John Ryan 
Remembering How we Stood 
Bohemian Dublin at the Mid-Century

With a foreword by J.P. Donleavy. The best book about literary Dublin ever written' – FRANK DELANEY. Edna O'Brien chose John Ryan's memoirs as her Observer Book of the Year in 1975, describing it as a fine and loving account of literary Dublin in the golden fifties', which purrs with life and anecdote'. This classic evocation of the period 1945-55 celebrates a city and its personalities – Brendan Behan, Patrick Kavanagh, Myles na g Copaleen (Flann O'Brien), as well as Pope' O'Mahony, Gainor Crist the original Ginger Man, and others – a remarkable group who were to revitalize post-war literature in Ireland. As friend, publisher and fellow artist, Ryan paints a vivid picture of this ebullient, fertile milieu: No more singular body of characters will ever rub shoulders again at any given time, or a city more uniquely bizarre than literary Dublin will ever be seen.' As one reads his words, dressed in their wonderful finery of irony, the world he speaks of reblossoms to be back again awhile. To see, feel and smell the Dublin of that day; a masterpiece of reminiscence' – from the foreword by J.P. Donleavy

About the author

J.P. ‘Mike’ Donleavy has written more than twenty books since The Ginger Man, including The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B, Meet My Maker the Mad Molecule, A Fairy Tale of New York, The Onion Eaters and Schultz (all available as e Books from Lilliput), along with several works of non-fiction such as The Unexpurgated Code: A Complete Manual of Survival and Manners. He lives along the shores of Lough Owel near Mullingar in County Westmeath.