The Essential Jennifer Johnston: The Captains and the Kings, The Railway Station Man, Fool's Sanctuary

by Jennifer Johnston, Sebastian Barry (Introduction)

This collector's edition contains three classic novels from Jennifer Johnston, one of Ireland's finest The Captains and the Kings, The Railway Station Man and Fool's Sanctuary.

Genres: Fiction

448 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2000

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Jennifer Johnston was an Irish novelist. She won a number of awards, including the Whitbread Book Award for The Old Jest in 1979 and a Lifetime Achievement from the Irish Book Awards (2012). The Old Jest, a novel about the Irish War of Independence, was later made into a film called The Dawning, starring Anthony Hopkins, produced by Sarah Lawson and directed by Robert Knights.

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Got this years ago from my Kennys book subscription and finally read it. Now I’m going out to shoot myself. JK. But reading this collection was a most dismal experience, almost as dismal as the lives of the people in these three short novels. Sometimes I think the entirety of the Irish people just wallow in the misery of their existence. JJ is a most accomplished writer, and I can see why she’s so revered at home, but it’s just too much for me.

[Dangerfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

All three of these short novels were easy reads. I found them progressing better. The problem with the Railway Station Man was that I guessed early on what the outcome would be; not exactly, but at least the railway man’s death. The tragedy of Fool’s San was fascinating, and unlike another reviewer, I thought gave an interesting insight into Irish society of that time.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read The Railway Station Man for an Contemporary Irish Literature course at university. In short, Johnston's prose is simply beautiful. It reads more like poetry than traditional prose. As for the plot and themes? Poignant and moving.

[Tara Harney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read "Fool's Sanctuary" and "The Old Jest" by Jennifer Johnston. I would recommend reading "The Old Jest" first...

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore Jennifer Johnston. She is my favourite writer of all time. I think I have read all her works, I'm trying to get the entire collection in hardback.