The Deportees: and Other Stories

By Roddy Doyle

Book Overview

Stories that take a new slant on the immigrant experience, from the Booker Prize-winning author of Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha

Roddy Doyle has earned a devoted following amongst those who appreciate his sly humor, acute ear for dialogue, and deeply human portraits of contemporary Ireland. The Deportees is Doyle's first-ever collection of short stories, and each tale describes the cultural collision-often funny and always poignant-between a native and someone new to the fast-changing country. From a nine-year- old African boy's first day at school to a man who's devised a test for "Irishness"to the return of The Commitments's Jimmy Rabbitte and the debut of his new multicultural band, Doyle offers his signature take on the immigrant experience in a volume reminiscent of his beloved early novels.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0143114883
• ISBN13: 9780143114888
• Release Date: December 2008
• Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.0" x 7.8"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Laugh out loud!

I have not finished the stories, but the first story has me laughing out loud. I am listening to it on CD narrated with a wonderful brogue. I just hope I don't have an accident while laughing at the clever lines. The author is outside the story, but makes you feel you can read the minds of the characters. There is some profanity, but slipped in hilariously. I hope the rest of the stories match the first. Try it and write your review.

Utterly fabulous - I didn't want it to end!

I've always loved Roddy Doyle's writing and this is no exception. The book is fabulous. Very funny and wry. A total joy. I didn't want it to end!

classic roddy

If you are a fan of Doyle's early work, this collection of short stories revisits the style and tone of such works as The Commitments (which is revisited to some degree), The Snapper and The Van, the ever solid Barrytown Trilogy. The tone is generally lighter and more enjoyable than more recent works such as Paula Spencer and The Woman who Walked into Doors, capturing all the lightheartedness and humor and pathos that makes those tales so powerfully human, endearing and enduring while giving us some new characters and a revisit to some of the old, once again capturing the complexity of evolving Irish society, history and the ordinary yet extraordinary people that inhabit all of the world.

A new Dublin

A collection of short stories describing the new immigrants to Ireland - how Irish can they become? A great introduction to the nature of modern Dublin - the Irish barmaid in Boston has become the American barmaid in Dublin.

"There are no good or bad people,only interesting or dull." Wilde

The thing I like about Roddy Doyle's books is that they are all so different fron one another. The first one I read was "A Star Called Henry" and since then I have read all his others,and look for each new one he writes. As with many writers,a reader will like some better than others. I am not a big reader of short stories ,because they usually leave me wanting more. This is the case of each of the 8 stories in this collection. It seems that just as the story gets interesting;it ends. Otherwise,as one can expect from Doyle ;the writing and writing style always engrosses one,and once again we get the same in this collection. The copy I have is the hard cover edition with the picture of the members of the new band "The Deportees". I am really impressed with this and I have commented in other reviews that I thought it would be a great addition to many books if pictures of the characters involved in the story could be included in the book or on the cover.This idea is even workable in the case of fictional characters as has so aptly been done in this case. It was great as we were introduced to each band member,to turn to the cover and find them there. The big question remains;did Doyle describe the characters to "fit " the photos or did they find people to "fit" Doyle's characters,or were they all real?? Anyway;congratulations !! Ich am of Irlonde Ant of the holy lande Of Irlonde. Gode sire,pray ich the, For of saynte charite, Come ant dance wyth me In Irlonde. "Ich Am of Irlonde" [14th century]