Publisher's Synopsis
Five toasts. Five people. One lifetime.
THE NUMBER ONE IRISH BESTSELLER
SHORTLISTED FOR THE RSL CHRISTOPHER BLAND PRIZE 2020
'A hugely enjoyable, engrossing novel, a genuine page-turner.' Donal Ryan
'An extraordinary novel, a poetic writer, and a story that moved me to tears.' John Boyne
'Griffin is a magical storyteller whose prose is effortless and clear. She conjures an intimate, poignant and ultimately enthralling portrait of a man who has battled loneliness and other demons throughout his life.' Fanny Blake
'I'm here to remember - all that I have been and all that I will never be again.'
At the bar of a grand hotel in a small Irish town sits 84-year-old Maurice Hannigan. He's alone, as usual -though tonight is anything but. Pull up a stool and charge your glass, because Maurice is finally ready to tell his story.
Over the course of this evening, he will raise five toasts to the five people who have meant the most to him. Through these stories - of unspoken joy and regret, a secret tragedy kept hidden, a fierce love that never found its voice - the life of one man will be powerfully and poignantly laid bare.
Heart-breaking and heart-warming all at once, the voice of Maurice Hannigan will stay with you long after all is said.
'A book to savour, and pass on. An absolute joy' Sunday Mirror
'This is how you tell a story' Cecelia Ahern
'Beautifully written, unhurried and thoughtful, and a character you love from the off' Kit de Waal
'Anne Griffin has fashioned a rare jewel' John Banville
'Masterful storytelling' Graham Norton
'[An] impressively confident debut ... Maurice Hannigan emerges as an engaging, compassionate creation' Guardian
