Longlisted for the Booker Prize 2023. In his beautiful, haunting novel, in which nothing is quite what it seems, Sebastian Barry explores what we live through, what we live with, and what may survive of us
Sebastian Barry’s atmospheric portrayal of America in the making is also an intensely poignant story of two men and the hands dealt them by life.
After signing up for the US army in the 1850s, aged barely 17, Thomas McNulty and his brother-in-arms, John Cole, go on to fight in the Indian wars and, ultimately, the Civil War. Having fled terrible hardships they find these days to be vivid and filled with wonder, despite the horrors they both see and are complicit in. Eventually, the possibility of lasting happiness emerges, if only they can survive.
Sebastian Barry
About the Author
Sebastian Barry is one of a small group of authors to have been nominated for the Booker Prize five timesOther nominated books by Sebastian Barry
Spanning nearly seven decades, this novel of memory, war, family ties and love showcases Sebastian Barry’s exquisite prose and gift for storytelling.
Shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2008. Sebastian Barry’s haunting story of a life blighted by terrible mistreatment and ignorance, yet still marked by love, passion and hope.
Sebastian Barry’s powerful novel about the harsh realities of war examines the Great War from the perspective of Irish soldiers fighting for Britain.
