JOSEPH O’CONNOR’S SHADOWPLAY LONGLISTED FOR THE DUBLIN LITERARY AWARD 2021

We’re thrilled to share news of even more award recognition for Joseph O’Connor as his novel SHADOWPLAY is longlisted for the Dublin Literary Award. Now in its 26th year, the annual award, which is sponsored by Dublin City Council, celebrates works of fiction published in English between January 2019 and June 2020.

49 novels were nominated from libraries around the world. SHADOWPLAY has been longlisted alongside authors such as Elif Shafak, Bernardine Evaristo, Colum McCann, Heather Morris and Brit Bennett. The shortlist will be announced on March 25th and the winner revealed by the Lord Mayor of Dublin at the first day of the International Literature Festival Dublin on May 20th.

Published in 2019 to rapturous reviews, SHADOWPLAY was a Sunday Times novel of the year and was shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize, the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year prize, the Dalkey Novel of the Year award, and the Costa Novel Prize. SHADOWPLAY won Novel of the Year at the An Post Irish Book Awards.

Richard and Judy picked SHADOWPLAY as one of their Christmas Book Club selections, with Richard Madeley recently describing it as ‘the best novel that I’ve read in the last twenty years… Probably the best of all the Book Club choices we’ve made since 2004. It’s fantastic… Amazing.’

The excellent audio edition, read by Barry McGovern and Anna Chancellor, was released by W.F. Howes in the UK and Dreamscape in the US. Europa published in the US, film rights are optioned and translation rights have been sold in eight translation markets so far: China (Shanghai Elegant People), Croatia (Fraktura), France (Editions Rivages), Hungary (Helikon), Italy (Guanda), Serbia (Carobna Knjiga), Sweden (Natur Och Kultur) and Turkey (Sia Kitap).The French edition was shortlisted for the Jean Monnet Prize.

 1878: The Lyceum Theatre, London. Three extraordinary people begin their life together, a life that will be full of drama, transformation, passionate and painful devotion to art and to one another. Henry Irving, the Chief, is the volcanic leading man and impresario; Ellen Terry is the most lauded and desired actress of her generation, outspoken and generous of heart; and ever following along behind them in the shadows is the unremarkable theatre manager, Bram Stoker.

Fresh from life in Dublin as a clerk, Bram may seem the least colourful of the trio, but he is wrestling with dark demons in a new city, in a new marriage, and with his own literary aspirations. As he walks the London streets at night, streets haunted by the Ripper and the gossip which swirls around his friend Oscar Wilde, he finds new inspiration. But the Chief is determined that nothing will get in the way of his manager’s devotion to the Lyceum and to himself. And both men are enchanted by the beauty and boldness of the elusive Ellen.

SHADOWPLAY explores the complexities of love that stands dangerously outside social convention, the restlessness of creativity, and the experiences that led to DRACULA, the most iconic supernatural tale of all time.

You can listen to a dramatisation of another of Joseph’s bestselling novels, STAR OF THE SEA, on BBC Radio 4.

Praise for Joseph O’Connor and SHADOWPLAY:
‘There are few living writers who can take us back in time so assuredly, with such sensual density, through such gorgeous sentences. Joseph O’Connor is a wonder, and SHADOWPLAY is a triumph.’ – Peter Carey

‘As much as this is a hugely entertaining book about the grand scope of friendship and love, it is also, movingly – at times, agonisingly – a story of transience, loss and true loyalty.’ – Sadie Jones, The Guardian

‘Joseph O’Connor is a very great artist and storyteller. The quotient of enjoyment in his extraordinary new novel is stupendous.’ – Sebastian Barry

‘Wonderful. The writing is beautiful.’ – Derek Jacobi

‘A hugely entertaining and atmospheric novel, one can almost smell the greasepaint.’ – Deborah Moggach

‘Seriously fascinating’ – Colm Tóibín, The Observer

‘A virtuoso act of literary ventriloquism. SHADOWPLAY is funny, smart, tender, wise and written with inch-perfect precision.’ – Colum McCann

