Almost There

In 1996, a small Irish press approached Nuala O'Faolain, then a writer for "The Irish Times," to publish a collection of her opinion columns. She offered to compose an introduction for the volume, and that undertaking blossomed into an "accidental memoir of a Dublin woman" and a book called "Are You Somebody?" that was published around the world and embraced so wholeheartedly in the U.S. that it reached the number-one position on the "New York Times" bestseller list and launched Nuala O'Faolain on a new career. Hailed universally for her unflinching eye ("A beautiful exploration of human loneliness and happiness, of contentment and longing."-Alice McDermott, "The Washington Post Book World"); her wisdom ("A remarkable memoir, poignant, truthful, and imparting that quiet wisdom which suffering brings."-Edna O'Brien); and her boldness ("An immensely courageous undertaking."-"The Irish Times"), "Are You Somebody?" took readers from O'Faolain's harrowing childhood, through decades defined