Hello everyone!

I am preparing for a week-long vacation to Ireland over the New Year, and am just crazy with excitement for planning all the elements. One thing I always do first though is research books that will help me to better understand the cultural and historical climate of the region I’ll be visiting. So I began preparing a list, which just kept getting longer and longer! I definitely have my work cut out for me. If you are thinking of a trip to Ireland too, check out some of these books right along with me. And when you are completely excited by what you’ve read and can’t stand not to visit, drop me a line and we’ll make it happen. In the meantime, happy reading and dreaming!

Here is where we should start

James Joyce is worshiped in Ireland. There is a Dublin Writers Museum that depicts his life and contributions, as well as a James Joyce Centre in Dublin that is devoted to just Joyce. I'd start with him. 

Dubliners 

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young man 

Ulysses if feeling adventurous*. This is one of the most ponderous books around.

Irish myths and legends- ISBN: 051748904X. Mythology is very important to the way Ireland has developed over the years. Important Celtic sites can be seen today, such as the Hill of Tara and Newgrange.

The collected poems of W.B. Yeats. Yeats is another of Ireland's favorite sons. In fact he was the first Irishman to be given the Nobel Prize for literature. 

Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. Beckett is known as one of the most influential writers of the 20th century, and also one of the first postmodernist authors. He too won the Nobel Prize for Literature. I chose this book to begin with because the Dublin Writers Museum specifically mentions that they have an original or first edition of this work in their collection. And it's short.

Important works of fiction from Irish Authors, more or less chronological and cross-listed with the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list. I put Beckett on the top because of his significance to Irish literature.

The Trilogy:

Molloy – Samuel Beckett

Malone Dies – Samuel Beckett

The Unnamable – Samuel Beckett

Murphy – Samuel Beckett

How it is - Samuel Beckett

Watt – Samuel Beckett

Worstward Ho – Samuel Beckett

Mercier et Camier – Samuel Beckett

Gulliver’s Travels - Jonathan Swift

A modest proposal and other satires -Jonathan Swift

A Sentimental Journey – Laurence Sterne

Tristram Shandy – Laurence Sterne

The vicar of Wakefield - Oliver Goldsmith

Castle Rackrent – Maria Edgeworth

The Absentee by Maria Edgeworth

Ormond – Maria Edgeworth

The Albigenses – Charles Robert Maturin

In a Glass Darkly - Sheridan Le Fanu

Uncle Silas - Sheridan Le Fanu

Dracula- Bram Stoker*

To the North – Elizabeth Bowen

The Last September – Elizabeth Bowen

Eva Trout – Elizabeth Bowen

The Heat of the Day – Elizabeth Bowen

The House in Paris – Elizabeth Bowen

A World of Love – Elizabeth Bowen

Amongst Women – John McGahern

That They May Face the Rising Sun – John McGahern

The Siege of Krishnapur – J.G. Farrell

Troubles – J.G. Farrell

The Singapore Grip – J.G. Farrell

The Sea – John Banville

Shroud – John Banville

The Untouchable – John Banville

The Book of Evidence – John Banville

The Newton Letter – John Banville

The Butcher Boy – Patrick McCabe

The Master – Colm Tóibín

The Heather Blazing – Colm Tóibín

Felicia’s Journey – William Trevor

Fools of Fortune – William Trevor

The Story of Lucy Gault – William Trevor

The Gathering - Anne Enright

Other notable books by Irish Authors not on the 1001 books list:

Circle of Friends- Maeve Binchy*

Tara Road- Maeve Binchy

P.S. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle

At Swim-Two-Birds by Brian O'Nolan

The Wild Irish Girl- Sidney Owenson (or Lady Morgan)

Classic Irish Short Stories by various (2 parts)

Guests of the Nation (short story) - Frank O’ Connor

They aren’t Irish, but they write good historical novels, so I’ve included them

Princes of Ireland: The Dublin Saga by Edward Rutherfurd (I’ll be reading this soon. His New York historical novel was amazing) This book is followed by the sequel Rebels of Ireland.

Ireland by Frank Delaney

Some good nonfiction about Ireland and Irish History

How the Irish Saved Civilization - Thomas Cahill*

Ireland: History of a Nation- David Ross

The Great Hunger: Ireland: 1845-1849 by Cecil Woodham-Smith

Wars of the Irish Kings: A Thousand Years of Struggle, from the Age of Myth through the Reign of Queen Elizabeth I by David Willis McCullough

Malachy McCourt's History of Ireland

Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

*read or currently reading. For the most part I have enjoyed these books, although I must say that Ulysses was just a bit too far over my head.

