1916 [Audiobook, MP3 Audio, Unabridged] [MP3 CD]

Morgan Llywelyn (Author), Fiacre Douglas (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 7, 2008

The Easter Rising of 1916 was a major turning point in Irish history. Peopled by patriots and poets, fueled by a desperate desire for freedom, and played out in the historic streets of Dublin against the background of World War I, the rebellion is a story of tremendous power and unique poignancy. 1916 is the story of the valiant men and women who, for a few desperate days, fought against all odds to realize an impossible dream: to give Ireland back to the Irish.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The task of transforming the events of the 1916 Irish Rebellion into coherent fiction would terrify most writers. Llywelyn (The Lion of Ireland; Red Branch), however, has produced a thunderous, informative read that rises to the challenge. Sticking to the historical facts and incorporating all the major historical figures, Llewelyn filters them through the experience of the fictional Ned Halloran, a young Titanic survivor whose lust for life takes on new meaning when he goes to the Irish-language school run by poet and schoolmaster Padraic Pearse. Gaining a new appreciation of Irish culture, Ned also learns of Ireland's tragic, bloody history. He soon becomes aware that he is alive in a vibrant and epochal time, when the new century's potential inspires poets and revolutionaries to challenge the British Empire's colonial might. Ned falls in love and graduates from schoolboy to soldier. On Easter Monday, 1916, he is ready for the Rising itself, and (as happened on those famously unisex barricades) his sweetheart fights by his side. Battle scenes are both accurate and compelling. The betrayals, slaughters and passions of the day are all splendidly depicted as Llywelyn delivers a blow-by-blow account of the rebellion and its immediate aftermath. The novel's abundant footnotes should satisfy history buffs; its easy, gripping style will enthrall casual readers with what is Llywelyn's best work yet. Author tour.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA-A novel set in Ireland at the time of the Easter Rebellion. Llywelyn tells the tale of 15-year-old Ned Halloran, a young Titanic survivor who lost both of his parents in that disaster. Upon his return to his native Ireland, he becomes embroiled in its rapidly changing political scene. The headmaster of his school is a renowned scholar and also a rebel and patriot for the Irish cause. Ned acts as a courier for the rebels, becoming more and more supportive of their struggle. The young man's coming-of-age is complicated by his feelings of nationalism, the love of several women, and his rescue of a young orphan during a street battle. YAs will get caught up in the excitement of this epic novel and root for Ned as he tries to save his comrades and fights side by side with the woman he loves.
Katherine Fitch, Lake Braddock Middle School, Burke, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• MP3 CD
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio on MP3-CD Lib Ed; Library edition (March 7, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1423353404
• ISBN-13: 978-1423353409
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (64 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,373,242 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read this Book --FEEL history - worth more than 5 stars!!!!, August 12, 2001

By 

Maudeen Wachsmith "BeachReader" (Port Townsend, WA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 1916: A Novel of the Irish Rebellion (Irish Century Novels) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is a powerful novel of the events surrounding the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin Ireland. The book opens in 1912 as Ned Halloran and his parents are on a journey from Ireland to America to visit Ned's sister Kathleen. Fate has intervened and they make their voyage on the Titanic. Ned survives the sinking, however his parents as well as new friend Dan Breen, are all lost to the sea.

Kathleen and her fiancé, Alexander Campbell, urge Ned to stay in New York but his heart is in Ireland and he returns to County Clare and his family farm where his older brother and two younger sisters are left to mourn the loss of their parents.

Meanwhile, Lord Inchpin of nearby Dromoland Castle, to make up for what young Ned has been through, has offered him a rare opportunity for a farm lad from County Clare - further education at a private school in Dublin. The school chosen turns out to be St. Enda's, the school run by Padraig (Patrick) Pearse, south of downtown. Pearse, as those familiar with early 20th C. Irish history know, is one of the heroes of the 1916 Easter Rising. This is a fictionalized account of events leading up to that fateful week.

Ned interacts with many historical figures during this time including all the principals of the Irish Rebellion in which he becomes a courier for the eventual heroes. During this time, too, he runs into Sile (prounced "Sheila") Breen, Dan's sister, who has run off to Dublin and is how working in the world's oldest profession. The naïve Ned isn't aware of this at first and is, instead, stunned by her beauty although he is side-tracked by another woman he clearly has a crush on. Important too, is secondary character Henry Mooney, the young journalist from county Limerick Ned meets on the train on his way to Dublin.

Even though the reader may already be aware of the events of April and May 1916 in Ireland, the emotions evoked by this novel, become very real - as if they happened yesterday instead of 85 years ago. Llywelyn portrays the Pearse brothers, Joseph Mary Plunkett, Thomas Clark, James Connolly, Sean MacDermott, Thomas MacDonagh, and others in such away as the reader feels the same love for Ireland and has the same desires as they do.

In the sequel to this book, 1921, Morgan Llywelyn has one character say to another "History tells what happened; literature tells what it felt like." This is exactly how I feel about 1916. Despite reading history books relating the events, reading this novel has made this very personal. I could feel the pain of these characters, I could feel their fervor and enthusiasm for the cause they believed in, and in the end I could feel the need to keep the memory of these brave people alive as the country fights for home rule and freedom from British oppression.

When you are finished reading this book, and I highly recommend that you do, pick up the sequel 1921, which relates the events of the next six years in Ireland's struggle for independence and although it is Henry Mooney's story, it does feature Ned in a very big way.

There's no better compliment I can give a novel than to say it not only made me think, made me want to read everything I can get my hands on, and wish to visit the historical sites in Ireland including the GPO, Kilmainham Gaol, and other locales mentioned in the book. Llywelyn has made this very easy with the maps in front of the book showing the locations of these places. Also helpful is the list of characters, both fictional and historical, in the front of the book. She adds several pages of notes and a selected bibliography at the end. Read this book - FEEL history.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 1916 Good Story and Solid History, May 27, 2003

By 

"p_trabaris" (Naperville, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 1916: A Novel of the Irish Rebellion (Irish Century Novels) (Mass Market Paperback)

1916 Good Story and Solid History

Some element of this book that I found helpful and interesting:

* It's a novel that employs footnotes.
* Characterizations are excellent and historically accurate
* Maps are helpful
* Listing of Characters is absolutely great.

I am not normally a fan of historical romance novels but 1916 was very well written. Really the romance portion was overshadowed by the momentous events of the day. The story of the 1916 Irish Rebellion (later called the Easter Rebellion) is a thoughtful tale of a country boy caught up in Irish nationalist fervor. Some key events led up to the Rebellion were: the forced conscription of Irish citizens for World War I, the rise of nationalism and German promises of assistance. The author brings all of these to light as well as other elements all interwoven in her story. Overall a good story well told.

I recommend this book to readers that enjoy histories, light romance and especially Irish culture.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A history lesson that goes down easy, April 10, 2004

By 

B. McEwan "yellokat" (Brooklyn, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 1916: A Novel of the Irish Rebellion (Irish Century Novels) (Mass Market Paperback)

I enjoyed this novel very much, and not only because of its strong characters and riveting plot. Morgan Llywelyn entertains while she teaches, and I learned a great deal about Irish history and the fundamental reasons for the fractious state of affairs that exist today in the north. After reading 1916, I went on to read the other two books in Llywelyn's series, 1921 and 1949. Readers who enjoy 1916 are likely to enjoy the other two books as well.