Reading Roddy Doyle

By Caramine White

Book Overview

Roddy Doyle is one of the most popular Irish writers at work today. His book Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha won the Booker Prize, and The Commitments, The Snapper, and The Van have all been made into feature films. In this first critical look at his oeuvre, Caramine White explores Doyle's innovative use of language; his employment of humor to further his characters' development and manipulate his audience; the role, however slight, that religion and politics play in his writing; and Doyle's overall social vision as projected in each book and as part of a complete body of work.

Prominent aspects of each novel are brought to light, for instance, the function of music in The Commitments; the importance of humor to diffuse tension in The Snapper; the growing realism and deeper character development in The Van; the use of double writing in Paddy Clarke; and the symbolic significance of Paula's life as a metaphor for the abuses women suffer in a patriarchal society in The Woman Who Walked into Doors. White also discusses his recent novel, the critically acclaimed A Star Called Henry. She completes the volume with a transcription of an extensive interview with the author that reveals many facets of Doyle's life reflected in his writing.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0815628870
• ISBN13: 9780815628873
• Release Date: June 2001
• Publisher: Syracuse University Press
• Length: 216 Pages
• Weight: 0.93 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

A Must For Researchers

As Continental forces and Virginia militia units were engaged in winning independence, American quartermasters and provisioners struggled to provide these units with all the necessities of life, from meals and guns to meat, fodder for horses, the horses themselves, firewood, and every other type of material. Much of this was requisitioned from the civilian population and certificates were issued payable in either continental or state funds, depending on the units supplied, upon presentation to court authorities. Thousands of these certificates issued to Virginians were duly entered by the courts, and they provide a fascinating insight into the period of the Revolution. These "Publick" Claims booklets contain interesting and useful information about the contributions of ordinary people to the Revolutionary War. They provide some details of people's service in the militia or as guards for prisoners of war; they indicate where some bodies of troops were at particular times; and they identify providers of horses, wagons, cattle, grain, or other supplies. Much of the information in these booklets cannot be found anywhere else, which makes the surviving records particularly valuable. Also remarkable is the fact that records survived from virtually every county in the state at that time with the exception of the newly formed Kentucky counties. This makes the collection even more valuable in covering areas which heretofore in this time period have suffered from a lack of personal data. The "Virginia Publick Claims" are published by counties. In addition to a faithful transcription by Janice Luck Abercrombie and the late Richard Slatten, a complete index is provided for each county booklet. This series is an extremely important genealogical tool for searchers in Revolutionary-era materials.