Colleen Taylor’s latest book, Irish Materialisms: The Nonhuman and the Making of Colonial Ireland, 1690–1830 (2024), explores the complex relationship between the nonhuman realm and the construction of colonial Ireland. She dexterously navigates the domains of material culture, environmental humanities, and socio-political history of Ireland, crafting a convincing argument regarding the agency of nonhuman metaphor in shaping Ireland’s colonial narrative. The book challenges established historical perspectives by placing nonhuman elements at the forefront of “Ireland’s colonial history” (56). She contends that a comprehensive grasp of colonial complexities necessitates an understanding of the material world, transcending “anthropocentric” narratives to scrutinize the dynamic interactions among people, nature, and objects. This creative work questions long-standing colonial preconceptions by exploring the complex relationship between “Irish people” and “nonhuman matter” (66). To understand their distinct material qualities and how they contributed to the colonial ideology of British paternalism, it explores commonplace items found in colonial Ireland, such as “coins, flax, spinning wheels, mud cabins, and pigs” (21).

The introduction of the book provides a comprehensive overview of its theoretical framework, linking “new materialist theory with the historical study of colonialism” (11). The book comprises five major chapters and presents a detailed case study, offering a nuanced understanding of how these objects contributed to the complexities of colonial life in “Irish fiction.” With careful case studies presented in every chapter, readers can gain a sophisticated knowledge of how these artefacts added to the complexity of colonial existence.

In chapter one, “Coins,” Taylor examines the material history of the Irish coin, transcending the mere economic aspects to explore its role in shaping colonial “Irish national consciousness” (57). The discussion spans a range of genres, from the “English It-Narrative” to the unique “It-Aisling,” crumbling the complex interplay of gendered violence and national identity entrenched in the “Irish coin narrative” (58). In the second chapter, “Flax,” Taylor provides a fascinating glimpse into the history of the Irish “linen industry.” She skillfully weaves together threads of improvement, “colonial ideology” (74), “feminization, domestication, and cleansing of the native Irish character” (104). The violent pretext of flax dressing is explored, revealing the intricate relationship between material processes and the new paternalistic model of Anglo-Irish relations. In the third chapter, “Spinning Wheels,” Taylor explores the pre-existing signifiers of creativity and the “stereotypes of Irish national identity” (114) embodied in spinning wheels. The material roots of an active, thinking mind are unravelled, leading to a nuanced analysis of spinning wheels in Irish song, poetry, and literature. In the fourth chapter, “Mud,” Taylor investigates the “environmental narrative” of mud cabins, examining the racialized application of mud in colonialism through the lens of “Arthur Young.” The examination extends to the didactic function of mud in eighteenth-century literature, dissecting Edgeworth’s “Ennui” and Owenson’s depictions of cabins. This reading shows how mud functions as a powerful symbol, elucidating its role in shaping “Irish colonial subjectivity” (144). In the last chapter, “Pigs,” Taylor focuses on a fascinating exploration of the role of pigs in shaping the socio-cultural and political landscape of Ireland during the specified period. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of “material culture” and “Irish-language literature” (202) in shaping the Irish experience during the “colonial rule at the turn of the nineteenth century” (217), with pigs serving as a central motif. The interdisciplinary approach, combining history, cultural studies, linguistics, and literature, adds depth to the narrative and makes this chapter a valuable contribution to the broader context of Irish studies.

To conclude, Taylor’s argument in this book significantly enhances our grasp of the interaction between “material realities,” postcolonial empowerment, and “resistance” (14) in Ireland within the specified timeframe. By scrutinizing the daily material existence of Irish peasants, it challenges prevailing narratives, presenting a nuanced and empowering “new system of colonial rule that had resulted in extreme poverty” (189). The work contends that exploring material culture deeply enriches our comprehension of “historical loss,” surpassing traditional accounts that often neglect the agency of the colonized.

This book provides an insightful examination of colonial Ireland through the prism of new materialist criticism and postcolonial analysis, making it a praiseworthy and stimulating contribution to the area. I believe that this book is a must-read for anyone seeking a more profound comprehension of Irish history and its significance for postcolonial studies.