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Beatlebone

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Beatlebone

By: Kevin Barry
Narrated by: Kevin Barry
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About this listen

WInner of the Goldsmiths Prize

Prize shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards 2015

He will spend three days alone on his island. That is all that he asks...John is so many miles from love now and home. This is the story of his strangest trip.

John owns a tiny island off the west coast of Ireland. Maybe it is there that he can at last outrun the shadows of his past.

The tale of a wild journey into the world and a wild journey within, Beatlebone is a mystery box of a novel. It's a portrait of an artist at a time of creative strife. It is most of all a sad and beautiful comedy from one of the most gifted stylists now at work.

©2015 Canongate Books; 2015 Canongate Books Ltd Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction

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All stars
Most relevant
This is a daring book. The language is precise, rhythmic, almost poetic, marrying scouse intonation, west of Ireland wit and the lyricism of Flann O'Brien. It's like an experiential biography, one that wrings the facts of a Lennon's life in order to divine his soul. In doing so it captures the universal hollowness of a life without love. The dis and dat of Barry's dialect grate on the ear occasionally, a minor quibble, but the authenticity of voice and development of character through dialogue are nothing short of masterful.

Stunning performance

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Mesmerising. I'm sure this book will stay with me for a long time, perhaps forever, just like Lennon's memories of being 17 years old.

Perfect concept novel on a perfect concept album

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I found the experience of listening to this book wildly challenging and deeply moving. The author/narrator weaves a fantastic tale.
It took me 3 or 4 restarts before I felt confident and comfortable enough to proceed. I relistened to most chapters 2 or 3 times so I could savour the precision of the language and the flow of the meandering.

Bizarre, stunning experience

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I listened to this with only one break and that was at the point where 'John' is afraid for his safety and ...... I also felt the fear, so it seemed a good place to take a break.
Kevin Barry ( he's the one I'm besotted with) covers so many emotions but in such an understated way: there is anger, sadness, despair, longing, frustration, etc. all expressed by Mr. Barry in the enchanting and comedic voice of Cornelius, the flat tones of John and the terrifying 'Joe Director'.
Any further comment would amount to a spoiler, I think.

I'm besotted...

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Great stuff from Kevin Barry, wonderfully read by himself - novel and humorous and full of invention.

Great stuff.

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