Born one of nine children into a penniless North Dublin family, Nuala O'Faolain was saved from a harrowing childhood by her love of books and reading. Pushing constantly at the boundaries of Ireland's confining Catholic culture, she became one of the country's most visible and respected columnists. When she was asked to write a 500-word introduction to a collection of her best-known political columns, that "introduction" grew to nearly 200 pages, evolving as a startlingly candid memoir that chronicled many of the abuses of Irish society, and tore at the emotional fabric of her homeland.As she entered middle age alone, O'Faolain's professional success did little to ease her longing for a deep connection to the world - for a lover, for a child, for a country that, as she says, only upholds that role for a woman. In this extraordinary work, she has distilled her life experiences into a wisdom that springs from her obstinate refusal to shrink from life. She tells her story beautifully, with great heart and a Celtic touch for poetic emotion and insight - providing an exhilarating example of courage, honesty, and bold living.