Short Stories, Irish literature, Classics, Modern Fiction, Contemporary Literary Fiction, The Japanese Novel, Post Colonial Asian Fiction, The Legacy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and quality Historical Novels are Among my Interests








Tuesday, June 5, 2012

"Bullfighting" by Roddy Doyle (podcast)

"Bullfighting"  by Roddy Doyle (podcast 49 minutes, June 2, 2012)



The Irish Quarter
A Celebration of the Irish Short Story
March 11 to July 1





If it were not for me, The Reading Life
would be closed for lack of interest-Carmilla
Please consider participating in the Irish Quarter.   All you need do is post on an Irish short story or related matter and let me know about it.   Guests post are very welcome. 


Pop quiz-name the publication that has done the most to support Irish short story writers?


Roddy Doyle is one of the highest regarded of contemporary writers.  He  (1968-Dublin)  won the Booker Prize in 1993 for Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha.   He has published nine novels and  a number of short stories.  (I posted on two of his short stories, "Sleep" and "Ash" during Irish Quarter Year One in 2011.)  I was very happy when I checked The New Yorker webpage this morning when I found that their story of the week was "Bullfighting" by Roddy Doyle, read by the well known American author David Eggers.   As much as I can I am trying to post on stories that anyone can read as much as is feasible so I was doubly glad to find this.   My primary purpose in posting here is just to let my readers know of this resource so I will keep my post short.   In a way "Bullfighting" is about the lads in Kevin Barry's great story, "Beer Trip to LLandudno" turned late middle aged.   They are still mostly serious drinkers and love their Thursday boy's night out ritual and they have stayed close since school days.  


I think what I liked best about this story was that even though the characters do enjoy talking about "boy's stuff" like the pub waitresses's bodies and football, they are all grown men, far from perfect but at least grown ups.    In the post read conversation between the fiction coordinator of The New Yorker and David Eggers they focused on the central character, a man whose primary identity was as a father of three sons.    It felt so real and honest.   


You can listen to the story here

Doyle has a very well done author webpage where you can learn a lot more about his work and follow his career.

I have three more Doyle stories on my Ipad and I hope to read them soon.   


Please share your experience with Doyle.


Mel u

1 comment:

Valerie Sirr said...

This is honesty in this story. I remember reading it when it was published in New Yorker.