
In the mid‑nineteenth century a restless Irish traveler roams the Alpine valleys, his carriage drawn by sturdy horses and his curiosity pulling him from bustling towns to secluded hamlets. A chance conversation in a lakeside inn at Bregenz leads to an unexpected invitation: the lease of an ancient Schloss perched on a hill overlooking the great Lake Constance and the distant Swiss Alps. Enchanted by the sweeping panoramas—forests, convents, vineyards, and snow‑capped peaks—he accepts, imagining a tranquil life of simple labor amid the rolling lawns.
The narrative then turns its gaze toward the tumultuous Union period in Ireland, promising a cast of proud, self‑sacrificing characters caught in political strife. Lever’s vivid description of the Alpine setting serves as a foil for the Irish themes of patriotism and resistance that will drive the tale. Listeners can expect a blend of travel memoir, atmospheric description, and the stirrings of a larger, historically charged drama.
Language
en
Duration
~14 hours (809K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by David Widger
Release date
2011-04-02
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1806–1872
Remembered for lively Irish novels packed with wit, adventure, and sharp social observation, this 19th-century writer became one of the great popular entertainers of his day. He also drew on an eventful life as a doctor, traveler, and diplomat, which gave his fiction its restless energy.
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