Roddy Doyle follows Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, winner of the Booker Prize, and The Commitments with another remarkable book that readers will find funny, sexy, and sad. He takes an unflinching look at the life of Paula Spencer as she struggles to regain her dignity after marriage to an abusive husband and a worsening drinking problem. Capturing both her vulnerability and her strength, Doyle gives Paula a voice that is real and unforgettable.
Roddy Doyle is an internationally bestselling writer. His first three novels—
The Commitments,
The Snapper, and the 1991 Booker Prize finalist
The Van—are known as
The Barrytown Trilogy. He is also the author of the novels
Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha (1993 Booker Prize winner),
The Woman Who Walked into Doors, and
A Star Called Henry, and a non-fiction book about his parents,
Rory & Ita. Doyle has also written for the stage and the screen: the plays
Brownbread,
War,
Guess Who's Coming for the Dinner, and
The Woman Who Walked Into Doors; the film adaptations of
The Commitments )as co-writer),
The Snapper, and
The Van;
When Brendan Met Trudy (an original screenplay); the four-part television series
Family for the BBC; and the television play
Hell for Leather. Roddy Doyle has also written the children's books
The Giggler Treatment,
Rover Saves Christmas, and
The Meanwhile Adventures and contributed to a variety of publications including
The New Yorker magazine and several anthologies. He lives in Dublin.