Nell's Quiet Revolution
by Nora Ryan

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Set in 1970s Ireland, Nell’s Quiet Revolution takes the reader into the heart of a family’s life and one woman’s determined effort to change its trajectory. Nell has lived a life of quiet domesticity since her marriage to Ted. As time goes on and their family keeps expanding, a deepening dissatisfaction takes over. He had promised her that it was going to be great, but she was starting to lose faith. The house is now too small, and it is getting harder to make ends meet. Things come to a head after the birth of their sixth child, a long-awaited daughter. Nell sets out with determination, and a little subterfuge, to improve things. She gets a job, learns to drive and procures contraception. Little does she know that she will soon become a protagonist in a culture shift that is slowly starting to unfold. As the once unassailable hegemony of the Catholic Church is questioned and confronted, Nell, through acts of care and courage becomes part of a quiet but powerful revolution. The novel explores themes of resilience, social change, faith, and the quiet strength of women working to improve their lives and those around them.

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Social and spiritual themes are the substance of Nora Ryan’s work. Stories rooted in the soil of everyday life take flight through fiction where truth is explored unfettered. Nora Ryan is a pen name. The author has chosen this name to honor her paternal grandmother who was born in an age when women did not have a voice. Born in Ireland, Ryan moved to Canada in 1981. She currently lives in Squamish British Columbia. www.noraryanbooks.ca Books by Nora Ryan Pihoqahiak -A Polar Bear’s Story (2016) inspired by real life events, Pihoqahiak is the fictional account of one polar bear’s life in captivity and a brother and sister’s campaign to rescue him. (Middle years – adult) Dragon Quest (2012) is a fictional story featuring mythical creatures with human qualities. The tale while packed with adventure illustrates a moral lesson on the virtues of courage, co- operation and kindness. (Suitable for ages 8-10) Marie’s Story (2008) is told in the first person, through the eyes of a child. This story puts a human face on AIDS and brings the reader into the lives of children, illuminating their struggles and triumphs in a haphazard and uncertain world. (YA/Adult) Cracked Conch (2006) a collection of short stories and poems delivers a series of vignettes into the lives of a colorful cast of misfits and mischief-makers all shaped by that exquisite tapestry of life woven on sun-drenched islands. (Adult) Across the Great Divide, (2002) a novel set in the same landscape examines the divide caused by race and socio-economic circumstances and the ability of the human spirit to bridge the divide. (Adult)

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Contributors

Author

Nora Ryan