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History of the Rain cover art

History of the Rain

By: Niall Williams
Narrated by: Jennifer McGrath
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Publisher's Summary

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 Ltd

Critic Reviews

"Extremely moving, poignantly capturing Ruth's doomed childhood relationship with her twin brother. By the final chapter I was weeping." ( Sunday Times)
"A rambling, soft-hearted Irish family saga stuffed with eccentricity, literature, anecdotes, mythology, humour and heartbreak." ( Kirkus)

What listeners say about History of the Rain

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A rich experience

This is a beautiful book and reflects the human condition and the Irish character profoundly. Highly recommend

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Washed with a beautiful story

Gentle, strong, humorous, insightful, this was a pleasure to hear/ read! The honesty within the character and the clever plot made common sense and opened the chance for insight into love, life, faith, family and of course.... Death.

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Absolute Favourite

I adore this book and have listened to it several times, the narrator is perfect!

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Magical.

A beautifully poetic work. Wonderful literary and Irish references. Funny and sad and beautiful. LOVED it.

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