A Sense of Wonder

Long before there was a peace process in Ireland, Van Morrison unwittingly did his bit to unite a nation divided. Born in the heart of East Belfast in the North, he is revered as a Celtic soul hero in the South. His music, while rooted in jazz and blues and soul, has an Irish accent-a distinctly Protestant Irish accent.

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A Sense Of Wonder is a new book about Van Morrison that concentrates on the Ireland that made him, and the Ireland that he has re-made through a stunning, sprawling body of work spanning almost six decades. Published to coincide with the 45th anniversary of Morrison's landmark album Astral Weeks, it draws on original research and interviews with a range of characters, from collaborators and associates of Van to Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson and actor Liam Neeson. A Sense Of Wonder is not a biography but rather a journey through Morrison's Ireland. It's a journey that begins in the heart of East Belfast on Hyndford Street-where we encounter the likes of John McCormack and The McPeake Family-and culminates in a unique picture of an idyllic, almost mythical Ireland where spirituality trumps organised religion, and art yields a stronger legacy than politics.