Spanning nearly seven decades, this novel of memory, war, family ties and love showcases Sebastian Barry’s exquisite prose and gift for storytelling.

What is the sound of an 89-year-old heart breaking? It might not be much more than silence. Lilly Bere is mourning the loss of her grandson, Bill. Through her quiet grief, memories come flooding back. Lilly returns to the moment she is forced to flee Dublin, at the end of the Great War. Her destination is America, a new world filled with both hope and danger. At once epic and intimate, Lilly’s narrative unfurls as she tries to make sense of her life and of the lives she has touched.

Longlisted
The Man Booker Prize 2011
Published by
Faber & Faber
Publication date
Sebastian  Barry

Sebastian Barry

About the Author

Sebastian Barry is an Irish playwright and novelist. He was born in Dublin.
More about Sebastian Barry

Other nominated books by Sebastian Barry

Days Without End
The Secret Scripture
A Long Long Way