Description
Set against the quiet pressures of mid-century Ireland, this novel follows a young Catholic schoolteacher returning from a year in London, only to find that his private life has become a public matter. Over the course of a crucial, cathartic day, Patrick confronts the school authorities’ judgment as he faces dismissal for marrying an American divorcee—an act that tests the boundaries of faith, duty, and belonging. As the narrative moves between early memories and the present moment, it becomes a love story shaped by restraint, moral scrutiny, and the longing to live honestly within unforgiving rules. With John McGahern’s spare, luminous realism and deep attention to character, the book explores themes of love and exile, institutional power, and the painful process of letting go.
Available Editions
paperback
Faber & Faber, Limited
Published Jan 1, 2009
ISBN: 9780571250202
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Details
First Published
1974
Language
eng
Content Warnings
Content and trigger warnings for The Leavetaking by John McGahern.