Ireland

Frank Delaney has done it again

Author of Shannon and Tipperary, Frank Delaney's passion for writing novels about Ireland has reached its pinnacle. Ireland is a page turning story of a boy who searches for a storyteller who rested at his house for a while. Ronan, the boy, is so enthralled with the storyteller and his stories that he sets out to find him. The storyteller wanders the countryside, staying with people who will feed him and give him shelter in exchange for telling stories. This starts the journey for Ronan to collect the stories of Ireland, find the mysterious storyteller and uncover his, and Ireland's history. The history of Ireland pours through Ronan's journey revealing the beauty and painful history of his country. This book is an excellent read for teenagers and adults. Whether you need a novel for school or something to read on an airplane, Ireland is an excellent choice with only one major flaw, its length. It appears discouraging at first, but when that back cover is closed for the last time, you almost have the urge to read the whole thing again. It is rich with the history and stories of a great nation. I especially enjoyed the beginning because of the stories told by the old man. The wording and imagery were unparalleled and it gave me the desire to keep reading. I too gained the desire to search for the nameless storyteller just as Ronan had while reading the book. For any high school student reading this review, this is a great example for the coming of age theme. Other themes could include the epic journey, self-discovery and tradition. This was an enjoyable read and a great page turner. When I came to "Of love and truth" I would not put the book down until the last word of the story was read. I believe this book is a classic and everyone that is interested in Ireland should read it. Why should you read this book? There is nothing to lose, only wonderful knowledge to gain.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. In th

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. In the voice of a storyteller, I have learned more about Ireland than I ever knew and both the writing and the suspense in the novel have kept me glued to the book, which I am almost finished I would recommend this book to anybody and will probably buy additional copies for my children to teach them of their distant heritage.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Love ireland

Great place.

Highly recommend

A great read - Ireland told through the tales of a storyteller. If you love historical fiction, thisis the book for you.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Unique, readable overview of Irish History, with a 20th Century Plotline, too

Well drawn 20th Century characters and the Irish tradition of storytelling lead us through high points in the history of Ireland. Engrossing, very readable, a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Not such a good read

Be prepared for numerous perhaps endless folklore tales supporting a more interesting family story thatvshould be the focus of this very long book.

This was awesome

As a person raised in an Irish family of storytellers, I found this book to be wonderfully crafted. I loved settling down with the storyteller as he crafted his yarns, the storyline was intriguing and it held up well. Recommend without reservation.

Definitely a re-read

The book speaks of a "leprechaun" travelling throughout Ireland enthralling those gathered around him with stories of their ancestors. (I hope that I share some of the ancestors he speaks of in this book!) When he didn't have the complete facts, he "embellished". Everyone was thoroughly entertained & encouraged about their life as Irishmen.

In reading this book, I received a great history lesson while being entertained @ the same time. Great idea! This book is much more readable and engrossing than his latest & I recommend it above all of his other tales.

If more people wrote in this style, I like to think that more people would read; I know I would spend even more time engrossed in more books.

A worthy addition to the historical fiction of Ireland.

I can only begin by saying that I wish I had read this book prior to taking my vacation to Ireland a few weeks ago. I found this book to be a joy to read as Irish history was being revealed through the storyteller and his anointed one Ronan. There is a lot to learn from Irish history and what a great way to receive this history through a series of stories told by the storyteller. The characters were very likable and were wrapped around several subplots that added richness and subtlety to the novel.

The storyteller

Frank Delaney's Ireland is my kind of novel. Rich with character, history, and lyrical language, it is at once the chronicle of a nation and the coming of age tale of a young man. The story opens with the arrival of a man who may be Ireland's last itinerant storyteller, and from the moment he lights his pipe by the fireside, and begins describing the evolution of prehistoric New Grange, his audience is enthralled. As is Ronan, who from that evening on finds his career and his very life shaped by this enigmatic, nameless wanderer. The millenium-long, traumatic epic of a nation's building, the travails of a single 20th century family, the beauty of the landscape, the pain of loss, forgiveness and love, poets and leprechauns - it's all here, fascinating and beautifully expressed. If the book has a flaw, it's in its length. Though it bogs down after the halfway mark, Delaney's riveting conclusion more than makes up for that. Highly recommended for lovers of good historical fiction.

Delaney's Ireland is the width and breadth of the country itself

In "Ireland" Frank Delaney captures the very bittersweet air of his beloved country. For anyone who has heard the stories of Ireland, whether about Newgrange or leprechauns, this book tells those stories within the context of the characters and their lives. Delaney's writing style is lovely and as reminiscent of the Irish people as was Frank McCourt's. He tells the Storyteller's tales, as in the chapter that explains "how poetry came to Ireland," in ways that make those familiar with the history of Ireland feel they are standing on the shores of the Emerald Isle. A native of Ireland might weep to read these pages. It is the only book that I have read in recent memory that I will gladly read again.

Great Read

After reading this book it definitely intensified my desire of wanting to go to Ireland. I thought it was very good insight about the Irish as a people and their history. Out of all the stories told by the Story Teller, my favorite was the story of Finn MacCool and the Mountain of Women. I've already recommended this book to all my friends.

Great on CD!!!

I listened to this book on cd and I'm so happy that I did! I thought it was great to hear the book since it is about traveling storytellers as well as the history of Ireland. And the reading by the author was fabulous!! All history books should be written this way and then listened to - we would learn so much more, and like it too!

An insight into Irish oral traditions

I recently spent 2 weeks on a road trip in Ireland and learned a lot about many of the myths and stories that are such a huge part of Irish culture. Having seen so many of the places referred to in the book I felt like it just reinforced the wonderful people, stories, and landscape of Ireland. What a lovely way to fill in the blanks of true stories where imagination is used to fill in the unknown details. I can't wait to read 'Tipperary' as well!

Whimsical and hearty

What a wonderful suprise for this Historical Fiction lover

A story of Ireland

Lovers of history, lovers of stories, lovers of Ireland . . . this book has something for you. An easy read with wonderful imagery and a great ending.

A reviewer

I stayed up until three am last night finishing this book. The author's writing is eloquent but easy to follow, and the stories featured are fascinating. The main plot was intriguing as well.

A Great Irish Novel

One of the best Irish Books I have ever read. You will not regret buying it. The stories told by the story-teller in it are true.

Excellent

My favorite read of 2006. Rich in history with colorful, vivid detailing. I could absolutely not put this book down.

Great summer read

This book is a great way to experience some of the history and culture of Ireland. Some of the stories were a bit boring and the book could have been shortened a bit. But it was well written and intriguing