The Last Storyteller: A Novel of Ireland

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The Last Storyteller: A Novel of Ireland

by Frank Delaney (Goodreads Author)

3.81 of 5 stars 3.81 · rating details · 280 ratings · 95 reviews

Frank Delaney, New York Times bestselling author of Ireland, Shannon, Tipperary, Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show, and The Matchmaker of Kenmare, is the unparalleled master of Irish historical fiction, bringing Ireland to life with exceptional warmth, wisdom, and wit. Now, in The Last Storyteller, Delaney weaves an absorbing tale of lasting love, dangerous risk, and the heal...more

Hardcover, 400 pages

Published February 7th 2012 by Random House

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Feb 06, 2012 Elaine Cristina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 07, 2012 Nancy Oakes rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, ireland

3.75

My many thanks to Tara for offering me this book, and to Random House as well. The Last Storyteller is the final book in Delaney's three-volume series that begins with Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show then continues with The Matchmaker of Kenmare. Now in Last Storyteller, Delaney offers his readers a novel of historical fiction that not only continues to highlight Ireland's 20th-century past, but also shows that the stuff of legends has a tendency to reverberate in real life and human experien...more 3.75

My many thanks to Tara for offering me this book, and to Random House as well. The Last Storyteller is the final book in Delaney's three-volume series that begins with Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show then continues with The Matchmaker of Kenmare. Now in Last Storyteller, Delaney offers his readers a novel of historical fiction that not only continues to highlight Ireland's 20th-century past, but also shows that the stuff of legends has a tendency to reverberate in real life and human experience. Most importantly, however, Delaney weaves throughout this book the idea of the transforming power of storytelling, which for readers is undeniable. But he adds another dimension -- that of the wandering seanchai, who travels the country sharing his stories. For readers who are already familiar with the previous two books in the series, Last Storyteller also continues the story of Ben McCarthy, the long-estranged husband of Venetia Kelly.

McCarthy works for Ireland's Folklore Commission, and he lives on a "staple diet" of "herbal cures, rambling ballads, family curses, jigs and reels played on fiddles and pipes, nonsense verse, riddles and recitations -- and above all stories." Ben's travels have given him the opportunity to meet many different kinds of people, but he is most at peace with his friend John Jacob Farrell O'Neill, seanchai, a "fireside storyteller," a "descendant of the bards who had entertained kings and chieftains long before Christ was born." But because of events from his past, and more recent happenings as well, Ben is still in a deeply-entrenched state of loss and melancholy. The Last Storyteller is his own story, addressed to his children Ben and Louise, but it is also a tale of how the power of storytelling leads to Ben's own personal transformation. Taking a bit of advice given to him from his old friend James Clare, who is dying as the novel opens, Ben discovers that

"One day you have to tell the story of your own life...and perceive it as myth. when you can do that -- that's when you've finally grown up."

The events of Ben's life in this novel begin in the mid 1950s, and the book takes the reader through turbulent times in Ireland's history that have a bearing on Ireland's modern situation.

The storytelling aspects drew me in to the novel and kept me there, as did the ongoing story of Ben McCarthy and Venetia Kelly, which I first discovered in Delaney's Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show, probably my favorite of the author's three connected novels. The image of a storyteller being welcomed into the homes of strangers, going from fireside to fireside, sometimes staying into the wee hours was quite enchanting; the idea of people gladly opening their doors to this person also grabbed my attention, as did the stories Delaney incorporated into the book. At the same time, the parallels in the stories were a bit too coincidental to Ben's adventures, and it bothered me a little that not enough distance was put between O'Neill's telling and the events unfolding around Ben and those near to him. And sometimes the dialogue was a little too much; there were entire scenes that sometimes dragged due to wordiness.

However, it is quite obvious that the author succeeded in getting his message across and aside from some of the more lengthy conversations and coincidences, I liked this book. The Last Storyteller and the books that precede it it are much lighter in tone than my regular reading choices, but I have a fondness for Delaney's novels, a) because they're set in Ireland, and b) because the author has a gift for storytelling. The novels are not complicated, they are very approachable in terms of reading, and make for a good and relaxing reading experience. My advice: although you could easily catch up with what happened in the previous two novels, start with Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show and work your way toward this one. I think you'll get much more out of The Last Storyteller with the backstory provided by the other two books, and this book will be more meaningful in the long run. And if anyone knows a seanchai who wants to come sit by my fireside, send him on over. (less)

