooklyn, The Master, and Nora Webster, will recognize in these poems some of the places and themes of his much praised fiction, along with some fresh ones, ranging from the streets of Dublin, the surface of the moon or the sea, Venice and Washington, D.C. The poems are presented in various styles, and some-especially a long central piece narrated by a man walking with an old friend through Dublin, recalling their adventures long before in forbidden gay bars and baths-will be described as Joycean. Within this rich collection of poems written over the course of several decades, shot through with keen observation, emotion, and humor, readers will find lines and verses to provoke, ponder, and cherish.