Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Riveting Novel Spans Generations and Countries

GOODREADS.COM
GOODREADS.COM

A few weekends ago, I headed home to New York for my mother’s birthday. While there, I made a point of seeing “Once”on Broadway — partly because it’s based on one of my favorite movies (of the same name) and partly because Arthur Darvill (Doctor Who) took over as the lead. Near the close of the first act, the duo head to a bank in hopes of securing a loan so they can make a demo tape. The banker they meet is understandably hesitant to dole out a large sum of money so they can pursue their musical ventures. But the woman convinces him, explaining that their little Emerald Isle has been responsible for some of the greatest artists the world has known — James Joyce, Bono, Enya, Frank McCourt — and that he, the banker, could be responsible for putting another out there.

I’d like to posit that the list of great Irish artists deserves at least one more name — Colum McCann, author of, amongst other works, the new book Transatlantic. McCann has an incredible skill for words and storytelling which makes this one of the best books I’ve read in a very long time.

TransAtlantic, as the name suggests, bridges two continents, connecting the United States and Canada with Ireland. The first part tells three seemingly unconnected stories: the story of the first transatlantic flight, which went from Newfoundland to west Ireland; the story of Frederick Douglass’ time in Ireland; and the story of former Sen. George Mitchell (D-Maine) as he brokered for Irish peace in 1998. The second half tells the story of a matriarchal family whose tale is interwoven with the historical men from the first section.

As you may have gathered from that slightly convoluted description, the book isn’t necessarily plot driven. Yes, you wonder what will happen to characters at any given moment or where their lives will end up, but no single plot runs through the entire book. Instead, it’s bound by thematic threads: suffering, loss, oppression and the endurance and happiness of the Irish in the face of all of these things. McCann’s elegant prose easily brings alive these themes and characters without miring the book in negativity. It’s not necessarily an uplifting story, but it’s not completely depressing either. Rather, it’s a series of portraits of lives across an ocean.

The book is a little uneven, with some chapters shining more than others. Mitchell’s chapter particularly sticks out as exceptional, as McCann perfectly captures the tension and importance of an overwhelmingly important historical event and the uncertainty of the man at the center of it all. But the first chapter — about the transatlantic flight — can be a little hard to get through; it’s confusing as to what’s going on, but since it’s about two men flying through clouds in hopes of finding land on the other side, perhaps that was McCann’s intention.

McCann’s last book, Let the Great World Spin, which chronicles the interlocking tales of New Yorkers (some of whom are Irish) in the late 20th century, is better than his new release, but that’s more because of how transcendent that book is than about any flaw in this one. If anything, read both, because they’re each incredible in their own regard. In each book, McCann captures the different voices and perspectives of characters effortlessly, seamlessly easing readers through different moments, places and characters.

I appreciate TransAtlantic partially because it’s a smart book that raises a lot of questions about humanity without resorting to simple answers. It touches those moments of superb human achievement — like a transatlantic flight — in addition to those simple moments of wonder, like falling in love or giving someone an exquisite gift of kindness, all with reverence and elegance. But these joyous moments are juxtaposed with horrifying sadness — war, freak accidents, senseless violence, famine, poverty and slavery touch the lives of the characters in ways that change their trajectories forever. Like Let the Great World SpinTransAtlantic becomes about what helps us go on with our lives in the face of those atrocious occurrences and the strength we find to keep searching for that joy in the wake of sadness.

TransAtlantic isn’t exactly light summer reading, but it’s short enough that I slipped it into Metro rides and lunch breaks and quiet, brief moments in the sunshine. Pick it up and share in a piece of the work of one of the greatest writers of the 21st century

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