Listen to a sample
Topographia Hibernica
- Author
- Blindboy Boatclub
- Narrator
- Blindboy Boatclub
- Publisher
- Hodder & Stoughton
- Publish Date
- 9 November 2023
- Run Time
- 5 hours 54 minutes
- Format
- x-book®
- Rating
- 4.7 (3 reviews)
What to expect
You don't fully appreciate how large a donkey's head is until it's beside you in a Fiat Punto. The view in my mirror was furry and violent. I was driving blind.
Driving with a donkey stuffed in the back seat; jackdaws pecking brains out through the roof of a confessional box; cat piss and astronauts. This is the world not as you see it, but as it is, twisted from the maverick mind of Blindboy Boatclub.
These are stories of the strange unsettlings in the souls of men caught in between the past and the possible; stories of heart-blinding rage and disquieting compassion.
Taking its title from a twelfth-century English manuscript of the same name, which dehumanised the people and culture of Ireland to facilitate domination, Topographia Hibernica is a collection that unravels the knotted threads of humanity, nature and colonisation from a contemporary Irish perspective.
Called 'one of the most gifted writers of his generation' by the Irish Times, Blindboy Boatclub is the essential voice for the Irish condition in the twenty-first century. Topographia Hibernica is his unmissable new short-story collection.
(P)2023 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
Critics Review
-
Powered by immense, perverse energy out of the Limerick idiom, the collection generates a singular music that is memorable, unsettling and humane. Moments of beauty dazzle amid the profanity, as pathos and comedy are braided together
Guardian
-
Eerie, dark and twisted . . . Blindboy's passion for Irish nature, mythology and folklore lends a spiritual profundity
Buzz
-
One of the most gifted writers of his generation
Michael Harding - Irish Times
-
A bestseller in the bag
Irish Independent
See more reviews See fewer reviews
-
A cultural phenomenon...
Earnest and intellectual, but also funny and down-to-earth....
Talking to him can feel like skittering around a galaxy of Wikipedia wormholes (in a good way)New York Times
-
One of the best books I have ever read
Johnny Marr
User Reviews
Book 4.7
Narration 4.3
-
4.0 3.0
Interesting and at times challenging. Great observation and description of the natural world. A bit Po serous in its narration. I sped it up. Not sure about the use of background music.
StanRo 2025-09-01 -
5.0 5.0
A great collection of stories. Sad,, heart warming, surreal, historical, shocking and funny
Burty 2025-08-29
Details
- Author
- Blindboy Boatclub
- Narrator
- Blindboy Boatclub
- Duration
- 5 hours 54 minutes
- Release Date
- 9 November 2023
- ISBN
- 9781529371642
- Format
- x-book®
- Publisher
- Hodder & Stoughton
- Genre
- Short stories, Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general
- Rating
- 4.7(3 reviews)
- Narration
- 4.3(3 reviews)
Synopsis
The new short-story collection from Irish bestselling author, musician and comedian Blindboy Boatclub.You don't fully appreciate how large a donkey's head is until it's beside you in a Fiat Punto. The view in my mirror was furry and violent. I was driving blind.Driving with a donkey stuffed in the back seat; jackdaws pecking brains out through the roof of a confessional box; cat piss and astronauts. This is the world not as you see it, but as it is, twisted from the maverick mind of Blindboy Boatclub.These are stories of the strange unsettlings in the souls of men caught in between the past and the possible; stories of heart-blinding rage and disquieting compassion.Taking its title from a twelfth-century English manuscript of the same name, which dehumanised the people and culture of Ireland to facilitate domination, Topographia Hibernica is a collection that unravels the knotted threads of humanity, nature and colonisation from a contemporary Irish perspective.Called 'one of the most gifted writers of his generation' by the Irish Times, Blindboy Boatclub is the essential voice for the Irish condition in the twenty-first century. Topographia Hibernica is his unmissable new short-story collection.(P)2023 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
About xigxag and the x-book®
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
Our x-book® format is the only fully integrated listen-and-read experience available. See the text on screen as you listen, look up words, take notes, search within the book, and share quotes. It is especially useful for accessibility, language learning, and getting more from non-fiction. Look for the purple x-book® ribbon on the cover, or filter your search by "x-book" to find them.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.