excellent - a must have, 16 Aug 2006
This is just a brilliant story read soooo well.
I have 3 kids were 5,7 and9 when bought- and they all love it.
Just be careful the first time you hear it if in the car- cause you may laugh so much you have to stop!

Have a laugh in the Car!!!, 02 Dec 2003
I bought the audio tape to play to my 6 year old daughter in the car on long journeys. It is difficult to figure out who enjoys it the most, and it will certainly appeal to both adults and children alike . It is absolutely hilarious, and all the better given the broad Dublin accent of Tommy Tearnan. A tape that you will play over and over again, both with the kids and without!!!Thoroughly enjoyable!!

Surprisingly, Rory and Ita is Roddy Doyle's first non-fiction book and recounts (largely in their own words) the tale of his parents' lives from their first memories to the present. Doyle is (as his publishers proudly claim) "Ireland's most famous living writer", and his storytelling acumen (matched with an impeccable knack for conveying with maximum vividness the day-to-day detail of his colourfully-drawn locales) has made his books essential reading for anyone interested in contemporary writing. He is, of course, very funny--and who says writing of real distinction should not have us laughing uproariously? Books such as The Snapper and The Commitments proved this beyond doubt.

Rory and Ita is something new in his work--rarely have a writer's parents been brought to life in such vivid, tender detail--and rarely have two outwardly ordinary people had such fascinatingly offbeat, surprising lives.

Born in 1923 and 1925 respectively, the couple have a total recall of every detail of their Dublin childhoods, their eccentric relatives and, crucially, the politics (both came from Republican families). Inevitably, some of Doyle's keenest followers may be wary of this departure from his customarily idiosyncratic novels (even the much-acclaimed A Star called Henry wrongfooted many readers with its marked departure from the areas we customarily associated with Doyle), but Rory and Ita is actually quite as entertaining as any of Doyle's fiction. His parents come across as remarkable talkers (his mother, in particular, has some very surprising tales to tell), and the book (with its rich and colourful portrait of a country caught between the backwardness of religious repression and the indomitable human spirit of its people) creates a picture of a very human and often very funny world that has now all but vanished. Doyle enthusiasts may hesitate--but they'd be wise to add this one to their libraries, as it has all the insight and humour of the author's best work. --Barry Forshaw

excellent - a must have, 16 Aug 2006
This is just a brilliant story read soooo well.
I have 3 kids were 5,7 and9 when bought- and they all love it.
Just be careful the first time you hear it if in the car- cause you may laugh so much you have to stop!

Have a laugh in the Car!!!, 02 Dec 2003
I bought the audio tape to play to my 6 year old daughter in the car on long journeys. It is difficult to figure out who enjoys it the most, and it will certainly appeal to both adults and children alike . It is absolutely hilarious, and all the better given the broad Dublin accent of Tommy Tearnan. A tape that you will play over and over again, both with the kids and without!!!Thoroughly enjoyable!!

Alright, but..., 22 Feb 2004
Rory and Ita Doyle seem like very, very nice people. As you read this book you can picture them chatting happily, reminiscing on the good and not-so-good times, pouring cups of tea and being generally pleasant people. But that's all that can be said about this book in all honesty. If, like me, you're a Roddy Doyle fan you won't get much out of this I'm afraid, as the book is narrated from start to finish by the titular couple, and Roddy is only briefly referred to in a footnote as "you."

As nice as this book is, I finished it and felt distinctly underwhelmed. It's not a book for Doyle fans as he didn't really write it (the book is merely a transcript of their taped reminiscences), nor is it a book for those who like biographies as, well, the Doyle's aren't exactly famous nor have they really done anything. My greatest feeling was that this book was written for the Doyles themselves, as an exercise in telling their story before it was too late.

So, who would really enjoy this book? I think the only people who would really get anything from this book would be those who know the Doyles, and the Doyle family themselves. As for the rest of us, let's just wait for the next volume of Doyle's "The Last Round-Up" trilogy.

A nice story about two ordinary people, 03 Nov 2003
This is a simple story about Roddy Doyles parents through a series of interviews. The author attempt to record his parents life stories into a novel is successful. His parents are just ordinary people who re-tell times of old, holidays in wexford, work life in Dublin, the buying of their first house.

It is a very good insight into Dublin - Ireland of old. Sometimes difficult to follow and the story's flow can be lost for a time when Rory or Ita minds meander. Not for everybody.

In Roddy Doyle's Booker Prize-winning novel Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, an Irish lad named Paddy rampages through the streets of Barrytown with a pack of like-minded hooligans, playing cowboys and Indians, etching their names in wet concrete and setting fires. Roddy Doyle has captured the sensations and speech patterns of preadolescents with consummate skill, and managed to do so without resorting to sentimentality. Paddy Clarke and his friends are not bad boys; they're just a little bit restless. They're always taking sides, bullying each other and secretly wishing they didn't have to. All they want is for something--anything--to happen.

Throughout the novel, Paddy teeters on the nervous verge of adolescence. In one scene, Paddy tries to make his little brother's hot water bottle explode, but gives up after stomping on it just one time: "I jumped on Sinbad's bottle. Nothing happened. I didn't do it again. Sometimes when nothing happened it was really getting ready to happen." Paddy Clarke senses that his world is about to change forever--and not necessarily for the better. When he realizes that his parents' marriage is falling apart, Paddy stays up all night listening, half-believing that his vigil will ward off further fighting. It doesn't work, but it is sweet and sad that he believes it might. Paddy's logic may be fuzzy, but his heart is in the right place. --Jill Marquis

excellent - a must have, 16 Aug 2006
This is just a brilliant story read soooo well.
I have 3 kids were 5,7 and9 when bought- and they all love it.
Just be careful the first time you hear it if in the car- cause you may laugh so much you have to stop!

Have a laugh in the Car!!!, 02 Dec 2003
I bought the audio tape to play to my 6 year old daughter in the car on long journeys. It is difficult to figure out who enjoys it the most, and it will certainly appeal to both adults and children alike . It is absolutely hilarious, and all the better given the broad Dublin accent of Tommy Tearnan. A tape that you will play over and over again, both with the kids and without!!!Thoroughly enjoyable!!

Alright, but..., 22 Feb 2004
Rory and Ita Doyle seem like very, very nice people. As you read this book you can picture them chatting happily, reminiscing on the good and not-so-good times, pouring cups of tea and being generally pleasant people. But that's all that can be said about this book in all honesty. If, like me, you're a Roddy Doyle fan you won't get much out of this I'm afraid, as the book is narrated from start to finish by the titular couple, and Roddy is only briefly referred to in a footnote as "you."

As nice as this book is, I finished it and felt distinctly underwhelmed. It's not a book for Doyle fans as he didn't really write it (the book is merely a transcript of their taped reminiscences), nor is it a book for those who like biographies as, well, the Doyle's aren't exactly famous nor have they really done anything. My greatest feeling was that this book was written for the Doyles themselves, as an exercise in telling their story before it was too late.

So, who would really enjoy this book? I think the only people who would really get anything from this book would be those who know the Doyles, and the Doyle family themselves. As for the rest of us, let's just wait for the next volume of Doyle's "The Last Round-Up" trilogy.

A nice story about two ordinary people, 03 Nov 2003
This is a simple story about Roddy Doyles parents through a series of interviews. The author attempt to record his parents life stories into a novel is successful. His parents are just ordinary people who re-tell times of old, holidays in wexford, work life in Dublin, the buying of their first house.

It is a very good insight into Dublin - Ireland of old. Sometimes difficult to follow and the story's flow can be lost for a time when Rory or Ita minds meander. Not for everybody.

A worthy winner of the 1993 Booker Prize, 04 Jan 2009
My Mum is a born and bred Dubliner and having lived through the same generation as Roddy Doyle who himself was born in Dublin the pulls to read Doyle's "Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha" were too strong and too curious for me to ignore.

Doyle comes with a reputation of masterfully describing the Irish - when I completed the book I could only concur that such hype was entirely justified. It must be said though that an Irish background is not essential for such a read (although it might help you understand some of the Gaelic colloquialisms!) because Doyle's magnificent expression allows for the flawless portrayal of a ten year old Dublin boy struggling to comprehend the world around him as he grows up.

Doyle's writing style is unique if not masterful, for me the following line is a fine demonstration of such, it lovingly captures one of Paddy's childhood memories with which the book is scattered; "He gave me half a crown when we went to see him or when he came to see us. He once came on a bike" (p 23) Doyle's prose remains simple enough to emulate the low attention span of a ten year olds world, whilst remaining clever and yet quirky enough to hold you in the complexities of the very same domain. This fusion of styles hides away what I feel is a darker side though; the often `jumpy' narrative is perhaps representative of young Paddy's troubled mindset.

Tragically sad is the way Paddy sees himself as a referee with the ability he thinks to save his parents marriage. Doyle's graphic description reinforced the distress Paddy must have felt, "He'd hit her. Across the face; smack. I tried to imagine it. It didn't make sense. I'd heard it; he'd hit her" (p 190) I felt helpless as I read of a boy doing his best to grow into a strong and proud man whilst watching another, his father, violently loose grip on a marriage. If conflict between mother and father was not enough we see the contrasting ways in which Paddy and his brother Sinbad deal with the situation. Despite desperate pleas from Paddy to do otherwise Sinbad does his best to ignore the brutality choosing instead to implode emotionally.

Painful and bitter are the significant social repercussions of his parents agony -Paddy falls out with his friends leaving himself isolated. I was left with the unsurprising impression that Paddy craves consistency, belonging and love. Paddy sees more and more but understands less and less, he has been forced to grow up fast in a town that does not tolerate weakness; thus making the cross over from childhood into adulthood far from calm.

