Quench the Lamp

As late as the 1950s, life in an Irish village doesn't seem to have changed very much, and Alice Taylor conveys its charm in the midst of hard work, and the relationships between the people--her family, "characters" in the village, and other neighbors. Alice Taylor has a perceptive mind, a sharp eye, and a tender heart. This is a great book to enjoy on a winter night with a nice cup of tea. It's like reading a real-life Miss Read novel.

I have read almost all of Alice Taylor's books but this one is my absolute favorite. It is written with humor, warmth and love.

Alice Taylor's works are much like herself, gentle, warm and caring, with a twinkling bit of humor throughout. Quench the Lamp, like To School Through Fields, is Taylor's memory trip through a childhood in an Ireland that has largely disappeared, eaten by the "Riverdance Phenomenon". This is no stage show, this is the real thing, growing up on a farm in an Irish Catholic family, with a strong sense of belonging and doing what is right. No matter what your age, no matter what your roots, if you enjoy reading about how families get along, how traditions are kept and how love is celebrated, Alice Taylor's works are for you. Make a pot of tea and enjoy.