Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. The creativity and energy oconnor invests in his writing have long earned my respect and admiration for him. Redemption falls, by joseph oconnor the independent. His novels include cowboys and indians whitbread prize shortlist, star of the sea irish post award for fiction, frances prix millepages, prix madeleine zepter for european novel of the year, redemption falls, and ghost light dublin one city one book novel, 2011. Critic, playwright, and novelist joseph oconnor has long been a literary star in his native ireland. Click to read more about redemption falls by joseph oconnor. This is in no part the fault of the author, joseph oconnor. Star of the sea and ghostlight, and i can honestly say that just like them, redemption falls is full of ambition, masterful writing, and poetrylike prose. His work has been published in thirty languages, and he also writes for the stage and screen.
A novel by oconnor, joseph and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. At its heart is the story of a woman who wants to return to the only country she has her family. Eighteen years after the famine ship star of the sea docked at new york, the daughter of two of her passengers sets out from baton rouge, louisiana, on a walk across a devastated america. Ive only read two other books by joseph oconnor so far. He lives with his wife and two sons in dublin, ireland. Her journey points her toward redemption falls, a cruel and nearly lawless settlement in the. Eliza duane mooney is searching for a young boy she has not seen in four years, one of the hundred thousand children drawn into the war. Eliza is searching for a young boy she has not seen in four years, one of the hundred thousand children drawn into the war. In redemption falls, he has kept many of the novelistic techniques he used so well in the earlier book multiple points of view, letters. Redemption falls is a dickensian tale of war and forgiveness. Joseph oconnor books author download ebooks pdf, mobi. Cowboys and indians whitbread prize shortlist, desperadoes, the salesman, inishowen, star of the sea american library association award, irish post award for fiction, frances prix millepages, italys premio acerbi, prix madeleine zepter for european novel of the year, redemption falls, ghost light dublin one city one book novel 2011 and the thrill of it all.
Granted, star of the sea is far and away a much better novel than redemption falls, but for me, oconnors method of stitching together a narrative by using pieces from supposedly contemporary material all of which was written by him, of course just doesnt work. Joseph oconnor, an irish novelist and playwright, is best known in this country for star of the sea, a remarkable and affecting novel set on a. A guide to redemption falls by joseph oconnor for book. To its author, redemption falls is simply a story about love and loyalty, about trying to live with hope in a world gone mad. Over the weekend i devoured redemption falls by joseph oconnor. He is the author of the novels cowboys and indians shortlisted for the whitbread prize, desperadoes, the salesman, inishowen, star of the sea and redemption falls, as well as a number of bestselling works of nonfiction. Redemption falls by joseph oconnor paperback, 2008 for. Once again, the company draw from author joseph oconnor, imbibing his text with their trademark folktheatre influence. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read redemption falls. Its scope is wide love, death, war, belonging and yet its gaze is intimate. Really hope irish literature remembers oconnor for redemption falls. Redemption falls is a major work of modern fiction from an astonishingly accomplished writer.
Irish author oconnor star of the sea delivers a highly stylized postcivil war period pastiche centered on redemption falls, a tumultuous. Joseph oconnor books list of books by author joseph o. Irish author oconnor star of the sea delivers a highly stylized postcivil war period pastiche centered on redemption falls, a tumultuous frontier town in. Acclaim forredemption falls an extraordinary mosaic of a novel. Characters in redemption falls include the pitiless rebel guerrilla johnny thunders. Discussion questions in the authors note, joseph oconnor explains the book is structured around the absences of all its central characters precisely at the moments when their presences would save everything. The rise, fall, and redemption of an arabamerican patriot in the cia by prouty, nada and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. At the beginning of redemption falls, eliza mooney, a young woman trekking across america after the civil war, stumbles. He has written ten widely acclaimed and bestselling books including the novels cowboys and indians. Joseph oconnors civil war novel redemption falls is a wonderful polyphonic monster of a book, says terry eagleton. The american civil war is ending, but for eliza duane mooney her journey across a devastated america has only just begun.
A guide to redemption falls by joseph oconnor for book clubs. Reissued in a new series look to coincide with the publication of his new novel, shadowplay redemption falls by joseph oconnor penguin books new zealand. His 2002 historical novel star of the sea was an international number one bestseller. There is more than one author with this name joseph oconnor was born in dublin. Redemption falls by joseph oconnor overdrive rakuten. Redemption falls is a major work of modern fiction from an astonishingly accomplished writer terry eagleton guardian this book consolidates and deepens oconnors stature as a major novelist irish times a novel of vaulting ambition. Irish author oconnor star of the sea delivers a highly stylized postcivil war period pastiche centered on redemption falls, a tumultuous frontier town in the mountain territory presumably in present day utah or montana. This was a strong recommendation because at times i kept thinking that this book really reads like a crappier version of cold mountain. Joseph oconnors sequel to his international bestseller, star of the sea. Often, while writing a novel, youll get ideas for other books too, since that zone of your mind is open to possibilities, and your net is casting around in those. Although there is not a unified, authoritative voice rather a compilation of contemporary sources that moves the book along somewhat jerkily, the stories, language, history strikes this reader as authentic, moving and remarkable. It is a huge dishevelled monster of a book, crammed with all manner of typographical stunts. The language is at turns bawdy, ancient, poetic, grand, and funny. Cowboys and indians whitbread prize shortlist, desperadoes, the salesman, inishowen, star of the sea american library association award, irish post award for fiction, frances prix millepages, italys premio acerbi, prix madeleine zepter for european novel of the year, redemption falls.
Joseph oconnor was born in 1963 and has written thirteen books, most recently the novel star of the sea, which sold a million copies around the world. This book consolidates and deepens oconnors stature as a major novelist. Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. Told through the posters, correspondence, poemssongs, newspaper articles and interview transcripts collected in the early 20th century by a university professor and nephew of one of the books prominent characters, the narrative follows acting governor james con o. Its a glorious book, enormous, virtuoso, and brave.
Redemption falls was one of the hardest fictional novel that i had to finish. Written by joseph oconnor, audiobook narrated by peter marinker. This book consolidates and deepens o connors stature as a major novelist. Redemption falls by joseph oconnor penguin books new. His immense knowledge of the english language is beyond doubt as he weaves a grand tale of intricacy and detail to make the reader eventually learn the core of the story.
I started with his most recent book, the thrill of it all, which is warm and witty and sad and humane, a fictional rocknroll memoir about irish kids in a northern english town who form a band with fran mulvey, a vietnamese orphan and a misfit in terms of. Irish author oconnor star of the sea delivers a highly stylized post civil war period pastiche centered on redemption falls, a tumultuous frontier town in the mountain territory presumably in present day utah or montana. Eighteen years after the irish famineship star of the sea docked at new york, a daughter of its journey, eliza duane mooney, sets out on foot from baton rouge, louisiana, crossing a ravaged continent on a quest. Oconnor also has a wonderful ear for 19thcentury american english, whether in the folksy vernacular of a freed slave, the sweary, virile language of an irish immigrant or the ponderous diction of an educated bostonian. That this is joseph oconnors masterpiece, im fairly certain. Before success as an author, he was a journalist with the sunday tribune newspaper and esquire magazine.
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