The title of Doyle's novel intrigued me and its deep meaning is revealed only at the very end of the book. Paddy is jeered by some local boys who laugh at him over his Mum and Dad's failed marriage - he does not give rise to the provocation. The fact he ignores the same boys he would have fought for less in his younger days displays the maturity of adulthood and I was left with the thought that it was the start of Paddy's mental fight against personal demons.

The regular and vivid description throughout read more like memoirs than imagination and I often wondered if the book was maybe semi autobiographical - that is surely tribute to Doyle's talent though. If for a couple of hours you wish to relive some of the nostalgia of being ten again then let Paddy take you on trip round Barrytown - it may make you even more thankful for your `normal' childhood. Either way it will not be long before you acknowledge Ha Ha Ha's 1993 Booker Prize winning credentials.


A tragi-comedy from 1960s Ireland, 05 Jul 2008
Written from a ten-year-old's perspective, this book will remind anyone of the fun, the pains and the misunderstandings of growing up. The star of the book is constantly asking "why", but gets no answers to find out what makes these strange adults behave as they do. Set in poorest Dublin, the adult characters struggle to make a life for themselves, while their children celebrate in the adventures of "messin". The black comedy finds highs in childhood, but eventually reflects on the challenge to sustain lasting relationships in a rapidly changing community. Barrytown is developing with the pace of change in the 1960's, and the characters tragically cannot keep up.



There are no messers in Heaven, 04 Apr 2008
Roddy Doyle was born in Dublin in 1958 and saw his first novel, "The Commitments" published in 1987. It was later adapted for the big screen, a version that saw Star Trek's Colm Meaney and a very young Andrea Corr among the cast. Doyle went on to win the Booker Prize in 1993 with "Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha".

The book is set in the 1960s Barrytown, and is told by Paddy Clarke- the eldest child of his family. Although he has a few younger sisters, it's only his younger brother Sinbad who features to any degree. He's a Manchester United supporter, and particularly idolises George Best. His chief hobbies involve playing football, and messing around with his friends on neighbouring farm and nearby building sites.

Sinbad doesn't always get a fair deal from his brother. He cries constantly, wets the bed and as a baby, he once got his head stuck in the bars of his cot. He never smiles in photos and doesn't eat his dinner - something that particularly infuriates his Paddy Sr. Despite wearing glasses with one black lens - to deal with an eye problem - he's a great dribbler on the football pitch. (Paddy and his friends used to make Sinbad be Nobby Stiles when playing football - so he stopped supporting United, and started following Liverpool).

Out of Paddy's friends, he's probably closest to Kevin Conway - though, to be honest, Kevin isn't an entirely likeable kid. James O'Keefe, for the most part, is a good deal more - deapite being, quite possibly, the biggest liar in Barrytown. O'Keefe is hated by their teacher Mister Hennessy - he even gets blamed on making noise in class when he's off sick. (Henno does appear to have a slight vindictive streak in him - in fact, he reminded me a little of a teacher I once had at secondary school). The two most likeable of Paddy's friends, however, are a pair of brothers called Liam and Aidan. The boys' mother is dead, and though their father is trying his best, he seems to be a little lost. The neighbours aren't above gossiping about him and - although they are officially part of the gang - Liam and Aidan are also on the receiving end of a fair few nasty comments. As much as Paddy loves going over to their house, even he's not immune to a touch of snobbery.

The story is told more from a child's point of view rather than by an adult looking back on things. There are some things that raised a smile - the childhood theories about Purgatory, for example - and it even inspired a touch of nostalgia sometimes. However, it's set at a time when not only is Barrytown changing, but Paddy's home life is changing dramatically too. Naturally, Paddy doesn't always understand his parents and the things they say - so it's only gradually, as the frights become more and more frequent, that you come to realise there are problems between Paddy's dad and mum. There's a certain sadness about watching Paddy grow up as the story is told, while the difference between Paddy at the book's beginning and on the book's final couple of pages is tragic. A lovely book, though very sad.

Not his best work, 28 Sep 2007
I found this book rather hard going to read as it seems to me very disjointed and doesn't flow well. The insights into childhood are great and the dialogue is cracking on the whole but somehow the lack of plot means that the book just doesn't get going. My least favourite of the Barrytown triolgy.

What the child can teach the man..., 27 Sep 2007
The Barrytown trilogy were such fantastic heart warming novels the only question left was how can Roddy Doyle follow this? With hindsight it was obvious; write `Paddy Clark, Ha, Ha, Ha'.

Paddy is a ten year old boy growing up on a new housing estate built to accommodate the urban sprawl of Dublin in 1968, this is not really his story but the story of his parents divorce seen from his perspective. The novel is written in the first person by a middle age man who somehow manages to write with all the breathless excitement and wonder of a questioning mind and an uncluttered logic which make the voice totally convincing as a ten year old. The depiction of childhood is so totally convincing it crosses cultural, regional and generation gaps to make the nostalgia for 1960's Ireland to still reverberate with 1980's England and I'm fairly confident that today's' ten year olds will find common themes should they be reading this ten years from now.

This novel was totally inspirational for me on addressing my own past and putting it into context. Paddy Clarke shows us that we are all products of our own past but that it can still be celebrated for what it was.

Oh, Play That Thing is a fast-moving picaresque sequel to Roddy Doyle's novel about the Irish War of Independence and Civil War, A Star Called Henry. On the run from his former commanders, IRA assassin Henry ends up in the USA and copes indifferently with the gang-dominated New York of the early 1920s, and the worlds of Chicago jazz and the migrant workers of the Depression. Henry is a charming chancer, and a survivor, but this does not mean that he has an especially nice time for more than moments--his own ruthless past continually returns to haunt him.

Doyle does a nice line in memorable unpleasant images--a bunch of homing pigeons swollen and dying from bathtub gin; a wooden leg smouldering unnoticed from closeness to a campfire. There's also a strong sense of the changing language of immigrants trying to belong; this is, among other things, the story of how his Irish hero learns to think and speak in the American vein. The vignettes of real people--notably Henry's friend the young Louis Armstrong--are more than just decoration. In the Depression chapters, Doyle writes powerfully about the way folklore grows up. In places, this is a jerkily structured book, but it is always a highly intelligent one. --Roz Kaveney

excellent - a must have, 16 Aug 2006
This is just a brilliant story read soooo well.
I have 3 kids were 5,7 and9 when bought- and they all love it.
Just be careful the first time you hear it if in the car- cause you may laugh so much you have to stop!

Have a laugh in the Car!!!, 02 Dec 2003
I bought the audio tape to play to my 6 year old daughter in the car on long journeys. It is difficult to figure out who enjoys it the most, and it will certainly appeal to both adults and children alike . It is absolutely hilarious, and all the better given the broad Dublin accent of Tommy Tearnan. A tape that you will play over and over again, both with the kids and without!!!Thoroughly enjoyable!!

Alright, but..., 22 Feb 2004
Rory and Ita Doyle seem like very, very nice people. As you read this book you can picture them chatting happily, reminiscing on the good and not-so-good times, pouring cups of tea and being generally pleasant people. But that's all that can be said about this book in all honesty. If, like me, you're a Roddy Doyle fan you won't get much out of this I'm afraid, as the book is narrated from start to finish by the titular couple, and Roddy is only briefly referred to in a footnote as "you."

As nice as this book is, I finished it and felt distinctly underwhelmed. It's not a book for Doyle fans as he didn't really write it (the book is merely a transcript of their taped reminiscences), nor is it a book for those who like biographies as, well, the Doyle's aren't exactly famous nor have they really done anything. My greatest feeling was that this book was written for the Doyles themselves, as an exercise in telling their story before it was too late.

So, who would really enjoy this book? I think the only people who would really get anything from this book would be those who know the Doyles, and the Doyle family themselves. As for the rest of us, let's just wait for the next volume of Doyle's "The Last Round-Up" trilogy.

A nice story about two ordinary people, 03 Nov 2003
This is a simple story about Roddy Doyles parents through a series of interviews. The author attempt to record his parents life stories into a novel is successful. His parents are just ordinary people who re-tell times of old, holidays in wexford, work life in Dublin, the buying of their first house.

It is a very good insight into Dublin - Ireland of old. Sometimes difficult to follow and the story's flow can be lost for a time when Rory or Ita minds meander. Not for everybody.

A worthy winner of the 1993 Booker Prize, 04 Jan 2009
My Mum is a born and bred Dubliner and having lived through the same generation as Roddy Doyle who himself was born in Dublin the pulls to read Doyle's "Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha" were too strong and too curious for me to ignore.

Doyle comes with a reputation of masterfully describing the Irish - when I completed the book I could only concur that such hype was entirely justified. It must be said though that an Irish background is not essential for such a read (although it might help you understand some of the Gaelic colloquialisms!) because Doyle's magnificent expression allows for the flawless portrayal of a ten year old Dublin boy struggling to comprehend the world around him as he grows up.

Doyle's writing style is unique if not masterful, for me the following line is a fine demonstration of such, it lovingly captures one of Paddy's childhood memories with which the book is scattered; "He gave me half a crown when we went to see him or when he came to see us. He once came on a bike" (p 23) Doyle's prose remains simple enough to emulate the low attention span of a ten year olds world, whilst remaining clever and yet quirky enough to hold you in the complexities of the very same domain. This fusion of styles hides away what I feel is a darker side though; the often `jumpy' narrative is perhaps representative of young Paddy's troubled mindset.

Tragically sad is the way Paddy sees himself as a referee with the ability he thinks to save his parents marriage. Doyle's graphic description reinforced the distress Paddy must have felt, "He'd hit her. Across the face; smack. I tried to imagine it. It didn't make sense. I'd heard it; he'd hit her" (p 190) I felt helpless as I read of a boy doing his best to grow into a strong and proud man whilst watching another, his father, violently loose grip on a marriage. If conflict between mother and father was not enough we see the contrasting ways in which Paddy and his brother Sinbad deal with the situation. Despite desperate pleas from Paddy to do otherwise Sinbad does his best to ignore the brutality choosing instead to implode emotionally.

