NUALA O'FAOLAIN, Irish author, "Are You Somebody?"

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The book was an accident. "Irish Times" columnist Nuala (NEW-lah) O'Faolain (Oh-FWAY-lawn) was asked to compile some of her best columns in a book. As she sat down to write the introduction to the collection a memoir was born. The resulting book is: ARE YOU SOMEBODY? O'Faolain (Oh-FWAY-lawn) describes herself as a "single, childless, middle-aged woman in a conservative Catholic country." She contends Irish culture deems women are successful if they have strong husbands and a house full of children. O'Faolain (oh-FWAY-lawn) wonders whether a woman with neither spouse nor child can find respect and understanding in Ireland. She tries to answer that question in her book. ARE YOU SOMEBODY? was a best-seller in Ireland for 20 weeks--until Frank McCourt's ANGELA'S ASHES topped the list. O'Faolain (Oh-FWAY-lawn) told Minnesota Public Radio's Greta Cunningham she thought no one would read the book--in fact the publisher initially printed only 2-thousand copies....

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