The Last Storyteller: A Novel of Ireland [Deckle Edge] [Hardcover]

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

The Last Storyteller: A Novel of Ireland [Deckle Edge] [Hardcover]

Product Details

Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Random House (February 7, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1400067855
ISBN-13: 978-1400067855
Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 1.4 x 9.6 inches
Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

By : Frank Delaney
List Price : ~~$26.00~~
Price : $16.28
You Save : $9.72 (37%)

Customer Reviews

Here's the thing about Frank Delaney - when that blurb on sites like GoodReads and Amazon refer to him as "unparalleled" when it comes to Irish History, they aren't exaggerating.
Delaney is the real deal.
I've loved this series ever since reading the first page about Ben and Venetia in Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show. I was drawn in by the whimsical, perfectly illustrated cover of that book, and since then I have been wooed and won over by the lyricism of Delany's storytelling ability.
There are times when a writing is so powerful you can hear the accent, or the coloring of the speech, and it is that way with this book. When Delaney talks about the old storytellers, when he describes the way the voice sounds, the rising and falling of the rhythms, I feel transported, and am enchanted right along with the characters who, enviably, get to hear more than I do.
That's right, I said enviably. It's not often I envy a character, but man.. This book made me do so.
While I loved the continuation of Venetia and Ben's story, I have to say the diverging into the old tales (there was one story in particular that had me gasping - think banshee) is what made this book a treasure to me. I felt as if I were part of that privileged circle that gets to experience what it must have been like to listen to the Bard's of old.
Mr. Delaney, thank you. You do those Bards credit - and personally, I think you should sign your name "Frank Delaney, Bard" from now on.

Had the privilege to be asked to review Frank Delaney's newest novel. Though I have read all of his books to date, I have only reviewed one other, Tipperary, which was my first experience reading anything by Mr. Delaney.
Reread my first review and was struck by how "timid" the review sounded. After reading the rest of his novels, I would like to trumpet Frank Delaney's story telling abilities from a few rooftops. Obviously, this would be impractical but I will post this review of "The Last Storyteller" to several sites online. Urging others to visit Ireland, learn a bit of it's history, experience much of it's wonderful character and enjoy (I smiled a lot) many tales taken from it's folklore, through the eyes of a wonderful Irish author.
The title of this book "The Last Storyteller" is, for a reading person such as myself, a dire thought. Was raised on stories, both written and verbal, believe them to be a part and parcel of who I am, not wealthy in so far as material belongings but rich in ways that transcend money and things.
Frank Delaney himself is a storyteller of the old school and this book is about such a storyteller. The story follows the life of one man who takes on the old profession of a traveling storyteller. But, this is a pretty simplistic discription. The book is so much more. The history of Ireland with all of it's drama, the character of the Irish people and the beauty of it's land are all drawn on the page by a an artist, a wordsmith I would say.
To read this book is to travel and to meet new and interesting people. One will turn the last page having added immeasurably to their lives.
This review comes with this warning.....if you read one of Frank Delaney's books, you will want to go back and read them all, as I did.
Read this book ! Enjoy !
Thank you for sharing the stories Mr. Delaney...may the "Storytellers" be around for a long time !