Painful and bitter are the significant social repercussions of his parents agony -Paddy falls out with his friends leaving himself isolated. I was left with the unsurprising impression that Paddy craves consistency, belonging and love. Paddy sees more and more but understands less and less, he has been forced to grow up fast in a town that does not tolerate weakness; thus making the cross over from childhood into adulthood far from calm.

The title of Doyle's novel intrigued me and its deep meaning is revealed only at the very end of the book. Paddy is jeered by some local boys who laugh at him over his Mum and Dad's failed marriage - he does not give rise to the provocation. The fact he ignores the same boys he would have fought for less in his younger days displays the maturity of adulthood and I was left with the thought that it was the start of Paddy's mental fight against personal demons.

The regular and vivid description throughout read more like memoirs than imagination and I often wondered if the book was maybe semi autobiographical - that is surely tribute to Doyle's talent though. If for a couple of hours you wish to relive some of the nostalgia of being ten again then let Paddy take you on trip round Barrytown - it may make you even more thankful for your `normal' childhood. Either way it will not be long before you acknowledge Ha Ha Ha's 1993 Booker Prize winning credentials.


A tragi-comedy from 1960s Ireland, 05 Jul 2008
Written from a ten-year-old's perspective, this book will remind anyone of the fun, the pains and the misunderstandings of growing up. The star of the book is constantly asking "why", but gets no answers to find out what makes these strange adults behave as they do. Set in poorest Dublin, the adult characters struggle to make a life for themselves, while their children celebrate in the adventures of "messin". The black comedy finds highs in childhood, but eventually reflects on the challenge to sustain lasting relationships in a rapidly changing community. Barrytown is developing with the pace of change in the 1960's, and the characters tragically cannot keep up.



There are no messers in Heaven, 04 Apr 2008
Roddy Doyle was born in Dublin in 1958 and saw his first novel, "The Commitments" published in 1987. It was later adapted for the big screen, a version that saw Star Trek's Colm Meaney and a very young Andrea Corr among the cast. Doyle went on to win the Booker Prize in 1993 with "Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha".

The book is set in the 1960s Barrytown, and is told by Paddy Clarke- the eldest child of his family. Although he has a few younger sisters, it's only his younger brother Sinbad who features to any degree. He's a Manchester United supporter, and particularly idolises George Best. His chief hobbies involve playing football, and messing around with his friends on neighbouring farm and nearby building sites.

Sinbad doesn't always get a fair deal from his brother. He cries constantly, wets the bed and as a baby, he once got his head stuck in the bars of his cot. He never smiles in photos and doesn't eat his dinner - something that particularly infuriates his Paddy Sr. Despite wearing glasses with one black lens - to deal with an eye problem - he's a great dribbler on the football pitch. (Paddy and his friends used to make Sinbad be Nobby Stiles when playing football - so he stopped supporting United, and started following Liverpool).

Out of Paddy's friends, he's probably closest to Kevin Conway - though, to be honest, Kevin isn't an entirely likeable kid. James O'Keefe, for the most part, is a good deal more - deapite being, quite possibly, the biggest liar in Barrytown. O'Keefe is hated by their teacher Mister Hennessy - he even gets blamed on making noise in class when he's off sick. (Henno does appear to have a slight vindictive streak in him - in fact, he reminded me a little of a teacher I once had at secondary school). The two most likeable of Paddy's friends, however, are a pair of brothers called Liam and Aidan. The boys' mother is dead, and though their father is trying his best, he seems to be a little lost. The neighbours aren't above gossiping about him and - although they are officially part of the gang - Liam and Aidan are also on the receiving end of a fair few nasty comments. As much as Paddy loves going over to their house, even he's not immune to a touch of snobbery.

The story is told more from a child's point of view rather than by an adult looking back on things. There are some things that raised a smile - the childhood theories about Purgatory, for example - and it even inspired a touch of nostalgia sometimes. However, it's set at a time when not only is Barrytown changing, but Paddy's home life is changing dramatically too. Naturally, Paddy doesn't always understand his parents and the things they say - so it's only gradually, as the frights become more and more frequent, that you come to realise there are problems between Paddy's dad and mum. There's a certain sadness about watching Paddy grow up as the story is told, while the difference between Paddy at the book's beginning and on the book's final couple of pages is tragic. A lovely book, though very sad.

Not his best work, 28 Sep 2007
I found this book rather hard going to read as it seems to me very disjointed and doesn't flow well. The insights into childhood are great and the dialogue is cracking on the whole but somehow the lack of plot means that the book just doesn't get going. My least favourite of the Barrytown triolgy.

What the child can teach the man..., 27 Sep 2007
The Barrytown trilogy were such fantastic heart warming novels the only question left was how can Roddy Doyle follow this? With hindsight it was obvious; write `Paddy Clark, Ha, Ha, Ha'.

Paddy is a ten year old boy growing up on a new housing estate built to accommodate the urban sprawl of Dublin in 1968, this is not really his story but the story of his parents divorce seen from his perspective. The novel is written in the first person by a middle age man who somehow manages to write with all the breathless excitement and wonder of a questioning mind and an uncluttered logic which make the voice totally convincing as a ten year old. The depiction of childhood is so totally convincing it crosses cultural, regional and generation gaps to make the nostalgia for 1960's Ireland to still reverberate with 1980's England and I'm fairly confident that today's' ten year olds will find common themes should they be reading this ten years from now.

This novel was totally inspirational for me on addressing my own past and putting it into context. Paddy Clarke shows us that we are all products of our own past but that it can still be celebrated for what it was.


Very Disappointing, 24 Apr 2007
Couldn't wait to read this as A Star Called Henry was soooooooooo brilliant and, indeed it starts well. Henry is escaping from Ireland and eventually arrives in NY and history comes alive...this is NY as it must have been. However, from that point on the story gets lost. The plot becomes unbelievable. I suppose, in the end, if you enjoyed the first book it's worth reading just for the first few chapters....disappointing

Somewhat disappointing, 10 Apr 2007
The first book of the series, A Star Called Henry, was a brilliant book. The pace was fast, the story was gripping and, most importantly, it all fitted together. From cover to cover, the story flowed perfectly, taking you on a fascinating journey, on which you learn much about history as you develop along with the character.

Unfortunately, this book didn't rise to that level. Having read the first of the series, you expect a continuation of that interesting journey. And although you get a journey of sorts, it is not the one of discovery of the world and Henry himself you hope for. The story is quite disjointed, the various episodes don't really hang together that well. Some of the various stages Henry goes through are even a bit superfluous.

You, much like Henry himself, don't really know where the story is going to, often taking bizarre turnings. I found this a bit disappointing, as in the first book the sense of direction was clear. On a few occassion I came across points which would've made nice endings, but due to some incredulous plot twist, the book would continue.

Lastly, Henry remains a bit of a flat character, developing little. He makes the same mistakes again and again. You're wanting him to move on, as similar story lines continue to repeat themselves. This doesn't make for a very interesting read. In the end I wanted to know how it would finish, but I found myself skipping over large sections, desperate for an ending.

Dissapointing, 28 Jan 2007
I have to admit, I didnt get any where near the end of this book, and so you may think I am not the best to give a review!

The reasno for not finishing is that, although I found the story intriguing, and the characters likewise, I found the style hard to get on with. It was not what I expected from Doyle, either, and was not similar in style to his previous novels...

All that Jazz, 15 Nov 2005
It's easy to criticise ambitious literature because it extends itself, asks you to take a leap, to commit more than other books to the journey. If you are willing to leave yourself at the front cover and dive right in then this book is for you. A book like this, writing like this, has no flaws, Doyle creates a way of storytelling all of his own, animating history with such enthusiasm that it leaps off the page and slaps you across the face. Just enjoy the ride.

A poor sequel, 11 Oct 2005
Doyle's previous novel "A star Called Henry" was a superb book - probably the first to look at what has now become a very romantacised period in Irish history from a realistic and authentic point of view. The formula of combining actual historical figures with the swaggering innonence and bravado of Henry Smart - patriot, hitman,lover and romantic - made for a highly entertaining sweep through the story of the emerging Irish state in the early part of the last century. It exposed much of the revisionism which has since taken place about that period in Irish history, which up to now has been taught in Irish schools as a glorious period.

Unfortunately, the same formula applied to Henry Smart's continuing adventures in the america of the 1920s and 1930s does not work as well. Apart from the fact that this approach has been overdone from Ragtime onwards, large tracts of the story are incredulous - bordering on the bizarre, if not the ridiculous (sudden escapes from the jaws of death etc). Having moved on from courting Louis Armstrong to Dutch Schulz and a host of further legendary figures of the period, there are further plot twists (e.g the Bonnie and Clyde and Holywood movies episodes) which seem to drawn their inspiration from Woody Allen's Zelig (and that was a comedy movie). On top of this, the dialogue is stilted and is difficult to read.

Roddy, on this occasion, has bitten off too much to make for a decent book. Hopefully, there is not another sequel.

excellent - a must have, 16 Aug 2006
This is just a brilliant story read soooo well.
I have 3 kids were 5,7 and9 when bought- and they all love it.
Just be careful the first time you hear it if in the car- cause you may laugh so much you have to stop!

Have a laugh in the Car!!!, 02 Dec 2003
I bought the audio tape to play to my 6 year old daughter in the car on long journeys. It is difficult to figure out who enjoys it the most, and it will certainly appeal to both adults and children alike . It is absolutely hilarious, and all the better given the broad Dublin accent of Tommy Tearnan. A tape that you will play over and over again, both with the kids and without!!!Thoroughly enjoyable!!

