Free (Kindle) Sean O'Casey: A Life [20th C Irish Political Playwright Biography]

[ATDrake]

Sean O'Casey: A Life by British author Garry O'Connor (Wikipedia), an award-winning playwright and novelist also known for his theatre biographies, is his biography of the titular late Irish playwright (Wikipedia, obituary at the New York Times) who was a pioneering figure in early 20th century theatre, writing about the Dublin working classes, with this volume apparently focusing on his reinvention of himself, as he embraced his national heritage, and mingled political consciousness with drama, free for a limited time courtesy of publisher Endeavour Press.

This was originally published in 1988 by Hodder & Stoughton.

Currently free @ Amazon (available to Canadians & in the UK and pretty much everywhere else Amazon sells worldwide, since this is being done via their KDP Select exclusive-or-else program)

Description
The writer whose greatest creation was himself…

The character Sean O’Casey designed for himself became real and inhabitable — much greater than any of the great stage characters he carved out of his Dublin upbringing.

Born John Casey in Dublin, 1880, whilst his oldest siblings had been educated to the age of eighteen, before he was fourteen the future playwright had already been sent out to work.

As a young man he embraced Irish nationalism, learnt the language, and Gaelicised his name; it was almost time for Sean O’Casey to enter stage right.

It was during this time he began writing, but, unlike the satirical ballads that became staples for the rebels, it would be 1923 before one of his plays was publically performed.

The Shadow of a Gunman marked the beginning of his relationship with the Abbey Theatre, and before long he was being touted as J. M. Synge’s heir.

Like his creations, drawn from his own life and those of the people around him, O’Casey’s blunt honesty, his readiness to fight over his opinions, incurred measures of ill will.

Sean O’Casey’s life is as rich and layered as any play, yet in this skilfully crafted biography Garry O’Connor reveals the man behind the myth, and all his glorious contradictions.