Charming Billy
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Charming Billy
The late Billy Lynch's family and friends gather at a bar in the Bronx to remember better times. They admire the way his widow, Maeve, is holding up but one cannot think of Billy without saying "There was that girl." Soon the twisted grief of Maeve, Billy and his cousin Dennis becomes apparent.
Winner of the 1998 National Book Award for Fiction, the top literary prize in the United States, beating Tom Wolfe and Robert Stone. For fans of Anne Tyler
The late Billy Lynch's family and friends gather at a small bar and grill in the Bronx to remember better times. His widow, Maeve, is there, and everyone admires the way she is holding up, just as they always admired the way she cared for Billy after the alcohol had ruined him. But one cannot think of Billy without saying at some point, 'There was that girl'.
On Long Island one summer years ago, Billy fell in love with a beautiful Irish girl working for a wealthy Park Avenue family. Billy wanted to marry Eva, but then she went back to Ireland. And then Billy's cousin Dennis had to break the terrible news: Eva had died of pneumonia. Billy never got over it. Anybody who knew him would tell you so. Billy began courting Maeve not long after, but for the rest of their lives, he, she, and Dennis shared a hidden, twisted grief.
Charming Billy explores themes of love, loss, and the enduring impact of secrets, as the characters reflect on Billy's life and the choices that shaped their destinies.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Charming Billy by Alice McDermott is praised for its subtle storytelling and the power of the unsaid. It challenges stereotypes, particularly the clichΓ©d image of the "lovable Irish drunk," offering a complex exploration of familiar narratives and elusive truths.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780747545392
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 07 August 2000
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Edition: New edition
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 239g
Pages: 288
Collections
About the Author
Alice McDermott is the author of AT WEDDINGS AND WAKES, a New York Times bestseller; THAT NIGHT, shortlisted for the National Book Award; and A BIGAMIST'S DAUGHTER. She lives with her family near Washington.
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