Four Letters of Love

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Summary: A cozy, true hearted read....
Review: I loved this book. I have read it 2 times so far. If you like heart warming stories, Niall Williams really presents a touching story here. It is a curious read all the way to the end, and even then the author leaves you a bit to imagine.

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Summary: i couldn't put it down
Review: I read the book in one day. I think I stopped only once towards the end, coz i didn't want to finish it, but could not help myself and finished it that same day. I was a bit disappointed by the ending. All of a sudden the story took on a fantastical turn. But no matter - this is one of the best books I have read in a long time. the short chapters also made it real easy to finish reading in one day

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Summary: Still Thinking About This Book 3 Years Later!
Review: I read this book 3 years ago, and it has remained in my mind ever since. The writing style is so beautiful that it draws you right in to the story and the characters. You feel as though you are right there with them, experiencing their story. I have recommended this book time and again, and will continue to do so. Read it - you won't be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: great imagery
Review: I read this book close to two years ago, and I still feel that it has some of the best imagery that ive come across you can picture everything clearly- and the writing is so fluid and beautiful, theres nothing to jarr you. The only reason i didnt give it 5 stars is because it was an assignment to read this book. A wonderful travel book. Good for relaxation.

Rating:
Summary: Starts great - ends with a wimper
Review: I thought I was liking this book, but the more I read, I just wasn't sure. The reviewer who said the ending was "pathetic" was correct. For my taste - far too many words to say little.

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Summary: A book that reminds me why I love books
Review: I was in the Connemara when I borrowed this book for a read. The descriptions of the beauty there matched my incredibly unmatchable impressions. Niall Williams seemed to capture all that I had grown to know and love about Ireland and to relate it to universal truths in the twists and turnings life offers us all. The tragic poetry of loss in the over-reaching patttern of nature and life, culminating in the idea that things work out when least expected are exactly what I experienced there and what changed me forever. The prose captured me, and I savored lines, reading them over and over. There are so many different kinds of love explored and facets of each kind explored in depth: married love, love for a son, love for a daughter, for a parent, for a partner, a brother, a sister, for the land and the sea, for yourself and for the dead. I, too, could not put this book down and was luckily sick in bed and didn't have to. Thank you, Mr. Williams, for this treasure. I purchased it after reading my borrowed copy and have loaned it out twice already. I can't wait for the next one. The celebration of the power of art and music in our loves and lives cannot be expounded upon enough. Feed my soul!

Rating:
Summary: Amazing.
Review: I was lucky enough to read this book while I was in Ireland for the summer, and Niall Williams's beautiful language made me love his country even more than I already had begun to love it. I cannot remember the last time I read a book that left me feeling the way this one did.

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Summary: I prefer Niall's non-fiction
Review: I was quite struck when I saw the title on the shelf and wondered if it could be the same Niall Williams who wrote the lovely books about his life in Co. Clare. The brief description of the author's live convinced me, so I gave it a try. While the book has many things to commend itself, I felt that some of the situations were forced; I appreciated the attempt to creat a kind of mystical realism (a la Gabriel Garcia-Marquess, et. al.), but the voice didn't quite ring true; there seemed to be a lot of unanswered questions that ultimately left me unsatisfied. I think Niall is certainly talented, and I look forward to reading his next work, and wish him all the best in supporting his Life in Co. Clare.

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Summary: This Book Will Change Your Life!!!
Review: I've bored the pants off people about this book and purchased numerous copies for friends just because I want to share the genius of this novel. I cannot reccommend it highly enough. The reviews on the cover are a bit misleading because they tend to describe it as a "romance", in fact the two star crossed lovers never really meet! But it is a story of great loss and love. Love between family and love of self. This book IS a heartbreaking work of staggering genius!!! If you're not a sodden wreck after reading it, you must be made of stone. Buy it, buy it, BUY IT!

Rating:
Summary: A work of art
Review: I've ordered lots of books from amazon.com, but this is my first review ever. I commend Mr. Williams for his attempt to make every sentence perfect. In my eyes, he succeeded. I savored each word, taking time to absorb the emotions and scenes being portrayed. Thank you for a completely absorbing, beautiful story.