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by Niall Williams
From novelist Niall Williams, bestselling author of Time of the Child and This Is Happiness, a new story set in the small Irish town of Faha, exploring love, loss, and the "why" of life.
Mossie Crowe, known as "Ganga," is that rare man who is beloved by everyone who knows him and is particularly cherished by his best friend, Bat. On one ordinary November day, Bat interrupts their usual evening tea to ask Ganga why God created the earth. But when Ganga passes away that night, Bat finds himself at a loss, without his friend and without an answer to his question. Over the next days, as all of Faha comes to care for and honor the body of the man they loved, Bat begins a new journey towards understanding life, death, and love.
A tender exploration of life's many meanings, O Now! is a perfect gift for readers who loved Niall Williams' previous Faha novels and features an all-new essay from Niall exploring Faha's creation and legacy.
1000 Books April 2026 Read: The Little Red Chairs by Edna O'Brien
I finished the audio version of this a couple of days ago and I'm really happy that I had the chance to "read" it. I thought it was an odd book from the standpoint that the author's focus kept shifting, so I was never quite sure what her intent was. It started out as a character sketch of people ...
-kim.kovacs
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (5/14/2026)
Last week I finished up https://www.bookbrowse.com/bb_briefs/detail/index.cfm/ezine_preview_number/25470/i-live-you-for-ever I Live You For Ever as part of our indie/self-published review program. It was a memoir about the author's life with her husband as he developed dementia. I can't say I "en...
-kim.kovacs
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (4/30/2026)
Just finished This Is Happiness by Niall Williams, just beautiful writing, the descriptions, the characters - a time in Ireland when a rural village is just beginning to get - and accept electricity and it's set in the 1950's! It's at times funny, sad, sentimental - a joy to read. Also just finis...
-Susan_W
2026 first quarter besties
TIME OF THE CHILD by Niall Williams BECOMING MADAM SECRETARY by Stephanie Dray MAD HONEY by Jodi Picoult & Jennifer Boylan MORE OR LESS MADDY by Lisa Genova THE FAITH CLUB by Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver, & Priscilla Warner THE CORRESPONDENT by Virginia Evans THE ROAD TO TENDER HEARTS by Annie Ha...
-Marie_Webb
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (4/09/2026)
I finished "Angel Down" by Daniel Kraus this week and it was a visceral experience. So much was going on at once and it was a lot to take in for me. I started "Time of the Child" by Niall Williams. It is off to a slow start but a couple of people here told me to stick with it so I am giving it a ...
-Anthony_Conty
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (4/02/2026)
Oh, definitely pick up a copy of Niall Williams' This Is Happiness , @Gabi_J . It was such a marvelous, poignant yet feel-good novel. I listened to it in audiobook format and the narrator was perfect . I haven't read Time of the Child yet. It seems to get mentioned every Christmas so I'm saving f...
-kim.kovacs
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (3/12/2026)
I 'm in the mood for something immersive to take me to another place and time so I'm rereading Anna Karenina . I DNF'd John by Niall Williams. His writing is beautiful, as always, and he remains one of my favorite authors. Sadly, I decided that now is just not the right time for me to contemplate...
-Vicki_F
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (2/26/2026)
I just started 'John' by Niall Williams. John the apostle isn't a topic I would normally choose but I'm putting my trust in Williams as I've loved his more recent books. I finished 'Seascraper' by Benjamin Wood. My favorite read of the year so far. Beautiful, evocative writing of the place and pr...
-Vicki_F
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (2/12/2026)
I'm about half way through "This is Happiness" by Niall Williams and am enjoying it very much. Also reading "Another Country" by james Baldwin and am enjoying"The Known World" by Edward P. Jones. To top it off, my book club is about halfway through "Joseph and His Brothers" by Thomas Mann.
-Donna_I
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (1/8/2026)
I finished https://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/index.cfm/book_number/5077/white-lies White Lies by Ann Bausum. It was very interesting and I'm looking forward to chatting with her next week. I'm about to finish Faulkner's https://www.bookbrowse.com/bb_briefs/detail/index.cfm/ezine_preview_number/2...
-kim.kovacs
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (1/1/2026)
I finished This Is Happiness by Niall Williams in audiobook format yesterday and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Williams' gentle humor and keen depiction of this small, rural, Irish town was sooo wonderful. It was a little bittersweet at times, but still very satisfying. Listening to it fel...
-kim.kovacs
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (12/25/2025)
Oh, wow, @Lisa_B3 , it's been years since I read any Wodehouse. Thanks for the reminder! I'll need to add that author to my list of fun reads. I've just started This is Happiness by Niall Williams myself, and it's such a pleasant read. I'm so glad the folks here recommended this author.
-kim.kovacs
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (12/18/2025)
Did you read This is Happiness ? I haven't read it yet but it was Niall Williams' first book about Faha. It is supposed to be excellent.