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Mar 09, 2013 Ricki Treleaven rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have been attempting to read The Last Storyteller by Frank Delaney for several months, but I've been excited, anxious, and, quite frankly, dreading reading this book. Let me explain. The Last Storyteller is the last book in a trilogy about the incredible life of Ben McCarthy. Ben works for the Irish Folklore Commission collecting stories, anecdotes, home remedies, and lore. The riveting final installment of Delaney's Ben McCarthy trilogy focuses on the protagonist's folklore studies with legen...more I have been attempting to read The Last Storyteller by Frank Delaney for several months, but I've been excited, anxious, and, quite frankly, dreading reading this book. Let me explain. The Last Storyteller is the last book in a trilogy about the incredible life of Ben McCarthy. Ben works for the Irish Folklore Commission collecting stories, anecdotes, home remedies, and lore. The riveting final installment of Delaney's Ben McCarthy trilogy focuses on the protagonist's folklore studies with legendary storyteller John Jacob Farrell O'Neill. O'Neill has honed his craft over decades of traveling all over Ireland. But my question is this: Does O'Neill's gifts go beyond mere storytelling? His prophetic stories he shares with Ben seem downright creepy as they immediately reflect unfolding events in Ben's own life.

I have so many conflicting emotions about Ben. I love him, hate him, cheer him, loathe him, admire him, despise him, well, I guess you get the idea. Ben is definitely an archetype....the flawed hero everyone loves because he's so relatable. And the reason I've been so anxious about completing this last book: I want a happy ending for Ben, darn it! And the key to his happiness: Venetia Kelley. We first learn of Ben in Venetia Kelley's Traveling Show. I do not like Venetia. She is the dangerous other woman, the woman who is aloof, self-obsessed, and reckless. She is an archetype, the woman all other responsible women fear. But if you love Ben (and I do) then you must tolerate Venetia.

"One day you have to tell the story of your own life," he said, "and perceive it as myth. When you can do that--that's when you've finally grown up."

The above quote is Ben's mentor James Clare's advice to Ben, and it's the central theme of the book. Once Ben finally acts upon this advice, he enables himself to heal, mature, and, finally, grow-up. I think the world would be a much better place if we all could accomplish this, but I think the tricky part is remaining true to the narrative.

Frank Delaney is probably our very best writer in the English language today. His books are among my all-time favorites. He is a gifted storyteller who always incorporates ancient stories and myths into his novels, and I love that about his writing. If you haven't read any of his books, then do yourself a favor and start reading them this weekend. But be forewarned that you won't get much else accomplished because you'll be unable to put them down. I wish I'd had the courage to have read this book last year. I bought it the day it was released, and it certainly would have made my Best Books of 2012 list.
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Mar 06, 2012 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Venetia has traveled back to Ireland. She is joined by her new husband. A man that is cruel and nothing like Ben. No matter where Venetia is, Ben always has her on his mind. Ben would go to the ends of the Earth for her. That is why; Ben goes on his last trip to reclaim Venetia as his forever.

The Last Storyteller is the last book about couple, Ben MacCarthy and his true love, Venetia Kelly. I have enjoyed reading these books. I instantly fell in love with Ben, Venetia and author, Delaney, when I...more

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Feb 23, 2012 Dana Burgess rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Last Storyteller by Frank Delaney tells the story of Ben MacCarthy, by occupation a collector of Irish stories and lore. He travels the countryside, visiting the storytellers and recording the stories. As he travels he manages to also collect a poor, young girl fleeing her abusive family; a gunrunner for the IRA; and his much abused and beaten one-time wife. The supporting characters of this unlikely cast help fill in the rest of Ben's story.

The chapters are very short, often only a page or...more

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Feb 15, 2012 Shayna Gier rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Last Storyteller was a very well written story about love and life. Frank Delaney’s main character is very likable and real, and about as far from one-dimensional as one can be. Stil while the storytelling is grand and the language of the book is elegantly beautiful, my favorite thing would have to be the stories within the story that are told by either John Jacob Farrel O’Neill or Ben MacCarthy himself. They were among my favorite parts of the book, and probably the most elegant of all the...more

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Feb 15, 2012 Mairead rated it 4 of 5 stars

"The Last Storyteller - A Novel Of Ireland" is a book of enduring beauty, suspense and heartbreak.

