The Comedian

by Joseph O'Connor

Paperback, 2009

Status

Available

Call number

823.914

Description

It is 1975 in a small town near Dublin. The Bay City Rollers are topping the charts. Starksy and Hutch rule the TV screen. In Northern Ireland, bombs are going off. And here, in this little town on the sea, a young boy's life is about to change forever.

Publication

Gemma Open Door (2009), 100 pages

User reviews

LibraryThing member CapitalHackels
This novella tells the story of the relationship between a young boy and his father in 1970s Ireland. Written in a style that reminds me of Sherwood Anderson and Ernest Hemingway, the Plunkett family grapples with death, divorce, and dishonesty while living life on the skids in Glasthule. The title
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references the bleak and dry humor that the elder Paddy uses to cope with his sense of loss and lack of control over the circumstances of his life. The Irish and British colloquialisms in the book are relatively light, and the prose is easily understandable to an American who watches PBS. That said, the bookmark-sized glossary taped to the inside cover of my copy did come in handy during my two-hour read-through. The Comedian is worth the light afternoon commitment.
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LibraryThing member dolly22
A beautiful little story which is witty and sad and depicts an almost typical Irish childhood. Given this is a little book, it can be enjoyed immensely in one sitting. Recommended.

Language

Original language

English

Physical description

6.96 inches

ISBN

1934848115 / 9781934848111

Barcode

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