the last work of a great writer of Ireland
353597
a very human story about real people in the Ireland we love
thankfully she finished it before she died thanks
438508
A great final book from a great author. Doing is at his best writing from the voice of a young boy.
3781932
I understand that this is his last book. So very sorry. He will be very much missed by old and young. I and my familly have read and re read most of his books and loved them all!
1721545
This is the old father, the old artificer, of all 20th century short stories.  Each story is a gem, and together they tell like a rosary.  "The Dead," is by itself a masterpiece which resonates long after you've finished it.  Dubliners is Joyce's most accessible work, readable and enjoyable without losing any of its deeper nuances.
1379073
O'Flaherty is one of the more gifted short story writers in contemporary fiction, regardless of geography.  The life he bring to Irish fiction, though, is incredible.  O'Flaherty is a master of sparse writing, using as few words as possible to carry out the events of the story.  He lets the reader fill in any blanks he or she wishes and does not mind letting readers draw conclusions and imagine "the rest of the story."  His classic story "The Sniper" is a perfect example of this tactic.  O'Flaherty provides no background information, aside from a very brief mention of the Irish conflict and the IRA (the sniper is a Republican).  The action is quick and concise, allowing for an abrupt, ambiguous, and unsettling ending.  He can and does write about more than just snipers, and the previously unpublished stories provide a nice glimpse into O'Flaherty's entire scope of knowledge, experience, and insights.  This collection may lift O'Flaherty into the elite company of short story writers who have overshadowed him in the past.  There aren't many, but this volume will lessen that number.
4948065
A wonderful stroll through Dublin Pubs with one of the greatest Irish writers from the city and country of great literature.  This jovial exploration with Frank McCourt is a great way to sit back with a pint in your hand and be transported through the life and times of Dublin Pubs
4813676
Since I first read Ireland by Frank Delaney I knew that any further novels by him would be pure gold. Rest assured, my instinct was correct. His subsequent novels Tipperary and Shannon were both incredible stories; a rich tapestry of myth, tradition, and the indomitable spirit of humanity in the face of adversity. After finishing Shannon, I found to my delight that he would be releasing yet another story; this time called The Last Storyteller. I was dismayed however, to find that this was the last story of a trilogy; the other two stories having eluded my attention. Not being able to find the first two titles in any local bookshops (including bigger chain stores), I next took to scouring the internet to find them. Sure enough, on Amazon I found copies of the books and at really good prices. I purchased the first book and recieved it rather quickly which made it all the better (A++ for the seller, Central Valley Books). As for the story, it is trademark Frank Delaney; that is to say every story seems to take on a child-like nostalgia for a country he loves. I have not as of yet finished the book but surely it carries on the way his others do: a meaningful, meandering, journey through a country built on colorful history of which Delaney wrote in Tipperary: "We Irish enjoy the story part of history".

Ignore the fact that it is the first part of a trilogy and just enjoy. Some cannot disregard this and focus on the "unresolved" nature of the book but by definition the first in a trilogy is an introduction to character and conflict. Take it for what it is and I'm sure you'll be surprised. Oh and definitely buy from Central Valley Books, they have excellent prices and great service.
3566286
Colin Wilson's last work on a subject that was near and dear to his heart, mankind and crime. Wilson was an optimistic thinking writer, but I tend to prefer his son's train of thought. Will there be an end to murder? I highly doubt it no matter what Wilson says. Murder is in our genetic makeup and cannot be denied.  A long and exhausting study of a subject that Wilson had dedicated his life too. It is good to see that his son is taking after his father as well. Lots of food for thought as you read all about man's inhumanity to man on scales both small and large. It is a shame that we have lost Wilson and his brilliant mind; he is one of my favorite crime writers.
4176403
Great end to a fine Irish read. Loved the location.
I love the books she locates in Ireland. Ashford castles is wonderful.
2540876
I have been reading Maeve Binchy books for many years and loved every one of them. I will miss them terribly.  She was a true master of her art.
1113539
A fan of Clancy will not be disappointed except by the fact that this is the last one ever.  Great book and a fitting closure to Jack Ryan.
2438457
This is the final installment of a wonderful trilogy, and it ends beautifully. I wish there was some category in  Amazon's rating boxes -- Cronin's writing is far better than "good" -- though not "great" in the strictest terms. His world making doesn't stand with Tolstoy's; his sentences can't go word for word with Updike's. That being said, Cronin is a literary author, and it shows. The books are impressively written, gripping and hugely entertaining. It was a long wait between books two and three, but new readers have the luxury of just bingeing. I envy them.
3988603
This book is a great reminder of how far ahead of his time Abbey was.  Issues he was concerned about 40 or 50 years ago are argued with a passion and intellect that is missing from today's political discourse.  Also missing today is the humor and constructive anger which served as an undercurrent for much of his writing.  Beyond all this literary mumbo-jumbo, Abbey still makes for a great read.  This is possibly the last of his writing to be published.  Savor it.
2241585
A brilliant translation by the late Seamus Heaney who breathes poetic air into a 2500 year old play making it readily comprehensible to contemporary audiences.  Heaney was not just a great Irish writer but a great world writer.
540974
"Endpoint" is a fitting conclusion to the poetry collections John Updike published over the course of his prolific writer's life. And it's all the more poignant because the author was assembling this collection in the weeks preceding his death from lung cancer. Updike knew he was dying, yet, as the end approached, devoted himself to one final task.

"Endpoint" is not uniquely elegiac, though; far from it. Updike's verse had taken that wistful turn as far back as "Americana," which had been published way back in 2001. But that volume read more along the lines of something penned by a professor emeritus, while this one deals quite specifically in some poems with the author's fast-approaching mortality.

For those who discover and appreciate this volume and want more, I must regretfully inform that almost all of Updike's previous poetry collections are long out of print. His "Collected Poems" is still available, though, and contains nearly all the poems he published up until 1993. Also noteworthy: "Americana," the only volume of his verse published after 1993 and thus not represented in "Collected Poems," can be had in the form of a used copy for very little money. Get those two volumes, along with "Endpoint," and you have virtually all the author's verse.

John Updike, author, was many things to many readers -- great novelist, outstanding short-story writer, prolific essayist and critic, and a very good poet whose work in the latter category ranged from light verse to free verse to the sonnet. He will be missed, and remembered.
3972461
This is just the best book to come out of Ireland in our long literary history. Utterly heartbreaking, though I'm not sure you wouldn't need to be Irish to fully understand it.
2851190
I liked the book very much.  I have an interest in stories about Ireland.  They nearly all hold my attention and don't leave me in a dark mood.  This one was one of the best.