The Giant, O'BrienThe Giant, O'Brien
a Novel
Title rated 3.35 out of 5 stars, based on 20 ratings(20 ratings)
Book, 1998
Current format, Book, 1998, 1st ed, All copies in use.Book, 1998
Current format, Book, 1998, 1st ed, All copies in use. Offered in 0 more formatsThe year is 1782; the place, London: the center of science and commerce, home to the newly rich and magnet to the desperately poor. Among the latter is the Giant, O'Brien, a freak of nature, a man of song and story who trusts in the old myths, in Irish kings and fairies. He has come to exhibit his size for money. He has, he soon finds, come to die. His opposite is a man of science, a society surgeon, the famed anatomist John Hunter, employer to a legion of grave robbers. He lusts after the Giant's corpse. Coin is offered. The Giant refuses. He will be buried, he will assume his throne in heaven. But money changes hands as friends are bribed. The Giant sickens, dies. Today, his bones may be seen by any curious stranger who visits the Huntarian Museum in London, part of the Royal College of Surgeons. Hailed as "an acute observer, fearless in exploring difficult subjects" (The Wall Street Journal), Mantel here tells of the fated convergence of two worlds--Ireland and England, poetry and science--on the cusp of a new century. As belief wrestles knowledge, so The Giant, O'Brien calls to us from a fork in the road. It is a tale of its time, a timeless tale.
The year is 1782; the place, London: the center of science and commerce, home to the newly rich and magnet to the desperately poor. Among the latter is the Giant, O'Brien, a freak of nature, a man of song and story who trusts in the old myths, in Irish kings and fairies. He has come to exhibit his size for money. He has, he soon finds, come to die. His opposite is a man of science, a society surgeon, the famed anatomist John Hunter, employer to a legion of grave robbers. He lusts after the Giant's corpse. Coin is offered. The Giant refuses. He will be buried, he will assume his throne in heaven. But money changes hands as friends are bribed. The Giant sickens, dies. Today, his bones may be seen by any curious stranger who visits the Huntarian Museum in London, part of the Royal College of Surgeons. Hailed as "an acute observer, fearless in exploring difficult subjects" (The Wall Street Journal), Mantel here tells of the fated convergence of two worlds--Ireland and England, poetry and science--on the cusp of a new century. As belief wrestles knowledge, so The Giant, O'Brien calls to us from a fork in the road. It is a tale of its time, a timeless tale.
The year is 1782; the place, London: the center of science and commerce, home to the newly rich and magnet to the desperately poor. Among the latter is the Giant, O'Brien, a freak of nature, a man of song and story who trusts in the old myths, in Irish kings and fairies. He has come to exhibit his size for money. He has, he soon finds, come to die. His opposite is a man of science, a society surgeon, the famed anatomist John Hunter, employer to a legion of grave robbers. He lusts after the Giant's corpse. Coin is offered. The Giant refuses. He will be buried, he will assume his throne in heaven. But money changes hands as friends are bribed. The Giant sickens, dies. Today, his bones may be seen by any curious stranger who visits the Huntarian Museum in London, part of the Royal College of Surgeons. Hailed as "an acute observer, fearless in exploring difficult subjects" (The Wall Street Journal), Mantel here tells of the fated convergence of two worlds--Ireland and England, poetry and science--on the cusp of a new century. As belief wrestles knowledge, so The Giant, O'Brien calls to us from a fork in the road. It is a tale of its time, a timeless tale.
The year is 1782; the place, London: center of science and commerce, home to the newly rich and magnet to the desperately poor. Among whom is the Irish Giant, O'Brien, a freak of nature, a man of song and story who places his faith in old myths, in fairies, miracles, and the little people. He has come to exhibit himself, to amaze all London with his great size. He has, he soon finds, come to die.
The Giant's polar opposite and deadly opponent is a once-poor Scot who has become a society doctor. A famed anatomist and the employer of a legion of "resurrection men" - grave robbers who supply him with the specimens he must have to pursue his science - John Hunter knows the Giant is dying, and he lusts after his remains. He must have the corpse: his science demands it. Coin is offered. The Giant refuses: he will be properly buried, he will assume his throne in heaven.
