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If you had to pick five people to sum up your life, who would they be? If you were to raise a glass to each of them, what would you say? And what would you learn about yourself, when all is said? 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 powerful and poignantly laid bare. Beautifully heart-warming and powerfully felt, the voice of Maurice Hannigan will stay with you long after all is said and done.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member rglossne
Over the course of an evening, Maurice Hannigan sits on a bar stool in the local hotel in his small Irish town and raises a glass to the 5 people who meant the most to him in his long life. Through the stories he tells, we see his from poverty to a wealthy man; we see the story of the town and the
I listened to this marvelous book, and the Irish brogue coupled with Maurice's turn of phrase certainly enhanced the experience.
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changes that he has seen and has effected; and we see his triumphs, his failures, and his profound loneliness. I listened to this marvelous book, and the Irish brogue coupled with Maurice's turn of phrase certainly enhanced the experience.
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LibraryThing member ccheripka
I love the Irish people, their ways and their minds and their literature. When All Is Said is a fascinating story of Maurice Hannigan and his whole live , high points and low points ...It all takes place on one Saturday evening through reflections, memories and present day intermingling to sum up
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the 84 years of his life....We all have loves, regrets and memories that make up the sum of us...I won this book on Good Reads and enjoyed the journey it took me on. Show Less
LibraryThing member margitc
An Irishman at sunset reviews his life in a series of toasts to those who have meant most to him, revealing the hidden knowledge and never shown feelings that reside inside a person. Recommended
LibraryThing member Kristymk18
When All is Said is a poignant and heartfelt novel. It is slow, flawed, and beautiful and I got emotional many times while reading it. Maurice sits at a bar alone looking back over his life. He pours a drink and makes a toast to five people who influenced and changed his life: his brother, his
He’s a cantankerous old man, in some ways reminiscent of Ove (A Man Called Ove), but where that book had dry humor this one is steeped in nostalgia. Early on you can see where it’s heading but when you get there, you’re still gutted.
The writing is that of a seasoned author, yet I believe this is Griffin's debut book. I'm eagerly awaiting her next novel where I hope she can mend the broken heart she left me with.
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daughter, his sister-in-law, his son, and his wife. He’s a cantankerous old man, in some ways reminiscent of Ove (A Man Called Ove), but where that book had dry humor this one is steeped in nostalgia. Early on you can see where it’s heading but when you get there, you’re still gutted.
The writing is that of a seasoned author, yet I believe this is Griffin's debut book. I'm eagerly awaiting her next novel where I hope she can mend the broken heart she left me with.
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LibraryThing member Beamis12
An unforgettable first novel. A quissessentially Irish novel, filled with melancholy and angst. Maurice is 84, his beloved wife Sadie gone now for two years. His only child, a son lives in America with his family. He now sits at a bar in a restaurant, intending to toast the five individuals who had
As he drinks each drink we learn the story of his life. The importance of a gold coin, which is also the continuous item that travels through his stories. Maurice is very likable, a flawed character, and so very human. It is a novel with a few gothic undertones, one filled with guilt and envy. Love that couldn't be expressed. A sensitive exploration of guilt and regret. A quiet novel, a heartfelt story that feels very real. A story of a father and son that had trouble connecting. The last chapter is an emotional slayer, but the memorable last line brought the curtain down. One of the best last lines i have ever read.
Fans of the late, great William Trevor will appreciate this novel.
ARC from Netgalley.
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the greatest impact on his life. He has reserved the VIP suite for the night. The bar where he sits, the hotel he is in, had once been the house of the wealthiest family in the village. This house figured largely in his youth, and the memories are not good ones. He is lonely,sorely misses his wife, feels as if he belongs nowhere, to none. Now though, Maurice has a plan.As he drinks each drink we learn the story of his life. The importance of a gold coin, which is also the continuous item that travels through his stories. Maurice is very likable, a flawed character, and so very human. It is a novel with a few gothic undertones, one filled with guilt and envy. Love that couldn't be expressed. A sensitive exploration of guilt and regret. A quiet novel, a heartfelt story that feels very real. A story of a father and son that had trouble connecting. The last chapter is an emotional slayer, but the memorable last line brought the curtain down. One of the best last lines i have ever read.