‘A great writer performing Olympian literary storytelling.’ — Bob Geldof

About the Author
Joseph O’Connor was born in Dublin. His books include nine novels: COWBOYS AND INDIANS (Whitbread Prize shortlist), DESPERADOES, THE SALESMAN, INISHOWEN, STAR OF THE SEA (American Library Association Award, Irish Post Award for Fiction, France’s Prix Millepages, Italy’s Premio Acerbi, Prix Madeleine Zepter for European novel of the year), REDEMPTION FALLS, GHOST LIGHT (Dublin One City One Book Novel 2011), THE THRILL OF IT ALL and SHADOWPLAY. His work has been published in forty languages. He received the 2012 Irish PEN Award for outstanding achievement in literature and in 2014 he was appointed Frank McCourt Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Limerick.

Visit Joseph O’Connor’s website.

SHADOWPLAY SELECTED FOR RICHARD AND JUDY’S WINTER BOOK CLUB 2020

Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan yesterday launched their Christmas Book Club selections, exclusive to WH Smith. We are thrilled to announce that Joseph O’Connor’s magnificent novel SHADOWPLAY is one of Richard and Judy’s picks for Winter. Judy describes SHADOWPLAY as ‘a terrific book… dramatic, sad, but also richly funny… A truly great book you simply cannot put down’, whilst Richard says, ‘SHADOWPLAY is complex, rich, sad, funny, and a beautiful read. You’ll LOVE it.’ 

SHADOWPLAY was published in paperback this week by Vintage Books. WH Smith customers can enjoy exclusive special editions of the Book Club titles filled with added bonus content, including book club discussion points, author Q&As and more recommended reads.

London, 1878. Three extraordinary people begin their life together – and the idea for Dracula is born.

Fresh from life in Dublin, Bram Stoker – now manager of the Lyceum Theatre – is wrestling with dark demons in a new city, in a new marriage, and with his own literary aspirations. As he walks the streets at night, streets haunted by the Ripper and the gossip which swirls around his friend Oscar Wilde, he finds new inspiration. Soon, the eerie tale of Dracula begins to emerge.

But Henry Irving, volcanic leading man and impresario, is determined that nothing will get in the way of Bram’s dedication to the Lyceum. And both men are growing ever more enchanted by the beauty and boldness of Ellen Terry, the most celebrated actress of her generation.

Published in 2019, SHADOWPLAY, has garnered extraordinary praise, was a Sunday Times novel of the year and was shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize, the Dalkey and Costa Novel Prizes. SHADOWPLAY won Novel of the Year at the An Post Irish Book Awards. The superb audio edition, read by Barry McGovern and Anna Chancellor, is released by W.F. Howes in the UK and Dreamscape in the US. Europa published in the US, film rights are optioned and translation rights have been sold in eight translation markets so far: China (Shanghai Elegant People), Croatia (Fraktura), France (Editions Rivages), Hungary (Helikon), Italy (Guanda), Serbia (Carobna Knjiga), Sweden (Natur Och Kultur) and Turkey (Sia Kitap).The French edition was shortlisted for the Jean Monnet Prize.

About Joseph O’Connor
Joseph O’Connor was born in Dublin. He is the author of nine novels, two collections of short stories, and several bestselling works of non-fiction. He has also written film scripts and radio and stage-plays. His novel STAR OF THE SEA was an international bestseller, selling more than a million copies and being published in 38 languages. It won France’s Prix Millepages, Italy’s Premio Acerbi, the Irish Post Award for Fiction, the Nielsen Bookscan Golden Book Award, an American Library Association Award, the Hennessy/Sunday Tribune Hall of Fame Award, and the Prix Litteraire Zepter for European Novel of the Year.

He holds an honorary Doctorate in Literature from University College Dublin and received the Irish PEN Award for Outstanding Contribution to Irish Literature in 2012. He is the Inaugural Frank McCourt Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Limerick.

See Joseph O’Connor’s website here.

Praise for Joseph O’Connor and SHADOWPLAY

‘Ireland’s greatest storyteller.’ — The Sunday Independent

‘SHADOWPLAY totally swept me away . . . It’s a bit like Moulin Rouge meets Dracula. I absolutely loved it.”—Oliver Callan, Irish Examiner

‘Joseph O’Connor is a very great artist and storyteller. The quotient of enjoyment in his extraordinary new novel is stupendous.’ — Sebastian Barry

‘A vibrantly imaginative narrative of passion, intrigue and literary ambition.’ — Miranda Seymour, New York Times

‘Dazzling … The panache and subtlety of his prose perfectly match the gusto and creative finesse of the world his novel wonderfully evokes.’ – Peter Kemp, Sunday Times, Paperback of the Week

‘A colourful tale of secret love and public performance…in a romantic, lost London’ —The Times

‘A virtuoso act of literary ventriloquism. SHADOWPLAY is funny, smart, tender, wise and written with inch-perfect precision.’ – Colum McCann

‘A novel I’d recommend to anyone: a rollicking and moving story’ — James Naughtie, Radio Times

‘Ingenious…hugely impressive and utterly haunting’ — Sunday Mirror

‘An ambitious celebration of friendship, theatre and the power of darkness, SHADOWPLAY is chilling and dramatic in equal measure.’ — Jane Shilling, Daily Mail, Must Reads

‘A great writer performing Olympian literary storytelling.’ — Sir Bob Geldof

‘Subtly drawn and intensely affecting, this portrayal of accidental friendship, enduring love, frustrated ambition and the alchemy of acting …   O’Connor’s main characters—Stoker, Irving and the beloved actress Ellen Terry—are so forcefully brought to life that when, close to tears, you reach this drama’s final page, you will return to the beginning just to remain in their company.’ — Anna Mundow, Wall Street Journal

JOSEPH O’CONNOR’S SHADOWPLAY SHORTLISTED FOR NOVEL OF THE YEAR AT THE DALKEY LITERARY AWARDS 2020

We’re delighted to share news of yet more award recognition for Joseph O’Connor as his novel SHADOWPLAY is shortlisted for the inaugural Dalkey Literary Awards Novel of the Year Prize. The awards, sponsored by Zurich Insurance, were to have been the centrepiece of next month’s 10th annual Dalkey Book Festival, but instead they are the only part of it to go ahead.

Joseph O’Connor’s SHADOWPLAY is shortlisted for the €20,000 Novel of the Year prize alongside authors Edna O’Brien, Christine Dwyer Hickey, Jan Carson, Kevin Barry and Mary Costello. Six writers are also shortlisted for the €10,000 Emerging Writers Prize. The winners will be revealed on June 20th when the festival was due to be taking place.

Joseph O’Connor said: ‘I grew up not far from Dalkey, a little coast-town whose celestial writers were known the whole world round. My childhood and teens were blessed by those ghosts, from Castle Street to Coliemore Harbour and the island. For everyone who loves a story, Dalkey’s a special place. To have a novel in contention for this award is a deeply moving honour.’ See more on the Dalkey Literary Awards and Festival in the Irish Times here.

SHADOWPLAY was published by Harvill Secker to rapturous reviews in the UK and Canada in June 2019, with the paperback to be published in October 2020. It was described as a ‘literary highlight of 2019’ by The Sunday Times. Europa will publish in June 2020 in the US, where the novel has received starred previews in Publishers Weekly and Library Journal, which described it as ‘an authentic and deeply moving literary experience’.

The superb audio edition, read by Barry McGovern and Anna Chancellor, is released by W.F. Howes in the UK and Dreamscape in the US. Rights have been sold in eight translation markets so far: China (Shanghai Elegant People), Croatia (Fraktura), France (Editions Rivages), Hungary (Helikon), Italy (Guanda), Serbia (Carobna Knjiga), Sweden (Natur Och Kultur) and Turkey (Sia Kitap). A film deal is under negotiation.

1878: The Lyceum Theatre, London. Three extraordinary people begin their life together, a life that will be full of drama, transformation, passionate and painful devotion to art and to one another. Henry Irving, the Chief, is the volcanic leading man and impresario; Ellen Terry is the most lauded and desired actress of her generation, outspoken and generous of heart; and ever following along behind them in the shadows is the unremarkable theatre manager, Bram Stoker. Fresh from life in Dublin as a clerk, Bram may seem the least colourful of the trio, but he is wrestling with dark demons in a new city, in a new marriage, and with his own literary aspirations. As he walks the London streets at night, streets haunted by the Ripper and the gossip which swirls around his friend Oscar Wilde, he finds new inspiration. But the Chief is determined that nothing will get in the way of his manager’s devotion to the Lyceum and to himself. And both men are enchanted by the beauty and boldness of the elusive Ellen.

SHADOWPLAY explores the complexities of love that stands dangerously outside social convention, the restlessness of creativity, and the experiences that led to Dracula, the most iconic supernatural tale of all time.

Praise for Joseph O’Connor and SHADOWPLAY:

‘There are few living writers who can take us back in time so assuredly, with such sensual density, through such gorgeous sentences. Joseph O’Connor is a wonder, and SHADOWPLAY is a triumph.’ – Peter Carey

‘As much as this is a hugely entertaining book about the grand scope of friendship and love, it is also, movingly – at times, agonisingly – a story of transience, loss and true loyalty.’ – Sadie Jones, The Guardian

‘Joseph O’Connor is a very great artist and storyteller. The quotient of enjoyment in his extraordinary new novel is stupendous.’ – Sebastian Barry

‘Wonderful. The writing is beautiful.’ – Derek Jacobi

‘A hugely entertaining and atmospheric novel, one can almost smell the greasepaint.’ – Deborah Moggach

‘Seriously fascinating’ – Colm Tóibín, The Observer

‘A virtuoso act of literary ventriloquism. SHADOWPLAY is funny, smart, tender, wise and written with inch-perfect precision.’ – Colum McCann

‘A great writer performing Olympian literary storytelling.’ — Bob Geldof

About the Author

Joseph O’Connor was born in Dublin. His books include nine novels: COWBOYS AND INDIANS (Whitbread Prize shortlist), DESPERADOES, THE SALESMAN, INISHOWEN, STAR OF THE SEA (American Library Association Award, Irish Post Award for Fiction, France’s Prix Millepages, Italy’s Premio Acerbi, Prix Madeleine Zepter for European novel of the year), REDEMPTION FALLS, GHOST LIGHT (Dublin One City One Book Novel 2011), THE THRILL OF IT ALL and SHADOWPLAY. His work has been published in forty languages. He received the 2012 Irish PEN Award for outstanding achievement in literature and in 2014 he was appointed Frank McCourt Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Limerick.

Visit Joseph O’Connor’s website.

JOSEPH O’CONNOR’S SHADOWPLAY SHORTLISTED FOR WALTER SCOTT PRIZE FOR HISTORICAL FICTION AND THE JEAN MONNET PRIZE

Joseph O’Connor’s wonderful novel SHADOWPLAY has been shortlisted for two awards in recent weeks: The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction in the UK and the Jean Monnet Prize in France. The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction rewards writing of exceptional quality set in the past, whilst the Jean Monnet Prize celebrates work translated or written in French in the past year. The Jean Monnet Prize will be announced at the LEC festival on 21 November 2020; the date of the prize ceremony for The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction is still to be confirmed.

Harvill Secker published SHADOWPLAY in the UK and Canada in June 2019, with a paperback to be published in May 2020, and Editions Rivages published in France. It was described as a ‘literary highlight of 2019’ by The Sunday Times and has received rapturous reviews. Le Monde called it ‘mesmerising’ and Le Figaro described it as ‘an ensemble masterpiece with glorious resonances.’ Europa will publish in June 2020 in the US, where the novel has received starred previews in Publishers Weekly and Library Journal, which described it as ‘an authentic and deeply moving literary experience’. In the UK, W.F. Howes published the audio edition, read by Barry McGovern and Anna Chancellor, and Dreamscape will publish the US audio edition. Rights have been sold in eight translation markets so far: China (Shanghai Elegant People), Croatia (Fraktura), France (Editions Rivages), Hungary (Helikon), Italy (Guanda), Serbia (Carobna Knjiga), Sweden (Natur Och Kultur) and Turkey (Sia Kitap). A film deal is under negotiation.

