Roger McGough: Star of the Sea

This month, the celebrated and much-loved poet, playwright and broadcaster Roger McGough has chosen Star of the Sea by Joseph O’Connor. Roger is the author of numerous poetry collections, the most recent being As Far As I Know, published by Penguin in 2012. He was awarded a CBE in 2004 and has been honoured with the Freedom of the City of Liverpool.

He says of Star of the Sea:

This sprawling epic novel is set on a ship sailing from Britain to America during the time of the dreadful potato famine, with a cargo of wretched Irish peasants in steerage and assorted toffs travelling first class.

Scrupulously crafted and elegantly written O’Connor has shone his torch into one of the darkest, and least recorded corners of our history.