Alright, but..., 22 Feb 2004
Rory and Ita Doyle seem like very, very nice people. As you read this book you can picture them chatting happily, reminiscing on the good and not-so-good times, pouring cups of tea and being generally pleasant people. But that's all that can be said about this book in all honesty. If, like me, you're a Roddy Doyle fan you won't get much out of this I'm afraid, as the book is narrated from start to finish by the titular couple, and Roddy is only briefly referred to in a footnote as "you."

As nice as this book is, I finished it and felt distinctly underwhelmed. It's not a book for Doyle fans as he didn't really write it (the book is merely a transcript of their taped reminiscences), nor is it a book for those who like biographies as, well, the Doyle's aren't exactly famous nor have they really done anything. My greatest feeling was that this book was written for the Doyles themselves, as an exercise in telling their story before it was too late.

So, who would really enjoy this book? I think the only people who would really get anything from this book would be those who know the Doyles, and the Doyle family themselves. As for the rest of us, let's just wait for the next volume of Doyle's "The Last Round-Up" trilogy.

A nice story about two ordinary people, 03 Nov 2003
This is a simple story about Roddy Doyles parents through a series of interviews. The author attempt to record his parents life stories into a novel is successful. His parents are just ordinary people who re-tell times of old, holidays in wexford, work life in Dublin, the buying of their first house.

It is a very good insight into Dublin - Ireland of old. Sometimes difficult to follow and the story's flow can be lost for a time when Rory or Ita minds meander. Not for everybody.

A worthy winner of the 1993 Booker Prize, 04 Jan 2009
My Mum is a born and bred Dubliner and having lived through the same generation as Roddy Doyle who himself was born in Dublin the pulls to read Doyle's "Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha" were too strong and too curious for me to ignore.

Doyle comes with a reputation of masterfully describing the Irish - when I completed the book I could only concur that such hype was entirely justified. It must be said though that an Irish background is not essential for such a read (although it might help you understand some of the Gaelic colloquialisms!) because Doyle's magnificent expression allows for the flawless portrayal of a ten year old Dublin boy struggling to comprehend the world around him as he grows up.

Doyle's writing style is unique if not masterful, for me the following line is a fine demonstration of such, it lovingly captures one of Paddy's childhood memories with which the book is scattered; "He gave me half a crown when we went to see him or when he came to see us. He once came on a bike" (p 23) Doyle's prose remains simple enough to emulate the low attention span of a ten year olds world, whilst remaining clever and yet quirky enough to hold you in the complexities of the very same domain. This fusion of styles hides away what I feel is a darker side though; the often `jumpy' narrative is perhaps representative of young Paddy's troubled mindset.

Tragically sad is the way Paddy sees himself as a referee with the ability he thinks to save his parents marriage. Doyle's graphic description reinforced the distress Paddy must have felt, "He'd hit her. Across the face; smack. I tried to imagine it. It didn't make sense. I'd heard it; he'd hit her" (p 190) I felt helpless as I read of a boy doing his best to grow into a strong and proud man whilst watching another, his father, violently loose grip on a marriage. If conflict between mother and father was not enough we see the contrasting ways in which Paddy and his brother Sinbad deal with the situation. Despite desperate pleas from Paddy to do otherwise Sinbad does his best to ignore the brutality choosing instead to implode emotionally.

Painful and bitter are the significant social repercussions of his parents agony -Paddy falls out with his friends leaving himself isolated. I was left with the unsurprising impression that Paddy craves consistency, belonging and love. Paddy sees more and more but understands less and less, he has been forced to grow up fast in a town that does not tolerate weakness; thus making the cross over from childhood into adulthood far from calm.

The title of Doyle's novel intrigued me and its deep meaning is revealed only at the very end of the book. Paddy is jeered by some local boys who laugh at him over his Mum and Dad's failed marriage - he does not give rise to the provocation. The fact he ignores the same boys he would have fought for less in his younger days displays the maturity of adulthood and I was left with the thought that it was the start of Paddy's mental fight against personal demons.

The regular and vivid description throughout read more like memoirs than imagination and I often wondered if the book was maybe semi autobiographical - that is surely tribute to Doyle's talent though. If for a couple of hours you wish to relive some of the nostalgia of being ten again then let Paddy take you on trip round Barrytown - it may make you even more thankful for your `normal' childhood. Either way it will not be long before you acknowledge Ha Ha Ha's 1993 Booker Prize winning credentials.


A tragi-comedy from 1960s Ireland, 05 Jul 2008
Written from a ten-year-old's perspective, this book will remind anyone of the fun, the pains and the misunderstandings of growing up. The star of the book is constantly asking "why", but gets no answers to find out what makes these strange adults behave as they do. Set in poorest Dublin, the adult characters struggle to make a life for themselves, while their children celebrate in the adventures of "messin". The black comedy finds highs in childhood, but eventually reflects on the challenge to sustain lasting relationships in a rapidly changing community. Barrytown is developing with the pace of change in the 1960's, and the characters tragically cannot keep up.



There are no messers in Heaven, 04 Apr 2008
Roddy Doyle was born in Dublin in 1958 and saw his first novel, "The Commitments" published in 1987. It was later adapted for the big screen, a version that saw Star Trek's Colm Meaney and a very young Andrea Corr among the cast. Doyle went on to win the Booker Prize in 1993 with "Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha".

The book is set in the 1960s Barrytown, and is told by Paddy Clarke- the eldest child of his family. Although he has a few younger sisters, it's only his younger brother Sinbad who features to any degree. He's a Manchester United supporter, and particularly idolises George Best. His chief hobbies involve playing football, and messing around with his friends on neighbouring farm and nearby building sites.

Sinbad doesn't always get a fair deal from his brother. He cries constantly, wets the bed and as a baby, he once got his head stuck in the bars of his cot. He never smiles in photos and doesn't eat his dinner - something that particularly infuriates his Paddy Sr. Despite wearing glasses with one black lens - to deal with an eye problem - he's a great dribbler on the football pitch. (Paddy and his friends used to make Sinbad be Nobby Stiles when playing football - so he stopped supporting United, and started following Liverpool).

Out of Paddy's friends, he's probably closest to Kevin Conway - though, to be honest, Kevin isn't an entirely likeable kid. James O'Keefe, for the most part, is a good deal more - deapite being, quite possibly, the biggest liar in Barrytown. O'Keefe is hated by their teacher Mister Hennessy - he even gets blamed on making noise in class when he's off sick. (Henno does appear to have a slight vindictive streak in him - in fact, he reminded me a little of a teacher I once had at secondary school). The two most likeable of Paddy's friends, however, are a pair of brothers called Liam and Aidan. The boys' mother is dead, and though their father is trying his best, he seems to be a little lost. The neighbours aren't above gossiping about him and - although they are officially part of the gang - Liam and Aidan are also on the receiving end of a fair few nasty comments. As much as Paddy loves going over to their house, even he's not immune to a touch of snobbery.

The story is told more from a child's point of view rather than by an adult looking back on things. There are some things that raised a smile - the childhood theories about Purgatory, for example - and it even inspired a touch of nostalgia sometimes. However, it's set at a time when not only is Barrytown changing, but Paddy's home life is changing dramatically too. Naturally, Paddy doesn't always understand his parents and the things they say - so it's only gradually, as the frights become more and more frequent, that you come to realise there are problems between Paddy's dad and mum. There's a certain sadness about watching Paddy grow up as the story is told, while the difference between Paddy at the book's beginning and on the book's final couple of pages is tragic. A lovely book, though very sad.

Not his best work, 28 Sep 2007
I found this book rather hard going to read as it seems to me very disjointed and doesn't flow well. The insights into childhood are great and the dialogue is cracking on the whole but somehow the lack of plot means that the book just doesn't get going. My least favourite of the Barrytown triolgy.

What the child can teach the man..., 27 Sep 2007
The Barrytown trilogy were such fantastic heart warming novels the only question left was how can Roddy Doyle follow this? With hindsight it was obvious; write `Paddy Clark, Ha, Ha, Ha'.

Paddy is a ten year old boy growing up on a new housing estate built to accommodate the urban sprawl of Dublin in 1968, this is not really his story but the story of his parents divorce seen from his perspective. The novel is written in the first person by a middle age man who somehow manages to write with all the breathless excitement and wonder of a questioning mind and an uncluttered logic which make the voice totally convincing as a ten year old. The depiction of childhood is so totally convincing it crosses cultural, regional and generation gaps to make the nostalgia for 1960's Ireland to still reverberate with 1980's England and I'm fairly confident that today's' ten year olds will find common themes should they be reading this ten years from now.

This novel was totally inspirational for me on addressing my own past and putting it into context. Paddy Clarke shows us that we are all products of our own past but that it can still be celebrated for what it was.


Very Disappointing, 24 Apr 2007
Couldn't wait to read this as A Star Called Henry was soooooooooo brilliant and, indeed it starts well. Henry is escaping from Ireland and eventually arrives in NY and history comes alive...this is NY as it must have been. However, from that point on the story gets lost. The plot becomes unbelievable. I suppose, in the end, if you enjoyed the first book it's worth reading just for the first few chapters....disappointing

Somewhat disappointing, 10 Apr 2007
The first book of the series, A Star Called Henry, was a brilliant book. The pace was fast, the story was gripping and, most importantly, it all fitted together. From cover to cover, the story flowed perfectly, taking you on a fascinating journey, on which you learn much about history as you develop along with the character.

Unfortunately, this book didn't rise to that level. Having read the first of the series, you expect a continuation of that interesting journey. And although you get a journey of sorts, it is not the one of discovery of the world and Henry himself you hope for. The story is quite disjointed, the various episodes don't really hang together that well. Some of the various stages Henry goes through are even a bit superfluous.

You, much like Henry himself, don't really know where the story is going to, often taking bizarre turnings. I found this a bit disappointing, as in the first book the sense of direction was clear. On a few occassion I came across points which would've made nice endings, but due to some incredulous plot twist, the book would continue.

