Welcome to Litsy!

The narrator is Maurice,an old Irish farmer.We sit with him at the bar where he toasts to 5 dead people he loves&who shaped his life.We learn about his family,childhood,wife& son,Kevin, who now lives in the US.Kevin is the one Maurice imagines talking to. Funny, sweet,sad.I highly recommend audio.I switched to print at one point& missed Niall Buggy so much I went back to relisten to what I‘d read.He does a wonderful job bringing Maurice to life.

Maurice Hannigan is 84 years old, and is toasting five of his favorite people at the grand hotel near his home in a small Irish village. By the end of the evening, we know his life story. As with most Irish books that I have read, there is much sadness and alcohol, combined with love through the tears. Beautifully written. His son gifted him a bottle of whiskey each Christmas. Photo of the last bottle. #irlbookclubread

Current audiobook. IRL Book Club choice. So happy audio available! Balancing too many actual books right now. #arentweall

This is a remarkable read. The narrator tells his life story to his son by focusing on, and toasting a drink to, those who made the most difference in his life. It‘s excellent food for thought—if you had to choose five people who have impacted you the most in your life, who would they be? Take this contemplative journey. The cover is ideal. You might cry a bit, you might laugh a bit, but you‘ll definitely come away a more whole person. Loved it.

Going to Ireland for a bit.

I found this maudlin rather than moving & it left me feeling somewhat depressed. I found the ending morbid, unsatisfying & distasteful - I'm never 100% comfortable with that particular trope. MC is unlikeable, self-pitying & without redeeming features. Flashback parts were OK but there was little resolution. Backman did this kind of thing much more effectively with Ove. This didn't seem to warrant its hype.

Started this one last night. Seen a few cover variations that just featured the title. This one is by far my favourite.

Sweet sweet book.

“I‘m here to remember-all that I have been and all that I will never be again”. That is what Maurice 84 y/o will do in 5 toast.Slow pace reading, almost like a monologue in a play. I can understand why it could be seen a boring story but for me was beautiful. An introspection of complicated/unsolved grief process. I analyzed it from a mental health perspective. It was so sad to be with Maurice anguish. A way to not forget this population. 3.9/4⭐️

Maurice Hannigan goes into the Rainford House Hotel on a Saturday night. He has five different drinks as he toasts five people who were important to him. Through these five people we learn his life story. It was very moving, touching and engrossing novel. #books

Sometimes you pick up a book off a random stack in your house and you are overwhelmed by the beauty and sadness of the writing. This was the case of When All is Said, a magnificent story. #ARC #Ireland #perfection #debut

In When All is Said an 84-year-old Irish farmer named Maurice sits down at a bar and raises a glass to the five most important people in his life and in doing so, tells us about the ups and downs of his life. Unfortunately, I found it a bit boring and slow and I never felt emotionally invested in Maurice‘s story. Maybe that makes me heartless, but the book just didn‘t live up to my expectations. I liked it, but I didn‘t love it. 3⭐️

I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join the fun if you want.
This is day 73
#BooksToRead #TBRPile #TBRMountain

Five inner monologues of an elderly widower - his thoughts about the loved ones and about one key event from his youth that fundamentally changes the lives of those involved and their descendants. Interesting thoughts about guilt, loneliness, disconnection, interesting structure, solid prose, but the story as a whole feels quite flat ... at least for me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Reading this has been a needed, but sad, break from reality for the last few days. I‘m not sure I liked Maurice all the way through, but hearing him tell the story of the people he loves, made me care for him. Especially the toast to his wife had me in its emotional grip. Thanks for gifting this to me @BarbaraBB it was just the book I needed at the moment ❤️

Litsy friends are the best ❤️ thank you so much for the birthday present @BarbaraBB the book sounds lovely, and it might just be the kind of book my brain needs at the moment. Also, the socks are amazing, I‘m loving the pun 😂 thanks for the gift, and thank you for your kindness ❤️

#BirthdayBooks

#wondrouswednesday

1. Tagged
2. No autumn or Halloween deco in our home but I saw these lanterns online and really like them.
3. Bewitched.

Tagging @Cathythoughts @JennyM @readordierachel @Ruthiella @TrishB @Caroline2 @squirrelbrain @AmyK1 @Leftcoastzen @Megabooks if you want to play.

