The Irish poet John Montague is to be made a Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur, one of France’s highest decorations. He and his wife Elizabeth Wassell live part of the year in Nice. Montague, who turned 80 last year, said he was excited to learn that his name was included on the French government’s annual Bastille Day honours list: "I was very pleased. People have the other country – a dream of another country, as a corrective to the one that you grew up in. I have the French thing".(click here to read Irish Times article)

If you are intrigued and want to read more on Liberties author John Montague, purchase his biography The Pear is Ripe - A Memoir, or bury yourself in his collected stories A Ball of Fire.

Dangerous Pity, by Elizabeth Wassell, was launched in Temple Bar's The Gutter Bookshop on June 8th, 2010. Surrounded by fans, friends, and family, the night was started off by Bob Johnson (The Gutter Bookshop) who has really created a fantastic space for all book-lovers. Peter O'Connell, director of Liberties Press, also spoke a few words on Elizabeth's wonderful book and the pleasure it was working with her. Paolo Tullio offically launched Dangerous Pity, and finally we heard from the fantastic Elizabeth Wassell who spoke about her life in Nice, and what brought about this book. She also read a section, to the delight of all there. A wonderful evening was had by all, and thanks to the Gutter Bookshop once more.

For more on Dangerous Pity, please click here.

From left to right: John Montague; Elizabeth Wassell; Paolo Tullio.

From left to right: Peter O'Connell; Elizabeth Wassell; Paolo Tullio.

Elizabeth Wassell at the launch of Dangerous Pity, her fourth novel.

Paolo Tullio launching Dangerous Pity

A large turn-out for Elizabeth Wassell's launch of Dangerous Pity

From left to right: Elizabeth Wassell; Paolo Tullio; Peter O'Connell; Bob Johnson

Elizabeth Wassell's Dangerous Pity which has so-far been praised for its "lightness of touch" and "gentle irony", along with how Wassell "guides the reader effortlessly through the interactions between the characters as their actions drive them to an explosive denouement", and now in this morning's (20.07.10) edition of MetroHerald, Dangerous Pity has been praised for its "easy-reading prose". Lucy White from the MetroHerald praises Wassell as "at her best when capturing the Gauloises-scented carrés, the riveira's "brine washed" sunlight and forthing cups of café au lait which keeps the reader rapt in French fancies."

Dangerous Pity is an instantly engaging novel; the central characters mix desire, regret, grief and obsession in a heady cocktail, and the descriptions of Nice and its cultural landscape are beautifully intriguing. It is available to purchase here.