Ben MacCarthy is a flawed, but idealistic hero, searching for his purpose as a father, and learning to overcome cowardice to reconnect with his long lost wife. The complex characters of this book, endure emotional and often brutal realities, which Delaney concisely depicts with carefully chosen words and phrases. He is a true word master, whose narrative skills create memorable and compelling scene...more

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Feb 11, 2012 Jim Gallen rated it 5 of 5 stars

I rarely read novels, but fortunately I broke out of the history-biography mold for “The Last Storyteller.” It is a story of a modern seanchai, Frank Delaney, a master of his craft and a magician with language. It is a story that takes the reader back to an Ireland of the past that is less idyllic but just as charming as we envision and into a life just as complex and just as enthralling as the land in which it is lived.

In his time, narrator Ben MacCarthy, plays a multitude of roles and touches...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Diane Meier rated it 5 of 5 stars

As in the novel most feel was his masterpiece, "Ireland," in The Last Storyteller, the craft of storytelling is not only celebrated, it's gift-wrapped and presented in ways that feel important, and yet, personal and intimate.

For those who love the idea of Once Upon a Time... this is the book for you!

Like all of Frank's books, the language is gorgeous. No doubt you expect me to say something like that. But really -- listen. This book is something...

The story is compelling and moving and full of...more As in the novel most feel was his masterpiece, "Ireland," in The Last Storyteller, the craft of storytelling is not only celebrated, it's gift-wrapped and presented in ways that feel important, and yet, personal and intimate.

For those who love the idea of Once Upon a Time... this is the book for you!

Like all of Frank's books, the language is gorgeous. No doubt you expect me to say something like that. But really -- listen. This book is something...

The story is compelling and moving and full of all the things I hope to experience when reading - to be delighted and thrilled, taken over and moved. At least for me - and clearly for many of you, no one does it better.

And if Frank delivers that punch while also showing us to a time "when the geese were barefoot" or the "pigs ate apples off the trees"; if he recalls a time on earth that was created - "when God was in his twenties.." so much the better.

'The Last Storyteller' is, as you may have read, the culmination of what he calls his Venetia Trilogy, the thirty-year, three-book saga of Ben McCarthy and his lost-and-found beloved wife, Venetia Kelly (Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show, The Matchmaker of Kenmare). That this story was designed, as myth, to reflect the passionate, difficult, often misguided quest- for-civility of Ireland itself, during those turbulent years, may be lost on some. I hope not. But the beauty of the books themselves should be lost on no one. The miracle to me is that each of the novels is a kind of triumph on their own. One doesn't need to read them all, I suppose. But what a joy to do so.

On every level, 'The Last Storyteller' delivers the goods. As a stand alone; as the natural resolution to Ben's story; as a window to the more recent history of Ireland; as an example of The Voice that began in an oral tradition and became what we know as literature; and as a fully-expressed, beautifully crafted and well designed myth that shows us the power of desire, the need to move forward in life, and the redemption of love over all evil. It's a heck of a book.

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Feb 07, 2012 Kellyann Zuzulo rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is how a story should be told: heroes and villains, trials and tribulations, hope and joy. An engrossing, layered plot and captivating characters. I especially enjoyed Delaney's masterful juxtaposition of bygone tales and current drama. When THE storyteller Ben MacCarthy meets up with happy-go-lucky gadabout Jimmy Bermingham (and we soon learn, he's in the IRA), they come upon Emma Sloane who is on the run from a father who whips her and would marry her off to a wealthy but ancient and hear...more

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Feb 07, 2012 Keri Knutson rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was fortunate to receive an advance review copy of Frank Delaney’s The Last Storyteller. It was my first introduction to his work, and even though the book is part of a continuing series, it works wonderfully as a stand-alone novel.

While the beginning is just a tad slow, it was soon easy to be lost in Ben and Venetia’s story while still being captivated by the interweaving of the legends and mythos of Ireland too – not an easy feat, and one that shows off Delaney’s considerable narrative skil...more

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Feb 07, 2012 Sandra Olshaski rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Last Storyteller by Frank Delaney
ISBN: 978-1-4000-6785-5
Published by Random House
Published: February 7, 2012
Hard Cover, 385 pages

I like Frank Delaney’s style of writing. It’s different and undoubtedly quirky, but somehow perfect for an Irish tale. I can hear an Irish lilt as I read it. The Last Storyteller is the third book in a trilogy that began with Venetia Kelly’s Travelling Show, followed by The Matchmaker of Kenmare and it brings to a close the story of Ben MacCarthy and Venetia Kelly....more The Last Storyteller by Frank Delaney
ISBN: 978-1-4000-6785-5
Published by Random House
Published: February 7, 2012
Hard Cover, 385 pages

I like Frank Delaney’s style of writing. It’s different and undoubtedly quirky, but somehow perfect for an Irish tale. I can hear an Irish lilt as I read it. The Last Storyteller is the third book in a trilogy that began with Venetia Kelly’s Travelling Show, followed by The Matchmaker of Kenmare and it brings to a close the story of Ben MacCarthy and Venetia Kelly.

