May the Road Rise Up to Meet You [NOOK Book]

( 44 )

Overview

An engrossing, epic American drama told from four distinct perspectives, spanning the first major wave of Irish immigration to New York through the end of the Civil War.
 
Four unique voices; two parallel love stories; one sweeping novel rich in the history of nineteenth-century America. This remarkable debut draws from the great themes of literature—famine, war, love, and family—as it introduces four unforgettable characters. Ethan McOwen...
See more details below
May the Road Rise Up to Meet You

Available on NOOK devices and apps  
  • Nook Devices
  • NOOK HD/HD+ Tablet
  • NOOK
  • NOOK Color
  • NOOK Tablet
  • Tablet/Phone
  • NOOK for Windows 8 Tablet
  • NOOK for iOS
  • NOOK for Android
  • NOOK Kids for iPad
  • PC/Mac
  • NOOK for Windows 8
  • NOOK for PC
  • NOOK for Mac
  • NOOK Study
  • NOOK for Web

Want a NOOK? Explore Now

NOOK Book (eBook)
$11.99
BN.com price

More About This Book

Overview

An engrossing, epic American drama told from four distinct perspectives, spanning the first major wave of Irish immigration to New York through the end of the Civil War.
 
Four unique voices; two parallel love stories; one sweeping novel rich in the history of nineteenth-century America. This remarkable debut draws from the great themes of literature—famine, war, love, and family—as it introduces four unforgettable characters. Ethan McOwen is an Irish immigrant whose endurance is tested in Brooklyn and the Five Points at the height of its urban destitution; he is among the first to join the famed Irish Brigade and becomes a celebrated war photographer. Marcella, a society girl from Spain, defies her father to become a passionate abolitionist. Mary and Micah are slaves of varying circumstances, who form an instant connection and embark on a tumultuous path to freedom.
    
All four lives unfold in two beautiful love stories, which eventually collide. Written in gorgeous language that subtly captures the diverse backgrounds of the characters, and interspersed with letters, journals, and dreams, this unforgettable story, rendered in cinematic detail, is about having faith in life's great meaning amidst its various tangles.
Read More Show Less

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
In Troy’s debut, the worlds of an Irish immigrant, a New York society girl, and two slaves collide via the fight against slavery and the Civil War. This historical saga begins during Ireland’s Great Famine and brings readers through to post–Civil War America. In 1847, Ethan McOwen arrives in New York City to pursue a new life with his family. By the time the Civil War begins, the McOwen family has established a comfortable life, with Ethan having become a respected photographer. Ethan and his friends join the famous Irish Brigade, and he begins documenting the war through his photographs. Later, at an exhibition of his work, Ethan meets Marcella Arroyo, a beautiful, sophisticated woman who’s chosen to shun her family’s wealth and dedicate herself to abolition. Meanwhile, in Richmond, Va., slaves Mary and Micah lead two very different lives. While Micah suffers constant abuse and sleeps on a pile of hay, Mary’s owners consider themselves kind, providing her with “privileges” such as a bedroom. They soon fall in love, and unusual circumstances eventually bring all four characters together. Except for the predictable Marcella, the depth of Troy’s characters offers compelling insights into the Civil War era. (Feb.)
Kirkus Reviews
The Hunger--the Irish famine--forces Ethan McOwen across the Atlantic, where his life eventually gets caught up in the American Civil War. Even before the harshness of The Hunger the McOwens experience tragedy, most notably for Ethan the loss of his beloved sister, Aislinn. They had both been bookish and imaginative children, and Ethan's later drive to learn earned him the nickname "The Professor." The McOwens--Ethan, Da, Mam and Aunt Em--reassemble in Red Hook, N.Y., to start their new lives. Meanwhile, Troy introduces slave families that experience a reality parallel to the McOwens'. Micah is sold from a plantation in South Carolina to a new owner in Charlottesville, Va., and Mary, an educated house slave, works for the Kittredge family in Richmond. Eventually Micah courts Mary, and they develop a plan to escape on Christmas Eve. Only Micah makes it to freedom, however, after an arduous journey across the Blue Ridge and then the Potomac River. During the Civil War Ethan becomes a talented photographer, in fact an assistant to Matthew Brady, and takes well-received pictures of the Irish Brigade, but he's also wounded at Antietam and eventually marries a nurse, Marcella Arroyo. With the war still raging, Ethan and Marcella make a separate peace by moving to Cooperstown, where the narratives intersect as Micah, a talented carpenter, becomes their handyman as well as Ethan's friend. Troy ends his narrative with the conclusion of the war as Micah and Mary finally find their way to each other. While Troy's narrative starts in Ireland, he tells a quintessentially American story of adversity and triumph.
Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780385534499
  • Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
  • Publication date: 2/28/2012
  • Sold by: Random House
  • Format: eBook
  • Pages: 352
  • Sales rank: 26,516
  • File size: 3 MB

