Discover Europe one book at a time with Dublin City Council Libraries' EU Reads

As Ireland takes on the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, DCC Libraries offer a curated selection for readers looking to travel across the continent one book at a time

News Stephen Holland Local Democracy Reporter 17:12, 01 Jul 2026 View Image A selection from Dublin City Council Libraries 'EU Reads' collection (Image: Dublin City Council)

As Ireland takes on the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Dublin City Council Libraries are encouraging readers to discover Europe through books.

For the next six months, Ireland will play a central leadership role at the heart of EU decision-making and help shape decisions that affect more than 450 million people. This means, now more than ever, is a great time to take a literary journey across Europe - one book at a time.

Dublin City Council Libraries are celebrating Ireland’s presidency with their ‘EU Reads’ collection. This is a selection of books exploring the rich and diverse literary heritage of the 27 Member States of the European Union. From ancient classics to contemporary fiction, the curated collection allows readers to discover new voices, perspectives and cultures.

Each country is being showcased with a selection of titles that will be celebrated at different events in local libraries across the city. “Whether you’re revisiting a favourite European author or trying something entirely new, we hope EU Reads inspires curiosity, connection and a love of reading,” a statement from DCC Libraries said.

For those wishing to start at home before branching out across the continent, one EU Reads selection is James Joyce’s classic short story collection Dubliners . As perhaps the most accessible work from a notoriously experimental author, this ground-breaking collection offers a glimpse into life in Dublin in the early twentieth century where characters struggle with a sense of paralysis as the stranglehold of Catholicism and British rule hangs over every word.

The second writer representing Ireland is more modern, with Claire Keegan’s Foster telling the story of a young girl living with foster parents in rural Ireland. While the child finds comfort among this new life, a revealed secret shows just how fragile this idyllic countryside existence truly is.

EU Reads takes readers on a journey to the most antiquated cultural touchstones this continent has to offer, with Homer’s Odyssey showcasing the enduring relevance of Ancient Greek mythology. This timeless choice feels particularly timely, as film lovers will soon be flocking to cinemas to watch Christopher Nolan’s take on Odysseus’s grand journey home after the end of Trojan War.

Popular favourites include the global bestseller A Man Called Ove from Swedish writer Fredrik Backman, which explored a curmudgeonly widower whose plans to end his life are repeatedly delayed by a young family annoying him with connection and community. The list even includes Pulitzer Prize winner authors like Poland’s Olga Tokarczuk, whose offbeat mystery Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead told a deeply philosophical tale of animal rights, human cruelty, and the abuse of power.

There’s surely plenty of readers who have been putting off tackling grand epics like French author Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables or want to finally get to grips with what Kafkaesque actually means by diving into the absurd bureaucracy of Czech writer Franz Kafka’s The Trial. EU Reads offers the chance for all of this and books can be loaned out absolutely free to anyone with a library card .

For more information or to keep up with Dublin City Council Library events celebrating Ireland taking on EU Presidency of the Council of the European Union visit https://www.dublincity.ie/dublin-city-libraries

This content is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme

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