The Winner of Sorrow

In this, Brian Lynch’s first novel, a lost legend is brought vividly back to life. By an extraordinary act of invention, The Winner of Sorrow rescues the memory of poet William Cowper, recreating the life of an eccentric genius haunted by a dark sexual secret.

Praise for The Winner of Sorrow:

'Both original and remarkably beautifully written, The Winner of Sorrow is a triumph' Sunday Independent

'The Winner of Sorrow… is at once moving, instructive and slyly funny – that rare thing, a recuperation of a poet by a poet' John Banville, The Irish Times

'The Winner of Sorrow is a brilliantly imagined, impressively executed piece of writing … a wonderful book'  Arminta Wallace, The Irish Times

'Brian Lynch is an exceptional Irish writer' Thomas Kilroy, Irish Independent

'Brian Lynch’s The Winner of Sorrow is a brilliant re-imagining of the troubled life of William Cowper' Dermot Bolger

'… a fine achievement. A wonderful book' Sunday Tribune

'Beautifully written – poignant, witty, and profound' Clare Boylan

'The Winner of Sorrow is profoundly serious, but also warm, witty, and very beautiful' Nuala O'Faolain

'If you want the low-down and high-down on the delicate, brutal reality of a poet's life, you must read The Winner of Sorrow' Paul Durcan

'He has the invaluable knack of creating living, breathing characters with a deft minimum of verbiage. A magnificent novel' Eamonn Sweeney, Irish Book Review