Due sulla strada

[Please excuse any expletives in this review. Roddy Doyle and his Barrytown characters' language is catchy...]Feckit! I was going to give this 4 stars, reserving full marks for Doyle’s The Last Roundup trilogy (which I haven’t read but have heard is very ambitious and a departure for the author). But Leggi tutto

The Van, by Roddy Doyle was a disappointment the second time around. I first read this many years ago and recall laughing my head off. Literally pissing myself. But, this time - it barely raised a chuckle. The story is about two close mates in Ireland, both unemployed, called Jimmy Snr and Bimbo. The Leggi tutto

The third book in the Barrytown trilogy, each time I enjoyed the previous book to the next. This one focuses on Jimmy Rabbitte senior who has been laid off and the family is struggling along with little money coming in. When Jimmy Sr’s friend Bimbo also is laid off the two go into business running a Leggi tutto

This is a fitting end to the trilogy starting with The Snapper and then The Commitments. Jimmy Snr is the central character with his mate Bimbo. They are both unemployed and decide to buy a Chip van with part of Bimbo’s redundancy money. Hilarity ensues with the cleaning of the van, questionable hyg Leggi tutto

Sweet Jaysis, this was a fine book! In fact, over the course of the last week or two, I've managed to finish all three fine books of Roddy Doyle's original Barrytown Trilogy, in preparation for reading The Guts , which just came out this year. One big thing about these novels that kept me glued to th Leggi tutto

One of the funniest books I have read. Start with book one of the this trilogy and enjoy the best with the third.

Jimmy Rabbitte Sr is struggling to decide on his next step after he is made redundant and feels like a spare part in his own house. As wife Veronica turns to studying, and his son Jimmy Rabbitte Jr is doing well enough for himself to spare a few bob to his dad for a pint, things are looking bleak fo Leggi tutto