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Overview
In the winter of 1951, a storyteller, the last practitioner of an honored, centuries-old tradition, arrives at the home of nine-year-old Ronan O'Mara in the Irish countryside. For three wonderful evenings, the old gentleman enthralls his assembled local audience with narratives of foolish kings, fabled saints, and Ireland's enduring accomplishments before moving on. But these nights change young Ronan forever, setting him on a years-long pursuit of the elusive, itinerant storyteller and the glorious tales that are no less than the saga of his tenacious and extraordinary isle.
Synopsis
In the winter of 1951, a storyteller, the last practitioner of an honored, centuries-old tradition, arrives at the home of nine-year-old Ronan O'Mara in the Irish countryside. For three wonderful evenings, the old gentleman enthralls his assembled local audience with narratives of foolish kings, fabled saints, and Ireland's enduring accomplishments before moving on. But these nights change young Ronan forever, setting him on a years-long pursuit of the elusive, itinerant storyteller and the glorious tales that are no less than the saga of his tenacious and extraordinary isle.
The Washington Post - Bill Sheehan
The stories of Irish history are familiar but still stirring, and Delaney brings a fresh perspective and a depth of understanding to the telling. His detailed grasp of Irish history lends weight and authority to this long, discursive tale. At the same time, his familiarity with every aspect -- social, cultural and economic -- of Irish society, his empathetic rendering of a varied cast of real and imagined characters, and his ability to convey the intricate beauty of the Irish countryside enrich the narrative at every turn. Mostly, though, the novel draws its power from Delaney's conviction that stories matter, giving shape and meaning to our otherwise fractured personal -- and national -- histories. The troubled history of Ireland makes a particularly memorable story. Delaney tells it very well indeed.
Editorials
Edward Rutherfurd
"A remarkable achievement....Frank Delaney has written a beautiful book."Jack Higgins
"An absolute masterpiece. With this extraordinary novel Frank Delaney joins the ranks of the greatest of Irish writers."Washington Post
"History, legend, memory and myth come seamlessly together in Frank Delaney’s wonderfully engaging new novel, Ireland."Connecticut Post
"Extraordinary … Delaney is such a fabulous storyteller that the 560 pages fly by."Entertainment Weekly
"Delaney gracefully collects essential myths—and invents a few, too—in his heartfelt ode to the oral tradition."Hartford Courant
"Delaney has written an epic novel on the history of Ireland....He’s a born storyteller."Richmond Times-Dispatch
"Miraculous ... As befits its title, IRELAND touches the heart and moves the soul."U.S. News & World Report
"An epic novel of history and storytelling."The Guardian
"If you’re a lover of Irish myths and history, there are rich pickings here."Philadelphia Inquirer
"Dramatic, adventurous, heroic, romantic, slyly comic ... imaginatively [tells] the history of Ireland."San Antonio Express-News
"In the end, IRELAND is, as the Irish themselves are fond of saying about everything from cabbage to castles, brilliant."Entertainment Weekly
“Delaney gracefully collects essential myths—and invents a few, too—in his heartfelt ode to the oral tradition.”Washington Post
“History, legend, memory and myth come seamlessly together in Frank Delaney’s wonderfully engaging new novel, Ireland.”Philadelphia Inquirer
“Dramatic, adventurous, heroic, romantic, slyly comic ... imaginatively [tells] the history of Ireland.”The Guardian
“If you’re a lover of Irish myths and history, there are rich pickings here.”Hartford Courant
“Delaney has written an epic novel on the history of Ireland....He’s a born storyteller.”U.S. News & World Report
“An epic novel of history and storytelling.”Richmond Times-Dispatch
“Miraculous ... As befits its title, IRELAND touches the heart and moves the soul.”Connecticut Post
“Extraordinary … Delaney is such a fabulous storyteller that the 560 pages fly by.”San Antonio Express-News
“In the end, IRELAND is, as the Irish themselves are fond of saying about everything from cabbage to castles, brilliant.”Bill Sheehan
The stories of Irish history are familiar but still stirring, and Delaney brings a fresh perspective and a depth of understanding to the telling. His detailed grasp of Irish history lends weight and authority to this long, discursive tale. At the same time, his familiarity with every aspect -- social, cultural and economic -- of Irish society, his empathetic rendering of a varied cast of real and imagined characters, and his ability to convey the intricate beauty of the Irish countryside enrich the narrative at every turn. Mostly, though, the novel draws its power from Delaney's conviction that stories matter, giving shape and meaning to our otherwise fractured personal -- and national -- histories. The troubled history of Ireland makes a particularly memorable story. Delaney tells it very well indeed.— The Washington Post