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Smile has all the features for which Roddy Doyle has become famous: the razor-sharp dialogue, the humour, the superb evocation of childhood – but this is a novel unlike any he has written before. When you finish the last page you will have been challenged to re-evaluate everything you think you remember so clearly.
Just moved in to a new apartment, alone for the first time in years, Victor Forde goes every evening to Donnelly’s pub for a pint, a slow one.
One evening his drink is interrupted. A man in shorts and pink shirt brings over his pint and sits down. He seems to know Victor’s name and to remember him from school. Says his name is Fitzpatrick.
Victor dislikes him on sight, dislikes too the memories that Fitzpatrick stirs up of five years being taught by the Christian Brothers.
He prompts other memories too – of Rachel, his beautiful wife who became a celebrity, and of Victor’s own small claim to fame, as the man who says the unsayable on the radio.
But it’s the memories of school, and of one particular Brother, that he cannot control and which eventually threaten to destroy his sanity.
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About the Author:
Roddy Doyle was born in Dublin in 1958. He is the author of eleven acclaimed novels including The Commitments, The Snapper, and The Van, two collections of short stories, Rory & Ita, a memoir about his parents, and most recently, The Guts. He won the Booker Prize in 1993 for Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:
—Victor?
I looked up when I heard when I heard my name but I couldn’t see a thing. I was sitting near the open door and the light coming through was a solid sheet between me and whoever had spoken. My eyes were watering a bit – they did that. I often felt that they were melting slowly in my head.
—Am I right?
It was a man. My own age, judging by the shape, the black block he was making in front of me now, and the slight rattle of middle age in his voice.
I put the cover over the screen of my iPad. I’d been looking at my wife’s Facebook page.
I could see him now. There were two men on the path outside, smoking, and they’d stood together in the way of the sun.
I didn’t know him.
—Yes, I said.
—I thought so, he said.—Jesus. For fuck sake.
I didn’t know what to do.
—It must be – fuckin’ – forty years, he said.—Thirty-seven or -eight, anyway. You haven’t changed enough, Victor. It’s not fair, so it isn’t. Mind if I join you? I don’t want to interrupt anything.
He sat on a stool in front of me.
—Just say and I’ll fuck off.
Our knees almost touched. He was wearing shorts, the ones with the pockets on the sides for shotgun shells and dead rabbits.
—Victor Foreman, he said.
—Forde.
—That’s right, he said.—Forde.
I had no idea who he was. Thirty-eight years, he’d said; we’d have known each other in secondary school. But I couldn’t see a younger version of this man. I didn’t like him. I knew that, immediately.
I looked up when I heard when I heard my name but I couldn’t see a thing. I was sitting near the open door and the light coming through was a solid sheet between me and whoever had spoken. My eyes were watering a bit – they did that. I often felt that they were melting slowly in my head.
—Am I right?
It was a man. My own age, judging by the shape, the black block he was making in front of me now, and the slight rattle of middle age in his voice.
I put the cover over the screen of my iPad. I’d been looking at my wife’s Facebook page.
I could see him now. There were two men on the path outside, smoking, and they’d stood together in the way of the sun.
I didn’t know him.
—Yes, I said.
—I thought so, he said.—Jesus. For fuck sake.
I didn’t know what to do.
—It must be – fuckin’ – forty years, he said.—Thirty-seven or -eight, anyway. You haven’t changed enough, Victor. It’s not fair, so it isn’t. Mind if I join you? I don’t want to interrupt anything.
He sat on a stool in front of me.
—Just say and I’ll fuck off.
Our knees almost touched. He was wearing shorts, the ones with the pockets on the sides for shotgun shells and dead rabbits.
—Victor Foreman, he said.
—Forde.
—That’s right, he said.—Forde.
I had no idea who he was. Thirty-eight years, he’d said; we’d have known each other in secondary school. But I couldn’t see a younger version of this man. I didn’t like him. I knew that, immediately.
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- PublisherJonathan Cape
- Publication date2017
- ISBN 10 1911214756
- ISBN 13 9781911214755
- BindingHardcover
- Number of pages160
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Smile [1st PRINT/SIGNED]
Published by
Jonathan Cape
(2017)
ISBN 10: 1911214756
ISBN 13: 9781911214755
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First Edition
Signed
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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. Dust Jacket Condition: New. 1st Edition. Jonathan Cape, 2017, London. Hard Cover. Book Condition: New. Dust Jacket Condition: New. Stated "First published in the United Kingdom by Jonathan Cape in 2017", first printing with a full number line starting at "1". 8-3/4" tall, 213 numbered pages followed by an unnumbered last page of text; one-piece black cloth binding, gilt lettering on spine; front board is plain; plain cardinal red end pages; fore edge is trimmed. Book is new and nearly pristine: it is square, binding quite clean, hinges tight, corners not bumped, no dings on edges, head of spine lightly dinged. The interior is pristine: it is perfectly clean and free of writing (other than the author's signature), stray marks, stains or discolorations of any sort or paper damage of any type; paper is very lightly toned, very flexible and not at all brittle. Jacket is clean; no tears, folds or fading; no scrapes or scratches; very slight crease at head of spine; raised letters of author's name and title on front panel evident (they have not been crushed); publisher's original price of "£14.99" listed on the lower right corner of front flap; small (3/4" x 11/16") black-on-white store sticker "(240817 / £18.70)" on lower left corner of rear panel. Condition of book and jacket consistent with being brand new and not read. No other discernible or objectionable faults on book or jacket such as marks or writing within, stains, tears, chips, or other damage that would diminish its appearance. No remainder mark, no previous owner markings or inscriptions, not price clipped, not a book club edition, not a former library book. Signed by the author in thin black felt pen in the middle of the title page. Signed by Author(s). Seller Inventory # BMR-2021-2-25-6
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Smile
Published by
Jonathan Cape, London
(2017)
ISBN 10: 1911214756
ISBN 13: 9781911214755
New
Hardcover
First Edition
Signed
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. Dust Jacket Condition: New. First Edition. A fine unread 1st impression in a fine dustwrapper. Signed and dated [7/10/17] by the Author on the title page. Signed at the Cheltenham Literature Festival. Signed by Author(s). Seller Inventory # 008088
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