-Gabi_J
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (10/30/2025)
This past week was a change of pace for me. I read a thriller ( King of Ashes ) and a mystery (Richard Osman's latest The Impossible Fortune - very entertaining). This week I'm reading an older book by an Irish writer I love - Niall William's Four Letters of Love . What reading joy to find a favo...
-Vicki_F
What's your favorite book series?
I have quite a few favorite series, Below are a few top of mind. Many are historical mystery series —-these are not romance. Also, the sci-fi series tend to be positive versus dystopian, gloom and doom. Faha "series" / two books only (Niall Williams, literary fiction) Thursday Murder Club (Richar...
-Gabi_J
What are you reading this week? (7/2/2025)
Vicki - it was not my favorite of his. The first one of his I read - the Queen of Dirt Island - is wonderful. Another great Irish author is Niall Williams - his Time of the Child broke my heart and put it back together!
-Evonne_Benedict
What was your last 5-star read, and what made you choose it?
Isola by Allegra Goodman, who presents amazing descriptions of faith and contrasts between the social classes during the 1530s - 1540s. Other 5 stars: Time of the Child by Niall Williams, Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, West with Giraffes by Lynda Ru...
-Luisa_H
What are you reading this week? (6/12/2025)
This is Happiness by Niall Williams
-John_B1
What are you reading this week? (5/8/2025)
Just finished This is Happiness by Niall Williams, a gentle love letter to a tiny pre-electitrification1940's Irish village. The exquisitely detailed descriptions of the village and its inhabitants shimmer.
-Nancy_B
Which authors should we interview?
We are on the same reading path. I just finished Niall Williams' Time of the Child and it was so good.
-Holly_Batsell
What are you reading this week? (3/6/2025)
I just finished History of Rain by Niall Williams and loved it. Williams has an ear for Irish dialogue. The narrator is a young girl who tells her family's story, finding her father through the books he read. Water is everywhere, in the rain, the river, the sea, the puddles, and streaking down he...
-Sarah_S
What are you reading this week? (02/27/2025)
I have just finished reading Time of the Child by Niall Williams. This book is a beautiful piece of prose and it is truly one of the best novels that I have read in several years. I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to reading his earlier work, including This is Happiness.
-Laurie_L
What book or books are you reading this week? (01/16/2025)
I have read Niall Williams but he's a little too wordy for my taste. I read the new Christmas one and at least one former but they just aren't for me. My favorites include: Claire Keegan, Louise Kennedy, Colm Toibin and probably others I'm not thinking of right now. At my friend's urging last yea...
-Anne_Glasgow
What are you reading this week (1/2/2025)?
Time of the Child, by Niall Williams
-Julie_P
What are you reading this week? (12-26-2024)
I just finished This is Happiness by Niall Williams and loved it so I immediately started Time of the Child. It is not actually a sequel, more of a companion novel. Same setting but focuses on different characters.
-Judi_Ross
What are your reading this week? (12-19-2024)
I finished Time of the Child by Niall Williams and Shadowplay by Joseph O'Connor. Two Irish titles back to back. I'm now reading an older book from by unread tbr: The Incarnations by Susan Barker. I don't recall what led me to buy this book but it carries a sticker stating it is a New York Times ...
-Anne_Glasgow
What are your reading this week? (12-12-2024)
I've read Trepasses, but not Night Swimmers (will look for it.) I discovered Niall Williams in the last few months, and cannot recommend Time of the Child highly enough!
-Evonne_Benedict
What are you reading this week? (12-05-2024)
I loved 'Time of the Child' so much, I'm now reading Niall Williams first, 'Four Letters of Love.' It's so good! A film version is due out early 2025.
-Evonne_Benedict
Which book or series would you like to see made into TV show or movie?
Time of the Child by Niall Williams would make a wonderful movie, although it would be hard to top the written words.
-Gabi_J
Christmas/Holiday books
I have the NIall WIlliams book on hold at my library, too (I love "Small Things Like These"; For pure fun, I like David Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter series & he usually has a very loosely-themed Christmas entry each year. "Christmas Train" by David Baldacci is a nice quick read. But my all-time fav...
-Carol_Ann_Robb
What are you reading this week? (11-21-2024)
I have started reading as well as listening to "Time of the Child" by Niall Williams. It hearkens of Patrick Taylor's Country Doctor series. I am not much of a holiday book reader but I can tell this one is a winner for me.
-Gabi_J
"I am utterly obsessed with Niall Williams." ―Ann Patchett, New York Times bestselling author of Tom Lake
This information about O Now! was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Niall Williams was born in Dublin in 1958. His critically acclaimed and bestselling fiction has been shortlisted for the Irish Times Literature Prize and longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and the IMPAC Award. Williams' debut novel Four Letters of Love, an international bestseller, has been adapted by the author for screen and will star Helena Bonham-Carter, Pierce Brosnan and Gabriel Byrne. His most recent novel Time of the Child was an instant Irish Times bestseller and was awarded the Kerry Group Novel of the Year Award. He lives in Kiltumper in County Clare, with his wife, Christine.
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