Our December selection is History of the Rain, a 2014 novel by Niall Wiliams (author of This is Happiness).
History of the Rain, longlisted for the Booker Prize, tells the story of Ruth Swain, a young woman confined to her bed in rural Ireland, who recounts her eccentric family’s history while sifting through thousands of books left behind by her poet father. The novel is rich with literary allusions, as Ruth threads her story with references ranging from Emily Dickinson to Robert Louis Stevenson to Charles Dickens.
A rambling, soft-hearted Irish family saga stuffed with eccentricity, literature, anecdotes, mythology, humor and heartbreak - Kirkus Reviews
The Swain family story — brought to vibrant life by Williams — is everyone’s story; it’s about how we aspire and endure. If we are very lucky, and very loved, someone will keep our memory alive through the telling of our story. - Santa Barbara Independent
Discussion begins December 1st. Please join us!