Is Shane MacGowan Still Alive? – Tim Bradford

A wry and extremely witty travelogue exploring all things Irish (and Oirish).'With Spike Milligan-ish humour, Bradford investigates the Irish psyche: at times he comes close to adding a new mythology of his own.’ Time Out'If you know who Shane MacGowan is, you may well love this bizarre, funny, brash, telling-it-like-it-is book. If you don't, then it will expand your cultural range' Sunday Times'An absolute must for anyone who's ever indulged even a moment of romantic yearning for all things Hibernian. Like some latter-day Kerouac, Tim Bradford drives around the Emerald Isle in search of captivating wild women, poetry, folk songs and of course, the odd pint or two. He meets Europe's spottiest hitcher and drives along Ireland's worst road; he gives a bluffer's guide to being Irish for those who aren't and provides an essential map of the land showing the distribution of conversational topics including house prices. Moving statues and condom availability. Hilarious.' Scotsman'An engagingly whimsical tour, in which Bradford seeks to discover what it means to be Irish (and indeed Oirish), where the best Guinness is found, whether Irish music is any good, and sundry related topics. This is always amusing and frequently laugh-out-loud funny: Bradford can see the serious in the inconsequential and vice versa. He comes across as the kind of guy you'd love to have a drink or three with… A book that achieves the difficult feat of being light in tone, funny and human. I await his next with pleasure.' Glasgow Herald