Lastly, Henry remains a bit of a flat character, developing little. He makes the same mistakes again and again. You're wanting him to move on, as similar story lines continue to repeat themselves. This doesn't make for a very interesting read. In the end I wanted to know how it would finish, but I found myself skipping over large sections, desperate for an ending.

Dissapointing, 28 Jan 2007
I have to admit, I didnt get any where near the end of this book, and so you may think I am not the best to give a review!

The reasno for not finishing is that, although I found the story intriguing, and the characters likewise, I found the style hard to get on with. It was not what I expected from Doyle, either, and was not similar in style to his previous novels...

All that Jazz, 15 Nov 2005
It's easy to criticise ambitious literature because it extends itself, asks you to take a leap, to commit more than other books to the journey. If you are willing to leave yourself at the front cover and dive right in then this book is for you. A book like this, writing like this, has no flaws, Doyle creates a way of storytelling all of his own, animating history with such enthusiasm that it leaps off the page and slaps you across the face. Just enjoy the ride.

A poor sequel, 11 Oct 2005
Doyle's previous novel "A star Called Henry" was a superb book - probably the first to look at what has now become a very romantacised period in Irish history from a realistic and authentic point of view. The formula of combining actual historical figures with the swaggering innonence and bravado of Henry Smart - patriot, hitman,lover and romantic - made for a highly entertaining sweep through the story of the emerging Irish state in the early part of the last century. It exposed much of the revisionism which has since taken place about that period in Irish history, which up to now has been taught in Irish schools as a glorious period.

Unfortunately, the same formula applied to Henry Smart's continuing adventures in the america of the 1920s and 1930s does not work as well. Apart from the fact that this approach has been overdone from Ragtime onwards, large tracts of the story are incredulous - bordering on the bizarre, if not the ridiculous (sudden escapes from the jaws of death etc). Having moved on from courting Louis Armstrong to Dutch Schulz and a host of further legendary figures of the period, there are further plot twists (e.g the Bonnie and Clyde and Holywood movies episodes) which seem to drawn their inspiration from Woody Allen's Zelig (and that was a comedy movie). On top of this, the dialogue is stilted and is difficult to read.

Roddy, on this occasion, has bitten off too much to make for a decent book. Hopefully, there is not another sequel.

Very Powerful., 19 Feb 2008
I have not read any other Roddy Doyle. I tried to read Paddy Clarke Ha Ha but couldn't. But this book stayed with me in a way that not many do. I have never before read a book written by a man where he writes as a woman character in the first person... and what is so profoundly good about this is that I completely forgot that the book was written by a man, that I really felt that I was getting inside the character and she was so real. I became so involved that I had such a strong emotional reaction to the events and the characters. I have read a lot, but I would always put this on my list of top ten books I have ever read. I found it hard afterwards to read something else because I started several and they all seemed so petty and shallow in comparison.

The dark side of Barrytown., 28 Sep 2007
The Barrytown trilogy and `Paddy Clark, Ha, Ha, Ha' were the greatest feel good comedies to come out of Ireland and `The Van' and `Paddy Clark, Ha, Ha, Ha' were respectively and justifiably nominated for and awarded the Booker Prize. So the question was where next? Roddy didn't leave Barrytown for his next project but showed us it's seedier underbelly in the dark and harrowing TV show `Family'. This introduced us to the Spencer family with its domestic violence and abuse. Each episode focussed on a member of the family, Charlo, John-Paul, Leanne and Paula `The Woman Who Walked into Doors.'

Although grim `Family' didn't quite prepare us for `The Woman Who Walked into Doors' which was quite a departure for Roddy. As with `Paddy Clarke, Ha, Ha, Ha' the book is written in the first person and again the form was a complete success with Paula's voice being totally convincing. That Paddy Clarke, a ten year old boy, could be brought to life by a middle aged man was a testament to Roddy Doyle's talent but that he could give voice to an alcoholic working class woman in an abusive relationship is quite unbelievable. Literature is littered with talented male writers who's writing of women parts is two dimensional and unconvincing, so to tackle this is the first person and with such emotive subject matter was a huge risk. Fortunately it succeeded and the book is a triumph as indeed in Paula's part in the battle of life.

The story works well within the form switching from childhood, adolescence and different stages of the marriage to allow the reader to piece the story together but still not prepare them for the ending of the book. I was so impressed with this form that when I decided on the subject matter of my own novel I used it as the template to tell a very different story.

When I first read `The Woman Who Walked into Doors' I didn't know how Roddy Doyle could follow `Paddy Clarke, Ha, Ha, Ha', I certainly had no idea it would be possible to better it.


"He gave me a choice--right or left. I chose left, and he broke the little finger on my left hand.", 30 Apr 2007
Written in 1996, this "prequel" to 2007's Paula Spencer, tells of Paula's life from her teen years to her passionate relationship with Charlo Spencer. Part of a family of robbers, Charlo is an exciting man who makes her feel alive and gives her a sense of selfhood. Booker Prize-winner Doyle crafts a dramatic first-person narrative told by Paula, who leaves her rigid home and unsympathetic father to marry Charlo, a man her father disapproves of. Their passionate relationship and remarkable sense of communication vanish when Paula becomes pregnant with the first of their four children. Gradually, Paula finds solace in alcohol, as Charlo becomes an absentee husband and father and eventually a philandering wife-abuser.

Paula begins her story in the present, with Charlo's death--shot by the police after he has murdered a woman during a robbery--then develops the story through her reminiscences about both the good and the bad times. As she relives her courtship and early marriage and explores her early past and her more recent past,, she also tells us about her present battle with alcohol. She regrets that Nicola, her teenage daughter is responsible for the family on many occasions, since Paula works nights cleaning offices and then returns home wanting only to tell Jack a bedtime story and then abandon herself to drink.

As the story of her abuse evolves, the reader is privy to Paula's innermost conflicts. Though she knows that "I lost all my friends--and most of my teeth," she also bemoans the fact that "he beat me brainless and I felt guilty." The tendency of abuse victims to blame themselves, especially when their love has been as great as that of Paula and Charlo, explains Paula's comment that "for seventeen years I was brainwashed and brain dead." She knows that she has made her children suffer, not only because of her abuse but because of her alcoholism, but she has been powerless to change until in one violent moment, she sends Charlo out of the house and determines to live her life on her own.

Doyle's ability to structure a novel such as this one, which moves from immediate present into recent and then distant past, providing important information about character in the process, brings this dramatic novel to life. His trademark humor is subdued here in favor of the ironies of Paula's life. This is a far more serious novel that the Barrytown Trilogy--more in keeping with the Booker Prize-winning Paddy Clark, Ha, Ha, Ha, an equally sad story of a deteriorating marriage from the point of view of a ten-year-old boy. This poignant novel is ultimately a celebration of the human spirit as Paula determines to take control of her life and to provide a family for her children. Mary Whipple

The Days of Paula Spencer, 26 Feb 2007
Roddy Doyle was born in Dublin in 1958 and saw his first novel, "The Commitments" published in 1987. It was later adapted for the big screen, a version that saw Star Trek's Colm Meaney and a very young Andrea Corr among the cast. Doyle went on to win the Booker Prize in 1993 with "Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha". This is his sixth novel and was first published in 1996.

"The Woman Who Walked Into Doors" is set in Dublin and is told by Paula Spencer, a woman in her late thirties. Both Paula's parents are dead, while only two of her siblings `appear' in the book - her sisters, Carmel and Denise. She did have another sister, Wendy, who died in a motorbike accident, while her brothers - Roger, Edward and George - are only ever mentioned in passing. Paula's relationship with her father had once been good, though it seemed to have deteriorated as time went on. [...]. Paula, meanwhile, hasn't Roger in years, and isn't particularly bothered about it - theirs was another difficult relationship.

However, it's Paula's relationship with her husband, Charlo, that's central to the book. They have been separated for over a year as the book opens - though they are still technically, married. They couple had four children together, three of whom still live with Paula. (She hasn't seen her eldest son, John-Paul, in quite some time: she last heard of him squatting in some flats and suspects he's on heroin). She works as a cleaner, just about earns enough to make ends meet and is an alcoholic. As if all that isn't enough, the book opens with the arrival of a policeman at her front door to inform her of Charlo's death. Paula spends the book looking back over her life in general and her time with Charlo in particular.

While it isn't always a very cheerful book, Paula's story isn't one that will leave you feeling depressed. She proves to be a character you want the best for and, not only does she manage to raise a smile from time to time, she also manages to leave you with a bit of hope. Absolutely recommended.

So True To Life, 07 May 2006
This book had me in tears.....the complete loss of personal identity was so beautifully captured. I honestly found it hard to believe that it wasn't written by a woman who has lived through domestic violence.....and the humour was spot on too!

The habit of murder becomes a hard one to break; the hero of Roddy Doyle's novel of the Irish War of Independence, like his father before him, kills to order and kills in cold blood. Where his father was simply the one-legged bouncer at a brothel, whose employers used him for any killing that needs to be done, Henry has motives. Growing up on the street, taught his letters by James Connolly, he believes in not just Irish freedom, but workers' revolution. He learns the hard way that his pious middle-class masters do not have this in mind.

A Star Called Henry--passionate, angry, darkly and wildly comic--has something in it to offend everybody. His stirring, deeply anti-romantic, account of the siege of the Dublin Post Office during the Easter Rising is remarkable, but hardly less so is his account of life on the Dublin docks, or Henry's treks around the countryside as one of Michael Collins' hard men, teaching guerrilla warfare to dairy farmers and clerks. The love affair between Henry and his equally blood-thirsty teacher and wife Miss O'Shea is sweet and touching. The first volume of a trilogy, this is a radical departure for Doyle, and a stunning success. --Roz Kaveney, Amazon.co.uk

excellent - a must have, 16 Aug 2006
This is just a brilliant story read soooo well.
I have 3 kids were 5,7 and9 when bought- and they all love it.
Just be careful the first time you hear it if in the car- cause you may laugh so much you have to stop!