1878: The Lyceum Theatre, London. Three extraordinary people begin their life together, a life that will be full of drama, transformation, passionate and painful devotion to art and to one another. Henry Irving, the Chief, is the volcanic leading man and impresario; Ellen Terry is the most lauded and desired actress of her generation, outspoken and generous of heart; and ever following along behind them in the shadows is the unremarkable theatre manager, Bram Stoker.

Fresh from life in Dublin as a clerk, Bram may seem the least colourful of the trio, but he is wrestling with dark demons in a new city, in a new marriage, and with his own literary aspirations. As he walks the London streets at night, streets haunted by the Ripper and the gossip which swirls around his friend Oscar Wilde, he finds new inspiration. But the Chief is determined that nothing will get in the way of his manager’s devotion to the Lyceum and to himself. And both men are enchanted by the beauty and boldness of the elusive Ellen.

SHADOWPLAY explores the complexities of love that stands dangerously outside social convention, the restlessness of creativity, and the experiences that led to Dracula, the most iconic supernatural tale of all time.

Praise for Joseph O’Connor and SHADOWPLAY:
‘There are few living writers who can take us back in time so assuredly, with such sensual density, through such gorgeous sentences. Joseph O’Connor is a wonder, and SHADOWPLAY is a triumph.’ – Peter Carey

‘As much as this is a hugely entertaining book about the grand scope of friendship and love, it is also, movingly – at times, agonisingly – a story of transience, loss and true loyalty.’ – Sadie Jones, The Guardian

‘Joseph O’Connor is a very great artist and storyteller. The quotient of enjoyment in his extraordinary new novel is stupendous.’ – Sebastian Barry

‘Wonderful. The writing is beautiful.’ – Derek Jacobi

‘A hugely entertaining and atmospheric novel, one can almost smell the greasepaint.’ – Deborah Moggach

‘Seriously fascinating’ – Colm Tóibín, The Observer

‘A virtuoso act of literary ventriloquism. SHADOWPLAY is funny, smart, tender, wise and written with inch-perfect precision.’ – Colum McCann

‘A great writer performing Olympian literary storytelling.’ — Bob Geldof

About the Author
Joseph O’Connor was born in Dublin. His books include nine novels: COWBOYS AND INDIANS (Whitbread Prize shortlist), DESPERADOES, THE SALESMAN, INISHOWEN, STAR OF THE SEA (American Library Association Award, Irish Post Award for Fiction, France’s Prix Millepages, Italy’s Premio Acerbi, Prix Madeleine Zepter for European novel of the year), REDEMPTION FALLS, GHOST LIGHT (Dublin One City One Book Novel 2011), THE THRILL OF IT ALL and SHADOWPLAY. His work has been published in forty languages. He received the 2012 Irish PEN Award for outstanding achievement in literature and in 2014 he was appointed Frank McCourt Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Limerick.

Visit Joseph O’Connor’s website

JOSEPH O’CONNOR’S SHADOWPLAY WINS THE EASON NOVEL OF THE YEAR AWARD AT THE AN POST IRISH BOOK AWARDS

Joseph O’Connor’s extraordinary novel SHADOWPLAY has won the Eason Novel of the Year Award at the 2019 An Post Irish Book Awards. The An Post Irish Book Awards celebrate and promote Irish writing to a wide range of readers. Winners were announced on 20 November in The Convention Centre Dublin.