Ben’s mentor, James Clare once told him, “There’s no story, no matter how ancient, as important as one’s own. So if we’re to live good lives, we have to tell ourselves our own story. In a good way. A way that’s decent to ourselves.” Ben is now an old man doing just that - writing a family memoir, his own story, for his twin children.

The setting is Ireland circa 1956. The IRA is at work and Ben inadvertently becomes involved in gun-running with an IRA sympathizer and is pursued both by the IRA and the police. Despite that, he still constantly thinks about his former wife and true love, Venetia Kelly, who was kidnapped from him 25 years earlier and pregnant, unbeknownst to him. When Venetia and her new husband, a brutal, abusive man, return to Ireland to perform Ben is determined to not lose her again, so he snatches her off the stage and they are finally reunited. But she is a sad shadow of her former self – “life” has happened to her. They can’t seem to recapture their former love although they enjoy their time together despite being pursued by the IRA, the police and Venetia’s husband. Venetia disappears again and Ben believes that her husband, “Gentleman Jack” Stirling is involved so hires thugs to kill Jack. He feels instant remorse and regret.

Ben becomes an apprentice to the last storyteller, John Jacob Farrell O’Neill. Ben says of their time together, “I was relearning life.” He receives details about being a successful storyteller and embarks on his new profession of travelling around Ireland telling stories. Gradually he overcomes his feelings of guilt and anguish and learns to understand himself.

As in all of Frank Delaney’s books we learn something of Irish history, Irish politics, Irish customs and ways….always bittersweet, but done with humor and warmth, although with liberal use of religious expletives.

Frank Delaney’s descriptions are so amazing! Can’t you just imagine it when he says, “I eavesdropped on the silence around me.” Or “his eyebrows met, like a pair of black, dangerous insects.” Or “the coat’s folds sank to the floor like a tired widow.”

If you have read the two previous books you must read The Last Storyteller to see how Ben and Venetia’s story ends. Even if you haven’t read the earlier books, this can be a stand-alone novel. And, oh my goodness, the epilogue! Un-put-down-able! Frank Delaney pulls all the threads woven throughout the 3 books together into a satisfactory whole. He is truly an exceptional storyteller.

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Feb 06, 2012 Sally Hanan rated it 5 of 5 stars

A sigh of satisfaction escaped my lips as I finally put this book down. With a plot as meandering as an Irish country road, this final book in the Venetia Kelly trilogy is deeply satiating read. From the first page Delaney pulls you into the old Ireland — the humor, the poetry of the vernacular, the poverty, the ability to always pull through and laugh at everyone.

This book goes deeper into Ben’s personal struggles, and throughout the book he examines and questions his actions over the years. W...more

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Feb 06, 2012 DD Syrdal rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Last Storyteller by Frank Delaney which releases February 7 tells the story of Ben MacCarthy, a man who travels around Ireland for the Irish Folklore Commission, talking to the aging keepers of local stories and myths, and recording them before they are lost for all time. In between the marvelous stories of yore, Ben weaves the narrative of his own life in colorful prose with charm and warmth.

There's real affection here for the people he encounters, his friends, his admired mentor, and he do...more

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Jan 31, 2012 Viviane Crystal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ben McCarthy has finally taken up the professional mantle of his mentors as a collector of folklore, and he is certainly at his best in this latest novel by Frank Delaney. Three stories are interwoven herein, Ben's collecting, recording, and sharing of numerous Irish tales that have an uncanny resonance in his own life, as well as being absolutely intriguing to readers of all ages. For what is a story but a re-imagining of the ups and downs of real life supported by the ideal, the fantastic, the...more Ben McCarthy has finally taken up the professional mantle of his mentors as a collector of folklore, and he is certainly at his best in this latest novel by Frank Delaney. Three stories are interwoven herein, Ben's collecting, recording, and sharing of numerous Irish tales that have an uncanny resonance in his own life, as well as being absolutely intriguing to readers of all ages. For what is a story but a re-imagining of the ups and downs of real life supported by the ideal, the fantastic, the imaginative, the mythological! This is the legacy inherited and celebrated from the great James Clare, a lovely, gifted storyteller surpassing all other tale tellers!