Meet the Author

PETER TROY is a former journalist and high school history teacher. He lives in New York State, where he is at work on his next novel.
Read More Show Less

Read an Excerpt

1. The Hunger

Ethan McOwen
County Fermanagh, Ireland
April 25, 1847

Th’ Lahrd is my shepherd I shall not want . . . His Da had loved Father Laughton for the way he got through the Sunday Mass like a Protestant wit’ an overflowin’ bladder. That was always the kind of thing Da would have to say about the Father, even when his Mam’d go on about something the Father said in one of his three-­minute sermons in the weekday Mass, Da would always say t’ank th’Lahrd we’ve got de only priest in Oireland that doesn’t run at th’mouth, or something like that. Seanny and Aislinn and Ethan’d laugh, and Mam’d slap Da’s shoulder and tell him, In fronta th’children? And he’d say, Sure they’re waitin’ t’get outta there as much as meself, and they’d laugh some more and Mam’d hit him again, only this time pressin’ back a smile of her own, tough as it was for her to stay mad when her family was laughin’ so.

But this service was a different matter and Ethan knew his Da wouldn’t be happy about the Father’s bladder today. Fer Chroist sakes Fadder, dat’s my little girl in dere, he’d say, wouldja slow it down a little? Or maybe Aislinn’d say, All due respect Fadder Laughton, but would ya please read wit’ some inflection, an’ make th’words come aloive? That’s what she was always tellin’ Ethan to do, and she’d say it to the Father in such a way that it wouldn’t be a mortal sin, and the Father’d laugh and say, Yer right, Aislinn dear, lemme give it anudder go, and he’d smile and pat her on the head and go back to readin’, slower this time, and with more meaning. Ethan wished he could say something in his sister’s place, but he’d just sound like an insolent little boy, and he didn’t want to go sinning like that, placin’ his immortal soul in jeopardy and givin’ his Mam something else to worry about. So he stood quietly, thinkin’ of what a shame it was that the last words spoken for Aislinn’d be like this.

He stared down at the hole in the ground and admired the precision of its edges, cut perfectly straight and square to one another, with the displaced earth stacked in two neat pyramids at either end of it. He knew that had his and Aislinn’s places been switched, and the fever’d overtaken him instead of her, she would’ve appreciated the craftsmanship, too. But it was his sister’s undersize coffin layin’ comfortably inside the hole, not his, and he tried not to think about how they’d had to bend her legs at the knees, then fold them back behind her, so she’d fit in the four-­foot-­long box made for a child half her age. At least it’d keep the dogs off her better than one of those government-­issue wool sacks, the ones the poorest families were left with, the ones they’d later have to see torn from the ground and ripped to shreds as the dogs and rats got at what was left of their loved one. There’d be none of that for Aislinn, because the eight and sixpence his Da and Seanny had sent from America, the money that was to go for food until the new potatoes in July, bought the coffin and the slate and the Mass to be said in her name, instead.

When The Hunger claimed the first of its victims, most of the village turned out for the services after the Sunday Mass, but now it’d just be family members and perhaps a few friends. Still, Ethan counted forty-­one, not includin’ Aislinn, here this mornin’, a testament to his sister’s gentle and encouraging nature and the dozen or so children along the Lane she’d taught to read in the past few years. Even Old Mr. Hanratty was here, standin’ alone, perhaps fifteen feet behind the Bresnihans. Ethan knew this was as close as he’d been to the inside of a church in thirty years, so he nodded his head to him in confused gratitude, and Mr. Hanratty, tight-­lipped, nodded back.

Aislinn’s service was done in ten minutes and the two gravediggers began to spill the neatly piled dirt on top of her coffin as his Mam and Aunt Emily wept. Ethan looked away after just a moment, not wantin’ the water to get in his eyes the way it was in his Mam’s and Aunt Em’s. He noticed how most of the older graves had tombstones that stood upright while the newer ones were marked with about what Aislinn’d have, a one-­inch-­thick slate, fourteen by ten inches, lyin’ flat on the ground. That was all there’d be to tell anyone who might be interested that she’d been here for almost sixteen years, and that she wanted to be a teacher, and how, for the last two years, since it was just her and him and Mam livin’ at Aunt Em’s, she and he would put on shows every Saturday night, and oh were they gettin’ so good at it. No, none of that at all. Instead all it read was . . .

Aislinn McOwen
1831–­1847

. . . as if a few numbers said anything about her, like it was some sort of achievement how long a person lived, and when they’d died young, like Aislinn, people fifty years from now could look at the numbers and say, Oh poor lass, just sixteen what a pity, what a tragedy, musta been The Hunger. Most of the stones that were laid flat across the graveyard were covered over with grass and weeds, and Ethan vowed that he wouldn’t let the same thing happen to her. He wouldn’t let her fade away like that.

The crowd quickly dispersed, with only a few people comin’ by and nodding their sorrow or placin’ a hand briefly on his Mam’s shoulder. Father Laughton was one of the last to approach. He may not have read with much inflection, Ethan thought, but the Father’s pain was written on his face in deep creases that led to sunken eyes, and Ethan realized then that the Father’d seen more death than any of them.

May th’ Lahrd comfort you, he said to the three of them, and waved his hand in a downward line and then across.

He was gone before any of them could say a word, though both his Mam and Aunt Em blessed themselves and curtseyed. And then it was just the three of them standin’ beside the gravesite, with a few stragglers a little farther away.

Jaysus, me hands’re just about tahrn up from all dis rocky soil, one of the gravediggers said. It’s loike shovelin’ bricks.

Ahh yer always complainin’, the other replied. Yer hands can’t be bad as me back.

They were strangers to Ethan, men who traveled constantly, earning a shilling here and there, plyin’ their morbid trade like vultures in the Irish countryside. He could hear every word they said, and regardless of what a fine job they’d done diggin’ the grave, he wanted to take the shovels from them and cover his sister’s body himself. If his Da and Seanny were here, they’d probably want to take the shovels and bash the gravediggers over the head, he figured, so he felt a little ashamed, less of a man, for not wantin’ to do so as well.

Mam and Aunt Em closed their eyes as the coffin disappeared beneath the dirt, them without an extra penny for the gravediggers and so forced to hear more about various aches and pains as the men carried out their work. Ethan felt the anger grow within him until Mr. Hanratty walked up to each of the men and handed them a coin and whispered something to them while noddin’ toward Ethan’s Mam. The men continued on with their work in silence, and Mr. Hanratty glanced over at Ethan and his Mam and Aunt, placin’ his gray woolen cap against his heart and nodding his head slightly. Then, without a word, he was off.

When the coffin was completely covered and the tombstone set in place on the fresh dirt, the three of them walked quietly home. To Ethan, the lustrous green fields were now gray as a winter sky, and their cottage seemed as vast and hollow inside as a fourteen-­by-­sixteen-foot space could ever seem. There’d be no grand funeral dinner, as was the custom in the Old Days. There’d be no reveling, no cousins runnin’ about in the fields as the men and women sat inside by the fire and drank a few pints Old Man McGeary’d supplied from his pub down the Lane. There’d be no stories told of the person who’d passed, no fiddle, or singing. No laughter.

Ethan realized that it was exactly one week ago, when he returned home from the Mass with Aunt Em, that they were told by his cryin’ Mam that Aislinn was gone. Now, as he’d done then, he bounded up the stepladder to the loft he’d shared with his sister since they moved in two years earlier, once Sean and Da were off to America. He sat on his bed, two five-­by-­one-­foot wooden planks raised just off the floor by corner posts. Aislinn’s bed was across from it, the two of them separated by their collection of eleven books stacked neatly on a small plank, held up on either side by painted rocks used for bookends. They called it The Library. The first six volumes’d been given to Aislinn when she saw them piled beside the trash bin in the Brodericks’ library and Mr. Broderick caught her skimmin’ through them. Since that time he’d given her five more, and she and Ethan had read them all several times, though she generally had to help him with some of the more challenging ones like Paradise Lost and a collection of the Shakespeare.

Every Saturday night, until two weeks ago, the two of them took a scene from one of their books and acted it out for Mam and Aunt Em, often taking what Aislinn called poetic license with the tragic scenes, much to the approval of their audience. Loud applause always greeted them when Hamlet, or Achilles, or Romeo and Juliet, or other doomed heroes were spared in the end. But even the happy memories brought the water to his eyes now, so he left the books in their place and took a minute to fully compose himself before going back down the ladder.

His Mam and Aunt Em were busy cooking the biggest feast they’d seen since Christmas. There’d be three small turnips, a little cabbage and wheat flour bread, and as a special treat, they’d each get a few ounces of beef cut from the scraps fed to the Brodericks’ dogs. Aunt Emily had cut it and stuffed it in her pocket when nobody was lookin’—­she called it Aislinn’s severance, whatever that meant—­and he knew that this funeral supper would chase away The Hunger for at least one night. But when it was ready they ate in virtual silence, chewing everything slowly, tryin’ to make it last as long as possible. Ethan felt terribly guilty and he was sure his Mam and Aunt felt so too. Aislinn hadn’t eaten a meal like this for the last few months of her life, and the only reason each of them had so much now was because there were only three of them left to eat it. And so, as the food hit his empty belly, he found none of the usual satisfaction or relief, only shame.

That night, sleeplessly staring around the darkness, he could tell when Mam or Aunt Em were awake by the sounds of their sniffles. And much as he tried not to, his thoughts wandered to that day, just three Saturdays ago, and the last time he and Aislinn had performed one of their scenes. He’d rushed home that day with nothin’ more than a quick wave to Mr. Hanratty, carryin’ the usual pocketful of oats and even more of a bounty in his other pocket, four pieces of jerky that Mr. Broderick’d given him for stayin’ late. It wasn’t like he’d had any choice but to stay, what with Mr. Broderick and his daughters still out there ridin’, but it was a nice thing he’d done all the same. It made Ethan feel even guiltier than usual about taking the pocketful of oats, even though Aunt Em always said it wasn’t really stealin’, just doin’ the Lahrds work for Him, feedin’ th’poor and such, like th’loaves an’ fishes in th’Bible. But his guilt quickly faded when he reached home that evening since it was Saturday night and Aislinn’d already picked out a scene for the play.

Sure, it turned out to be the last time she’d been anything like herself, but Ethan let the thoughts press fully on him now, as if to give her the proper sort of remembrance the dead should have no matter how much it hurts the ones left behind. And this wistful recollection gave way to the dreams that linger on the edge of sleep, needing only to close his eyes to be taken fully back into the moment . . .

I was thinkin’ we’d do a bit from The Odyssey, she says as soon as you hit the top step to the loft. I think I can read for ya, but you’ll havta do th’performin’.

She seems weaker than she’d been just that mornin’, but you’ll not mention anything of it.

What part? you ask and even start gettin’ a little worried about the idea of doing your first solo.

When Odysseus is given the bag t’contain all th’winds so dey can make it home t’Ithaca, she says. And then you remember the jerky in your pocket, and hold the four pieces up to her, proud as can be.

Where’d ya get them? she asks, smilin’.

Mr. Broderick gave ’em t’me for stayin’ late, you say, like you’ve done somethin’ important to earn them. You can have mine Ais’.

Ahhh no, Ethan, she says wavin’ her hand. One’s plenty.

It doesn’t matter anyway since Mam cooks the jerky in the soup for supper. And you’re all excited to taste the flavor of beef again, even though you’re thirsty afterwards from the salt. Then Mam and Aunt Em settle in their stools and Aislinn lies in Mam’s bed with The Odyssey out and open before her. You go up to get your blanket, then step outside, while Aislinn sets the scene, talkin’ about how Odysseus was given this great sack to hold all the winds of the seas. And when you come back in, you bounce all around the cottage, like a man holdin’ the winds in a sack’d do. You bounce from side to side of the cabin, and they all laugh, Aislinn even, and the more you swoon, the more they laugh, so you swoon even more. After a minute or two of that, you, Odysseus, settle down to sleep. And Aislinn reads on, about how the members of his ship’s crew talk of the treasure they think Odysseus is keeping hidden from them in the sack.


From the Hardcover Edition
Read More Show Less

Reading Group Guide

1. While faith is never discussed in specific terms, how is Gertie’s stitchin’ in the prologue, and its connection to the final scene, a metaphor for faith?

2. If anger, hurt, disappointment, fear and doubt are some of the principle obstacles to faith, how do these elements affect the four main characters?  Discuss specific moments when each of them confronts these aspects within themselves and the change, if any, which comes from them.

3. The “Great Hunger” (also called the “Potato Famine”) in Ireland is a generally misunderstood period in history, often being left out completely from American textbooks or covered only for the impact it had on Irish immigration to America.  It is estimated that more than one million deaths can be attributed to disease and starvation between the years of 1846-1851, and between death and emigration, Ireland’s population decreased by fully 20% during those few years. Considering that Ireland continued to export food to England during the worst years of The Hunger, why is the term “famine” a misnomer, and how does it reflect the notion that the winners write the history books?

4. Why might Ethan’s Mam consider the stories Mr. Hanratty tells Ethan to be potentially quite dangerous?

5. How does Mr. Hanratty’s statement to Ethan, “If it’s a happy tale yer after, den sure you was bahrn in th’wrong land,” reflect the tragic impact English policies had on Irish attitudes?

6. As Ethan views his native land in the increasing distance from onboard the ferry, he begins to understand why Mr. Hanratty would refer to Ireland as “she” or “her” and not “it.” Discuss the emotional impact leaving one’s native land under such circumstances would have on a person.  How might that affect how they view their adoptive country in ways good and bad?

7. How is Ethan’s experience with the College Professor reflective of the attitudes of many people towards immigrants?   

8. Counting both Union and Confederate casualties, there were almost as many American lives lost in the Civil War as in all other American wars combined.  Yet at the start of it, neither side believed it would last more than a few months. When Ethan and his friends enlist, what is their attitude towards the war?  How is their enthusiasm changed after their first battle?

9. All four main characters are greatly influenced by a loved one who has passed away.  How do some of the characters “communicate” with their loved ones and how does this affect them?

10. Discuss the impact reading and writing have on of each of the four main character’s lives.

11. Each character is assigned their own narrative voice and grammatical structure throughout the book.  How and why do they change, either subtly (Ethan, Marcella, Micah), or dramatically (Mary), as their stories progress?

12. For each of the four main characters, the Civil War, in a manner of speaking, “makes” them.  How does the outbreak of the war alter their lives permanently?

13. How are the love stories of Ethan and Marcella, Mary and Micah similar?  How are they different?

14. What is the significance of the term “frontsways”?  Where does it come from originally and how does it apply to the journey of all four characters?

15. How is the author’s use of different narrative voices, perspectives, and grammatical structure, a metaphor related to this very theme?

16. Each of the four main characters is born into a situation where he or she is instructed in no uncertain terms to understand their “place.”  Whether it is at the lowest or highest levels of the social hierarchy, there are quite specific sets of instructions on how to properly behave so as not to place themselves outside the realm of normalcy. Discuss the general restrictions placed upon each character, Mary and Micah as slaves, Marcella as a woman, Ethan as a poor Irishman. How is each character reminded by someone close to them to stay within the range of accepted behavior? How does each character, either secretly or overtly, rebel against those same instructions? What are the results of these rebellions and how does it alter the life of each character?

17. The issue of race has been a contentious one in American society, politics and culture from the very early days of the Colonial Age until the present day, often impacting the portrayal of different characters in film and literature through a stereotypical lens. How are Micah and Mary different from the stereotypical slave? How is their ascent from slavery first a mental journey, then a physical one?

18. The range of slave/owner relationships in the book is extensive, from brutality to pseudo-love.  How does this reflect the psychological and emotional impact of slavery on both the slaves and their owners?

19. How is the relationship that develops between Ethan and Micah made possible?  What encounters along their journeys are critical in forming their attitudes towards each other and their acceptance of each other as men, regardless of color?

20. When Marcella visits the First African Baptist Church in Savannah, Georgia, she identifies several signs and signals that served as coded instructions to runaways.  Discuss these symbols and their meanings.

21. When Mary and Gertie attempt their escape, Gertie tells Mary to find the Quaker Meeting House.  Discuss the role the Quakers played in the Underground Railroad.

22. Harriet Tubman was perhaps the most famous of the supporters of the Abolitionist movement who became supporters of the Women’s Suffrage movement after the Civil War.  Why was this a natural progression?

Read More Show Less

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 44 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(35)

4 Star

(5)

3 Star

(4)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identity on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

 
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously
See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 44 Customer Reviews

  • Posted March 22, 2012

    We live in a society where art has become profit, so consequentl

    We live in a society where art has become profit, so consequently little attention is drawn to the masterpieces our culture creates. Great films are buried by mindless sequels, transient music is overshadowed by computer generated fluff mass produced like twinkies, and our book stores are basically promotional tools for celebrity autobiographies, diet books, or both. This work by first time author Peter Troy falls into the category of unsung masterpieces of modern culture. Troy weaves seamlessly through 19th century history, but incorporates the timeless emotions of grief, love, pride, and hope, creating something of a portrait of the human spirit along the way. This is the sort of piece that exemplifies the faith and sincerity that we want to pass on to future generations, and it is a work of art that I hope and pray is embraced in it's own time. It's a worthy read.

    11 out of 12 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 24, 2012

    An Excelllent Read ! In his riveting epic novel, "May

    An Excelllent Read ! In his riveting epic novel, "May The Road Rise Up To Meet You", Peter Troy depicts the storm clouds gathering over America leading up to the Civil War. He weaves an irresistible narrative involving four characters whose disparate lives encompass both the Irish famine, which provoked the great migration to America, and the abusive slave system of the South. Troy masterfully interweaves their separate tales until they converge in a fully realized climax. This novel has it all: pulsating action and romance, a rich tapestry of characters, and a theme as big as the American dream itself. It is a "Gone With The Wind" in scope but more real and more resonant.

    8 out of 9 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 16, 2012

    I could not put this book down. I never wanted it to end. The gr

    I could not put this book down. I never wanted it to end. The gripping story and entertwined lives of all of the characters weave a beatiful fabric of tragedy and hope during events in history. Bravo Peter Troy. Hurry up with your next novel.

    5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted April 16, 2012

    Great thought-provoking artwork!

    Wonderful! This book goes beyond just the entertainment that a novel can bring. This book made me reflect on my life. It reminds me that wherever I am in my life is exactly where I'm supposed to be, but if I want to change where I am, I can do it. The characters, in their colloquial language and accents, written so honestly and purely by Peter Troy take you on a personal journey that makes you laugh and cry at times, but most often, makes you think. You can't help but root for all of them to overcome obstacles that might thwart someone on the path to where they wish to go, as they press on with the help of the kindness of others of this Earth and those gone by. What an inspirational tale of the hope that something better than where you are in life is capable. Once you read this book, you will want to pass it on to someone, which is just want Ethan McOwen would want you to do!

    5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted March 24, 2012

    Once you start reading this wonderful novel, you won't want to p

    Once you start reading this wonderful novel, you won't want to put it down. Set in a time period encompassing the Irish immigrtation to America through the Civil War years, this is a must read for history lovers. The author does a marvelous job of introducing the four main characters and then interweaving their lives as they sturggle to overcome the adversities that life has put before them. You will feel their pain, sorrow and frustrations, but you will also rejoice in their faith and hope in securing a better future for themselves.

    5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 22, 2012

    Incredible novel

    This book may not be the typical easy read that you find on many of the shelves at Barnes and Noble, but it is by far the most insightful, thoughtful, and rewarding of novels I have read in a long time. It is a story that skillfully draws you into the lives of fourt different characters, all intertwined through the historical backdrop of the time (Civil War and Irish Famine). It is a story that opens your eyes to the history of the time in a poignant and compelling way, and yet this story is far more than your average historical fiction piece. It is first and foremost a book about faith and perserverance, and of the importance of seeing life in big pictures terms. Peter Troy skillfully weaves many perspectives through the book in an attempt to bring these concepts to life. He does an excellent job throughout. I highly recommend this book!

    5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 25, 2012

    Beautifully woven, inspiring tale - Highly Recommended!

    Peter Troy has stitched together a beautiful American tale of faith and hope. The voices of Irish immigrant Ethan McOwen, slaves Micah and Mary, and society girl-turned-abolitionist Marcella grab you, as their stories converge on their courageous journeys to love and redemption. We get a history lesson along the way, of the Irish potato famine, coffin ships, early baseball in Brooklyn, Tammany Hall, slave auctions, skilled slave labor, the Underground Railroad, and the Civil War. If you enjoy historical fiction and most importantly a story with a message, you'll be inspired by "May the Road Rise Up to Meet You". Think "The Help" in an even broader context (and without the pie...). I enjoyed it so much I bought 3 copies to send out-of-state family and friends. I highly recommend this book.

    4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted March 23, 2012

    A book like no other I've read. This was truly original, with f

    A book like no other I've read. This was truly original, with four distinct styles of prose for each of the remarkable characters and a story that was compelling right from the start. A must read for any serious reader!

    4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 22, 2012

    I loved- I mean loved reading this book. I was pulled into the c

    I loved- I mean loved reading this book. I was pulled into the characters and could not hear enough from them. I look forward to hearing more from author, Peter Troy.

    4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 13, 2012

    This is a great great great GREAT book. I have not been able to

    This is a great great great GREAT book. I have not been able to put this down. Peter Troy weaves an epic tale, weaving the lives of the characters in such an artistic, emotional and engrossing way. Although I am not big into history and this book is set in the mid 1800's, I did not feel like I was reading a "historical" book. I put it up there with the other addicting books like The Hunger Games...hopefully this one turns into a movie too!

    4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted February 28, 2012

    Such a unique voice - Highly Recommended

    This book is unlike any other that I have come across. Troy manages to create distinct characters and places us in their worlds through language and locations. Peter Troy truly has a gift of writing. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a unique, enjoyable read unlike any other!!