Now, SHADOWPLAY is shortlisted for the An Post Irish Book of the Year Award. The award is chosen by a public vote from the winners of the An Post Irish Book Awards. Readers can vote here: https://www.irishbookawards.irish/bookoftheyearvote/

Harvill Secker published SHADOWPLAY in the UK and Canada in June 2019: it was described as a ‘literary highlight of 2019’ by The Sunday Times and has received rapturous reviews. W.F. Howes published audio in the UK and Dreamscape will publish the US audio edition. Europa will publish in the US in April 2020. Rights have been sold in seven translation markets so far: China (Shanghai Elegant People), Croatia (Fraktura), France (Editions Rivages), Hungary (Helikon), Italy (Guanda), Serbia (Carobna Knjiga), Sweden (Natur Och Kultur) and Turkey (Sia Kitap). A film deal is under negotiation with a major producer.

1878: The Lyceum Theatre, London. Three extraordinary people begin their life together, a life that will be full of drama, transformation, passionate and painful devotion to art and to one another. Henry Irving, the Chief, is the volcanic leading man and impresario; Ellen Terry is the most lauded and desired actress of her generation, outspoken and generous of heart; and ever following along behind them in the shadows is the unremarkable theatre manager, Bram Stoker.

Fresh from life in Dublin as a clerk, Bram may seem the least colourful of the trio but he is wrestling with dark demons in a new city, in a new marriage, and with his own literary aspirations. As he walks the London streets at night, streets haunted by the Ripper and the gossip which swirls around his friend Oscar Wilde, he finds new inspiration. But the Chief is determined that nothing will get in the way of his manager’s devotion to the Lyceum and to himself. And both men are enchanted by the beauty and boldness of the elusive Ellen.

 SHADOWPLAY explores the complexities of love that stands dangerously outside social convention, the restlessness of creativity, and the experiences that led to Dracula, the most iconic supernatural tale of all time.

Vintage have also just released beautiful new editions of O’Connor’s historical novels GHOST LIGHT (a haunting novel of love and memory, set in the Irish theatre world), STAR OF THE SEA (his ground-breaking bestseller about the Irish Famine) and REDEMPTION FALLS (another masterpiece which continues the story of some of the characters on board The Star of the Sea, and shines light on the role of the Irish on both sides of the Civil War).

See more on these, including book club guide here:

http://www.josephoconnorauthor.com/for-book-clubs-star-of-the-sea.html

http://www.josephoconnorauthor.com/for-book-clubs.html

http://www.josephoconnorauthor.com/novel-star-of-the-sea.html

Praise for Joseph O’Connor and SHADOWPLAY:

‘There are few living writers who can take us back in time so assuredly, with such sensual density, through such gorgeous sentences. Joseph O’Connor is a wonder, and SHADOWPLAY is a triumph.’ – Peter Carey

‘As much as this is a hugely entertaining book about the grand scope of friendship and love, it is also, movingly – at times, agonisingly – a story of transience, loss and true loyalty.’ – Sadie Jones, The Guardian

‘Joseph O’Connor is a very great artist and storyteller. The quotient of enjoyment in his extraordinary new novel is stupendous.’ – Sebastian Barry

‘Wonderful. The writing is beautiful.’ – Derek Jacobi

‘A hugely entertaining and atmospheric novel, one can almost smell the greasepaint.’ – Deborah Moggach

‘Seriously fascinating’ – Colm Tóibín, The Observer

‘A virtuoso act of literary ventriloquism. SHADOWPLAY is funny, smart, tender, wise and written with inch-perfect precision.’ – Colum McCann

‘A great writer performing Olympian literary storytelling.’ — Bob Geldof

About the Author
Joseph O’Connor was born in Dublin. His books include nine novels: COWBOYS AND INDIANS (Whitbread Prize shortlist), DESPERADOES, THE SALESMAN, INISHOWEN, STAR OF THE SEA (American Library Association Award, Irish Post Award for Fiction, France’s Prix Millepages, Italy’s Premio Acerbi, Prix Madeleine Zepter for European novel of the year), REDEMPTION FALLS, GHOST LIGHT (Dublin One City One Book Novel 2011), THE THRILL OF IT ALL and SHADOWPLAY. His work has been published in forty languages. He received the 2012 Irish PEN Award for outstanding achievement in literature and in 2014 he was appointed Frank McCourt Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Limerick.

Visit Joseph O’Connor’s website