
History of the Rain
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Narrated by:
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Jennifer McGrath
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By:
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Niall Williams
We are our stories. We tell them to stay alive or keep alive those who only live now in the telling. In Faha, County Clare, everyone is a long story....
Bedbound in her attic room beneath the falling rain, Plain Ruth Swain is in search of her father. To find him Ruthie must first trace the jutting jaw lines, narrow faces, and gleamy skin of the Swains from the restless Reverend Swain, her great-grandfather, to her father, Virgil - via pole-vaulting, leaping salmon, poetry and the 3,958 books piled high beneath the two skylights in her room.
©2014 Niall Williams (P)2014 W F Howes LtdListeners also enjoyed...




















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Lyrical wonderful book
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The narrator, as Ruth in this novel, is mesmerizing. Outstanding.
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Brilliantly written, in all ways
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Great writing
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Amazing Writing!!!
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A beautiful book.
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What did you love best about History of the Rain?
It is rare to find writing that is at once resonant with meaning while remaining most accessible. This lyrical novel is very specific in time and place yet it graciously and often humorously passes many gifts on to the listener. However sympathetic or not one is to questions of origin, religion, even education..without excessive didacticism, the author offers us wisdom. All you really need is a deep love of books.Who was your favorite character and why?
Ruth and Mary are an extraordinary partnership. In the face of what can only be described as " a difficult life," the two women find ways to excel. The men who surround them are a challenge added to their circumstances.Which character – as performed by Jennifer McGrath – was your favorite?
It is Ruth's voice we hear narrating and although there are many mispronunciations it feels forgiveable because the earnest tone appears to be a reflection of the character herself.Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Many reviewers have remarked on the last chapter already. My choice moments are many: Mary trying to catch Virgil's eye at their first encounter, Ruth's bullies venting their lack of understanding of her at school, a scene where fire engulfs a room, attempting to dissuade a cow from drowning herself....it is very hard to choose from many, many moments that capture your imagination and feelings.Any additional comments?
The extended metaphors of endless rain and a fast flowing river have been used very often by the authors and poets that are quoted in this novel but the writer manages to create a beautiful new, original version in a very human history meandering through time.
Soul scarifyingly beautiful
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A beautiful story
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Slow start, but then I became mesmerized
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in places the language was beautiful, but overall the story was too haphazard, too affected by efforts to be literary, and in many areas it was just over written. It really could have benefitted from a good editor.
i wanted to love this as much as I do This is Happiness, but it's just not as well crafted.
Just Okay
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