After his mother's death, a rebellious Irish teenager runs away from his authoritarian father and roams the countryside, free of responsibility, until he falls in love and must come to terms with the life he has fled
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It's The Playboy of the Western World revisited in this first novel by Connaughton, author of the collection A Border Station (1990) and collaborator on the screenplay for My Left Foot. For surely the Irish rapscallion here (who remains unnamed) goes on as wild a coming-of-age ride as Singe's Christy Mahon ever did, beginning with the death of his dear, flour-coated, buttermilk- smelling mammy. Her passing leaves him at the mercy of his daddy, the police sergeant in the village of Butlershill, right on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. But when the sergeant suggests he learn to cook, our hero takes off to bunk in with his buddy Prunt and to go on adventures--shouting ``vagina!'' right out loud on a dare, smuggling a bit, impersonating a priest in order to bless a pig, and rolling in the hay at a Freemasons' dance with a girl who gets insulted when our boy takes it in his mind to kiss her foot. True love does eventually come his way in the form of pretty Annagh Lee; but after a month of delirious loving, her form swells, bringing more trouble--Annagh Lee shipped off to Toronto after a miscarriage induced by the sight of a rat, and her lover's privates tarred and feathered by irate relatives. The latter is what teaches Connaughton's wayward youth to calm down, of course, because ``You can't run amok forever....'' The tale's familiar--and, sadly, the writing's uneven, with some wretched schmaltz (``Fold the ground over me/You have broken my heart/That's what hearts are for'') cheek by jowl with much sprightlier stuff (``Sex drove you to love. Or love drove you to sex. Either way it was enough to drive you mad''). Still, Connaughton's heart is in the right place, so some Irish eyes will be shining. -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Oscar-nominee screenwriter Connaughton's first novel, about a boy's coming-of-age in 1950s Ireland, will coincide with the release of a film adaptation starring Albert Finney.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Seller: Virtuous Volumes et al., Wilson, WI, U.S.A.
Soft Cover. Condition: Very Good. First Paperback Edition, 1st Prtg. Lightly edgeworn with small nick right on side edge of rear cover, two light surface scratches on rear cover. 247 pages. Seller Inventory # 012033
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Seller: Virtuous Volumes et al., Wilson, WI, U.S.A.
Soft Cover. Condition: Very Good+. First Paperback Edition, 1st Prtg. Cover edges lightly rubbed, lighter "1" square area of discoloration on rear cover near lower corner. 247 pages. Seller Inventory # 018622
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Seller: Priceless Books, Urbana, IL, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: VG. Reprint. Paperback. VG. Reprint. pp. 246, rubbing, wear extremities, small tear top back cover near spine. Seller Inventory # 117345
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Seller: Wonder Book, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.
Condition: Very Good. Very Good condition. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain light spine creasing or a few markings such as an owner's name, short gifter's inscription or light stamp. Seller Inventory # Y06L-00147
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Seller: The Warm Springs Book Company, Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
Soft cover. First Edition. Trade paperback, 1st paperback edition, Very Good plus/wraps, minor wear and chipping to cover and edges., 0.0 0.0 0.0. Seller Inventory # 01865
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Seller: Black Cat Hill Books, Oregon City, OR, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: Near Fine. First Edition Thus; First Printing. First Edition Thus (1993) ; First Printing indicated by a complete numerical sequence. Near Fine in Wraps: the binding leans ever so slightly; a hint of wear to the bottom edge of the front panel; a small square white sticker affixed to the inside of the front cover; the binding remains secure; the text is clean. Free of creases to the panels. Free of creases to the backstrip. Free of any creased or dog-eared pages in the text. Free of any underlining, hi-lighting or marginalia or marks in the text. Free of any ownership names, dates, addresses, notations, inscriptions, stamps, plates, or labels. A handsome, nearly-new copy, structurally sound and tightly bound, showing the mildest wear and minor, unobtrusive imperfections. Bright and clean. Very close to "As New". NOT a Remainder, Book-Club, or Ex-Library. 8vo. (8.25 x 5.5 x 0.75 inches) . