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The Last Storyteller

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The Last Storyteller Cover

ISBN13: 9781400067855
ISBN10: 1400067855
Condition: Standard
Dustjacket: Standard
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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Frank Delaney, New York Times bestselling author of Ireland, Shannon, Tipperary, Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show, and The Matchmaker of Kenmare, is the unparalleled master of Irish historical fiction, bringing Ireland to life with exceptional warmth, wisdom, and wit. Now, in The Last Storyteller, Delaney weaves an absorbing tale of lasting love, dangerous risk, and the healing power of redemption.

 

“Every legend and all mythologies exist to teach us how to run our days. In kind fashion. A loving way. But there’s no story, no matter how ancient, as important as one’s own. So if we’re to live good lives, we have to tell ourselves our own story. In a good way.” So says James Clare, Ben MacCarthy’s beloved mentor, and it is this fateful advice that will guide Ben through the tumultuous events of Ireland in 1956.

 

The national mood is downtrodden; poverty, corruption, and a fledgling armed rebellion rattle the countryside, and although Ben wants no part of the upstart insurrection along the northern border, he unknowingly falls in with an IRA sympathizer and is compromised into running guns. Yet despite his perilous circumstances, all he can think about is finding his former wife and true love, the actress Venetia Kelly.

 

Parted forcibly from Ben years ago, Venetia has returned to Ireland with her new husband, a brutal man and coarse but popular stage performer by the name of Gentleman Jack. Determined not to lose Venetia again, Ben calls upon every bit of his love, courage, and newfound gun-running connections to get her back. And as Ben fights to recapture his halcyon days with Venetia, he must finally reconcile his violent and flawed past with his hopes for a bright and loving future.

 

Brimming with fascinating Irish history, daring intrigue, and the drama of legendary love, The Last Storyteller is an unforgettable novel as richly textured and inspiring as Ireland itself.

Review:

"The riveting final installment of Delaney's Ben McCarthy trilogy (after The Matchmaker of Kenmare) explores the protagonist's relationship with lost love Venetia and his folklore studies with legendary storyteller John Jacob Farrell O'Neill. O'Neill's gift for spinning a yarn is a powerful one, and McCarthy discovers that O'Neill's stories verge on the prophetic, lending this engaging historical a shade of magical realism. McCarthy opens up to O'Neill about Venetia (whom he impregnated when he was much younger), but who is now married to an abusive, deceitful performer — Gentleman Jack. McCarthy also finds himself unwittingly involved with IRA revolutionaries determined to reunite north and south Ireland, even if it means disturbing the countries' young peace. McCarthy finally resolves to liberate Venetia from her cruel husband during one of his hypnotic performances, but the troubled Venetia soon flees her rescuer. Both men — desperate to right the wrongs for which they hold one another responsible — escalate tensions to dangerous levels, while McCarthy struggles to assume O'Neill's mantle as preeminent storyteller and locate his beloved Venetia. Long-time fans of the trilogy will relish its conclusion, while new readers — though likely to feel lost at the outset — will quickly warm to Delaney's vividly described Ireland of the 1950s, its fully-realized inhabitants, and the dynamic political and personal relationships that make for a remarkable story. (Feb.)" Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
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About the Author

Frank Delaney is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel Ireland, as well as The Matchmaker of Kenmare, Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show, Tipperary, Shannon, and Simple Courage: A True Story of Peril on the Sea. A former judge for the Man Booker Prize, Delaney enjoyed a prominent career in BBC broadcasting before becoming a full-time writer. Born in Tipperary, Ireland, he now lives in New York City and Connecticut.
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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
Sarena, February 8, 2012 (view all comments by Sarena)
There is nothing I like better than settling down with a good book. You know, the kind that not only has a great plot, but likable characters and good prose; one that will sweep you away to far off lands or time gone by. If you like this type of book then I highly suggest you read Frank Delaney’s The Last Storyteller.

The book is the last of his Irish historical fiction and in my mind the best. Delaney interweaves Irish mythology into a story set in the turbulent 1950’s Ireland. He goes back and forth, as all good storytellers do, taking his readers with him.

The book jacket suggests the book is about Ben, a collector of stories who finds himself caught up with rebellious gunrunners all the while trying to find his former wife and love his life the actress Venetia Kelly. If this name sounds familiar it is because she is the subject of Delaney’s previous book Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show. Yet the book is much more than this, it is a wonderful collection of mythology that Delaney says he either collected or made up himself. You cannot tell which is which.

How to describe Delaney’s use of prose? This always eludes me when I am trying to convince someone to read one of his books. He is an author who can, in a few short words, describe a scene that would take others paragraphs. One of my favorite quotes from the book is from Ben as he sits in an Irish pub, “Using no energy, I eavesdropped on the silence around me, punctuated by snatches of idle conversation”. This is the type of style Delaney is famous for and why I continue to read his work.
If you ever sat at the feet of a great storyteller and were awed by his ability to hook you in and keep you, then I highly recommend The Last storyteller.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9781400067855
Author:
Delaney, Frank
Publisher:
Random House
Subject:
Historical
Subject:
Literature-A to Z
Publication Date:
20120231
Binding:
HARDCOVER
Language:
English
Pages:
400
Dimensions:
9.57 x 6.62 x 1.4 in 1.38 lb
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Related Subjects

Fiction and Poetry » Literature » A to Z
Fiction and Poetry » Literature » Cultural Heritage
Health and Self-Help » Self-Help » General
History and Social Science » World History » General

The Last Storyteller Used Hardcover
0 stars - 0 reviews
$9.95 In Stock
Product details 400 pages Random House - English 9781400067855 Reviews:
"Publishers Weekly Review" by , "The riveting final installment of Delaney's Ben McCarthy trilogy (after The Matchmaker of Kenmare) explores the protagonist's relationship with lost love Venetia and his folklore studies with legendary storyteller John Jacob Farrell O'Neill. O'Neill's gift for spinning a yarn is a powerful one, and McCarthy discovers that O'Neill's stories verge on the prophetic, lending this engaging historical a shade of magical realism. McCarthy opens up to O'Neill about Venetia (whom he impregnated when he was much younger), but who is now married to an abusive, deceitful performer — Gentleman Jack. McCarthy also finds himself unwittingly involved with IRA revolutionaries determined to reunite north and south Ireland, even if it means disturbing the countries' young peace. McCarthy finally resolves to liberate Venetia from her cruel husband during one of his hypnotic performances, but the troubled Venetia soon flees her rescuer. Both men — desperate to right the wrongs for which they hold one another responsible — escalate tensions to dangerous levels, while McCarthy struggles to assume O'Neill's mantle as preeminent storyteller and locate his beloved Venetia. Long-time fans of the trilogy will relish its conclusion, while new readers — though likely to feel lost at the outset — will quickly warm to Delaney's vividly described Ireland of the 1950s, its fully-realized inhabitants, and the dynamic political and personal relationships that make for a remarkable story. (Feb.)" Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
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