The Unrequited

by Niall Williams

In June, 2006, Picador launch Picador Shots, a new series of pocket-sized books priced at 1. The Shots aim to promote the short story as well as the work of some Picador's greatest authors. They will be contemporarily packaged but ultimately disposable books that are the ideal literary alternative to a magazine. The Unrequited by Niall Williams is to be one of the first.

'The Unrequited' opens with the arrival in Oslo of Raphael Newell, a Dublin accountant. Someone who has always previously lived on the margins of life, Ray has come to Norway find the married woman he has fallen in love with. Rejuevnated and invigorated by the experience of being in love, Ray sees the world differently; everything and everyone around him is transformed, and he feels for the first time that he has really come alive.

Recounting the couple's first meeting alongside Ray's Norwegian quest, The Unrequited is both love story and fable, both a story for our times and -- in the themes of love, life and loss it explores -- one that is timeless; a story for all ages, in all senses of the word.

Genres: Love

Paperback

Published January 1, 2006

About the author

Niall Williams studied English and French Literature at University College Dublin and graduated with a MA in Modern American Literature. He moved to New York in 1980 where he married Christine Breen. His first job in New York was opening boxes of books in Fox and Sutherland's Bookshop in Mount Kisco. He later worked as a copywriter for Avon Books in New York City before leaving America with Chris in 1985 to attempt to make a life as a writer in Ireland. They moved on April 1st to the cottage in west Clare that Chris's grandfather had left eighty years before to find his life in America.

His first four books were co-written with Chris and tell of their life together in Co Clare.

In 1991 Niall's first play THE MURPHY INITIATIVE was staged at The Abbey Theatre in Dublin. His second play, A LITTLE LIKE PARADISE was produced on the Peacock stage of The Abbey Theatre in 1995. His third play, THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT, was produced by Galway's Druid Theatre Company in 1999.

Niall's first novel was FOUR LETTERS OF LOVE. Published in 1997, it went on to become an international bestseller and has been published in over twenty countries. His second novel, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN was published in 1999 and short-listed for the Irish Times Literature Prize. Further novels include THE FALL OF LIGHT, ONLY SAY THE WORD, BOY IN THE WORLD and its sequel, BOY AND MAN.

In 2008 Bloomsbury published Niall's fictional account of the last year in the life of the apostle, JOHN.

His new novel, HISTORY OF THE RAIN, will be published by Bloomsbury in the UK/Ireland and in the USA Spring 2014. (Spanish and Turkish rights have also been sold.)

Niall has recently written several screenplays. Two have been optioned by film companies.

Reviews

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a slim, short story, one of the “Picador Shots” pocket-sized books, one of the first of these to be published. It is a love story, a story of a Dublin accountant, Ray, who meets a Norwegian woman who he meets, and quickly falls in love with her. It changes him, despite her being married, and not returning his feelings. He has never experienced feelings like this before, it seems like an awakening to him, as though he’s finally realized how special and magical life can be, after all. And so he goes in search of her.

’As if dreaming, he thought of the world as a great flat surface and he with the perspective of an eagle flying. He could see day and night, the division of light, those awake or asleep, the moving and the still, the numberless multitudes that yet were numbered. Out across the city rooftops he suddenly imagined the world, and from this imagining caught something of all that was common to human existence, the loving and hatred, the ambition and hope and endeavour, passion, prejudice, ever-expanding lexicon of desire, the planet entire throbbing with infinitesimal yearning.’

A story shared in 75 tiny pages - smaller than my hand - that asks the question - how far would you, or any one of us, go for love?

[Virginia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I adored This is Happiness and snorted with laughter and some rather raunchy tears over History of the Rain, and grabbed this wee novella with glee to take on vacation with me. So - I sat at the end of the dock under the red umbrella with my feet in the sun, and sipped my lemon water, and steamed with frustration over what turned out to be romantic glurge. There were a number of very clear clues all the way along, and I took note of every one, thinking there'd be some, I don't know, entertaining payoff to all of them. I reached the last few pages and - ugh. This was not for me, and I have no idea who to pass it on to who'd enjoy it either. 2 stars.

[Marie O'Halloran · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightfully gentle tale.

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delicious little taste of Niall Williams’ wonderful prose.

[Chrystyna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more of a booklet than a book. It's one of the Picador Shots and is basically a short story printed on its own.

This was quite a nice little tale, a little obvious in that I realised what was going on pretty quickly, but it filled a moment of time nicely and I would certainly look round for other work by the author - I guess that's the whole idea of printing these wee stories.

[Sarah Goode · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fancied a quick read so went for this one off me book shelf.

I didn't know what was going to happen until the end.