Have you heard? Oprah just announced her 105th Book Club selection! It's
Long Island by Irish novelist Colm Tóibín. The story centers on Eilis Lacey, an Irish immigrant living on a Long Island cul-de-sac with her husband and his large, extended Italian American family. Within the first few pages, Eilis gets some truly devastating news that forces her to rethink everything she thought she knew about who she is and where she belongs.
Long Island is, in some ways, a sequel to Tóibín's award-winning 2009 novel
Brooklyn, which was adapted into an acclaimed 2015 feature film by the same name, starring Saoirse Ronan (of
Lady Bird and
Little Women fame) as Eilis. But you don't have to have read
Brooklyn or even have watched the movie to dive fully into
Long Island. As Oprah explains, "This novel has everything you need to know in its own completely riveting story."
Tóibín has written 11 novels—not to mention 10 books of nonfiction, two short-story collections, a collection of poetry, three plays, an opera libretto and, by his own estimate, "thousands" of articles. His most famous works include his award-winning and best-selling novels
The Master and
The Magician. We are so excited to read his latest with you; we have a feeling it will generate some spirited conversation.
Visit Oprah's Book Club on Instagram (@oprahsbookclub) for a read-along schedule! #ReadWithUs
