Tipperary
A Novel of Ireland
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Tipperary
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Narrated by:
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Frank Delaney
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By:
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Frank Delaney
About this listen
“My wooing began in passion, was defined by violence and circumscribed by land; all these elements molded my soul.” So writes Charles O’Brien, the unforgettable hero of best-selling author Frank Delaney’s extraordinary novel - a sweeping epic of obsession, profound devotion, and compelling history involving a turbulent era that would shape modern Ireland.
Born into a respected Irish-Anglo family in 1860, Charles loves his native land and its long-suffering but irrepressible people. As a healer, he travels the countryside dispensing traditional cures while soaking up stories and legends of bygone times - and witnessing the painful, often violent birth of land-reform measures destined to lead to Irish independence. At the age of 40, summoned to Paris to treat his dying countryman - the infamous Oscar Wilde - Charles experiences the fateful moment of his life. In a chance encounter with a beautiful and determined young Englishwoman, 18-year-old April Burke, he is instantly and passionately smitten - but callously rejected. Vowing to improve himself, Charles returns to Ireland, where he undertakes the preservation of the great and abandoned estate of Tipperary, in whose shadow he has lived his whole life - and which, he discovers, may belong to April and her father.
As Charles pursues his obsession, he writes the "History" of his own life and country. While doing so, he meets the great figures of the day, including Charles Parnell, William Butler Yeats, and George Bernard Shaw. And he also falls victim to less well-known characters - who prove far more dangerous. Tipperary also features a second "historian": a present-day commentator, a retired and obscure history teacher who suddenly discovers that he has much at stake in the telling of Charles’ story.
In this gloriously absorbing and utterly satisfying novel, a man's passion for the woman he loves is twinned with his country's emergence as a nation. With storytelling as sweeping and dramatic as the land itself, myth, fact, and fiction are all woven together with the power of the great 19th-century novelists. Tipperary once again proves Frank Delaney's unrivaled mastery at bringing Irish history to life.
Praise for Tipperary
“The narrative moves swiftly and surely.... A sort of Irish Gone with the Wind, marked by sly humor, historical awareness, and plenty of staying power.” (Kirkus Reviews)
“Another meticulously researched journey...Delaney’s careful scholarship and compelling storytelling bring it uniquely alive. Highly recommended.” (Library Journal, starred)
©2007 Frank Delaney (P)2007 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
What listeners say about Tipperary
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- hanne nicholson
- 20-04-24
engaging
really enjoyed it. Took a couple of hours though in the beginning before I started enjoying
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Dr
- 20-07-09
absorbing
It took me quite a while to get round to listening to this book. However when I did I was pleasantly surprised. I had thought it was more of a history but it is rather a historical novel. It is well narrated and gripping and manages to educate at the same time. The way the story is told from the point of view of an amateur historian going through old diaries and letters makes you want to believe every word and actually a little bit disappointed when you find out that the story isn't actually true
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Bryan
- 20-11-12
Delaney can tell a story
A delightful listen, well paced, keeping one hanging in throughout without any dreary areas, and good surprises that only real life can dish up. If the star rating system allowed I would give this novel 4 1/2 stars, losing 1/2 a star because occasionally I wasn't too sure who that section was about. Was it Charles speaking, or his mother or his friend? Then the lights come on and a short rewind is necessary to fully appreciate it.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- David
- 21-02-15
Excellent performance. from the author
Authors narration brings this novel to life. Story doesn't need accidental meetings with famous characters.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Duggan D.
- 14-01-23
Fantastic!
The best book I have listened to in a long time! From the moment I started it, I was smitten. Love, history, politics and all from my home county.
A fascinating account of a country castle before and during the civil war and the lives and labours of those surrounding it.
Full of Anglo-Irish intrigue and many a twist in the tale, so brilliantly narrated! mentions of the greats Oscar Wilde, Joyce, Yeats.
I cannot recommend this highly enough.
I know I will listen to this again!(and everyone of the author's audiobooks)
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