Man this book was sad. I cried my way through every chapter. The author definitely owes a lot to John Boyne, who she thanks in the acknowledgments at the end of the book. I think this book was missing some of the subtle humor that Boyne does so well in his books. A touch of lightness would have helped as this book was 100% sad, especially the end. If you need a good cry, pick this one up.

@TheSpineView
1. Recently I got a few good laughs from When All Is Said.
2. Although Junot Diaz is now problematic with the sexual misconduct claims, I don't think I've ever cried during a book like I did when reading The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.
#Two4Tuesday

Hmmm. I liked learning about Maurice‘s life in the episodic way this story unfolded. But the ending was just too maudlin and cliche to me. From the first page it was obvious where it was going. If it had just been a story about these characters told in a different way, I think I would have taken to it better.

Glad to read surrounded by my 3 furballs, though!

Everytime I think, "this book is boring, I don't think I like it", I end up reading 100 pages. Clearly, there is something driving this book for me. I think the sunshine might have me confused because I would rather be out with friends enjoying the weather and not quarantining.

#7days7books Day 7
I chuckled and I cried with this book.

Not sure who has not been tagged, please feel free to join in!

What a beautiful story. Easy to read.So sad too. Definitely recommend.

4 ⭐ I really liked how this story was told. I do wish I had it as a physical book instead of the audio. #24b4monday #book2finished @SumisBooks @Andrew65 @jb72

Wonderful book. All the stars.
80-year-old Maurice toasts 5 people important in his life over the course of an evening at a bar.
Never maudlin or overly sentimental. Themes of misunderstoood revenge, true love, and not taking anyone at face value.
Beautiful story. You can see the ending a mile away, but I never looked up once while reading the last 50 pages.

“I‘m here to remember - all that I have been and all that I will never be again.”

Maurice is in his 80s , a night in a pub , he gives 5 toasts to the 5 most important people in his life.He shares his joys & sorrows, his happiness & regrets .I felt I was in the pub with him.It was a tale well told .I laughed & cried.He is a curmudgeon, but his humanity shines through.

This book spans over a single night. 5 toasts to the 5 most important people in the protagonist's life.

Here‘s the final quarter completed. And with that, my #Booked2019 Reading Challenge is done. Thank you, ladies, for hosting! I‘ve read some great books!
Bring on #Booked2020 ! 🤓

I really enjoyed the format of this book. 5 drinks, for 5 toast to those people vital to your life. It was a clever way to tell a story that ranges the main characters' whole life. And that ending? I'm not sure what I thought would happen, but it's nice when an author catches you off guard.

Reading this is like sitting next to Maurice in the bar, having a glass of malt with him, listening him tell the stories of five people over one evening. These are people who mattered to him most. Maurice felt incredibly real, and through his monologues, he reveals his life, love, regret, and shame. So much emotions and warmth, I chuckled, and cried with Maurice. ❤️it. Look forward to read the author‘s next book.

#newin2019 #booked2019

“No one, no one really knows loss until it‘s someone you love. The deep-down kind of love that holds on to your bones and digs itself right in under your fingernails, as hard to budge as the years of compacted earth. And when it‘s gone … it‘s as if it‘s been ripped from you. Raw and exposed, you stand dripping blood all over the good feckin‘ carpet. Half-human, half-dead, one foot already in the grave.”

“I‘m here to remember – all that I have been and all that I will never be again.”

84-year old Maurice sits alone in a bar of a local hotel one evening, and made five toasts to the five most important people in his life. Each chapter tells the stories of these people. The first story already hit me hard! 😭

#currentlyreading for #Booked2019 #newin2019 (published in January 2019).