So there is my book list for Ireland. Obviously I’ll not get near reading all of them, but it is good to have something to aspire to. Is there a notable book I’ve missed? Please let me know!

Jolly Old England is a beautiful place to be sure, but it is also steeped in many excellent layers of history. I'm a big fan of the Tudor era, so this post will include a bit of history and some places where you can go to get a taste of the golden age, and all that stuff with Elizabeth I's father before that. I've put this together in a sample tour that we can make happen for you in partnership with a flexible touring program such as Monograms.

Day One

The Tower of London has seen the beginnings, and many endings, of a great deal of monarchs. Traditionally the king or queen to be spent a night in the royal chambers of the Tower before processing to Westminster Abbey for their coronation. Henry VIII and Queen Katherine of Aragon were two of many other rulers to begin their reigns here. 

But as is famously known, Henry VIII had a habit of getting rid of queens fairly quickly. Anne Boleyn is an excellent example. She got Henry to divorce Queen Katherine, was made queen in her place with a fabulous coronation ceremony, and then quickly fell from favor when she failed to produce a male heir. She met her end at the same Tower that housed her right before she was crowned. Anne is buried at the Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula ("St. Peter in chains"), which is located on the Tower grounds.When you go, try to picture Anne at her highest and lowest points, all spent right where you stand.

From the Tower I would take a boat trip down the Thames to Westminster Abbey, where Henry and his children Edward, Mary, and Elizabeth were all crowned. One other Tudor was crowned here as well, the nine-day queen Jane Grey, who was planted on the throne as a coup to keep the Catholic Mary I from rising to power and persecuting the Protestants. But it was not to be borne. The citizens revolted and Jane was removed quickly from office to meet her end on that same infamous Tower green. Many famous people have made their final resting place at the Abbey, including Edward VI (Henry VIII's son), Mary Queen of Scots (after she was re-interred), and Mary's son, King James I and VI of Scotland and England, who ruled after Elizabeth I.

Day Two

Let's begin where we left off yesterday and pay a visit to Westminster Palace, known today as the House of Lords and the House of Commons of Parliament. Back in Henry VIII's day it was also where Parliament was convened, but when James I came to power it turned back into a royal residence for a time.

After that I would go visit the National Portrait Gallery, which is a free museum that houses the portraits of a rich collection of notable people throughout history. Visit the Tudor room for a glimpse of the famous monarchs and consorts from the era.

Whitehall is next on the list. This beautiful palace was original a residence of Cardinal Wolsey, Henry VIII's closest advisor before he fell foul of Anne Boleyn. When Henry broke with the catholic church in order to get a divorce, Wolsey was forcibly removed from the office and his houses were confiscated. Henry preferred living here to Westminster Palace, and celebrated the marriages of two wives, Anne and her successor, Jame Seymour. This was also where Henry met his end, dying in bed after suffering from a long-endured wound. Unfortunately, there was a big fire in 1698 and the Banqueting House is the only integral building of the complex now standing, although it has been somewhat modified. Various other parts of the old palace still exist, often incorporated into new buildings in the Whitehall government complex.

If you are visiting between April and early October, consider attending a play at the newly rebuilt Shakespeare’s Globe in Southwark. This theater has been lovingly reconstructed from Shakespeare's original design, and is a delightful place to hear some plays that Elizabeth I herself may have enjoyed. 

Day Three

Time for a little branching out from the city of London. Hampton Court (11 miles south of London) was another residence that was built by and taken from Cardinal Wolsey by Henry VIII. The gardens are considered magnificent and are certainly worth a stroll as well. This palace was the birthplace of King Edward VI and, unfortunately, the death place of Henry's third wife, Jane Seymour, who fell to complications in childbirth. Henry insisted that he be buried next to Jane, his "true wife", when he died. 

A few kilometers from Hampton is Richmond Palace, on the south, or Surrey, bank of the River Thames. Again due to fire there are only a few surviving structures- the Wardrobe, the Trumpeters' House, and the Gate House. This palace was given to Henry's fourth wife Anne of Cleves as a residence post-divorce, and was also the place where the Virgin Queen Elizabeth I died.

The next stop on the tour is Windsor Castle which is in the English county of Berkshire. Henry VIII and Jane Seymour are both buried at Windsor's St. George’s Chapel.By the way, it is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world.

Day Four

If you haven't yet gotten enough of Tudor history (who could?), I recommend a pilgrimage to the north of London to Hatfield, which is in Hertfordshire. This country house is where Elizabeth I grew up, and also where she was declared queen after Mary I's death. Later, this house was given to chief minister Robert Cecil (son of Elizabeth's chief advisor) in James I reign.

