Ireland: A Novel - Softcover

Delaney, Frank

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0060563494 ISBN 13: 9780060563493

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks, 2006

Synopsis

In the winter of 1951, a storyteller arrives at the home of nine-year-old Ronan O'Mara in the Irish countryside. The last practitioner of an honored, centuries-old tradition, the Seanchai enthralls his assembled audience for three evenings running with narratives of foolish kings and fabled saints, of enduring accomplishments and selfless acts -- until he is banished from the household for blasphemy and moves on. But these three incomparable nights have changed young Ronan forever, setting him on the course he will follow for years to come -- as he pursues the elusive, itinerant storyteller . . . and the magical tales that are no less than the glorious saga of his tenacious, troubled, and extraordinary isle.

About this title

About the Author:

Frank Delaney was born in Tipperary, Ireland. A career in broadcasting earned him fame across the United Kingdom. A judge for the Booker Prize, several of his nonfiction books were bestsellers in the UK, and he writes frequently for American and British publications. He now lives with his wife, Diane Meier, in New York and Connecticut. Ireland is his first novel to be published in the United States.

From AudioFile:

When a storyteller comes to visit young Ronan's house, he becomes fascinated with the wanderer's art. His mother is less fascinated, throwing the man out and spawning a search for the man and Ronan's lifelong fascination with storytelling and Irish history. The stories form the backbone of the novel as Ronan traces the man's tales and tries a few of his own. Frank Delaney wrote with the ear in mind, and as narrator he uses his gentle, thoughtful voice to full effect. Like his fictional storyteller, he draws listeners in with the two-part goal of telling truths with a good story and keeping listeners driven to know what happens next. Rather than a must-read, this novel is a must-listen. J.A.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

About this edition

• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0060563494
• ISBN 13: 9780060563493
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Number of pages: 672