Fans of the late, great William Trevor will appreciate this novel.
ARC from Netgalley.
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LibraryThing member philantrop
An interesting book, falling short of greatness for me.
I started reading this book with high expectations – interesting setting, highly praised on GoodReads. I really expected to love this book but it was not to be, unfortunately.
Maurice Hannigan, 84, sits in an old hotel at the bar and drinks
We learn about the Dollards, formerly major land owners and employing Maurice’s mother and himself, whom he loved to hate for his entire life. He toasts to his brother Tony who died as a young man, his first child, Molly, his sister-in-law Noreen, his son, Kevin, a well-known journalist who has emigrated to the USA and, last but not least, his wife Sadie.
Griffin tells her story, Maurice’s life, in long chapters most of which overlap with each other in narrated time. This gives her room to explore each relationship deeply and allows for concentrating on their respective unique aspects. Unfortunately, the overlap does cause some conflicts that are hard to handle gracefully. Let me give you an actual example:
“It was twenty-seven years later that I learned the origin of the coin from Emily at that special dinner she’d arranged. But even then she’d been holding back. And it wasn’t until a year after that again that I found out the real consequence of its theft. And it was all because of Noreen, would you believe.”
I’m calling this, well, clumsy. You might consider it a narrative device, I don’t like it, sorry.
In between each of those toasts we’re getting a small glimpse into the current time and Maurice’s state of mind which is – at the very least – bordering on depression. By his own admission, Maurice is sleeping very badly (“I’ve stopped sleeping, have I told you? Two hours, three if I’m lucky now and then I’m awake.”), feeling bad and guilty as well as being prone to pondering (“Staring at the ceiling, going over it again, this bloody decision”). He’s tired and pretty much hopeless (“I feel tired and, if I’m honest, afraid.”) - all clinical symptoms of a depression.
Maurice even has people worrying about him (e. g. David, a social worker; Emily, the hotel’s owner; Robert, his notary) but none of them seem to recognise that and help him.
Griffin ends the book as anyone past the first chapter will know – “when all is said”, Maurice tries to take his own life. I’m sure Griffin doesn’t want to “promote” suicide as a way out of acute grief but a bestselling book ending like that does make me feel uncomfortable.
Putting that thought aside, I still didn’t really warm to the book. I can’t even put my finger on the exact reasons: Griffin’s language is believable (if restricted to Maurice’s vocabulary) and vivid. The story itself is plausible – everything in Maurice’s life could have happened just like it is told. Maybe that’s in fact part of my problem with the book – I felt myself nodding and registering the narrated facts but I was rarely touched by the story.
There were a few passages that really gripped me, especially since I’m a father and, obviously, a son myself (“fathers have a lot to answer for”), and made me swallow, e. g. this passage:
“But no, I mean, sorry for the father I’ve been. I know, really I do, that I could’ve been better. That I could’ve listened more, that I could’ve accepted you and all you’ve become with a little more grace.”
Boy, can I relate to that...
Unfortunately, this emotional engagement remains the exception for me in this book. Too rare and, in the end, too late.
To be able to really love a book, it needs to strike a chord within myself. I’m not an analytic reader, you won’t catch me scientifically dissect a book. The books I’ve loved most so far are those that make me enthuse about them to my wife and children till they send me somewhere else (or leave themselves). There are books (you can find them in my “Favourites” shelf on GoodReads) that make my soul thrive and rejoice (or only mentioning their names brings tears to my eyes) and I cannot help but sing their praise.