105 km north of Hatfield is Peterborough Abbey in Cambridgeshire, where the despairing original wife of Henry VIII, Katherine of Aragon, was laid to rest after a long battle with cancer and heartbreak. She never backed down from her belief that she was the one true queen, and never granted a divorce. where  is buried and Mary Stuart was until being reinterred.

A jump for Peterborough is the ruins of the once great Fotheringhay Castle in Oundle, Northamptonshire. This location is made famous by the trial and execution of Mary Queen of Scots by her cousin, Elizabeth I. Elizabeth later denied that she had given any such order to behead her own cousin, though. Mary was buried at Peterborough for a time, but reinterred at Westminster when her son James I came to power. 

So there you have it. A four day thorough journey into the heart of what is one of the most famous (or infamous depending upon who you ask) moments in British history. Shoot me an email and we can work together to create your very own step back in time. Contact me to get started!

Milan Cathedral

Ahh, Italy. The center of everything at one time or another. You may have heard of Michelangelo and the many other important artists that shaped Italian major cities, but in this post I want to bring to mind the fantastic musical heritage that Italy boasts. I am a huge fan of opera, so I'm going to focus on places of significance to fellow opera lovers. For you orchestral fans, there are a couple of tidbits for you too!

Milan is the center of the operatic world in Italy by a wide margin. It is here that Verdi and Puccini made names for themselves by studying at the Milan Conservatory and performing their works at the world-renowned Teatro Alla Scala. The rest of northern Italy is equally impressive, which includes the beautiful Busseto, birthplace of Verdi, and Lucca in beautiful Tuscany, Puccini's home town.

And one must not forget Venice, that city of canals has brought music to the lips and ears of many a person over the past few hundred years. Grab a gondola ride and glide along while you are serenaded by your very own Gondolier.

Florence was the birthplace of the Renaissance, and boasts an amazingly preserved architectural landscape that is not to be missed. Don't miss that famous David, and see the remnants of the Medici dynasty everywhere you look. Machiavelli was also an imposing presence here, penning the classic study of power The Prince. The city also boasts some impressive musical ties. If you enjoy music from the Renaissance, you may be pleased to know that composer Guillaume Dufay (1397–1474) called Florence his home. Today, there is the Luigi Cherubini music conservatory, also home to an impressive Museum of Musical Instruments, and the fantastic Teatro della Pergola opera house.

Rome. All roads lead there you know. What cultural experience is complete without Rome? Here you can find some of the best religious artwork in the world in all mediums, from the Sistine Chapel to St. Peter's Basilica. But the music life of Rome is also very active. The Theater of the Opera saw the premieres of Tosca and Cavalleria rusticana. Also, there is the National Museum of Musical Instruments, one of the finest such institutions in the world and not to be missed.

To see everything in the northern part of Italy, I recommend going with a group tour, as that will give you the guidance and VIP access you need to experience as much as possible in a short amount of time, without having to worry about the hassles of ground transportation, entry tickets, and hotels. Globus has a wonderful 10 day Northern Italy Highlights tour that travels through Milan, Busseto, Parma, Lucca, Asti, and Turin. And you can easily add an extra day for a glimpse of Venice. Click here for more info on this tour.

For those with a little less time, there is an 8-day Italian Vista tour, also from Globus. Here you can see the beautiful cities of Milan, Venice, Florence, Verona (of Romeo and Juliet fame), and Rome. Click here for this exciting tour.

Or maybe you would like a little less structure and a little more time to do what you want to do? Monograms offers a flexible Venice, Florence, Rome package that takes care of getting you to the cities and hotels, orients you on a morning guided tour, and then leaves the rest of the vacation up to you but without having to worry about ground transfers or any other unknowns about traveling abroad. Add an excursion to Pisa and Lucca one day for example, or attend a special opera or concert in Venice. It's up to you. Click here for more information. And if you want to add some time in Milan, I can certainly make that happen!

I hope this post has given you some food for thought, and has inspired you to get out and make this adventure a reality. Visit my website or email me to get started! If you contact me soon I can offer some great discounts- 20% off on Monograms tours, and an up to $200 air credit per couple!

Welcome, friends! Have you ever been reading a book and wondered what the place described was really like? Have you ever listened to a piece of music and wondered about the places that influenced that composer? Well, why not make that wondering into your next vacation?

MJ Musical Journeys offers customized travel packages that let you get in touch with your inner adventurer. I will focus upon regions that have significant value to historical, musical, and literary minds, such as England, Italy, river cruises down the Mississippi, and much more. Please enjoy reading along as I offer ideas for your next vacation, and when you are ready to book, email me or visit my website and we can get the ball rolling on making this dream a reality.

So what are you waiting for? Let's GO!