The Blackwater Lightship

The Blackwater Lightship is a novel written by Irish novelist Colm Tóibín, and was short-listed for the Booker Prize.

Related Topics:
Novel - Colm Tóibín - Booker Prize

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The story is described from the viewpoint of Helen, a successful school principal living with her husband and two children in Ireland. She learns one day, that her brother Declan, who was homosexual, had been a sufferer of AIDS for years, and refused to tell her until then. He asks her to deliver their mother and grandmother the news. This presents a challenge to Helen as she had had minimal contact with either women due to deeply buried conflicts relating to Helen's past and her father's sudden death in her childhood.

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As the three women meet again they are forced to overcome these struggles for Declan's sake. The novel follows the painful journey they must take in order to correct the misunderstanding that exists between them.

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The novel was made into a film and aired on CBS. Angela Lansbury won an Emmy for it in 2004. It also stars Gina McKee, Sam Robards, Dianne Wiest, Keith McErlean and was directed by John Erman.

Related Topics:
Angela Lansbury - Gina McKee - Sam Robards - Dianne Wiest - Keith McErlean - John Erman

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