Brooklyn
A Novel
Table of Contents
About The Book
Colm Tóibín’s New York Times bestselling novel—also an acclaimed film starring Saoirse Ronan and Jim Broadbent nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Picture—is “a moving, deeply satisfying read” (Entertainment Weekly) about a young Irish immigrant in Brooklyn in the early 1950s.
“One of the most unforgettable characters in contemporary literature” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette), Eilis Lacey has come of age in small-town Ireland in the hard years following World War Two. When an Irish priest from Brooklyn offers to sponsor Eilis in America, she decides she must go, leaving her fragile mother and her charismatic sister behind.
Eilis finds work in a department store on Fulton Street, and when she least expects it, finds love. Tony, who loves the Dodgers and his big Italian family, slowly wins her over with patient charm. But just as Eilis begins to fall in love, devastating news from Ireland threatens the promise of her future.
Author “Colm Tóibín…is his generation’s most gifted writer of love’s complicated, contradictory power” (Los Angeles Times). “Written with mesmerizing power and skill” (The Boston Globe), Brooklyn is a “triumph…One of those magically quiet novels that sneak up on readers and capture their imaginations” (USA TODAY).
About The Reader
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (October 22, 2024)
- Runtime: 9 hours and 31 minutes
- ISBN13: 9781668133224
Raves and Reviews
"Colm Tóibín’s appealing 2009 novel receives an exemplary performance from Saoirse Ronan. Set in Ireland and Brooklyn in the 1950s, the story unfolds with Ronan’s lilting voice and lush pronunciations allowing both Ireland and Brooklyn to become vivid locales. Ronan’s sensitive delivery highlights Ellis Lacey’s emotional connection to her tiny Irish village and to her mother and sister. After leaving for Brooklyn and a better life, Ellis deals with homesickness and the stresses faced by newcomers anywhere. She also finds friendship, love, and hope. Ronan’s familiarity with the characters—she played Ellis in the film version—serves the audiobook well. She creates a clear-eyed, if naïve, young woman’s coming of age in a postwar world. Ronan’s authentic performance makes this first-rate listening."
– AudioFile Magazine
Awards and Honors
- ALA Notable Book
Resources and Downloads
Freshman Reading:
Baruch College - CUNY (2012/2013)
Fairleigh Dickinson University (2012/2013)
Ithaca College (2013/2014)
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Brooklyn Unabridged Audio Download 9781668133224
- Author Photo (jpg): Colm Toibin Photograph by Reynaldo Rivera(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit