The Minstrel Boy American Edition

The Minstrel Boy American Edition

Tom Moore, the subject of this text, was an Irish poet and songwriter, most known for his patriotic tunes "The Minstrel Boy" and "Let Erin Remember." These tunes are still played today and remain an important part of Irish culture as they help to remember and honor pivotal times in Irish history. England and Ireland have shared a long and very complicated history for centuries, a theme reflected in many Irish tunes. Interestingly, it was an Englishman who wrote this biography of Tom Moore, a prominent Irish figure. The book was then published in the United States in 1937 and in a way, is a product of three different nations. In the Preface to his book, Strong explains the reasons why he decided to write a portrait of Tom Moore, as well as the methods he employed to do so. He writes, "I have tried less to write a history of Tom Moore than to draw his portrait, and to clear away some of the irrelevancies of criticism which have been heaped upon him" (Strong vii). Strong inscribed this book “To W.B. Yeats” and Yeats is also mentioned in the Preface as a source upon whom Strong consulted throughout the writing process. The title spread includes the traditional Title Page displaying the title, author, and publisher. There is an image to the left of this page of a painting of Thomas Moore by Sir Martin Shee, P.R.A. According to The Royal Academy of Arts, Sir Martin Shee was once the president of the organization (RA). The fact that Moore’s portrait was painted by the President of the Royal Academy of Arts speaks to the status and respect Moore garnered during the time he was alive. The Contents page contains the list of chapters--20 in total--as well as a smaller breakdown of the individual segments of each chapter. The text contains a total of 12 images; some of these are illustrations while others are replications of portraits, engravings, or letters from Tom Moore himself. Overall, this book is an extremely detailed account complete with primary sources of Tom Moore’s life and the impact he has had on Irish patriotism and freedom.

L.A.G. Strong

Knopf

1937