Peter CostelloSons and Fathers
edited by Kathy Gilfillan, introduction by Colm Tóibin, foreword by Bono
(An Irish Hospice Foundation Book / Penguin Ireland, €20)
These days many families have a reason to be grateful to the Irish Hospice Foundation, not only for the support of the palliative care of their own loved ones, but the support they provide to those affected by illnesses and those grieving for those who have died. As part of this they also run a library which provides books for loan as well as access to online journals, a service not only to those involved in hospice work, but again to the families and friends of those suffering terminal illness.
To support their work the foundation has over the years published a series of fundraising books. These have all been of very high quality, but none as I recall have been quite as good as this book.
It is edited by Kathy Gilfillan, a director of The Lilliput Press, a person experienced in the world of book making and publishing.
The book is beautifully designed and produced, to what are the highest of international standards. Revenues from the sales are to go towards the Irish Hospice Foundation’s Nurses for Nightcare programme and to the Hospice Africa Uganda, founded by Dr Anne Merriman. (Its publication has been facilitated by the Ardagh Group and Park Hyatt.)
But it is the essays it contains that are the important thing. From an incredible range of people, largely in creative fields, the editor has drawn down pieces from not only those involved in U2, but such luminaries as Hanif Kureishi, Robert Fisk, Salman Rushdie, Bill Clinton, Daniel Day-Lewis, Mario Testino, Julian Lennon and Ed Victor. And many others of equal interest.
These pieces are all incredibly moving and insightful.
Relations
As befits the topic of the relations of sons with their father, and vice versa, they encompass a range of emotions, of love, regret and loss. They will awaken in the reader echoes of their own experiences.
This is not just a book to buy because of the cause it supports; it is a book to buy for the high literary and emotional value of the collected essays.
I would not like to pick and choose among them. Just buy it and read it.