Sebastian Barry: Days Without End

I am very conscious in my book comments that I always seem to be madly enthusiastic which could suggest lack of judgement and discrimination ( I obviously don't think so) but is one really is remarkable. It's the story in first person Thomas McNulty a young immigrant to America from Ireland ( this book one of a series of books about two Irish families by this author) his life and experiences through the growth and development of the USA including the Civil War and the Plains Indians campaigns ( although planned genocides would I think be more accurate) and his remarkable relationship with his other half John Cole...and they are two halves, each completing each other throughout their lives. The most remarkable stylistic element is that is is clearly written by someone with virtually no education and yet the language, emotional awareness and descriptions are phenomenally powerful. They are very short...you get, on every page, jewel-like descriptions of emotions, scenery (the staggering grandeur and harshness of the American experience and country is one of the many aspects most brilliantly and illuminatingly conveyed)

Thee is a sense of wonder in all of this and major events, situations are wonderfully concisely conveyed, from the physical nature of the relationship, to the horrors of the Plains Wars, to the narrators utterly natural acceptance of his gender-fluid identity..and to call it this makes it sound terribly self-consciously aware and up to date, but it is just something that IS! Some reviews have criticised the brevity of massively important and significant events and situations but this is necessarily a reflection of the narrator and who and what he is. He sees, experiences, judges and copes with all that life can throw at him but has not the educated sophistication to explore in depth...and yet it IS, in a way explored in depth. Were this written in a third person omniscient narrative, I think it would come across as overblown and at times somewhat hysterical.

It is a truthful book in the deepest and widest sense, through its concentrated poetic style and natural acceptance of every aspect of life which makes it such a powerful and uplifting read...and the ending, is exquisitely poised...we believe that the journey will come to a happy conclusion.

So as ever, with all my reviews it seems , I end with the inevitable injunction 'read it'. Colleagues at BISB it available to borrow as and when. Would also be interested to know what American friends make of it.

And a mega thank-you to Ian Whybrow for initially mentioning this. I understand why it won the Man Booker. I reckon reading the shortlist each year would give one a good picture of the state of publishing today.