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| Dust jacket for 1st edition. |
I just finished reading this book: TRINITY by Leon Uris. It is a huge (751 pages), sprawling novel about Ireland. The story opens in May 1985 in the little town of Ballytuogue in Ireland; it ends in 1916. The book was published in 1976.
I don't exactly remember when I started reading this book. At the start of this year, it wasn't on my reading list nor had I really ever heard of it. However, for St. Patrick's Day, I sent out an email that triggered my friend Joan from St. James Bible study days to protest about the reference to orange regarding St. Patrick's day.
As you can see from the dust jacket illustrated above, there is significance regarding the colors green (Roman Catholic) and orange (Protestant) for Ireland. The book's main characters are Roman Catholics that are seeking freedom (independence) from the Protestant British empire.
Joan wrote in her email that she remembered reading/listening to the book years ago. Shortly after her email, I encountered a copy of the book at a used book sale. So I bought it and sent it to her. I was so impressed with the maps that were sprinklered throughout the book, along with the story line, that I soon bought a copy for my own reading.
My copy of the Trinity book (no dust jacket).
I don't think I have ever read a novel with this many pages. I found a lot of correlation between the issues in the book and the current political situation today: the powers that be using religion to pit the common folk against each other and exploit the minority.
There is a sequel that was published nearly 20 years later. I picked up a used copy of that. But I am taking a break from the Irish saga by reading the first book of the The Grantchester Mysteries (but that will have to wait for a future post).
I am glad that I read TRINITY and recommend it especially for those who enjoy historical fiction.
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Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_(novel)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Uris
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Grantchester_Mysteries
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Written Sunday 29 October 2017
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