Summer Reads and Book Hamper

Summer can be a great time to relax and catch up on reading so, in today’s post, we’re bringing you a spotlight on a diverse mix of recently published books to help inspire that summer reading. Featuring darkly humorous, captivating and immersive fiction; a powerful and deeply moving memoir; a poetry collection pulsing with the energy of urban life; a striking collection of essays illuminating a dynamic period in Ireland’s feminist movement; and an anthology celebrating voices and personal stories from Ireland’s neurodivergent community.

And what do all these books have in common, aside from being great books? They’re all waiting in a book hamper, along with a highly coveted DBF mug, to go out to one lucky DBF newsletter subscriber! Not subscribed yet? You can sign up here. As we gear up towards our main festival in November, our newsletter will also be a great way to keep up to date with all our news as we have it, including our programme reveal in September.

So what exactly is in this bumper summer book hamper? Read on and find out…

The Marriage Vendetta by Caroline Madden is a dark and sharply humorous exploration of marriage, sacrifices made, betrayal, revenge, and one rocky journey in re-claiming sense of self. Eliza, once a globe-trotting classical pianist, finds herself uprooted from England to Dublin, where her playwright husband will be running a prestigious theatre. Her days are now consumed with the dramas of the school mums clique and worrying for her lonely daughter, until Eliza is sent a suggestive photo of her husband with another woman. Turning to mysterious marriage therapist Ellen Early for help, Eliza soon finds out just how far Ms. Early – and she herself – is willing to go to get results. Deliciously dark, funny and gripping, just the read to propel you through the summer.

Published by Eriu. Available here

How do we live when our loved ones are dying? How do we make sense of the world in their wake? And how do we balance love in the present with memory of the past? This Interim Time by Oona Frawley is a powerful, moving work at once intensely personal and entirely universal; a stunning meditation on memory, family and the brief windows of life we share with those we love. Reflecting back on the grief surrounding illness and loss of loved ones around her, as well as the joy around the births of her children, Frawley brings us a work that is utterly humane, fearlessly honest and always, at its core, hopeful.

Published by The Lilliput Press. Available here

The Oasis by Charles Lang is a collection of poems pulsing with the energy of urban life, traversing the gritty, playful and tender moments that shape our lives. With a clarion and uncompromising voice, Lang maps a labyrinth of memories, blending sharp wit with darker undercurrents as he explores identity, masculinity, class and ecology. Whether reflecting on family, friendships or fleeting moments of euphoria, Lang offers an authentic snapshot of working-class lives, where beauty is found in both the mundane and the extraordinary; in the human and the more-than-human. A sonorous celebration of language and place, The Oasis is a vivid ode to Glasgow’s streets and stories, a testament to resilience and belonging. 

Published by Skein Press. Available here

After the Train is a striking collection of twenty essays illuminating the courageous, yet often overlooked, efforts of Irishwomen United activists in the years following the Contraceptive Train. Offering first-hand, historical accounts of on-the-ground activities during this period and shining a light of neglected truth on the history of how Ireland was changed, this collection – edited by writer and IWU member Evelyn Conlon, together with academic Rebecca Pelan – ensures the impact of the organisation will no longer be forgotten. The collective memories of the contributors describe everything from pickets to sit ins, self-questioning to dancing, the development of feminist ideas and publishing despite the restrictive laws and attitudes surrounding them. The book also features an archive of original art, flyers, photographs and memorabilia of the movement, many of which appear for the first time in print. The stories of these women campaigners are not only representative of past movements, but also a call to action for future social justice activists in the fight for liberation and equality for all.

Published by UCD Press. Available here

Wired Our Own Way, edited by Niamh Garvey, is a first ever anthology of essays, deeply personal and insightful, from autistic Irish writers. 2025 figures show that one in twenty Irish schoolchildren are now identified as autistic, and society’s understanding of neurodiversity is evolving rapidly. As awareness grows, many adults are also discovering this aspect of themselves, finding greater clarity and self-compassion in the process. Contributors to this collection reveal the many ways this identity shapes their lives – proving there is no single way of being autistic. The collection explores the profound impact of receiving a diagnosis and highlights the wide range of experiences within the neurodivergent community in Ireland. A celebration of individuality, resilience, and self-discovery, this book shines a light on voices that deserve to be heard.

Published by New Island. Available here

Fun and Games is the debut novel from John Patrick McHugh, following on from his acclaimed short story collection Pure Gold. School has ended for 17-year-old John Masterson and the summer stretches ahead, full of uncertainty. His last summer on the small island he has grown up on is filled with football practice, a mundane job at the local hotel, family drama, tense friendships, and a messy sort-of relationship with his slightly older colleague. As the summer progresses, John has big decisions to make; about where his future lies, about his friendships, and about allowing himself to love and be loved. Darkly humorous and full of heart, immersing us in the trials and tribulations of smalltown teenage life and the journey towards young manhood, this coming-of-age novel makes for a perfect summer read.

Published by 4th Estate. Available here

The Names by Florence Knapp is a deeply moving and thought-provoking novel that considers the question “What’s in a name?”. It’s 1987 and, in the aftermath of a great storm, Cora goes to register the birth of her son. Seven years later, we see how life has unfolded for this child and those around him, according to the name Cora might have gone with: the first sharing a name with generations of domineering men in the family, the second a name chosen by her sister, or the last a name chosen by her mother, each coming with their own meaning and intentions. This is the story of three names, three versions of a life and the infinite possibilities that a single decision can spark. It is the story of one family and how love endures, no matter what fate has in store.

Published by Phoenix. Available here

A big thank you to all our publishers who contributed books to our summer hamper.

Don’t forget to sign up to our newsletter to be in with a chance of winning this great mix of books, along with another surprise or two thrown in for good measure. 

Happy summer reading… and good luck!

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Winner will be picked 1pm, Friday 6 June 2025.