This mystical, violent journey fueled by the incendiary and touching words of Eamon Loingsigh is a must read. Reincarnating the ancient Irish tradition of the shanachie, these poems careen from gritty New York City to old Ireland to Paris's literary underworld. Imbibed with intoxicating imagery, rebellions against a cruel God and a call for sarcastic attacks on the American culture of consumerism, Love and Maladies draws on several literary and oral traditions in this breakthrough book. Wild word play, thought provoking symbolism and cutting allegories add a depth to the stories making it a collection worth reading again and again. "Loingsigh's Irish-American spirit will astound you with his lucidity. He is a must read " -Peter Chelnik, author of Strawberry Harmonies "An impassioned arresting work executed with aplomb. Romantic, grotesque and fertile with imagery, Loingsigh's book is a tour de force." -Sophie Ward, author of The Beginning of an Inexplicable Journey