The Secret Scripture

Sebastian Barry

ISBN 10: 1433261502 ISBN 13: 9781433261503

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc., 2008

Synopsis

Roseanne McNulty, once one of the most beautiful and beguiling girls in County Sligo, Ireland, is now an elderly patient at Roscommon Regional Mental Hospital. As her hundredth year draws near, she decides to record the events of her life, hiding the manuscript beneath the floorboards. Set against an Ireland besieged by conflict, The Secret Scripture is an epic story of love, betrayal, and unavoidable tragedy. Barry has given us a heroine of delicate complexity in a setting of rugged beauty. His flawless use of language and plot hold the reader rapt from beginning to end.

About this title

About the Author

Sebastian Barry is a playwright whose work has been produced in London, Dublin, Sydney, and New York. His novel A Long Long Way was a finalist for the 2005 Man Booker Prize. His other novels include The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty and Annie Dunne.

Reviews

Starred Review. Playwright Barry's touching novel turned plenty of heads upon its release, as an elderly mental patient documents her life and times in County Sligo, Ireland, while her doctor uncovers a remarkably different story of her existence. Wanda McCaddon's British dialect is no hindrance to her remarkable portrayal of protagonist Roseanne McNulty, as she leaps into character with a stunning, perfect Irish accent that captures every nuance of the West Coast dialect. McCaddon's performance is among the best of the year. Her believable portrayal is perfectly modulated and nuance-filled, creating a stunning listening experience. A Viking hardcover (Reviews, Mar. 31). (Oct.)
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Lucky listeners receive the gift of a great narrator and an amazing writer in THE SECRET SCRIPTURE, which was nominated for the 2008 Man Booker Prize. Ninety-nine-year-old Roseanne McNulty has been a patient in an Irish mental hospital for over 50 years. Not apparently crazy, she decides to write her story at the same time that the hospital director begins to interview her. While Rose reexamines a life lived during the Irish "troubles" and within the confines of a sectarian, conformist country, Dr. Grene tells his version of her story. Wanda McCaddon's exquisite reading illuminates the lyrical writing, and brings listeners deep into the book's explosive emotions. Rose's determined Irish lilt, a priest's oily tones, Dr. Grene's fragile neutrality. It's all here, and it's terrific. A.C.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

Edition details

• Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1433261502
• ISBN 13: 9781433261503
• Binding: Audio CD