Have a laugh in the Car!!!, 02 Dec 2003
I bought the audio tape to play to my 6 year old daughter in the car on long journeys. It is difficult to figure out who enjoys it the most, and it will certainly appeal to both adults and children alike . It is absolutely hilarious, and all the better given the broad Dublin accent of Tommy Tearnan. A tape that you will play over and over again, both with the kids and without!!!Thoroughly enjoyable!!

Alright, but..., 22 Feb 2004
Rory and Ita Doyle seem like very, very nice people. As you read this book you can picture them chatting happily, reminiscing on the good and not-so-good times, pouring cups of tea and being generally pleasant people. But that's all that can be said about this book in all honesty. If, like me, you're a Roddy Doyle fan you won't get much out of this I'm afraid, as the book is narrated from start to finish by the titular couple, and Roddy is only briefly referred to in a footnote as "you."

As nice as this book is, I finished it and felt distinctly underwhelmed. It's not a book for Doyle fans as he didn't really write it (the book is merely a transcript of their taped reminiscences), nor is it a book for those who like biographies as, well, the Doyle's aren't exactly famous nor have they really done anything. My greatest feeling was that this book was written for the Doyles themselves, as an exercise in telling their story before it was too late.

So, who would really enjoy this book? I think the only people who would really get anything from this book would be those who know the Doyles, and the Doyle family themselves. As for the rest of us, let's just wait for the next volume of Doyle's "The Last Round-Up" trilogy.

A nice story about two ordinary people, 03 Nov 2003
This is a simple story about Roddy Doyles parents through a series of interviews. The author attempt to record his parents life stories into a novel is successful. His parents are just ordinary people who re-tell times of old, holidays in wexford, work life in Dublin, the buying of their first house.

It is a very good insight into Dublin - Ireland of old. Sometimes difficult to follow and the story's flow can be lost for a time when Rory or Ita minds meander. Not for everybody.

A worthy winner of the 1993 Booker Prize, 04 Jan 2009
My Mum is a born and bred Dubliner and having lived through the same generation as Roddy Doyle who himself was born in Dublin the pulls to read Doyle's "Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha" were too strong and too curious for me to ignore.

Doyle comes with a reputation of masterfully describing the Irish - when I completed the book I could only concur that such hype was entirely justified. It must be said though that an Irish background is not essential for such a read (although it might help you understand some of the Gaelic colloquialisms!) because Doyle's magnificent expression allows for the flawless portrayal of a ten year old Dublin boy struggling to comprehend the world around him as he grows up.

Doyle's writing style is unique if not masterful, for me the following line is a fine demonstration of such, it lovingly captures one of Paddy's childhood memories with which the book is scattered; "He gave me half a crown when we went to see him or when he came to see us. He once came on a bike" (p 23) Doyle's prose remains simple enough to emulate the low attention span of a ten year olds world, whilst remaining clever and yet quirky enough to hold you in the complexities of the very same domain. This fusion of styles hides away what I feel is a darker side though; the often `jumpy' narrative is perhaps representative of young Paddy's troubled mindset.

Tragically sad is the way Paddy sees himself as a referee with the ability he thinks to save his parents marriage. Doyle's graphic description reinforced the distress Paddy must have felt, "He'd hit her. Across the face; smack. I tried to imagine it. It didn't make sense. I'd heard it; he'd hit her" (p 190) I felt helpless as I read of a boy doing his best to grow into a strong and proud man whilst watching another, his father, violently loose grip on a marriage. If conflict between mother and father was not enough we see the contrasting ways in which Paddy and his brother Sinbad deal with the situation. Despite desperate pleas from Paddy to do otherwise Sinbad does his best to ignore the brutality choosing instead to implode emotionally.

Painful and bitter are the significant social repercussions of his parents agony -Paddy falls out with his friends leaving himself isolated. I was left with the unsurprising impression that Paddy craves consistency, belonging and love. Paddy sees more and more but understands less and less, he has been forced to grow up fast in a town that does not tolerate weakness; thus making the cross over from childhood into adulthood far from calm.

The title of Doyle's novel intrigued me and its deep meaning is revealed only at the very end of the book. Paddy is jeered by some local boys who laugh at him over his Mum and Dad's failed marriage - he does not give rise to the provocation. The fact he ignores the same boys he would have fought for less in his younger days displays the maturity of adulthood and I was left with the thought that it was the start of Paddy's mental fight against personal demons.

The regular and vivid description throughout read more like memoirs than imagination and I often wondered if the book was maybe semi autobiographical - that is surely tribute to Doyle's talent though. If for a couple of hours you wish to relive some of the nostalgia of being ten again then let Paddy take you on trip round Barrytown - it may make you even more thankful for your `normal' childhood. Either way it will not be long before you acknowledge Ha Ha Ha's 1993 Booker Prize winning credentials.


A tragi-comedy from 1960s Ireland, 05 Jul 2008
Written from a ten-year-old's perspective, this book will remind anyone of the fun, the pains and the misunderstandings of growing up. The star of the book is constantly asking "why", but gets no answers to find out what makes these strange adults behave as they do. Set in poorest Dublin, the adult characters struggle to make a life for themselves, while their children celebrate in the adventures of "messin". The black comedy finds highs in childhood, but eventually reflects on the challenge to sustain lasting relationships in a rapidly changing community. Barrytown is developing with the pace of change in the 1960's, and the characters tragically cannot keep up.



There are no messers in Heaven, 04 Apr 2008
Roddy Doyle was born in Dublin in 1958 and saw his first novel, "The Commitments" published in 1987. It was later adapted for the big screen, a version that saw Star Trek's Colm Meaney and a very young Andrea Corr among the cast. Doyle went on to win the Booker Prize in 1993 with "Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha".

The book is set in the 1960s Barrytown, and is told by Paddy Clarke- the eldest child of his family. Although he has a few younger sisters, it's only his younger brother Sinbad who features to any degree. He's a Manchester United supporter, and particularly idolises George Best. His chief hobbies involve playing football, and messing around with his friends on neighbouring farm and nearby building sites.

Sinbad doesn't always get a fair deal from his brother. He cries constantly, wets the bed and as a baby, he once got his head stuck in the bars of his cot. He never smiles in photos and doesn't eat his dinner - something that particularly infuriates his Paddy Sr. Despite wearing glasses with one black lens - to deal with an eye problem - he's a great dribbler on the football pitch. (Paddy and his friends used to make Sinbad be Nobby Stiles when playing football - so he stopped supporting United, and started following Liverpool).

Out of Paddy's friends, he's probably closest to Kevin Conway - though, to be honest, Kevin isn't an entirely likeable kid. James O'Keefe, for the most part, is a good deal more - deapite being, quite possibly, the biggest liar in Barrytown. O'Keefe is hated by their teacher Mister Hennessy - he even gets blamed on making noise in class when he's off sick. (Henno does appear to have a slight vindictive streak in him - in fact, he reminded me a little of a teacher I once had at secondary school). The two most likeable of Paddy's friends, however, are a pair of brothers called Liam and Aidan. The boys' mother is dead, and though their father is trying his best, he seems to be a little lost. The neighbours aren't above gossiping about him and - although they are officially part of the gang - Liam and Aidan are also on the receiving end of a fair few nasty comments. As much as Paddy loves going over to their house, even he's not immune to a touch of snobbery.

The story is told more from a child's point of view rather than by an adult looking back on things. There are some things that raised a smile - the childhood theories about Purgatory, for example - and it even inspired a touch of nostalgia sometimes. However, it's set at a time when not only is Barrytown changing, but Paddy's home life is changing dramatically too. Naturally, Paddy doesn't always understand his parents and the things they say - so it's only gradually, as the frights become more and more frequent, that you come to realise there are problems between Paddy's dad and mum. There's a certain sadness about watching Paddy grow up as the story is told, while the difference between Paddy at the book's beginning and on the book's final couple of pages is tragic. A lovely book, though very sad.

Not his best work, 28 Sep 2007
I found this book rather hard going to read as it seems to me very disjointed and doesn't flow well. The insights into childhood are great and the dialogue is cracking on the whole but somehow the lack of plot means that the book just doesn't get going. My least favourite of the Barrytown triolgy.

What the child can teach the man..., 27 Sep 2007
The Barrytown trilogy were such fantastic heart warming novels the only question left was how can Roddy Doyle follow this? With hindsight it was obvious; write `Paddy Clark, Ha, Ha, Ha'.

Paddy is a ten year old boy growing up on a new housing estate built to accommodate the urban sprawl of Dublin in 1968, this is not really his story but the story of his parents divorce seen from his perspective. The novel is written in the first person by a middle age man who somehow manages to write with all the breathless excitement and wonder of a questioning mind and an uncluttered logic which make the voice totally convincing as a ten year old. The depiction of childhood is so totally convincing it crosses cultural, regional and generation gaps to make the nostalgia for 1960's Ireland to still reverberate with 1980's England and I'm fairly confident that today's' ten year olds will find common themes should they be reading this ten years from now.

This novel was totally inspirational for me on addressing my own past and putting it into context. Paddy Clarke shows us that we are all products of our own past but that it can still be celebrated for what it was.


Very Disappointing, 24 Apr 2007
Couldn't wait to read this as A Star Called Henry was soooooooooo brilliant and, indeed it starts well. Henry is escaping from Ireland and eventually arrives in NY and history comes alive...this is NY as it must have been. However, from that point on the story gets lost. The plot becomes unbelievable. I suppose, in the end, if you enjoyed the first book it's worth reading just for the first few chapters....disappointing

Somewhat disappointing, 10 Apr 2007
The first book of the series, A Star Called Henry, was a brilliant book. The pace was fast, the story was gripping and, most importantly, it all fitted together. From cover to cover, the story flowed perfectly, taking you on a fascinating journey, on which you learn much about history as you develop along with the character.

