This Is Happiness

More about the book

NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE WASHINGTON POST and REAL SIMPLE, this profound and enchanting novel from Booker Prize-longlisted author Niall Williams explores the loves of our lives and the joys of reminiscing. In the small village of Faha, the rain, a constant presence, begins to stop, signaling a change in the lives of its inhabitants. Seventeen-year-old Noel Crowe stands outside his grandparents' house when he first encounters Christy, sensing that something significant is unfolding. This marks the beginning of a narrative that delves into Christy's long-lost love and his reasons for returning to Faha, as well as Noel's own journey through love and loss. The anticipated arrival of electricity promises to transform a world that has remained unchanged for centuries. Williams crafts an intricately observed portrait of a community, highlighting its quirks, traditions, and the paradoxes that define it. Luminous and otherworldly yet grounded in the everyday, this novel celebrates the power of stories to shape our lives and the world around us, illustrating how they weave together the fabric of existence and continuously redefine who we are.