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Ireland
Ireland
Author: Frank Delaney
From a land famous for storytelling comes — an "absolute masterpiece"* -- an epic novel — of Ireland that captures the intimate, passionate — texture of the Irish spirit. — One wintry evening in 1951, an itinerant storyteller -- a Seanchai, the very last practitioner of a fabled tradition extending back hundreds of years -- arrives unannounced at a ...  more »
Info icon
ISBN-13: 9780060563493
ISBN-10: 0060563494
Publication Date: 2/28/2006
Pages: 480
Rating:
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 85

3.6 stars, based on 85 ratings
Publisher: Avon Books
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

lilynlilac avatar reviewed Ireland on
Helpful Score: 8
My favorite read of this past year. Rich in history with colorful, vivid detailing. Could absolutely not put this one down. Can't wait to read something else by this author.
lnicolay avatar reviewed Ireland on + 19 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
What a beautiful novel!! It is not an easy read and it took time for me to get into the feel of the story, but it was certainly well worth the effort. This novel weaves together the story of a naïve boy growing into manhood and the heritage of Ireland as told by a charismatic professional storyteller. It is an unusual romance/love story as well as a story of maturing and growing into ones place and purpose in the world. This book is worth reading more than once.
reviewed Ireland on
Helpful Score: 5
I've never read a better book than this one. I laughed, I cried, I couldn't put it down. The author knows Ireland, he knows history, and he is an amazing writer who can describe his setting, write interesting characters, and spin an incredible yarn or two. I recommend this to everyone I know who can read.
reviewed Ireland on + 209 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
I listened to the CD--it was long! This was one of my favorite books in the past year! A nice mix of history, storytelling and a boy's relationship with a storyteller.
reviewed Ireland on
Helpful Score: 2
Although I read the entire book, I was sorely disappointed about it. It was extremely predictable and boring in some places. I really enjoyed the storyline between Ronan's family, specifically with Kate and Alison in the first half of the novel, however I grew quickly bored with Ronan's journeys during the second half of the book. I had expected this novel to have an historical fiction style and although its setup was unique to an extent, it didn't have enough panache to really make it a worthwhile epic. I enjoyed half of the Irish tales and legends in this book, while I could have gone without the rest. Best of luck to the next reader!
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reviewed Ireland on + 2 more book reviews
It's kind of weird I own 3 copies of this book all hard back and when ever, where ever I travel it is there I truly love this book and the stories with in stories. The way that Frank Delaney draws you in like a kid to candy. Brilliant!!! I have read it so many times and I always get the same awww affect...
reviewed Ireland on + 209 more book reviews
This is a wonderful book. I listened on CD, and it was LONG!! It tells the history of Ireland thru the stories told by a very old storyteller to a young boy. I loved it!
reviewed Ireland on + 66 more book reviews
I didn't make it all the way through this one...it just couldn't hold my attention for some reason. :(
reviewed Ireland on + 4 more book reviews
This is a great book. It was very visual for me. The method by which he presented the history worked really well for me. The fact that there was a little mysterious back story hinted at throughout really kept me wondering. I'd definitely recommend this book.
lostwolf avatar reviewed Ireland on
Ireland is a beautifully written book and I love that it is told through the "storyteller". It really makes you feel like you are there, being told stories of the history of Ireland through a traveler's tales. It is a bit slow for my taste though so that's the only reason I give it 3 stars instead of 4.
reviewed Ireland on + 32 more book reviews
Well-handled treatment of several eras of Irish history through the eyes of one of the last itinerant Irish story-tellers while tying general historical themes to the experiences of one particular family.
reviewed Ireland on
This was a great story about Ireland and gives you a lot of history along with it. I will definetely be reading more of this author's books about Ireland!
grammyteach avatar reviewed Ireland on + 192 more book reviews
I liked this book, but found it to be a bit long.

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