But money changes hands as friends are bribed and suborned. The Giant sickens, dies. Today his bones are on view to any curious stranger who passes through the Hunterian Museum in London's Royal College of Surgeons. Science has won.
A recreation of London in 1782 dramatically shows how ancient beliefs came into conflict with the growth of science, chronicling the life and death of a huge Irishman who plans to make a fortune through his immense size. 20,000 first printing.
A recreation of London in 1782 shows how ancient beliefs came into conflict with the growth of science, chonicling the life and death of a huge Irishman who plans to make a fortune through his immense size
The year is 1782; the place, London: the center of science and commerce, home to the newly rich and magnet to the desperately poor. Among the latter is the Giant, O'Brien, a freak of nature, a man of song and story who trusts in the old myths, in Irish kings and fairies. He has come to exhibit his size for money. He has, he soon finds, come to die. His opposite is a man of science, a society surgeon, the famed anatomist John Hunter, employer to a legion of grave robbers. He lusts after the Giant's corpse. Coin is offered. The Giant refuses. He will be buried, he will assume his throne in heaven. But money changes hands as friends are bribed. The Giant sickens, dies. Today, his bones may be seen by any curious stranger who visits the Huntarian Museum in London, part of the Royal College of Surgeons. Hailed as "an acute observer, fearless in exploring difficult subjects" (The Wall Street Journal), Mantel here tells of the fated convergence of two worlds--Ireland and England, poetry and science--on the cusp of a new century. As belief wrestles knowledge, so The Giant, O'Brien calls to us from a fork in the road. It is a tale of its time, a timeless tale.
The year is 1782; the place, London: the center of science and commerce, home to the newly rich and magnet to the desperately poor. Among the latter is the Giant, O'Brien, a freak of nature, a man of song and story who trusts in the old myths, in Irish kings and fairies. He has come to exhibit his size for money. He has, he soon finds, come to die. His opposite is a man of science, a society surgeon, the famed anatomist John Hunter, employer to a legion of grave robbers. He lusts after the Giant's corpse. Coin is offered. The Giant refuses. He will be buried, he will assume his throne in heaven. But money changes hands as friends are bribed. The Giant sickens, dies. Today, his bones may be seen by any curious stranger who visits the Huntarian Museum in London, part of the Royal College of Surgeons. Hailed as "an acute observer, fearless in exploring difficult subjects" (The Wall Street Journal), Mantel here tells of the fated convergence of two worlds--Ireland and England, poetry and science--on the cusp of a new century. As belief wrestles knowledge, so The Giant, O'Brien calls to us from a fork in the road. It is a tale of its time, a timeless tale.
The year is 1782; the place, London: center of science and commerce, home to the newly rich and magnet to the desperately poor. Among whom is the Irish Giant, O'Brien, a freak of nature, a man of song and story who places his faith in old myths, in fairies, miracles, and the little people. He has come to exhibit himself, to amaze all London with his great size. He has, he soon finds, come to die.
The Giant's polar opposite and deadly opponent is a once-poor Scot who has become a society doctor. A famed anatomist and the employer of a legion of "resurrection men" - grave robbers who supply him with the specimens he must have to pursue his science - John Hunter knows the Giant is dying, and he lusts after his remains. He must have the corpse: his science demands it. Coin is offered. The Giant refuses: he will be properly buried, he will assume his throne in heaven.
But money changes hands as friends are bribed and suborned. The Giant sickens, dies. Today his bones are on view to any curious stranger who passes through the Hunterian Museum in London's Royal College of Surgeons. Science has won.
A recreation of London in 1782 dramatically shows how ancient beliefs came into conflict with the growth of science, chronicling the life and death of a huge Irishman who plans to make a fortune through his immense size. 20,000 first printing.
A recreation of London in 1782 shows how ancient beliefs came into conflict with the growth of science, chonicling the life and death of a huge Irishman who plans to make a fortune through his immense size
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