Unfortunately, this book didn't rise to that level. Having read the first of the series, you expect a continuation of that interesting journey. And although you get a journey of sorts, it is not the one of discovery of the world and Henry himself you hope for. The story is quite disjointed, the various episodes don't really hang together that well. Some of the various stages Henry goes through are even a bit superfluous.

You, much like Henry himself, don't really know where the story is going to, often taking bizarre turnings. I found this a bit disappointing, as in the first book the sense of direction was clear. On a few occassion I came across points which would've made nice endings, but due to some incredulous plot twist, the book would continue.

Lastly, Henry remains a bit of a flat character, developing little. He makes the same mistakes again and again. You're wanting him to move on, as similar story lines continue to repeat themselves. This doesn't make for a very interesting read. In the end I wanted to know how it would finish, but I found myself skipping over large sections, desperate for an ending.

Dissapointing, 28 Jan 2007
I have to admit, I didnt get any where near the end of this book, and so you may think I am not the best to give a review!

The reasno for not finishing is that, although I found the story intriguing, and the characters likewise, I found the style hard to get on with. It was not what I expected from Doyle, either, and was not similar in style to his previous novels...

All that Jazz, 15 Nov 2005
It's easy to criticise ambitious literature because it extends itself, asks you to take a leap, to commit more than other books to the journey. If you are willing to leave yourself at the front cover and dive right in then this book is for you. A book like this, writing like this, has no flaws, Doyle creates a way of storytelling all of his own, animating history with such enthusiasm that it leaps off the page and slaps you across the face. Just enjoy the ride.

A poor sequel, 11 Oct 2005
Doyle's previous novel "A star Called Henry" was a superb book - probably the first to look at what has now become a very romantacised period in Irish history from a realistic and authentic point of view. The formula of combining actual historical figures with the swaggering innonence and bravado of Henry Smart - patriot, hitman,lover and romantic - made for a highly entertaining sweep through the story of the emerging Irish state in the early part of the last century. It exposed much of the revisionism which has since taken place about that period in Irish history, which up to now has been taught in Irish schools as a glorious period.

Unfortunately, the same formula applied to Henry Smart's continuing adventures in the america of the 1920s and 1930s does not work as well. Apart from the fact that this approach has been overdone from Ragtime onwards, large tracts of the story are incredulous - bordering on the bizarre, if not the ridiculous (sudden escapes from the jaws of death etc). Having moved on from courting Louis Armstrong to Dutch Schulz and a host of further legendary figures of the period, there are further plot twists (e.g the Bonnie and Clyde and Holywood movies episodes) which seem to drawn their inspiration from Woody Allen's Zelig (and that was a comedy movie). On top of this, the dialogue is stilted and is difficult to read.

Roddy, on this occasion, has bitten off too much to make for a decent book. Hopefully, there is not another sequel.

Very Powerful., 19 Feb 2008
I have not read any other Roddy Doyle. I tried to read Paddy Clarke Ha Ha but couldn't. But this book stayed with me in a way that not many do. I have never before read a book written by a man where he writes as a woman character in the first person... and what is so profoundly good about this is that I completely forgot that the book was written by a man, that I really felt that I was getting inside the character and she was so real. I became so involved that I had such a strong emotional reaction to the events and the characters. I have read a lot, but I would always put this on my list of top ten books I have ever read. I found it hard afterwards to read something else because I started several and they all seemed so petty and shallow in comparison.

The dark side of Barrytown., 28 Sep 2007
The Barrytown trilogy and `Paddy Clark, Ha, Ha, Ha' were the greatest feel good comedies to come out of Ireland and `The Van' and `Paddy Clark, Ha, Ha, Ha' were respectively and justifiably nominated for and awarded the Booker Prize. So the question was where next? Roddy didn't leave Barrytown for his next project but showed us it's seedier underbelly in the dark and harrowing TV show `Family'. This introduced us to the Spencer family with its domestic violence and abuse. Each episode focussed on a member of the family, Charlo, John-Paul, Leanne and Paula `The Woman Who Walked into Doors.'

Although grim `Family' didn't quite prepare us for `The Woman Who Walked into Doors' which was quite a departure for Roddy. As with `Paddy Clarke, Ha, Ha, Ha' the book is written in the first person and again the form was a complete success with Paula's voice being totally convincing. That Paddy Clarke, a ten year old boy, could be brought to life by a middle aged man was a testament to Roddy Doyle's talent but that he could give voice to an alcoholic working class woman in an abusive relationship is quite unbelievable. Literature is littered with talented male writers who's writing of women parts is two dimensional and unconvincing, so to tackle this is the first person and with such emotive subject matter was a huge risk. Fortunately it succeeded and the book is a triumph as indeed in Paula's part in the battle of life.

The story works well within the form switching from childhood, adolescence and different stages of the marriage to allow the reader to piece the story together but still not prepare them for the ending of the book. I was so impressed with this form that when I decided on the subject matter of my own novel I used it as the template to tell a very different story.

When I first read `The Woman Who Walked into Doors' I didn't know how Roddy Doyle could follow `Paddy Clarke, Ha, Ha, Ha', I certainly had no idea it would be possible to better it.


"He gave me a choice--right or left. I chose left, and he broke the little finger on my left hand.", 30 Apr 2007
Written in 1996, this "prequel" to 2007's Paula Spencer, tells of Paula's life from her teen years to her passionate relationship with Charlo Spencer. Part of a family of robbers, Charlo is an exciting man who makes her feel alive and gives her a sense of selfhood. Booker Prize-winner Doyle crafts a dramatic first-person narrative told by Paula, who leaves her rigid home and unsympathetic father to marry Charlo, a man her father disapproves of. Their passionate relationship and remarkable sense of communication vanish when Paula becomes pregnant with the first of their four children. Gradually, Paula finds solace in alcohol, as Charlo becomes an absentee husband and father and eventually a philandering wife-abuser.

Paula begins her story in the present, with Charlo's death--shot by the police after he has murdered a woman during a robbery--then develops the story through her reminiscences about both the good and the bad times. As she relives her courtship and early marriage and explores her early past and her more recent past,, she also tells us about her present battle with alcohol. She regrets that Nicola, her teenage daughter is responsible for the family on many occasions, since Paula works nights cleaning offices and then returns home wanting only to tell Jack a bedtime story and then abandon herself to drink.

As the story of her abuse evolves, the reader is privy to Paula's innermost conflicts. Though she knows that "I lost all my friends--and most of my teeth," she also bemoans the fact that "he beat me brainless and I felt guilty." The tendency of abuse victims to blame themselves, especially when their love has been as great as that of Paula and Charlo, explains Paula's comment that "for seventeen years I was brainwashed and brain dead." She knows that she has made her children suffer, not only because of her abuse but because of her alcoholism, but she has been powerless to change until in one violent moment, she sends Charlo out of the house and determines to live her life on her own.

Doyle's ability to structure a novel such as this one, which moves from immediate present into recent and then distant past, providing important information about character in the process, brings this dramatic novel to life. His trademark humor is subdued here in favor of the ironies of Paula's life. This is a far more serious novel that the Barrytown Trilogy--more in keeping with the Booker Prize-winning Paddy Clark, Ha, Ha, Ha, an equally sad story of a deteriorating marriage from the point of view of a ten-year-old boy. This poignant novel is ultimately a celebration of the human spirit as Paula determines to take control of her life and to provide a family for her children. Mary Whipple

The Days of Paula Spencer, 26 Feb 2007
Roddy Doyle was born in Dublin in 1958 and saw his first novel, "The Commitments" published in 1987. It was later adapted for the big screen, a version that saw Star Trek's Colm Meaney and a very young Andrea Corr among the cast. Doyle went on to win the Booker Prize in 1993 with "Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha". This is his sixth novel and was first published in 1996.

"The Woman Who Walked Into Doors" is set in Dublin and is told by Paula Spencer, a woman in her late thirties. Both Paula's parents are dead, while only two of her siblings `appear' in the book - her sisters, Carmel and Denise. She did have another sister, Wendy, who died in a motorbike accident, while her brothers - Roger, Edward and George - are only ever mentioned in passing. Paula's relationship with her father had once been good, though it seemed to have deteriorated as time went on. [...]. Paula, meanwhile, hasn't Roger in years, and isn't particularly bothered about it - theirs was another difficult relationship.

However, it's Paula's relationship with her husband, Charlo, that's central to the book. They have been separated for over a year as the book opens - though they are still technically, married. They couple had four children together, three of whom still live with Paula. (She hasn't seen her eldest son, John-Paul, in quite some time: she last heard of him squatting in some flats and suspects he's on heroin). She works as a cleaner, just about earns enough to make ends meet and is an alcoholic. As if all that isn't enough, the book opens with the arrival of a policeman at her front door to inform her of Charlo's death. Paula spends the book looking back over her life in general and her time with Charlo in particular.

While it isn't always a very cheerful book, Paula's story isn't one that will leave you feeling depressed. She proves to be a character you want the best for and, not only does she manage to raise a smile from time to time, she also manages to leave you with a bit of hope. Absolutely recommended.

So True To Life, 07 May 2006
This book had me in tears.....the complete loss of personal identity was so beautifully captured. I honestly found it hard to believe that it wasn't written by a woman who has lived through domestic violence.....and the humour was spot on too!

COULDN'T AGREE MORE!, 01 Aug 2008
All the positive reviews are right. This is a first-class book and Doyle probably is Ireland's greatest living author. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it as the subject matter didn't appeal, but I was hooked. A tour de force and the trilogy is likely to seal his reputation.

