A graceful tale, an extended wake and reflection on the life of a man. Poignant, well-written characters, can't exactly say it was a pleasure to read but the author is very skilled in helping us see a man's life -- the joys, the despairs, the rejection.

Book in excellent condition. This story will touch your heart. A secret between friends changes their lives forever. Billy's tragic sorrow juxtaposed against his ability to be generous and charming to everyone he meets makes him a true hero.

Good ol' Irish immigrant story set in NY. The story is beautiful and sad. Floats between the past and the present with each character.

I actually thought this book dragged on waaay to much. About half-way through the book I realized that I didn't care about the characters.

I don't recommend this book.

Well-written but not for me as it was hard to keep my train of thought and follow the narration; partly because of the use of pronouns when too many relations of the same sex were being referred to and partly because of the subject line and the underlying questions being asked not holding enough interest for me.

I couldn't get into this book at all. I found it a little strange and boring. The characters were lame, the topic was weird, the setting was boring and the story didn't seem to grab me. I strated the book about 4 times and honestly couldn't finish the book.

A National Book Award winner about the Irish-American family and relationships.

"An astoundingly beautiful novel about the persistence of love, the perseverance of grief, and all-but-unbearable loneliness, as well as faith, loyalty and redemption."

A slow detailed start but a good read once you get into it. It is on Oprah's book Club list.

Excellent, excellent writing style. This author is amazing. Her attention to detail enables you to feel like you're right there with the characters with every head nod, facial expression, clearing of the throat...you get the idea. I couldn't stop reading this, anxious to see how Billy's life unfolded and how it affected all those he met along the way. Get it --- read it!

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Charming Billy is a small, lyrical book that primarily focuses on relationships. It unwinds slowly, with an emphasis on detail that makes the Irish and Irish-American characters and their lives in NY very vivid - you can practically hear their voices in your head. The story, as many have said, centers on the life of Billy, a recently deceased man who was an alcoholic. There is basically only one plot element, involving the death of Billy's first fiancee, which is why I say it is a small book, and the book wraps its way around this story, filling it out richly and ultimately building to a gentle climax. The narrator moves back & forth in time, and only gradually reveals who she is, which I suppose is why some readers have said they found it confusing or couldn't get into it. So if you're looking for a plot-driven or fast moving book, this is not for you. But if you'd appreciate a richly woven tale from an author who understands human character, and the complicated ways that people love each other, Charming Billy is a good bet.

I felt there needed more character development as well as plot development, but overall it was a charming story.

Have not read

From Library Journal
When Billy, the glue of a tight Irish community in New York, dies as a result of lifelong alcohol abuse, mourners gather around roast beef and green bean amandine to tell tales and ruminate on his struggle for happiness after he lost his first love, Eva. With carefully drawn character studies and gentle probing, McDermott, who won the National Book Award for this work, masterfully weaves a subtle but tenacious web of relationships to explore the devastation of alcoholism, the loss of innocence, the daily practice of love, and the redeeming unity of family and friendship.

A good read.

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