Ben, however, has never forgot the woman he loves who was kidnapped from him. Venetia has been married to an abusive shyster for so long that the spark is almost totally extinguished in her former vibrant actress self; however, if Ben can work up enough courage, encouraged by all of his significant friends, he can perhaps rescue her and form a new relationship with her and their two children. What is holding him back and could it be like if he acted as he knows from the first page, an act of honor, courage and beauty beyond any reality?

While this is happening, the Irish Uprising of 1956 begins and Ben inadvertently is drawn into its violence and confusion. But there is a tale here as well, beneath and above the seedy and selfish side of these angry men who abhor being brutally held under England's rule. Although rebellions are put down ruthlessly, nothing stops these men and women from doing what they must to free their own land, one they love and will die for, if necessary. No, it's not about crime; it's about testing the passionate patriotism of every involved person, as well as those who carefully watch and wait for success!

To say more would spoil this lovely, engaging, action-packed, romantic (in more than one sense), and wise novel written in mesmerizing style. Frank Delaney is in top form here, and this reviewer believes this is his finest work yet - more sincere, more heart-felt, more magical, more intense, all in all, sheer delight worthy of the finest bards in history! Thank you and congratulations, Frank Delaney! The depth of your latest novel defies plain words - the Muse has filled these pages with your talent - a literate gem!(less)

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Jan 30, 2012 Michael Vanatta rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Last Storyteller
Frank Delaney

What is a “Seanchai”? A Seanchai is an Irish storyteller, a bard, someone who maintains and relates Irish history verbally and by memory. Irish history has been passed on by these Seanchai traveling from village to village, telling their stories in the living rooms and kitchens of the rural Irish people for centuries.

Ben McCarthy is an Irish story collector, employed by the Irish Folklore Commission traveling and collecting stories throughout the Irish countrysid...more The Last Storyteller
Frank Delaney

What is a “Seanchai”? A Seanchai is an Irish storyteller, a bard, someone who maintains and relates Irish history verbally and by memory. Irish history has been passed on by these Seanchai traveling from village to village, telling their stories in the living rooms and kitchens of the rural Irish people for centuries.

Ben McCarthy is an Irish story collector, employed by the Irish Folklore Commission traveling and collecting stories throughout the Irish countryside. Ben’s mentor, James Clare (another story collector), bequeathed his most precious resource to Ben while on his deathbed. John Jacob Farrell O’Neill was known as the most powerful remaining storyteller in Ireland (possibly the world), the last great Seanchai. Up until James Clare passed him onto Ben, James had jealously guarded John Jacob as his own. Now Mr. Delaney begins to weave a story of Ben McCarthy’s life while paralleling this journey with Irish stories told by John Jacob in the best of Irish traditions. Ben falls in love, marries his love, loses her, finds her again, skirts dangers with the IRA, arranges for the murders of 3 men, condemns himself for his actions and begins a path to redemption.

This is but a short list of the travels and travails of Ben McCarthy. The reader is exposed to an intimate view of Ireland in the 1950’s, the hard lives of the Irish in the rural countryside, the violence and the subterfuge caused by the conflict between the IRA and the English.

These narratives are full of Ben’s introspections as he faces one hurdle after another. My contention would be that it is near impossible for any human being to read this book and not be able to relate on many levels with Ben and his troubles. Not only can you relate, you learn more about yourself while enjoying the journey and you understand why these Irish folks looked forward to the visits of the Seanchai.

In “The Last Storyteller”, Mr. Delaney has written a multi-dimensional novel that is enjoyed from several perspectives. Follow Ben’s journey while he is transformed into the next great Seanchai with the help of John Jacob O’Neill.

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Feb 09, 2012 Susan Anderson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Frank Delaney’s latest novel, The Last Storyteller: A Novel Of Ireland, is a book to be savored, an unforgettable story of love, joy, loss, danger. THE LAST STORYTELLER is a history of Ireland told in bits and broken pieces, bitter fact, story, and myth. I read it through once, then flipped back and forth, re-reading underlined passages, all the while basking in its spell. For make no mistake, Delaney is a prodigious weaver of words.