A tall tale of Irish rebellion, 05 Jul 2008
If you believe soldiers fight for their country, or for the vision of their leaders, this is the book to challenge your assumptions. Set in the revolutionary times in early 20th century Ireland, this book charts the rise of Henry Smart from son of a one-legged whore's messenger to a leader in the republican army. The occasional heroism of Henry and his comrades is contrasted with the cynicism and power-grabbing of leaders who are determined the new state will transfer power from the English to them. Henry's pragmatic approach is self-serving and brutal, but he demands sympathy - his life was destined to turn out this way.
This book challenges British and Irish views on the Uprising and the subsequent battles. History is written by the victors - perhaps some history must be invented by the authors.


a star called henry, 26 Apr 2008
fantastic, beutiful, funny, gripping and moving. one of my most favourite books. i recommend it to everyone.
brilliant!!!!!!!!!

An All Time Favourite, 24 Apr 2007
This is one of the best books I've ever read. The opening few chapters I will never, ever forget. Mr Doyle manages to bring Irish History alive and I felt as though I was there on the Dublin streets suffering with everyone else. That said it's not all about suffering...you must read this book or you're missing out!

So that's why they fight, 05 Jan 2007
Henry Smart is a sorrowful figure. A robber, a beggar a doorman and destined to be caught up in the "struggle" as so many working class Irishmen and women are. Where else do they turn? Why do the English provoke them so? Answer these questions and you will answer the age old "Irish Problem" and end the hostilities once and for all.

Roddy Doyle takes us through the slums of early 1900's Dublin and asks the question Why? time and time again. At times the book makes me ashamed to be British and then I pinch myself and remember it's fiction. Or is it? It's the mark of a good fiction writer to make you think.

Roddy Doyle is the best Irish fiction writer alive today. Read him and weep!

excellent - a must have, 16 Aug 2006
This is just a brilliant story read soooo well.
I have 3 kids were 5,7 and9 when bought- and they all love it.
Just be careful the first time you hear it if in the car- cause you may laugh so much you have to stop!

Have a laugh in the Car!!!, 02 Dec 2003
I bought the audio tape to play to my 6 year old daughter in the car on long journeys. It is difficult to figure out who enjoys it the most, and it will certainly appeal to both adults and children alike . It is absolutely hilarious, and all the better given the broad Dublin accent of Tommy Tearnan. A tape that you will play over and over again, both with the kids and without!!!Thoroughly enjoyable!!

Alright, but..., 22 Feb 2004
Rory and Ita Doyle seem like very, very nice people. As you read this book you can picture them chatting happily, reminiscing on the good and not-so-good times, pouring cups of tea and being generally pleasant people. But that's all that can be said about this book in all honesty. If, like me, you're a Roddy Doyle fan you won't get much out of this I'm afraid, as the book is narrated from start to finish by the titular couple, and Roddy is only briefly referred to in a footnote as "you."

As nice as this book is, I finished it and felt distinctly underwhelmed. It's not a book for Doyle fans as he didn't really write it (the book is merely a transcript of their taped reminiscences), nor is it a book for those who like biographies as, well, the Doyle's aren't exactly famous nor have they really done anything. My greatest feeling was that this book was written for the Doyles themselves, as an exercise in telling their story before it was too late.

So, who would really enjoy this book? I think the only people who would really get anything from this book would be those who know the Doyles, and the Doyle family themselves. As for the rest of us, let's just wait for the next volume of Doyle's "The Last Round-Up" trilogy.

A nice story about two ordinary people, 03 Nov 2003
This is a simple story about Roddy Doyles parents through a series of interviews. The author attempt to record his parents life stories into a novel is successful. His parents are just ordinary people who re-tell times of old, holidays in wexford, work life in Dublin, the buying of their first house.

It is a very good insight into Dublin - Ireland of old. Sometimes difficult to follow and the story's flow can be lost for a time when Rory or Ita minds meander. Not for everybody.

A worthy winner of the 1993 Booker Prize, 04 Jan 2009
My Mum is a born and bred Dubliner and having lived through the same generation as Roddy Doyle who himself was born in Dublin the pulls to read Doyle's "Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha" were too strong and too curious for me to ignore.

Doyle comes with a reputation of masterfully describing the Irish - when I completed the book I could only concur that such hype was entirely justified. It must be said though that an Irish background is not essential for such a read (although it might help you understand some of the Gaelic colloquialisms!) because Doyle's magnificent expression allows for the flawless portrayal of a ten year old Dublin boy struggling to comprehend the world around him as he grows up.

Doyle's writing style is unique if not masterful, for me the following line is a fine demonstration of such, it lovingly captures one of Paddy's childhood memories with which the book is scattered; "He gave me half a crown when we went to see him or when he came to see us. He once came on a bike" (p 23) Doyle's prose remains simple enough to emulate the low attention span of a ten year olds world, whilst remaining clever and yet quirky enough to hold you in the complexities of the very same domain. This fusion of styles hides away what I feel is a darker side though; the often `jumpy' narrative is perhaps representative of young Paddy's troubled mindset.

Tragically sad is the way Paddy sees himself as a referee with the ability he thinks to save his parents marriage. Doyle's graphic description reinforced the distress Paddy must have felt, "He'd hit her. Across the face; smack. I tried to imagine it. It didn't make sense. I'd heard it; he'd hit her" (p 190) I felt helpless as I read of a boy doing his best to grow into a strong and proud man whilst watching another, his father, violently loose grip on a marriage. If conflict between mother and father was not enough we see the contrasting ways in which Paddy and his brother Sinbad deal with the situation. Despite desperate pleas from Paddy to do otherwise Sinbad does his best to ignore the brutality choosing instead to implode emotionally.

Painful and bitter are the significant social repercussions of his parents agony -Paddy falls out with his friends leaving himself isolated. I was left with the unsurprising impression that Paddy craves consistency, belonging and love. Paddy sees more and more but understands less and less, he has been forced to grow up fast in a town that does not tolerate weakness; thus making the cross over from childhood into adulthood far from calm.

The title of Doyle's novel intrigued me and its deep meaning is revealed only at the very end of the book. Paddy is jeered by some local boys who laugh at him over his Mum and Dad's failed marriage - he does not give rise to the provocation. The fact he ignores the same boys he would have fought for less in his younger days displays the maturity of adulthood and I was left with the thought that it was the start of Paddy's mental fight against personal demons.

The regular and vivid description throughout read more like memoirs than imagination and I often wondered if the book was maybe semi autobiographical - that is surely tribute to Doyle's talent though. If for a couple of hours you wish to relive some of the nostalgia of being ten again then let Paddy take you on trip round Barrytown - it may make you even more thankful for your `normal' childhood. Either way it will not be long before you acknowledge Ha Ha Ha's 1993 Booker Prize winning credentials.


A tragi-comedy from 1960s Ireland, 05 Jul 2008
Written from a ten-year-old's perspective, this book will remind anyone of the fun, the pains and the misunderstandings of growing up. The star of the book is constantly asking "why", but gets no answers to find out what makes these strange adults behave as they do. Set in poorest Dublin, the adult characters struggle to make a life for themselves, while their children celebrate in the adventures of "messin". The black comedy finds highs in childhood, but eventually reflects on the challenge to sustain lasting relationships in a rapidly changing community. Barrytown is developing with the pace of change in the 1960's, and the characters tragically cannot keep up.



There are no messers in Heaven, 04 Apr 2008
Roddy Doyle was born in Dublin in 1958 and saw his first novel, "The Commitments" published in 1987. It was later adapted for the big screen, a version that saw Star Trek's Colm Meaney and a very young Andrea Corr among the cast. Doyle went on to win the Booker Prize in 1993 with "Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha".

The book is set in the 1960s Barrytown, and is told by Paddy Clarke- the eldest child of his family. Although he has a few younger sisters, it's only his younger brother Sinbad who features to any degree. He's a Manchester United supporter, and particularly idolises George Best. His chief hobbies involve playing football, and messing around with his friends on neighbouring farm and nearby building sites.

Sinbad doesn't always get a fair deal from his brother. He cries constantly, wets the bed and as a baby, he once got his head stuck in the bars of his cot. He never smiles in photos and doesn't eat his dinner - something that particularly infuriates his Paddy Sr. Despite wearing glasses with one black lens - to deal with an eye problem - he's a great dribbler on the football pitch. (Paddy and his friends used to make Sinbad be Nobby Stiles when playing football - so he stopped supporting United, and started following Liverpool).

Out of Paddy's friends, he's probably closest to Kevin Conway - though, to be honest, Kevin isn't an entirely likeable kid. James O'Keefe, for the most part, is a good deal more - deapite being, quite possibly, the biggest liar in Barrytown. O'Keefe is hated by their teacher Mister Hennessy - he even gets blamed on making noise in class when he's off sick. (Henno does appear to have a slight vindictive streak in him - in fact, he reminded me a little of a teacher I once had at secondary school). The two most likeable of Paddy's friends, however, are a pair of brothers called Liam and Aidan. The boys' mother is dead, and though their father is trying his best, he seems to be a little lost. The neighbours aren't above gossiping about him and - although they are officially part of the gang - Liam and Aidan are also on the receiving end of a fair few nasty comments. As much as Paddy loves going over to their house, even he's not immune to a touch of snobbery.

The story is told more from a child's point of view rather than by an adult looking back on things. There are some things that raised a smile - the childhood theories about Purgatory, for example - and it even inspired a touch of nostalgia sometimes. However, it's set at a time when not only is Barrytown changing, but Paddy's home life is changing dramatically too. Naturally, Paddy doesn't always understand his parents and the things they say - so it's only gradually, as the frights become more and more frequent, that you come to realise there are problems between Paddy's dad and mum. There's a certain sadness about watching Paddy grow up as the story is told, while the difference between Paddy at the book's beginning and on the book's final couple of pages is tragic. A lovely book, though very sad.

Not his best work, 28 Sep 2007
I found this book rather hard going to read as it seems to me very disjointed and doesn't flow well. The insights into childhood are great and the dialogue is cracking on the whole but somehow the lack of plot means that the book just doesn't get going. My least favourite of