    4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted February 29, 2012

    Best book I've read to date

    I absolutely loved this book- I'm completely engrossed. I haven't felt this pulled into a book since I read the first Harry Potter 12 years ago. The time period is so beautifully depicted in the story- the imagery is incredibly vivid-- when Ethan was on the vessel sailing toward America- I can just feel for him- trapped in there, holding on to hope. No matter where life leads him, Ethan never lets go of hope. Ethan's hope is inspired by his love for his late sister who died during "the Hunger" in Ireland. The hope that Ethan has nourishes his faith and enables him to deal with an incredible hardship as his family adjusts to life in America- and the struggles and challenges that face them.

    While the book is set during the Civil War, I still find myself relating to the characters in a truly dynamic way- I can feel the emotions they are going through. For instance, Ethan has a bravery that is motivated by the love he has for his family, the desire he has to succeed - it just makes me wonder if I would have been as brave as him if I were in the same situation- perhaps if my immigrant relatives were who came through New York when they first arrived in America.

    While reading this book, I felt completely pulled out of my reality and into the story. It was a moving experience. As an avid reader- I highly recommend it.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted April 29, 2012

    A MUST READ! Couldn't put it down!

    Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down! I wanted to know more and more about this family's story as they struggled to survive the Irish potato famine. I recently met Mr. Troy at one of his book signing events, and it was a pleasure to meet such a talented writer. I look forward to the rest of the story as he has said he plans to write a trilogy! Can't wait for the next book!

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted April 26, 2012

    Brilliant and inspiring. That says it all.

    Brilliant and inspiring. That says it all.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted April 26, 2012

    As compelling a read as I've come across in many, many years! Th

    As compelling a read as I've come across in many, many years!
    There is so much to love about this book, great characters, great story, exceptional writing, and most of all, an uplifting message on the value of human life! Doesn't matter whether you're into historical fiction or not, literary fiction or not, this book crosses all those lines. A MUST, MUST read!

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted March 23, 2012

    Peter Troy's May the Road Rise Up to Meet You is a great read. I

    Peter Troy's May the Road Rise Up to Meet You is a great read. It tells the story of an Irish immigrant, a young Spanish woman and two African American slaves whose lives interact before, during and after the Civil War. The characters are believable and the story is quite moving.

    Anyone interested in American History or the American Irish experience or the Abolition movement will enjoy this book.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted April 26, 2012

    This review is from: May the Road Rise Up to Meet You: A Novel (

    This review is from: May the Road Rise Up to Meet You: A Novel (Hardcover)
    This is a story that MUST be shared with others!! The characters grab you so intimately that they become your best friends, sharing with you the intimate details of their lives. I think each reader will find himself or herself identifying closely with one of them, whether it be the spunky and rebellious Marcella, the strong, manly Micah, the brave, faithful Ethan or the gently visionary Mary. They take you on a journey back in time so personally that you feel the hunger, experience the prejudice, encounter the hatred, face the challenges, conquer the fears and embrace the love of a time in our past. You travel on a "coffin ship" from Ireland to America, see the beginning of baseball, walk the streets of old New York, feel the humiliation of slavery and the strength and talents of so many slaves. You discover people finding love amid desperate circumstances and showing courage and loyalty in the midst of it all. What a study in human nature! What a lesson to be learned and shared today! Book club members will find much for discussion in this book, so rich in scope and message.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 29, 2012

    A well-crafted and thoughtful novel. Overall, a great read!

    A well-crafted and thoughtful novel. Overall, a great read!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 29, 2012

    Epic, excellent

    I really enjoyed this story, falling in love with all the characters. Excellent historical novel. Troys writing is excellent and kept me captivated the entire time. To read this novel for my first ebook on my newly purchased nook color made the read even more enjoyable. I highly recommend May the Road Rise Up to Meet You.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 18, 2013

    Second time around!

    Few books are worth a second read....but this is certainly one of that class!

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 44 Customer Reviews
If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble
Why is this product inappropriate?
Comments (optional)