The Walking People - Paperback

by Mary Beth Keane (Author)

Greta Cahill never believed she would leave her village in the west of Ireland until she found herself on a ship bound for New York, along with her sister Johanna and a boy named Michael Ward. Labeled a "softheaded goose" by her family, Greta discovers that in America she can fall in love, raise her own family, and earn a living. Though she longs to return and show her family what she has made of herself, her decision to spare her children knowledge of a secret in her past forces her to keep her life in New York separate from the life she once loved in Ireland, and tears her apart from the people she is closest to. Even fifty years later, when the Ireland of her memory bears little resemblance to that of present day, she fears that it is still possible to lose all when she discovers that her children--with the best of intentions-- have conspired to unite the worlds she's so carefully kept separate for decades. A beautifully old-fashioned novel, The Walking People has remarkable range and power.

Front Jacket

Greta Cahill never believed she would leave her village in the west of Ireland until she found herself on a ship bound for New York, along with her sister Johanna and a boy named Michael Ward. Labeled a "softheaded goose" by her family, Greta discovers that in America she can fall in love, raise her own family, and earn a living. Though she longs to return and show her family what she has made of herself, her decision to spare her children knowledge of a secret in her past forces her to keep her life in New York separate from the life she once loved in Ireland, and tears her apart from the people she is closest to. Even fifty years later, when the Ireland of her memory bears little resemblance to that of present day, she fears that it is still possible to lose all when she discovers that her children with the best of intentions have conspired to unite the worlds she s so carefully kept separate for decades. A beautifully old-fashioned novel, The Walking People is a debut of remarkable range and power.

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Back Jacket

A beautifully-crafted story reminiscent of the best Mary Gordon or John McGahern or Claire Keegan. She s got heart and subtlety all at once. Colum McCann, author of Let the Great World Spin

Greta Cahill never believed she would leave her village in the west of Ireland until she found herself on a ship bound for New York. Once landed America, Greta falls in love, raises her own family, and earns her own living.

She longs to return to Ireland, to show her family what she has made of herself, but a secret in her past forces her to keep her life in New York separate and tears her from the people she holds closest. Even fifty years later, when the Ireland of her memory bears little resemblance to that of the present day, she fears she will lose everything she has made for herself when she discovers that her children with the best of intentions have conspired to unite the worlds she s so carefully kept apart.

"Thoughtful and appealing . . . a solid, intelligent piece of work." Washington Post

"There can be no doubt that [Keane's] voice will only strengthen and dazzle with each new book." Irish Voice

Mary Beth Keane attended Barnard College and earned an MFA from the University of Virginia. A winner of the Chicago Tribune s Nelson Algren Prize in 2004 and a Pushcart Prize nominee, she lives in Philadelphia.

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Author Biography

The Walking People is her first novel.