It’s not just the devil who makes work for idle hands, now we have the Internet! A new free ebook has been launched for people new to Dublin, whether they’re just stopping by or planning to stick around.
The Frugal Guide: Dublin 2015 was published in multiple formats in December 2014 by Donnybrook resident and American ex-pat Cory Hanson. Cory lives near Donnybrook with his wife, and has resided in Dublin since 2013.
Not able to work due to the status of his visa, Cory began a blog playfully named The Narcissistic Ex-Pat Diaries – From Iowa to Ireland. Finding an audience quickly, he found himself having to draft a Frequently Asked Questions page for American readers who got in touch, with queries about negotiating Dublin with skill. After updating this FAQ newsletter a number of times, it occurred to Cory that it would be easier to produce a guide book, and thus the Dublin Frugal Guide was born.
“It ended up being a lot more work than I intended. It took about six months,” he explained, “and I’ve already uploaded two revisions since the beginning of December. The plan is to continue to make sure it is up to date with information. I’ve also tried to put some humour and life into it. A lot of travel books can be dry, just lists of things, and the reader stops paying attention.”
The Frugal Guide is only available online, in a variety of eBook formats, such as pdf or Kindle files, partly for ease – Cory points out that ebooks are handier for travellers as they can be picked up anywhere – and also because publishing costs are expensive, and distribution becomes an issue.
The book itself is very user-friendly and written with an unabashed personal touch. Cory was an Instrumental Music Teacher in Iowa before moving to Dublin in 2013 with his wife, and the sense of his having accumulated knowledge hands-on runs throughout the text, without the intrusion of a fussy editor. If you are new in town or know someone who is, for however long their stay, check out iowa2ireland.blogspot.ie and follow the link.
By Rúairí Conneely