It is 1956 and Ireland is again in upheaval, the nation, downtr...more

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Feb 11, 2012 Lydia Presley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, favorites, fiction, ireland

Original review posted here

Here's the thing about Frank Delaney - when that blurb on sites like GoodReads and Amazon refer to him as "unparalleled" when it comes to Irish History, they aren't exaggerating.

Delaney is the real deal.

I've loved this series ever since reading the first page about Ben and Venetia in Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show. I was drawn in by the whimsical, perfectly illustrated cover of that book, and since then I have been wooed and won over by the lyricism of Delany's storyte...more

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Feb 07, 2012 Cheri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ireland-historical-fiction, favorites, read-in-2012

I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC copy to read, but “The Last Storyteller” is available at a bookstore near you (or online, etc. etc. etc.) If you’re a fan of Frank Delaney, if you love a good story, then move “The Last Storyteller” to the top of your “to read” list.

“The Last Storyteller” is a beautifully written, wonderful, Magical Love story from Frank Delaney to the world.

Ben MacCarthy, working for the Irish Folklore Commission, returns once more in the final book of the Venetia Kell...more

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Mar 23, 2012 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, senior-year

Unfortunately, I did not realize that this book was part of a trilogy when I started reading it. It was only after I finished it that I found that out. I felt like something was missing and that I did not particularly care about Ben, the main character. I would have noticed a greater richness to the novel if I had read all of the books and really gotten the chance to understand the characters as they evolved. However, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the stories that Ben had learned and told about I...more

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May 11, 2012 Victor Carson rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction-foreign, history

Although I have read four of the author's other novels: Ireland, Shannon, Tipperary, and Venetia Kelly's Travelling Show, I do not like The Last Storyteller nearly as much. The novel is the final book in a trilogy that begins with Venetia Kelly's Travelling Show, although I did not read the second novel in the series. Most of the main characters carry over from the first book but the older versions of Ben MacCarthy and Venetia Kelly lack the vitality of their younger selves. Moreover, the main c...more Although I have read four of the author's other novels: Ireland, Shannon, Tipperary, and Venetia Kelly's Travelling Show, I do not like The Last Storyteller nearly as much. The novel is the final book in a trilogy that begins with Venetia Kelly's Travelling Show, although I did not read the second novel in the series. Most of the main characters carry over from the first book but the older versions of Ben MacCarthy and Venetia Kelly lack the vitality of their younger selves. Moreover, the main character, Ben MacCarthy, has become indecisive, defensive, and weak. The book is at its best when the author allows his own charm and wit to shine through. His portraits of Ben MacCarthy and his mentor, John Jacob O'Neill, as travelling storytellers, in the last section of the novel, are compelling. Also, Delaney's brief portrait of Ireland in the mid-1950s, at the start of the "Troubles" that followed the division of Ireland, held my attention. The rural poverty in Ireland at that date is truly shocking: "The children in her house couldn't all go to school on the same day because they didn't have enough clothes to go around. At mealtimes they had to take turns with the few spoons." Delaney's description of a funeral march for two IRA men is fine, as well: "Most impressive of all is the silence. I can hear the footsteps of the marchers, the swish of the hearse's tires. Even when the cortege had long passed I could hear the barked orders of the commands -- in Irish -- far ahead."

The best section of the book is reserved for the last section, when Ben is trained to become a wandering storyteller. His mentor, O'Neill, boiled down "the things we call stories" into three simple components: "Somebody does something for some reason. Or, he said. Who does what and why? After that, language is the toolbox. In there, you should find shiny, beautifully polished and honed tools, with sharp edges or hammerheads or needle points, and with those tools, you will fashion your tale." After training for two years and accompanying O'Neill on several expeditions, Ben assumes the mantle and, in the completion of his own story, achieves a type of redemption for his murderous sins.

The book is simply too slow in reaching the concluding sections and the main character is offensively weak, in my opinion. Now that this trilogy is complete, I encourage the author to strike out in a new direction.(less)

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Feb 26, 2012 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was so excited to see this on the New shelf at the library! One of my favorite authors and some characters from one of his earlier books! Frank Delaney has come full circle telling the story of Ben MacCarthy, the Last Storyteller. This beloved character has graced the pages of two other books by this author. I have loved the stories and loved the essence of Ireland that comes through the pages. This is a love story, a murder mystery, a historical portrait of a country and much more. The descri...more

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Jun 06, 2012 Jon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Delaney's Last Storyteller is an ambitious novel that seeks to connect history, myth, and personal reality, all in the guise of a tale--or series of tales--about recently independent Ireland of the 1950s.

