‘Life at Full Tilt: The Selected Writings of Dervla Murphy’ edited by Ethel Crowley | @ethelcrowley2 | @ElandPublishing

I was originally introduced to the writings of Dervla Murphy by Cork writer Ethel Crowley. Ethel was an avid admirer of Dervla’s work and over the years they developed a close personal friendship. Following the passing of Dervla Murphy in May 2022, the world lost a cherished person, an extraordinary character, one best known for her exhilarating and practical travel writing.

I read Full Tilt and Wheels Within Wheels and was struck by the no-nonsense ethic of Dervla Murphy, yet also her compassion for the world around her.

I was excited to hear that on November 2nd Eland Publishing are publishing a very special book celebrating the work of this incredible woman, in conjunction with Ethel Crowley and I am delighted to share the details with you all here today.

Life at Full Tilt: The Selected Writings of Dervla Murphy is described as ‘a whirlwind tour of Dervla Murphy’s travels’.

Ethel Crowley will be in conversation with Rose Baring, traveller, co-director of Eland Publishing and editor of Dervla’s last three books at Hatchards, Piccadilly on Tuesday 24 October at 6:30pm

Tickets to this event are available at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dervla-murphys-life-at-full-tilt-hatchards-piccadilly-tickets-715353370187?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

[ About Life at Full Tilt ]

It begins in Spain in 1956, before her first book, and follows in her tracks for over fifty years, including descriptions of her beloved Afghanistan in 1963, of the Peruvian Andes, of South, West and East Africa and most recently of the troubled territories of Palestine and Israel.

Dervla’s style of travel, to go somewhere that interested her and see who she met, made for fresh encounters every day, recorded faithfully each evening in her journal. What shines through in these writings is her passionate engagement with the world and its injustices, and her utter independence of mind.

Ethel Crowley, an Irish sociologist, has for the first time looked at all Dervla’s writing – her journalism and her twenty-four books – selecting half-a-dozen extracts from each for Life At Full Tilt. She introduces us to a complex character, hard to pin down, but a role model for women and environmentalists, Irish to her fingertips and a crucial part of the larger English tradition of travel writing. With a preface by Colin Thubron

**Available to pre-order in all good bookshops**

[ Bio ]

Ethel Crowley, PhD is an Irish sociologist with interests in feminism, global development and globalisation. She is the author of Land Matters, Daring to Dream and Your Place or Mine? (Orpen, 2013). Over the years, she has combined university lecturing and academic writing with travels in Latin America, the Middle East and India. She considers her connection and friendship with Dervla Murphy to have been one of the greatest gifts of her life.

X (Twitter) – @ethelcrowley2

Further reading: Ethel Crowley wrote a piece for The Irish Times on the anniversary of Dervla Murphy ’s death which you will find here – https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/2023/05/22/dervla-murphys-irish-times-seven-decades-of-astute-observations-and-witty-writing/