The Secret Scripture
Template:Use Irish English Template:Short description Template:DMCA
Page Module:Infobox/styles.css has no content.Page Template:Infobox book/styles.css has no content.
| Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:InfoboxImage/data' not found. First edition cover | |
| Author | Sebastian Barry |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Novel |
| Publisher | Faber and Faber |
Publication date | 29 September 2008 |
| Publication place | Ireland |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover & Paperback) |
| Pages | 312 pp (Paperback) |
| ISBN | Script error: No such module "template wrapper". |
| OCLC | 300404404 |
| Preceded by | A Long Long Way |
| Followed by | On Canaan's Side |
Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".
The Secret Scripture is a 2008 novel written by Irish writer Sebastian Barry.
Plot summary
The main character is an old woman, Roseanne McNulty, who now resides in the Roscommon Regional Mental Hospital. Having been a patient for some fifty years or more, Roseanne decides to write an autobiography. She calls it "Roseanne's testimony of herself" and charts her life and that of her parents, living in Sligo at the turn of the 20th century. She keeps her story hidden under the loose floorboard in her room, unsure as yet if she wants it to be found. The second narrative is the "commonplace book" of the current chief Psychiatrist of the hospital, Dr Grene. The hospital now faces imminent demolition. He must decide who of his patients are to be transferred, and who must be released into the community. He is particularly concerned about Roseanne, and begins tentatively to attempt to discover her history. It soon becomes apparent that both Roseanne and Dr Grene have differing stories as to her incarceration and her early life, but what is consistent in both narratives is that Roseanne fell victim to the religious and political upheavals in Ireland in the 1920s – 1930s.
Inspiration
The novel was inspired by a story told to him by his mother of an old relative:
The story also ties in with previous novels by Barry, especially The Whereabouts of Eneas Mcnulty, the title character being a brother in law to Roseanne McNulty.
Awards
It won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, one of the most prestigious English literature prizes and the oldest prize in the United Kingdom.
The novel won the Book of the Year at the 2008 Costa Book Awards.[1] This was despite the misgivings of the jury, one of whom, Matthew Parris, said "They agreed that it was flawed, and almost no one liked the ending, which was almost fatal to its success."[2]
At the Irish Book Awards, it won "Novel of the Year" and the Choice Award.[3]
It was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for Fiction,[4] narrowly losing to The White Tiger.[5]
Book at Bedtime adaptation
In May 2008, the novel was adapted and abridged by Neville Teller for BBC Radio 4's Book at Bedtime with Doreen Keogh and Alex Jennings voicing the roles of Roseanne and Dr. Grene, respectively.[6]
Film adaptation
Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". A film version, also titled The Secret Scripture, was directed by Jim Sheridan and stars Rooney Mara and Vanessa Redgrave.[7] Filming began in January 2015.[citation needed] In February, filming moved to Inistioge, County Kilkenny.[8] Filming completed on 6 March.[9] Other stars include Eric Bana and Theo James[10] as well as Irish natives Jack Reynor, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, and Aidan Turner.[9]
References
Page Template:Reflist/styles.css has no content.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Sebastian Barry wins 2008 Costa Book of the Year". Costa Book Awards. January 27, 2009. Archived from the original on March 26, 2009. Retrieved April 25, 2009.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
jeffries1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Hughes & Hughes Irish Novel of the Year". Archived from the original on 10 May 2009. Retrieved 25 May 2009.
- ^ [1] Script error: No such module "webarchive".
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."News | The Man Booker Prizes". Themanbookerprize.com. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Secret Scripture EPISODE: 2". locatetv.com. Archived from the original on 3 August 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."'The Secret Scripture', Starring Jessica Chastain and Vanessa Redgrave, to Film in Ireland in June 2014 | The Irish Film & Television Network". Iftn.ie. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Inistioge - Events". Inistioge.ie. 26 January 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Jim Sheridan's The Secret Scripture begins shooting in Ireland | The Irish Film & Television Network". Iftn.ie. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Theo James - Page". Interview Magazine. 29 September 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
External links
- Review: The Secret Scripture by Barry Sebastian – TimesOnline
- Review: The Secret Scripture – The New York Times
- Review: Sebastian Barry: The Secret Scripture – Salon.com
- Review: The Secret Scripture – Guardian.co.uk
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Navbox/configuration' not found. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Authority control/config' not found.