#MOvember #ThePowerofGoodbye another Bookclub book from early this year ... we went to see this author speak & she was lovely. ❤️👍🏻

At the start I didn't know how I was going to get on with this cranky octogenarian, but Maurice Hannigan quickly had me hooked and really emotionally invested in his story. I finally finished it last night in floods of tears. Anne Griffin has crafted a very sweet, heartfelt read.

I really enjoyed reading this, yes it‘s melancholy and slightly sad, but it‘s well written and I enjoyed the life story.
Did shed a couple of tears on the train 😢, but that‘s probably just reflective of current emotional state.

Train reading this morning- on way to conference in Birmingham 😁 and I‘m not presenting this time and apparently there‘s a champagne reception before dinner! Well 🥂

If an old maudlin Irishman is your thing, this audiobook is for you! Read for book club, and there will be lots to discuss. 3.5/5

This is one of those rare instances when the narrator‘s craggy voice (Niall Buggy)is a perfect match for the main character! 👌🏾

I know the novel has a couple of rather depressing threads, but I really enjoyed the life retrospective of the MC. It was vividly described and Niall captured the nuances so well. The MC is dislikable and yet sympathetic simultaneously. The retrospection reminds of Angle of Repose, which is long overdue for a reread.

Loving every minute of Niall Buggy‘s narration - just the perfect voice for the main character!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2 Beautifully written. I really like the format - it‘s split into five sections. The main character gives a toast to one person per section that has meant a lot to him. I wanted to absolutely love this book, but I found it so incredibly sad and somewhat frustrating. Still, it will definitely be a book I ruminate on.

So I'm at 7.48 miles and need to get to walking tomorrow to make my goal of 10 - but it has been a bad week and the weather wasn't cooperating either!
But I did finish the tagged book so that's something.
#bookfitnesschallenge @wanderinglynn

So apparently it's 15 steps from my kitchen to the living room. It's a start!
Not sure how much book I will be getting done next few days but think there may be a lot of steps as sadly I will be at my fathers wake and funeral today and tomorrow 😞🙏 (I'm ok - he's at peace after being stricken by Alzheimers and Parkinson's)

Good luck to all the #bookfitnesschallenge people ! You got this!
#wanderinglynn

Lovely, melancholy reflections of an Irish gentleman deeply grieving his wife. Each chapter is a toast to the most important people in his life. Very well done.

Finally finished a Discovery of Witches which was good but took me forever to finish.

I‘m finishing up the last episode of 13 reasons why and starting this book. I requested it from the library but don‘t remember why so hoping it‘s good.

This was such a great concept, telling a man‘s story through his toasts one night to key people in his life. It was very moving and I liked his standoffish character. But the ending? I understood his choice but I also thought it was a bit selfish in the way he did it. Don‘t want to spoil it for other readers as it‘s well worth a look but although I was sad, I also thought yikes!

A very lazy start to the day means I can start on this. Heard good things about it but I mostly picked it up as the story starts in the Rainsford House Hotel and Rainsford is my surname!!

A page turner- an easy read. Very enjoyable! Emotional & true , especially loved the writing about Noreen. Many memories of what life was like at that time in Ireland. The time I grew up in. The writing evolved & became quite beautiful in the end .. an ending that will make for good BClub discussions. Look forward to hearing this author speak soon at Cork Book festival .. 👍🏻♥️( &
I Finally finished a book 👍🏻)

Made a bit of headway with this one last night .... Maurice , an 80 something yr old is remembering his life ... it‘s good 👍🏻
I have Kit de Waal ...🎧 The Trick to Time going on Audible this morning - also good 👍🏻

My reading is all over the shop ! I have to stop my present books & hopefully read these posted ones quickly, because the Cork Book festival is in less than 2 weeks &
Our IRL Bookclub is going to hear these 2 writers in discussion...
I wish I could curl up with Harry on the couch ... but life continues to be busy ...