The main storyline focuses on Ben MacCarthy, a government employee whose job is to collect folklore from around the country. The setting is an Ireland being torn apart by violence--the fight over the freeing of Northern Ireland from British control supported by a group of rebels that would becom...more Delaney's Last Storyteller is an ambitious novel that seeks to connect history, myth, and personal reality, all in the guise of a tale--or series of tales--about recently independent Ireland of the 1950s.

The main storyline focuses on Ben MacCarthy, a government employee whose job is to collect folklore from around the country. The setting is an Ireland being torn apart by violence--the fight over the freeing of Northern Ireland from British control supported by a group of rebels that would become known as the Irish Republican Army and the desire to appease the British supported by an Irish government happy enough to have at least three-quarters of the island out from under the English Commonwealth.

Or is that the story and the time? For in fact, The Last Storyteller includes many stories within it. First there are the various subplots. Ben is obsessed with his wife, Venetia, who left him for an abusive American scoundrel. Meanwhile, his story-gathering career brings him into contact with Jimmy Bermingham, a tough guy and sometime crook who gets Ben involved with the IRA against his will. Extricating himself from the situation becomes a major part of the action of the novel, but the contacts prove useful later in possibly the novel's key event, one that brings Ben to question his life and his moral grounding.

And then, there's John Jacob O'Neill, the traditional storyteller, whose stories and presence lends comfort to Ben--but whose stories also prove to have something of the aura of both history and prophecy about them. They teach, they entertain, and they foretell. And in fact, several of O'Neill's tales appear in the novel's very pages. And it is in this manner that Ben's personal journey becomes something of history and something of myth (for, Delaney seems to be saying, we are all living history, which in turn is bound one day to become legend). History teaches, and it does so largely because we are doomed to repeat it--and as a result, it also tells the future. Each tale in the collection then becomes a message to Ben, about what he should do and/or what he will do.

A storyteller is something quite different from a novelist. The novelist works on the written page, but a storyteller works in front of an audience. Hence, the O'Neill's stories have the feel of Old World fantasy, even as they often involve true elements from Ireland's far-off past. If you like fairy tales, legends, or myths, then these are surely tales you'll enjoy, well told and and full of masterful turns of phrase. (Among the most easily remembered tales for me is a story O'Neill tells about a king in a land where it always rains.)

Delaney's project has extended beyond the novel, however. Taken with the tales of the storyteller, he has decided to write out various other pieces of Irish lore (and pieces inspired by such writing) in the spirit of O'Neill and to make them available as e-books on his website (frankdelaney.com). They also include introductions that explain the history behind the creation of each tale.(less)

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Feb 06, 2012 Kathleen Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Last Storyteller by Frank Delaney is the continuation and last novel in the trilogy that started with Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show and The Matchmaker of Kenmare. This story is told by Ben MacCarthy to his children in the form of a story. He tells his own story of the his time in the 1950's where he gets embroiled in the IRA as he is a friend to a sympathizer. He works as a 'collector' of stories and after he loses that job he goes on to learn more from another good friend until he is able...more

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Mar 03, 2012 Magdalena added it

At a fairly late point in The Last Storyteller , the protagonist Ben McCarthy says that, in times of acute pain and fear, people needed "something other than their norms." By this, he was referring to the power of stories to heal and unite people: "At one stride we had returned to a kind of spiritual paganism, an intense humanism almost, a reaching for primitive beliefs in the power of the human spirit to learn how to heal itself." (337) This is, at heart, what The Last Storyteller is about: the...more

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Feb 20, 2012 Carrie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

The Last Storyteller is the final book in Delaney’s Venetia Kelly trilogy, and it is by far the strongest entry in the series. After the events of the second book, events that introduced him to Kate Begley, The Matchmaker of Kenmare, and took him through the horrors of World War II, Ben McCarthy has gone back to his profession as a collector of Irish folklore. His mentor, James Clare, is dying – but before he passes, he leaves Ben a most valuable inheritance: he introduces him to John Jacob O’Ne...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Benji Martin rated it 5 of 5 stars

