Forty-Seven Roses [Paperback]

Peter Sheridan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 7, 2002

With his trademark wit and honesty, Peter Sheridan has written an enthralling account of his parents' relationship, from their first encounter over a poker game in a Dundalk canteen to their final, happy days together in retirement. But all was not as straightforward as it appeared for when Peter's father died suddenly, it became painfully evident that an awkward situation needed to be resolved. Since the 1940s, Peter's father had maintained a relationship with another woman, Doris. Their correspondence spanned five decades and Doris had long harboured the secret hope that Peter's father would one day be hers. Someone would have to tell her about the death of her old friend ...At turns humorous and heartbreaking, "Forty-Seven Roses" is the unforgettable tale of a love that can transcend even overpowering odds. It's the account of a marriage dogged by a shadowy third partner, of fierce family pride and of how sometimes the pain of grief can re-ignite the vital spark of love. 'Sheridan's writing is in a class of its own ...this is a memoir to make you laugh and cry' - "Sunday Express".

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Irish playwright Sheridan returns to the same themes of his debut memoir, 44: Dublin Made Me, further exploring his childhood, family and city. The plot focuses on a complex m‚nage … trois between his parents and a British woman named Doris, a relationship that spanned 47 years and two countries. Intriguingly, this plot is never resolved: the deeper Sheridan explores, the more elusive the characters and their motivations become. He does not unearth Doris's intentions nor does he delve into why his mother, Anna, allowed another woman in her marriage. Sheridan approaches these mysteries with a combination of temerity and timidity: he'll ask Doris why she used contraceptives when she slept with his father yet shy away from confronting his mother with similar personal questions. Sheridan thus creates a joyfully uneven experience, leaving readers to discover the small details gradually, the entire story never revealed until the very end. The narrative proceeds primarily through Sheridan's own flashbacks or through long, italicized segments delivered in first person by Anna or Doris. These segments, though sometimes cumbersome and detached from the main narrative, provide the reader not only with shifting points of view, but also with rich Irish and British vernacular. Sheridan's secondary characters are the members of his extended family, including his alcoholic aunt and uncle from Australia. Another key character is the city of Dublin, with its songs, customs and politics. Although at times burdened by excessive sentimentality, Sheridan does succeed in conveying an Irish atmosphere and the more worldly issues of fidelity, betrayal and unrequited love.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

In this sequel to his highly praised memoir, 44: Dublin Made Me, Sheridan a notable figure in the Irish theater recounts being summoned home for his father's death only to discover the sacrifices his father had made to keep his Catholic household together. "Da" (Peter the elder) had married "Ma" (Anna) at a young age in an Irish Catholic marriage sanctified by their parish priest even though Peter did not have parental approval. Several years later, Da met and fell in love with Doris, an Englishwoman and Protestant. While his conscience and church would never allow him to marry Doris, he could also never quite give her up. This is the story of their life together and apart. Ma knew about their relationship yet chose to keep her family together and agreed to allow Doris the occasional visit to the Sheridan household. This unconventional arrangement allowed Sheridan's parents to maintain their marriage for over 50 years. To Sheridan's credit, he sought out Doris after his father's death to learn the truth. The story he found is related in this moving account of the lives of his father, his mother, and Doris. Recommended for libraries with large memoir and Irish collections. Pam Kingsbury, Florence, AL
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 356 pages
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan (June 7, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0330374397
• ISBN-13: 978-0330374392
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,062,496 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not the Typical Irish Tale, August 1, 2002

By 

taking a rest - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: 47 Roses (Hardcover)

"44 Dublin Made Me", was the first book written Peter Sheridan. Mr. Sheridan is also a noted playwright, and director of such films as, "My Left Foot" and "The Boxer". When I commented on his first work I felt it settled itself between the sadness that often accompanies Irish Memoirs with the traditional healthy dose of humor. This second book, "47 Roses", is not devoid of humor, but the topic that is shared is almost incompatible with humor, and certainly overwhelms the few lighter moments that are described.

The number in the title not only describes the flowers that play a role in the book, but much more significantly the number of years a woman from England remained devoted to a man she could never marry. It was not only that the author's father was married that kept them apart, but also, and to a lesser extent, differences that unfortunately remain so prominent between Ireland and England. Intolerance was much stronger in the first half on the 20th Century, so the idea of an English Protestant and an Irish Catholic as husband and wife was dicey, especially for an Irishman whose family history was prominent in the more extreme groups of Ireland. To balance the difficulties, the English side of the family included a former member of The Black And Tans, who will remain notorious for much of Ireland no matter how many years may pass.

Anna was the wife in Ireland and Doris was the woman in England. Both of these women had a claim on the affections of this man Peter, and he clearly had feelings that ran very deep for both of them. For 30 years Doris was a part of the author's family, through visits and even watching the children when Anna and Peter vacationed. The ultimatum that finally separated Peter and Doris was to last 17 years until his death, and then it would continue with the son trying to piece together the mystery of this extremely unusual relationship that spanned the Irish Sea.

The feelings of both women and their actions are at times hard to fathom. Why would Doris wait for a man for 47 years, going so far as to convert to Catholicism so as to not be separated after they left their life on this world? This same woman who would come to lay flowers at Peter's grave without having seen him for the better part of 2 decades, and upon arriving in Dublin would walk 10 miles at the age of 75 to pay her respects. This same woman who had one child requested that Peter give her away at her wedding and at the same time invited Anna to attend. The questions and suspicions this request raised, the answers offered, presumptions confirmed or denied.

This is an interesting story to read, it is also devoid of the clichés that would reasonably be expected. The author seems to be in the greatest pain, not because of what may or may not have happened, but due to his feelings about his conduct as he tries to piece together 47 years of family mystery.

This is a remarkably personal story, and because it is, often is almost uncomfortable to read. I don't know whether the story could have been related in a different manner, and my perception may be different from others.