Happy Christmas to all our customers, from the Zozimoose and his family!

"Snow is falling lightly; the goose is in the oven. May I ask the world politely the reason for this love-in?" A wonderful CD, and a fine showcase of Ireland's great jazzman, Nigel Mooney. With hilarious original songs, and his brilliantly fresh arrangements of Christmas carols and standards. 'O Holy Night' and 'God Bless the Child' are sublime. Available at Zozimus Bookshop (€12) while stocks last - you will listen to it all year round!

Christmas is coming! We've just sold a copy of this fundamental work. For the perfect present we can suggest many equally fascinating books on music (and almost every other subject).

I've just heard that Will Stapleton can't be here on the night, but we may get permission to read one or two of his fine poems anyway ...

BOOK LAUNCH AND POETRY EVENING On Thursday 14th September, we host the launch of a fascinating new book by Liam Ryan, ‘Stories from the Hearth: Poems and Short Stories.’ Liam will read from his book, which is published by Boland Press. Copies will be for sale at the event (€10), and Liam will be glad to sign your copy. Keeping him company will be three other poets, the Rev. Chris Hayden, from Tinahely, Kristine Byrne from Arklow, and Will Stapleton from Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, who will also present short selections of their own work. The evening kicks off at 7.00 p.m., and everyone is welcome.

Something for those autumn evenings that are on the way! Here's a small selection of our many newly acquired thrillers and whodunnits. All these hardbacks and paperbacks are unread, and cost between €3 and €5.

James Joyce and James Stephens in uproarious mood for Bloomsday. This afternoon, from 3 to 5 pm in Gorey Library, we too will celebrate the day with readings, piano music and chat.

I must tell you about a new book that I have decided to stock: "Shape a Course for Fastnet: Attacks on Merchant Ships by U-boats during the Great War, where the Survivors landed in Kerry and West Cork". (€65.) The author, G L King (of Ferns, Co. Wexford), has spent two decades researching and chronicling an almost unknown aspect of our history - the four-year battle in Irish waters against the German U-boat onslaught. Among the appendices is a detailed account of Roger Casement's involvement in the 1916 gun-running. Sooner rather than later, this magnificently illustrated volume (of almost 600 pages) is certain to become a rare collector's item.

“The preparation of food has always been to me what literature or music or painting is to others… That sprinkling of chopped parsley beaten into the mashed potato is … the satisfaction of your natural craving for all green-and-white things, things like the tips of grass spears piercing the snow on a January morning.” – From Maura Laverty’s classic “Full and Plenty”, one among the delicious collection of cookery books here, costing from €3 to whatever you’re having yourself.