Taking a trip to Ireland - via the book 'Shannon'

SACRAMENTO, Calif., USA - As a sucker for most books about Ireland, it was a no-brainer to pick up a copy of Shannon, a book by Frank Delany.

But this book is no travelogue, though the river Shannon is one device that Delany uses to move along the main character in the book - a shell-shocked Catholic priest named Robert Shannon.

And the book is set in 1922, the countryside roiling in a civil war.


The novel, Shannon

Without giving away the whole plot, Shannon travels from the U.S. to Ireland and travels the length of the river looking for his family roots. But he has a lot stalking him, real and spiritual.

The book is also revealing about the politics of the Catholic Church at that time.

Catholic priests, bishops, cardinals, a civil war, and the aftermath of World War I. A great palette for an excellent book.

And, at least in my opinion, a book worth picking up.