Skip to content

The Law of Dreams
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Law of Dreams Paperback - 2007

by Peter Behrens

Telling the story of a young mans epic passage from innocence to experience during The Great Famine in Ireland of 1847, this novel is gorgeously written in incandescent language that unleashes the sexual and psychological energies of a lost world.


Summary

Ireland, 1846. A boy on a life-changing journey which lives in the mind long after the final page. It is 1846, the height of the Great Hunger, and young Fergus is forced to grow up fast. Following the destruction of his home, he loses not only his family but everything he has ever loved. So begins an epic journey from innocence to experience that takes him from the west coast of Ireland to the docks and bordellos of Liverpool, and across the Atlantic. Along his journey he will meet bandit chiefs and railway navvies, ‘pearl boys' and daring girls, and the willful Molly, who will teach him the ways of the world.

From the publisher

Driven from the only home he has known during Ireland's Great Hunger of 1847, Fergus O'Brien makes the harrowing journey from County Clare to America, traveling with bold girls, pearl boys, navvies, and highwaymen. Along the way, Fergus meets his three passionate loves-Phoebe, Luke, and Molly-vivid, unforgettable characters, fresh and willful. Based on Peter Behrens's own family history, The Law of Dreams is lyrical, emotional, and thoroughly extraordinary-a searing tale of ardent struggle and ultimate perseverance.

Details

  • Title The Law of Dreams
  • Author Peter Behrens
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition Reprint
  • Pages 416
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Random House Trade, New York
  • Date 2007
  • ISBN 9780812978001 / 0812978005
  • Weight 0.75 lbs (0.34 kg)
  • Dimensions 8.26 x 5.55 x 0.94 in (20.98 x 14.10 x 2.39 cm)
  • Themes
    • Chronological Period: 19th Century
    • Cultural Region: Ireland
    • Interdisciplinary Studies: Canadiana
  • Library of Congress subjects Historical fiction, Bildungsromans
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 2007004343
  • Dewey Decimal Code FIC

Media reviews

“Absorbing, unsparing, and beautifully written . . . [a] masterly novel.”
–The New York Times Book Review

“Stunningly lyric . . . a work of richly empathetic imagination that reminds us once again of how powerful historical fiction can be in skilled hands.”
–Los Angeles Times

“Superb . . . an emotional epic bearing echoes of Melville and Ondaatje, conveying scents and shimmers of a vanished world under the skin of our own.”
–Jonathan Lethem, author of You Don’t Love Me Yet

“Extraordinary . . . a novel that animates the past this vibrantly should make volumes of mere history blush.”
–The Washington Post Book World

“Sprawling, cinematic, exquisitely detailed, exactingly researched, and keenly felt . . . a powerful work of excavation that achieves what historical fiction often can’t–credibility, along with a sense of the transportive.”
–Boston Phoenix

“Riveting . . . Behrens turns the archetypal immigrant’s journey into Homeric epic.”
–The Providence Journal

“A beautifully written, poetically inspired tale of heroism, love, yes and sex, and the triumph of the human spirit.”
–Malachy McCourt, author of A Monk Swimming

Citations

  • New York Times Book Review, 10/28/2007, Page 28

About the author

Peter Behrens's first novel, The Law of Dreams, won the Governor General's Award, Canada's most prestigious book prize, and has been published in nine languages. The New York Times Book Review called his second novel, The O'Briens, "a major accomplishment." He is also the author of the novel Carry Me and two collections of short stories, Night Driving and Travelling Light. His stories and essays have appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, and many anthologies. Awards he has received include a Wallace Stegner Fellowship in Creative Writing at Stanford University. A native of Montreal, he is currently a fellow at Harvard University's Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study.
Back to Top

More Copies for Sale

The Law of Dreams: A Novel
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Law of Dreams: A Novel

by Behrens, Peter

  • Used
  • good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780812978001 / 0812978005
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Palatine, Illinois, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
NZ$4.99
NZ$6.75 shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2007-08-28. Softcover. Good. Softcover in Good condition. Pages are clean. Binding is tight.
Item Price
NZ$4.99
NZ$6.75 shipping to USA
The Law of Dreams: A Novel [Paperback] Behrens, Peter
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Law of Dreams: A Novel [Paperback] Behrens, Peter

by Behrens, Peter

  • Used
  • good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780812978001 / 0812978005
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Champaign, Illinois, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
NZ$5.23
NZ$6.75 shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2007-08-28. Paperback. Good. Mild to moderate shelf/reading wear.FORMER LIBRARY BOOK WITH STICKERS. SOME WRINKLED PAGES FROM MOISTURE EXPOSURE. Binding good. Orphans Treasure Box sells books to raise money for orphans and vulnerable kids.
Item Price
NZ$5.23
NZ$6.75 shipping to USA
The Law of Dreams: A Novel
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Law of Dreams: A Novel

by Behrens, Peter

  • Used
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780812978001 / 0812978005
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Frederick, Maryland, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
NZ$7.09
NZ$6.75 shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Random House Trade Paperbacks. Used - Good. Good condition. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains. Bundled media such as CDs, DVDs, floppy disks or access codes may not be included.
Item Price
NZ$7.09
NZ$6.75 shipping to USA
The Law of Dreams: A Novel
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Law of Dreams: A Novel

by Behrens, Peter

  • Used
  • good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780812978001 / 0812978005
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Houston, Texas, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
NZ$8.71
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2007-08-28. Paperback. Good. 5x0x8.
Item Price
NZ$8.71
FREE shipping to USA
The Law of Dreams: A Novel
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Law of Dreams: A Novel

by Behrens, Peter

  • Used
  • good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780812978001 / 0812978005
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Kingwood, Texas, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
NZ$8.71
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2007-08-28. paperback. Good. 5x0x8.
Item Price
NZ$8.71
FREE shipping to USA
The Law of Dreams : A Novel
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Law of Dreams : A Novel

by Behrens, Peter

  • Used
Condition
Used - Good
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780812978001 / 0812978005
Quantity Available
2
Seller
Mishawaka, Indiana, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
NZ$9.70
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Random House Publishing Group. Used - Good. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages.
Item Price
NZ$9.70
FREE shipping to USA
The Law of Dreams : A Novel
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Law of Dreams : A Novel

by Behrens, Peter

  • Used
Condition
Used - Good
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780812978001 / 0812978005
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Reno, Nevada, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
NZ$9.70
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Random House Publishing Group. Used - Good. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages.
Item Price
NZ$9.70
FREE shipping to USA
The Law of Dreams : A Novel
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Law of Dreams : A Novel

by Behrens, Peter

  • Used
Condition
Used - Good
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780812978001 / 0812978005
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Reno, Nevada, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
NZ$9.70
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Random House Publishing Group. Used - Good. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages.
Item Price
NZ$9.70
FREE shipping to USA
The Law of Dreams
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Law of Dreams

by Peter Behrens

  • Used
  • very good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Very Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780812978001 / 0812978005
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Seattle, Washington, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
NZ$10.25
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Random House Publishing Group, 2007. Paperback. Very Good. Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
NZ$10.25
FREE shipping to USA
The Law of Dreams : A Novel

The Law of Dreams : A Novel

by Peter Behrens

  • Used
  • very good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Very Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780812978001 / 0812978005
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Seattle, Washington, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
NZ$10.25
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Random House Publishing Group, 2007. Paperback. Very Good. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
NZ$10.25
FREE shipping to USA