I fully expected “When All Is Said” to be such a book but it felt too shallow, it never engaged me emotionally and, quite possibly, maybe it’s all me, myself and I who’s to blame for that.
I guess you’ll have to find out yourself.
I started reading this book with high expectations – interesting setting, highly praised on GoodReads. I really expected to love this book but it was not to be, unfortunately.
Maurice Hannigan, 84, sits in an old hotel at the bar and drinks
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to the people he loved most and who all have passed away before him, telling us about his relationship with them and, consequently, about his life. The son of an Irish farmer, he, too, sets out on this path and soon by far surpasses his parents and becomes a wealthy and well-respected man. We learn about the Dollards, formerly major land owners and employing Maurice’s mother and himself, whom he loved to hate for his entire life. He toasts to his brother Tony who died as a young man, his first child, Molly, his sister-in-law Noreen, his son, Kevin, a well-known journalist who has emigrated to the USA and, last but not least, his wife Sadie.
Griffin tells her story, Maurice’s life, in long chapters most of which overlap with each other in narrated time. This gives her room to explore each relationship deeply and allows for concentrating on their respective unique aspects. Unfortunately, the overlap does cause some conflicts that are hard to handle gracefully. Let me give you an actual example:
“It was twenty-seven years later that I learned the origin of the coin from Emily at that special dinner she’d arranged. But even then she’d been holding back. And it wasn’t until a year after that again that I found out the real consequence of its theft. And it was all because of Noreen, would you believe.”
I’m calling this, well, clumsy. You might consider it a narrative device, I don’t like it, sorry.
In between each of those toasts we’re getting a small glimpse into the current time and Maurice’s state of mind which is – at the very least – bordering on depression. By his own admission, Maurice is sleeping very badly (“I’ve stopped sleeping, have I told you? Two hours, three if I’m lucky now and then I’m awake.”), feeling bad and guilty as well as being prone to pondering (“Staring at the ceiling, going over it again, this bloody decision”). He’s tired and pretty much hopeless (“I feel tired and, if I’m honest, afraid.”) - all clinical symptoms of a depression.
Maurice even has people worrying about him (e. g. David, a social worker; Emily, the hotel’s owner; Robert, his notary) but none of them seem to recognise that and help him.
Griffin ends the book as anyone past the first chapter will know – “when all is said”, Maurice tries to take his own life. I’m sure Griffin doesn’t want to “promote” suicide as a way out of acute grief but a bestselling book ending like that does make me feel uncomfortable.
Putting that thought aside, I still didn’t really warm to the book. I can’t even put my finger on the exact reasons: Griffin’s language is believable (if restricted to Maurice’s vocabulary) and vivid. The story itself is plausible – everything in Maurice’s life could have happened just like it is told. Maybe that’s in fact part of my problem with the book – I felt myself nodding and registering the narrated facts but I was rarely touched by the story.
There were a few passages that really gripped me, especially since I’m a father and, obviously, a son myself (“fathers have a lot to answer for”), and made me swallow, e. g. this passage:
“But no, I mean, sorry for the father I’ve been. I know, really I do, that I could’ve been better. That I could’ve listened more, that I could’ve accepted you and all you’ve become with a little more grace.”
Boy, can I relate to that...
Unfortunately, this emotional engagement remains the exception for me in this book. Too rare and, in the end, too late.
To be able to really love a book, it needs to strike a chord within myself. I’m not an analytic reader, you won’t catch me scientifically dissect a book. The books I’ve loved most so far are those that make me enthuse about them to my wife and children till they send me somewhere else (or leave themselves). There are books (you can find them in my “Favourites” shelf on GoodReads) that make my soul thrive and rejoice (or only mentioning their names brings tears to my eyes) and I cannot help but sing their praise.
I fully expected “When All Is Said” to be such a book but it felt too shallow, it never engaged me emotionally and, quite possibly, maybe it’s all me, myself and I who’s to blame for that.
I guess you’ll have to find out yourself.