There were some notable things lacking in Frank Delaney’s The Matchmaker of Kenmare, which surprised me, because Delaney is capable of writing, and had already written a nearly perfect novel (Ireland). What I didn’t know back then, is that Delaney was holding back. He was saving the big punches for his newest book,the final in the Ben McCarthy trilogy, The Last Storyteller. This novel, like Ireland, is everything an Irish novel should be. It’s funny at times, tragic at times and always a tiny bi...more

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May 06, 2012 Kristin rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is an interesting read about a storyteller in Ireland and his memoirs that he leaves to his children he never knew until they were in their 20's. He tells them how he met their mother and soon after they were married his wife disappears(kidnapped by family) and he goes searching for her, but never finds her. Then 8 years later he finds out she is in Florida and goes to get her only to find out that she has married another man and has had the storyteller's twins. Several years later she retu...more

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Feb 07, 2012 Angela Joyce rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

What a beautifully satisfying conclusion to this trilogy. Frank Delaney is so masterful at building suspense in the story, inspiring sympathy for certain characters, and providing unexpected laughs here and there (that snail joke nearly knocked me out of my chair), it makes the fact that I don't understand why Venetia Kelly is worth the trouble entirely beside the point. It's about the journey... although the destination is rewarding.

Best of all, it makes me want to learn more about the themes...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Anne Ipsen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-20th-century

By all my criteria, I should not like this book but I was captivated. I especially liked the story telling, brought back memories of having Hans Christian Andersen read aloud to me and then reading them again.

Why shouldn't I have liked it? It's historical, but about the 20th Century (I don't count that as historical), its about violence (I don't enjoy that), it's about Ireland at a sad-sad time (I have nothing of Ireland in me--except possibly Viking blood). Yet there is something magical about...more

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About Frank Delaney

'The Most Eloquent Man in the World', says NPR, about the writer, broadcaster, BBC host and Booker Prize Judge, Frank Delaney. Over a career that has lasted more than three decades, Delaney, an international-best-selling author himself, has interviewed more than 3,500 of the world's most important writers.

Frank Delaney has earned top prizes and best-seller status in a wide variety of formats, from...more 'The Most Eloquent Man in the World', says NPR, about the writer, broadcaster, BBC host and Booker Prize Judge, Frank Delaney. Over a career that has lasted more than three decades, Delaney, an international-best-selling author himself, has interviewed more than 3,500 of the world's most important writers.

Frank Delaney has earned top prizes and best-seller status in a wide variety of formats, from prolific author, a polished broadcaster on both television and radio, to journalist, correspondent, screenwriter, lecturer, playwright and scholar. He has been the president of the Samuel Johnson Society, president of the UK Book Trust, and the Literary Director of the famed Edinburgh Festival.

A judge of many literary prizes (including the famous Booker), Delaney also created landmark programs and passionate documentaries on many subjects including Joyce, Shaw, Oscar Wilde, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Hemingway, Mailer, Matisse, Van Gogh and the vitality and organic growth of the English language - his famed BBC show on the way we speak, Word of Mouth, is still heard all over the English-speaking world. And his six-part series, The Celts, originally broadcast in forty countries, is still in active DVD distribution, some twenty years after its launch.

Delaney lectures all over the world, writes every day, and has created a significant podcast series: Re: Joyce, deconstructing, examining and illuminating James Joyce's Ulysses line-by-line, in accessible and entertaining five-minute broadcasts, posted each week on this website. The project is estimated to run a quarter of a century.

Born and raised in County Tipperary, Ireland, Delaney spent more than twenty-five years in England before moving to the United States in 2002. His first 'American' book was the New York Times Bestseller, Ireland. His second, the non-fiction Simple Courage, was chosen as one of the top five books of the year by the American Library Association. Since 2006, he has published five Novels of Ireland, all addressing, decade by decade, the twentieth century history of his homeland.

Delaney lives in Litchfield County, Connecticut, with his wife, writer and marketer, Diane Meier.(less)

More about Frank Delaney...

Books by Frank Delaney

The Matchmaker of Kenmare: A Novel of Ireland

Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show: A Novel of Ireland

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“Guns discommode me. Their facility alarms me. Point and kill. Ruin someone's life. Remove at a finger pull deeply loved people, as important in their spheres as the sun in the sky. The very weight of a gun disturbs me-an insolent object, insisting on its own importance.” — 1 person liked it

“James left us, taking his great, informed soul with him.” — 1 person liked it

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