Shannon: A Novel of Ireland [Paperback]

Frank Delaney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 23, 2010

In the summer of 1922, Robert Shannon, a Marine chaplain and a young American hero of the Great War, lands in Ireland. He still suffers from shell shock, and his mentor hopes that a journey Robert had always wanted to make—to find his family roots along the banks of the River Shannon—will restore his equilibrium and his vocation. But there is more to the story: On his return from the war, Robert had witnessed startling corruption in the Archdiocese of Boston. He has been sent to Ireland to secure his silence—permanently. As Robert faces the dangers of a strife-torn Ireland roiling in civil war, the nation’s myths and people, its beliefs and traditions, unfurl healingly before him. And the River Shannon gives comfort to the young man who is inspired by the words of his mentor: “Find your soul and you’ll live.”

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Delaney's meandering novel follows an American priest as he travels along Ireland's Shannon River in search of his family roots, and while it's peace he seeks, trouble has a way of finding him. After witnessing the atrocities of WWI, Father Robert Shannon returns to the United States shell-shocked, and the church eventually sends him to Ireland to restore himself and seek out his origins along the famed Shannon River. Along the way, he gets by through the kindness of strangers and witnesses Ireland's descent into civil war. With leads to his family history few and far between, Robert finds comfort in the home of a nurse he knew while serving as a chaplain during the war in France. Meanwhile, there's a hired killer from the states hot on his tail, and an unknowing Robert could make for a very easy target. The narrative is slow and thoughtful, spiritual though not overbearing and rounded out with a nice vein of intrigue. Though the family roots/hired gun mix may sound bizarre, Delaney handles the disparate thematic elements with a sure hand. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

“A rousing tale of forbidden love, civil war, horrible death and other things Irish. …A fine adventure in storytelling…[and] a well-crafted, satisfying work of historical fiction, as are all of Delaney’s novels; respectful of the facts while not cowed by them, and full of life.” —Kirkus Reviews

“A tale of personal healing and spiritual redemption against the Irish Civil war…Delaney takes great pains to evoke not only the physical but spiritual beauty of the land and people along the River Shannon. He provides incredibly researched details about not only the geological nature of a river winding its way to the sea but the mystical effect this simple body of water has had on its residents for millennia [and] provides timely insights about the raw, damaged output of war and the far-reaching impact it can have…This book is almost impossible to put down and provides a very satisfying, and maybe even surprising, conclusion to all the different storylines.”—Midwest Irish Focus

“Thoughtful, spiritual though not overbearing, and rounded out with a nice vein of intrigue.” —Publishers Weekly

 
“Delaney makes his lovely, battered country a character of its own.”—USA Today

“A gripping story . . . As with Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain and a couple of other recent works, [Shannon] is the story of an odyssey. . . . Delaney again shows himself to be a master user of the language, a master at historical fiction and a master storyteller in the Irish tradition.”—Winston-Salem Journal

“An engaging read . . . filled with eccentric characters, treachery, and ultimately, redemption.”—The Star-Ledger
 
“Delaney, a native of Ireland . . . knows the territory. Ireland is a living place and its people compelling.”—Rocky Mountain News

 

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks (February 23, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812975960
• ISBN-13: 978-0812975963
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.8 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #30,097 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #22 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Mental Health > Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

More About the Author

Frank Delaney (www.frankdelaney.com) is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel "Ireland" and "Tipperary," as well as "Simple Courage: The Story of S.S. Flying Enterprise," which was named one of the 10 best books of 2006 by the American Library Association. His latest book, "The Matchmaker of Kenmare" was released to rave reviews: Kirkus wrote, "One of the best fictional wartime couples animates veteran Delaney's darkly wistful novel... The novel burnishes this veteran writer's reputation as a consummate storyteller." Booklist said "Delaney re-earns his reputation for total reader engagement with his latest deeply thought-out novel... it combines the charm of an Irish yarn with the excitement of a political thriller and the romance of a 1940s war movie..." PW called it "an exciting yarn of romance and intrigue." "Venetia Kelly's Travelling Show," was released in 2010, also to critical acclaim. Library Journal wrote "Delaney is a master storyteller, and this expansive tale of politics, tragedy, and revenge is Irish storytelling at its best. Full of vibrant, well-crafted characters and satisfyingly high drama."

Delaney enjoyed a prominent career in BBC broadcasting before moving to the US and becoming a full-time writer. He was born in Tipperary, Ireland, and now lives in New York and Connecticut with his wife, Diane Meier.

Delaney broadcasts "Re:Joyce," a weekly podcast on James Joyce's "Ulysses" on his website www.frankdelaney.com. You can find his daily writing tips on Twitter: http://twitter.com/FDbytheword

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A deep and compelling journey, February 10, 2009

By 

David S. Goodwin (West Milford, NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shannon: A Novel of Ireland (Hardcover)

Shannon is another great novel from Frank Delaney, with all the good qualities you'd expect: it's quiet, dark, funny, thoughtful, violent, intelligent, literate, complex, and very elegant. It's a story about an American in Ireland, and the Irish in America, and the fragile survivor of one war thrust directly into another; and, of course, it's about a river in Ireland.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on an advance copy of this book, and I enjoyed it a great deal. Delaney is great at weaving multiple stories together into a single whole; he takes the story of his hero, Robert Shannon, and threads it through the lives of the villains and other characters of the tale - a cast of bishops, murderers, soldiers, and extraordinary ordinary people. I was unexpectedly caught up in the action: the book begins as a sort of spiritual pilgrimage, and evolves into a completely gripping and suspenseful drama.

Definitely check this out if you're interested in Ireland, Irish history, Irish folklore, WWI French battlefields, post-traumatic stress disorder, genealogy, scandals in the Catholic church, damaged heroes, and really good novels in general.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enchanting!, May 8, 2009

By 

Corley Kresta (West Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shannon: A Novel of Ireland (Hardcover)

Frank Delaney has written one of those rare books that you will remember reading for the rest of your life. If you love Ireland, this book will make you feel like you walked the length of the River Shannon with a lovely broken man, meeting a rich variety of Irish people, all the way to a most satisfying ending. Highly reccomended.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book made better on CD!, February 27, 2009

By 

Jessica Teel (Hawaii) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shannon: A Novel (Audio CD)

Delaney fans will delight in the audiobook version of Shannon since the author himself narrates. Delaney does a superb job and his intimacy with the words adds an extra dimension to this gripping, touching, historical novel. I've read his other works, and it was a real treat to hear the author's own voice reading Shannon. Delaney provides touching insights into the ravages of war on a soldier's psyche. Shannon finds humor and poignancy within difficult topics. Don't miss this gripping work of historical fiction.