Amongst Women by John McGahern
Published by Faber, 1991

A dark family drama in which Michael Moran is the central character. He is an old Irish Republican, whose life is transformed by his days as a guerilla leader in the Irish War of Independence. Moran acts like he is still at war, with his family, friends, and most of all himself. He is a sullen, obstinate, extreme man who traumatizes his family with his endeavours to control; he is obsessed with the past and vents his anger on his three teenage daughters, his sons, and his second wife Rose.

The essence of this book was not liked by most of our book club members, who found it dark and depressing and at the same time infuriating by the way Moran treated everyone he came in contact with.
However, it was a subject for lively discussion and it provoked a lot of reaction.

Reviewed by Kilrush Library Bookclub.