A Thousand Moons: A Novel

This was a very difficult book for me to read and finish. I loved “Days Without End” so thought I should read this follow up ! Glad I did but it was more difficult than the former. I’ be checking out another Sebastion Barry book in future.

I love Sebastian Barry’s characters — their tenderness, their courage and their chutzpah. I do hope Sebastian Barry will be publishing another novel soon!

’Sometimes even to live is an act of courage.’ - SENECA’I am Winona.In early times I was Ojinjintka, which means rose. Thomas McNulty tried very hard to say this name, but he failed, and so he gave me my dead cousin’s name because it was easier in his mouth. Winona means first-born. I was not first-born.’Her family - mother, sister, cousins, aunts had all been killed. She knew this, although she didn’t remember it, or perhaps couldn’t bring herself to relive the memories. By the time she returned to her people, she no longer recalled the language well enough to speak to them, to respond to their questions.’Only when I spoke our language could they really see me.’And then she left again, with Thomas McNulty, and they returned to Tennessee.’In the eyes of the Great Mystery we were all souls alike. Trying to make our souls skinny enough to squeeze into paradise. That’s what my mother said. Everything I remember of my mother is like the little pouch of things that a child carries to hold what is precious to her. When such a love is touched by Death then something deeper even than Death grows in your heart.’Where Days Without End was narrated by Thomas McNulty, this is Winona’s / Ojinjintka’s story to tell, and Barry shares it beautifully.Winona lives with Thomas McNulty and John Cole, has lived with them since they rescued her. They live on their farm in Tennessee, they have seen to her education and surrounded her with love. Winona, in turn, recognizes all they have done for her, and has a job working for a lawyer as his bookkeeper.The environment where they live doesn’t take kindly to those who come from a “different” background, those who have different political views, or those who question those views. Those kinds of people are a threat to them, to the way that they live, and all they hold dear - a life where only the select few can move ahead, be considered worthy. Be considered as people, and not some ‘thing.’ They are threatened by the idea that they should accept someone regardless of anything that they view as “different.” As if the idea of people growing, learning, and accepting is revolutionary.A lovely, heartfelt follow-up to ’Days Without End’

This book, as well as its sequel 1000 Moons, is worth reading more than once. Barry is an unbelievably talented and sensitive writer.

I am a devoted fan of Sebastian Barry, but this book could have used tighter editing. Every other one of his books I’ve read captured me entirely. This almost felt like dragged out chapters from “Days Without End,” which I consider a masterpiece of literature.

It was in perfect condition

I was interested in exploring what was described as the great Irish writer Sebastian Barry. This was my first time reading him, and I was so surprised to find this very American story of a Lakota girl who had lived a very unusual life. Everything about this book, the setting, the narrative voice, the storytelling, the sharply-drawn characters, was a surprise and a delight. Only one Irish character, and him as surprising as all the rest.

A THOUSAND MOONS is set after the Civil War in west Tennessee. Remnants of Quantrill's raiders are still extant and causing havoc. The main character is Winona Cole a Lakota Sioux orphan, rescued by two former Union soldiers, Thomas McNulty and John Cole. At the beginning of the book Winona is more or less engaged to a store clerk named Jas Jonski, but on her way home from her job with a local lawyer, she is attacked and apparently raped. She doesn't remember who did it, but she has a bad feeling about Jonski. She lives on a farm with two freed slaves Tennyson and Rosalee, her adoptive parents and Lige Magan, the apparent owner. The next twist occurs when Tennyson is mugged and beaten, losing his ability to talk. Tennyson knows all the old songs and has a wonderful singing voice, or had anyway. Lawyer Briscoe wants to send him to school. The story then shifts to a planned attack on the renegades who have been assaulting and sometimes killing freedman. Winona, whose mother was a warrior, decides to join in the fight. Tennyson gives her his Spencer rifle, which she ultimately loses when a renegade girl, named Peg, also an Indian, shoots her in the arm. Winona was dressed as a boy and Peg mistook her for the enemy. Winona is a powerfully attracted by Peg. Eventually the renegades gain political power, and Winona is charged with murder. A man she had once rejected is now the sheriff. This book is mostly about objectification of Indians. Why else would her fiancee attack Winona when all he needed was a little patience? The sheriff also knows Winona didn't murder anybody, but she's just an Indian. An irritating aspect of Sebastian Barry's style is the accent he gives just about every character in the book. It just gets in the way of the story. If you aren't good at it, don't do it.

Really enjoy the authors writing style. His turn of phrase and the way people spoke back then. One example: He had never embraced me before and it was over quicker than the downturn of a bird’s wing. Fantastic writing, to my mind at least. You may want to read his previous book, Days Without End before this one. It rounds out the characters a bit.

One of my facourite authors. Captivating amazing and beautiful languange. Always interesting subjects (please check out his other publibations). A must-read like the other books leading up to 'A Thousand Moons'.

Sebastian Barry write so beautifully, it is hard not to love his prose. Here is another episode of the McNulty saga, even if you haven’t kept up with the family history from the beginning it is of no matter. Each story stand alone but is still connected to the beginning where prejudice rules. Loved it.

I loved this beautiful and tenderly written book, just as I loved Barry's previous novel Days Without End.

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