The book’s seventeen chapters cover the seventeen
days immediately following the death of Lily Bere’s grandson.
Overwhelmed by grief, she reviews her long life trying to account for
how it has come to this point. She begins her story shortly after WW1,
when IRA threats force Lily and her fiancé to leave Ireland for America,
the Canaan of the title. However, violence follows her. Three wars are
referred to in Lily’s recollections. Characters from all walks of life
are introduced: all are victims of discrimination and/or violence. The
novel is one of recurring hope that inevitably ends in grief. But,
ladies, Mr. Barry’s writing is very beautiful. And, according to the
blurb on the back of my copy, this is: “A story that will deepen your
understanding of yourself and others”. We’ll see.
Sunday, 5 June 2016
On Canaan's Side by Sebastian Barry
by Sue,
The book’s seventeen chapters cover the seventeen
days immediately following the death of Lily Bere’s grandson.
Overwhelmed by grief, she reviews her long life trying to account for
how it has come to this point. She begins her story shortly after WW1,
when IRA threats force Lily and her fiancé to leave Ireland for America,
the Canaan of the title. However, violence follows her. Three wars are
referred to in Lily’s recollections. Characters from all walks of life
are introduced: all are victims of discrimination and/or violence. The
novel is one of recurring hope that inevitably ends in grief. But,
ladies, Mr. Barry’s writing is very beautiful. And, according to the
blurb on the back of my copy, this is: “A story that will deepen your
understanding of yourself and others”. We’ll see.
The book’s seventeen chapters cover the seventeen
days immediately following the death of Lily Bere’s grandson.
Overwhelmed by grief, she reviews her long life trying to account for
how it has come to this point. She begins her story shortly after WW1,
when IRA threats force Lily and her fiancé to leave Ireland for America,
the Canaan of the title. However, violence follows her. Three wars are
referred to in Lily’s recollections. Characters from all walks of life
are introduced: all are victims of discrimination and/or violence. The
novel is one of recurring hope that inevitably ends in grief. But,
ladies, Mr. Barry’s writing is very beautiful. And, according to the
blurb on the back of my copy, this is: “A story that will deepen your
understanding of yourself and others”. We’ll see.
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ReplyDeleteI write from a changed country. I expected the referendum result, but the disappointment, distress and, I regret to say, considerable anger at the short sightedness of those who do not agree with me made for an emotional time. It seems I’m not a good loser. We had American friends staying with us when we all voted. They couldn’t believe the result – likened it to a Trump victory. Certainly, racists feel they have been given a licence to publicly demonstrate their racism. The real problem is decades of poverty in areas where traditional employment and cultures have died. Inadequate support provided there, so massive numbers of understandably disaffected people. And, of course, there are many who believe Britain will be ‘great’ again in splendid isolation. Clearly, I’m not very tolerant either. It will be difficult to move on as the negotiations to leave the EU will take several years and won’t begin until September.
I do hope life for you and your families has been calmer and that you’re enjoying summer, Katie. Are you back at work now? How’s the life/work balance playing out? And I hope you are not feeling too cold, Nancy. Just keeps raining here – though it’s lovely as I write this. The garden is flourishing. I have to say the roses are a bunch of prima donnas. They need to realize I’m a distressed lady.
The novel was certainly a trawl through many of the twentieth century’s most significant events, seen through the eyes of a very tolerant woman. I realize I’m a different generation, but Lily’s generous forgiveness of Joe Kinderman and Mr. Nolan would not have come easily to me (as demonstrated above). Didn’t come easily to Lily either, but it did come.
Perhaps this is what the reviewer meant when s/he suggested this book “will deepen your understanding of yourself and others”. I did measure myself against Lily, and found myself wanting: I hope I’d have looked after Bill, but feel I might have tried to persuade Mrs. Wolohan to fund his education in an institution where he was with boys his own age. I’m not suggesting that’s the right thing to do – only that I’d have had no trouble justifying such a course of action.
The intertwining of Lily’s life with Mr. Nolan’s (aka Robert Doherty), Martin Luther King’s, the Kennedys’ (Mrs. Wolohan’s brother’s assassination gets prime time news coverage, so I’m assuming the reader is meant to make that connection) seems a little contrived. But I found the lovely portrayal of Lily’s brief relationship with Tadg Bere to be really convincing.
And it was that kind of detail that kept me reading: the visit to Luna Park with Cassie and Joe; Mr. Nolan, the IRA hitman, weeping over Christopher Robin leaving Pooh because it was the end of childhood. Reminded me of my own huge distress over Puff the Magic Dragon. Gentle humour, too: “I suppose it befits a handyman to be constitutionally helpful.”
The writing was, indeed, lyrical. The description of Joe and Lily in a park somewhere near the Bellow house (page 132 in my copy) is a poem.
So, I really enjoyed lots of aspects of the book, but found the main premise, Lily as a recorder of twentieth century history, to be rather contrived.
Hope you ladies found something to enjoy here.
Love to you both
Sue
Hello Ladies,
ReplyDeleteHope you are both well! Things are going great here. Just enjoying the summer weather. How are things with you both? Yes, I have returned to work. The hardest part I think is balancing the work and the nursing/pumping situation. Not everyone is so open minded about breastfeeding, but what can you do? Sue, I'm not fully aware of the changes in your country but I can understand the feeling of disappointment in the direction your government is heading. I am not looking forward to our upcoming election, neither candidate sits particularly well with me.
I found this novel to be quite sad. Most of the characters had some hardship but my sympathies mostly were with Lily. She was a kind hearted individual who just wanted love but love kept being taken from her. Despite her losses, she was truly a very strong character. I give her a great deal of credit for not strangling Joe and for returning to Mr. Nolan's bedside. As you said Sue, I would not have been as kind to Joe as Lily was. In addition to her self-restraint, she was also strong for raising her son and grandson alone. There are so many days I count my lucky stars for having Franklin in my life, for many reasons, but most notably for helping to care for two young children. I work with several single moms and see the hardships they face trying to balance work and children. Lily was very fortunate to have found work with Mrs. Wolohan's mother, a woman who tolerated the presence of a young child accompanying her help staff.
I found Mr. Nolan's deathbed confession to be very ridiculous surprise. It seems unreasonable to follow the woman you intend to kill halfway across the country and then have a complete change of intention. Tadg’s murderer should have just been left as an unknown assailant. I also agree with you, Sue, about the way Mr. Barry tries to squeeze noted historical figures into the mix, completely unnecessary to the story line. I did, however, find Bill and Edward's PTSD after returning from their wars, to be very convincing. The American loss in Vietnam was very detrimental to the American ego at the time and subsequently to psyche of the returning soldiers. Such a pity that those young men fought diligently for their country and then were treated so shamefully upon their return. It is no wonder that Edward was unable to return to his mother. I felt even more pity for Lily when Edward showed up on her step. The fact that she knew he would never return and any attempt at forcing him back would only drive him further away broke my heart. It was a level of realism that I don’t think you see too often in novels.
I really enjoyed Lily’s lack of emphasis on race in the novel. Considering the time period, there should have been much more racism but not in Lily’s eyes. She viewed Cassie as an equal. She did not even hint at Bill’s coloring until so late in the novel. All this again is a credit to Lily’s impeccable character. I would not have guessed that race was the issue for Joe’s leaving. It was still cowardly regardless, but I did not see that twist coming!
An overall sad novel but not one without worth. Thank you for your suggestion Sue.
Much love from the Chong crew,
Katie
Hello Ladies,
ReplyDeleteI had planned to be super organised this month and comment on our story first !! I guess its is obvious how that panned out.
Firstly Sue, my sympathies to you on the Brexit results, when I heard I immediately thought of you and knew you would be deeply upset by it. Our federal elections are today and are so lukewarm compared to the ridiculous political ideologies in present day UK and USA. I am not saying lukewarm is good however, just not as emotionally draining.
We are all well here and enjoying the winter sunshine. Ivars and I are planning a few trips over the next months and have been busy with itineraries and bookings. Grace and I are off for a few days in Melbourne in July, then in August Ivars, Sam and I are off to Thailand for a week and finally in October Grace, Ivars and I are off on a road trip around southwest USA. So I getting very excited and terribly confused all at the same time.
On to business, I enjoyed Lilly’s story very much, and found the language very poetic and beautiful. I love the elderly and their, for the most part, wise acceptance of the lives they have lead. I found Lilly no different. We seem to be having a run of books themed around older age, I wonder Sue, if you and I have unconsciously chosen stories because lately our parents and their stories have been in the front of our minds.
I enjoyed the matter of factness in Lilly’s telling. She seemed to be able to talk about such traumatic events in her life with acceptance. I’ve read a study recently where [don’t ask me how] they measured happiness in people. People in their eighties were way and above happier than people in their twenties. Perhaps this may have something to do with acceptance.
Sebastian Barry’s attempt at linking major historical events into the story really didn’t bother me, I actually used it to think about how important each individual life is. So many earthshaking events taking place out in the world, but for Lilly the events taking place in her life were just as earthshaking, murder war, fear, abandonment, poverty with no media coverage, no famous people but the emotions she felt where just as valid.
I felt I floated along with this story, perhaps that was because of the lyrical language, and felt soothed by Lilly’s eighty nine year old self. I have said before I am a sucker for old people. Which is a good thing as next month we eighty year old Cleo Threadgoode in Fried Green Tomatoes.
I hope all is well with you Katie and your beautiful little family is thriving.
Sue, my sympathies again, let’s see what happens from here, you may have to do what many of your countrymen are doing and move to Australia.
all my love,
Nancy
Wonderful travel plans, Nancy. Perhaps we ought to be making some ourselves. Things are not getting any better. However, no point in moaning.
ReplyDeleteLovely to read of Franklin's support in bringing up the children, Katie. I have once again been made a great aunt, this time by the youngest of my four nephews and his wife. It appears there's an on-line community of hands-on fathers to whom you can chat in the middle of the night as you are attending to your child. An excellent use of technology. Somehow, I doubt Franklin would need that kind of support, but it's a marvellous sign of the changing times.
Mum's 93rd birthday celebrated in the pub last Friday. Though, I think, a little more confused that last year, she still blew out the candles and enjoyed the attention. Amazing.
Sunshine today - am going to sit in the flourishing garden.
Love to you both, and to your families
Sue