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This Is Happiness

By: Niall Williams
Narrated by: Dermot Crowley
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Summary

Change is coming to Faha, a small Irish parish unaltered in a 1,000 years.

For one thing, the rain is stopping. Nobody remembers when it started; rain on the western seaboard is a condition of living. But now - just as Father Coffey proclaims the coming of the electricity - the rain clouds are lifting.

Seventeen-year-old Noel Crowe is idling in the unexpected sunshine when Christy makes his first entrance into Faha, bringing secrets he needs to atone for. Though he can't explain it, Noel knows right then: something has changed.

As the people of Faha anticipate the endlessly procrastinated advent of the electricity, and Noel navigates his own coming-of-age and his fallings in and out of love, Christy's past gradually comes to light, casting a new glow on a small world.

Harking back to a simpler time, This Is Happiness is a tender portrait of a community - its idiosyncrasies and traditions, its paradoxes and kindnesses, its failures and triumphs - and a coming-of-age tale like no other.

Luminous and lyrical, yet anchored by roots running deep into the earthy and everyday, it is about the power of stories: their invisible currents that run through all we do, writing and rewriting us, and the transforming light that they throw onto our world.

©2019 Niall Williams (P)2019 W. F. Howes Ltd
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What listeners say about This Is Happiness

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Brilliant

Relaxing . Beautifully read . Soft amusing story of very real life . I very much enjoyed it .

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Wonderful

The narration in a wonderful Kerry accent made this lovely story even more wonderful. A gentle story of love, friendship, family and the electricity coming to Ireland.

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Such a beautiful book

This book is pure heaven. I could not stop listening. The narrator is absolutely perfect for the book. The writing is lyrical and poignant profound and funny at times. The whole story went straight into my heart.

I’m so glad to have discovered this wonderful writer.

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My favourite book of all time!

This book is so beautifully written it will make your heart sing. Each expression, phrase and sentence is enriched with the most poetic English - it is breathtaking. Take your time and savour it line by line - no need to rush, after all you are in the West of Ireland.

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a treat to listen to

Niall Williams captures in words the most vivid images, making you feel as if you are with the characters in every scene, living their stories. Like the title, This is Happiness in so many ways.

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Outstanding

Absolutely adored this book. Evocative, thoughtful, emotional and just beautiful. All 6 people in my bookclub rated this as one of their favourite all time books. Thank you.

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Stunning

I had forgotten how much I loved Niall Williams Four Letters that I read many years ago. This is Happiness is enchanting, heart-rending and funny and so beautifully written and narrated. Thankyou!

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Brilliant, just brilliant.

A moving and beautifully honest book, read with care and compassion. Read it and feel inspired.

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A gem

I was carried away to Faha that I feel I knew the characters . Writing and narration of equal brilliance

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A wonderful story!

This is one of the loveliest books I have read, beautiful evocative writing brought to full meaning by the narration. The circle of life.

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