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LibraryThing member bookappeal
Anne Griffin somehow manages to give perfect voice to an 84-year-old Irish codger, still grieving the death of his wife two years ago and taking a good, hard look at his life before he moves out of his home and into the next phase of his life. In each section, Maurice toasts five influential people
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in his life. He does so with a lot of regret for things unsaid, especially to his son, Kevin, to whom he's sort of dictating his thoughts. Griffin uses these memories to tell the story of Maurice's life - a life like any other with its joys, sorrows, accomplishments, and failures - while conveying the idea that maybe all of us should evaluate our lives and relationships before it becomes too late. Readalikes: Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf; A Man Called Ove by Frederik Backman Show Less
LibraryThing member ML923
4.5 stars! A wonderful story that is beautifully written.
LibraryThing member shazjhb
Lovely book. Will be enjoyed by many.
LibraryThing member TooBusyReading
If this story had been absolutely awful, I probably would have still listened to the whole thing just for the joy of listening to narrator Niall Buggy's voice. But the story wasn't horrible, it was really quite wonderful and touching. An old man sitting in a bar, a curmudgeon especially to his son,
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reminisces . He is vengeful and resentful, and I liked him nevertheless. This book touches my heart, both the written words and the narration. Show Less
LibraryThing member KimD66
A sad account of an old Irish man's last day. It was an all right read. I cried. But is by no means an uplifting book!
LibraryThing member Katyefk
A good first novel. This book was selected as the Novel Idea book for 2020 for the Deschutes Library program in Oregon. There were many additional online group programming activities related to the themes in this book for an entire month. There was an author Q & A at the end of the program, she is
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based in Ireland and it was on-line due to the Stay and Home rules. The five toasts were a very creative way to honor important folks in the main character's life. I found the ending of the book very upsetting. (I don't want to give it away.) It could make an interesting movie, but the ending would need to change for USA audiences. Show Less
LibraryThing member tangledthread
Maurice Hannigan sets out for the local hotel bar with the intent of honoring the five most important people in his life. In his eighties, Maurice has been widowed for two years, and his only son Kevin, is a renowned journalist in the US.
Armed with some very good whiskey's, he sets about a
This is an example of Irish storytelling at it's best.
Armed with some very good whiskey's, he sets about a
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narrative as though speaking to Kevin about these five most important people in his life. As a result the story reads as an autobiography. In speaking about his life, Maurice does not paint himself as a saint. He reveals his tendencies toward anger & revenge, his greed, and his deep capacity for love.This is an example of Irish storytelling at it's best.
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LibraryThing member Maydacat
Now in his eighties, Maurice sits a bar at a grand hotel, thinking about his life. He toasts the five people who meant the most to him. He is alone and lonely, having lost his wife two years ago. He is ready to take that next step, but before he does, he wants to tell you his story. This poignant
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tale of his life is certainly sad in places, yet hopeful in others. He talks about his growing up years, recalls how he met his wife, tells of his love for his family and for his son, discloses his regrets, and even admits to a long held secret that affected the lives of others. Author Anne Griffin does an excellent job of portraying this curmudgeonly elderly Irish man, and makes him a strong yet sympathetic character. It’s a beautifully told tale, and one that will resonate with readers of all ages. Show Less
LibraryThing member tboonstra
Maurice spends an evening in a specific bar in an Irish village drinking a toast to five important people in his life. The "audience" for the toasts is his son who lives in America. In the course of the toasts, Maurice tells the complicated story of his life.
It was very engaging. It took a bit to
It was very engaging. It took a bit to
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get oriented to what was happening, but once I understood, I was all in. There are lots of foreshadowing clues but still I wasn't sure of the end until it happened. Show Less
Awards
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 2021)
Irish Book Award (Nominee — Popular Fiction — 2019)
Waverton Good Read Award (Longlist — 2019)
Authors' Club First Novel Award (Longlist — 2020)