by Colum McCann
First published 2013
In 1919, daring aviators attempt the first nonstop Atlantic flight. In 1845, abolitionist Frederick Douglass finds sympathy in Ireland. In 1998, Senator George Mitchell brokers a fragile peace in Northern Ireland. Across a century and a half, these iconic crossings intertwine the personal stories of a remarkable matriarchal clan, from an Irish housemaid to her present-day descendants, as they navigate the tides of history.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, 21st-century
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: epic, family-saga
Setting: Atlantic Ocean, Ireland, Northern Ireland
Period: 1919, 1845, 1998
304 pages · Hardcover · Random House