All the Spangled Host

'Ryan's gentle appreciation of the significance but wonder of ordinary lives [makes this] a wonderful collection.' -Tom Moriarty, The Irish Times In this lyrical and compelling collection of tales of the quotidian, John A. Ryan paints a sincere picture of Ireland, it's environment and people. His delicate awareness of the world around him is reflected in every paragraph of these poetic and contemplative pieces. Each is infused with a sense of mindfulness, slowness and the almost divine nature of the small and the commonplace, reminding the reader of the sacredness of life at the heart of the universe.

John A. Ryan's first book, Song of Duiske (Lilliput, 1989, 2006), was described by Sean Dunne as 'a small classic of Irish literature' (Cork Examiner) and by Pat Donlan, national librarian, as 'a tiny masterpiece ... like a miniature painting (RTÉ). His novella, Mo'soor: Song of the Road, was published by Lilliput in 2013. John is a retired teacher and currently lives in Waterford.