A Guest at the Feast

Essays

By: Colm Toibin

Narrated by: Colm Toibin

Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2023 by LitHub and The Millions!

From one of the most engaging and brilliant writers of our time comes a “not to be missed” (LitHub) collection of eleven essays about growing up in Ireland during radical change; about cancer, priests, popes, homosexuality, and literature.

“IT ALL STARTED WITH MY BALLS.” So begins Colm Tóibín’s fabulously compelling essay, laced with humor, about his diagnosis and treatment for cancer. Tóibín survives, but he has entered, as he says, “the age of one ball.” The second essay in this seductive collection is a memoir about growing up in the 1950s and ’60s in the small town of Enniscorthy in County Wexford, the setting for many of Tóibín’s novels and stories, including Brooklyn, The Blackwater Lightship, and Nora Webster. Tóibín describes his education by priests, several of whom were condemned years later for abuse. He writes about Irish history and literature, and about the long, tragic journey toward legal and social acceptance of homosexuality.

In Part Two, Tóibín profiles three complex and vexing popes—John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis. And in Part Three, he writes about a trio of authors who reckon with religion in their fiction. The final essay, “Alone in Venice,” is a gorgeous account of Tóibín’s journey, at the height of the pandemic, to the beloved city where he has set some of his most dazzling scenes. The streets, canals, churches, and museums were empty. He had them to himself, an experience both haunting and exhilarating.

“A tantalizing glimpse into Tóibín’s full fictional powers,” (The Sunday Times, London) A Guest at the Feast is both an intimate encounter with a supremely creative artist and a glorious celebration of writing.

Critic reviews

"Colm Tóibín's consummate narration of his new collection of essays charms and educates in equal measure. The 11 pieces, written between 1995 and 2022, explore topics ranging from Catholic popes and the author Marilyn Robinson to Tóibín's homosexuality, treatment for testicular cancer, and childhood in Ireland. An award-winning journalist, novelist, and poet, Tóibín is analytical, elegiac, and often very funny, with a great eye for the telling detail. His soft, slightly nasal tenor and gentle Irish intonation are interestingly mellifluous; “power” becomes “paar” and “carefully” is “kerfully.” He narrates deliberately, giving listeners time to absorb the writing. Occasionally, he lingers over words and phrases for maximum effect. It’s a poet’s approach, which works. The result is entrancing."

Colm in his own voice

A brilliant writer and enjoyable essays read by himself. Aging, religion, other writers, Venice during Covid.

Excellent writing and interesting insights.

I could listen to Tóibín’s writing for hours and I have. In this book of essays he deals with his youth in Ireland, perspectives on Religion and The Catholic Church and three Popes and Irish Literature.

His sincerity and honesty about himself and his opinions comes through in every page, making Ideas about people and their lives quite interesting even when they are unfamiliar to the Reader.

All in all a great listening experience. Four stars. ****

I was very disappointed in the selection of essays

I was very disappointed in the selection of these essays. He has written so extensively and done such a lot of research that I had hoped it would be some indication of his reasons for writing his own books, not his review of others. I suggest you look at Neil Gaiman‘s the view from the cheap seats if you hope to publish another collection of toibin’s essays. I was very disappointed and I’m sorry that I wasted a point on this book. The only redeeming quality of the book was hearing tToibin’s voice!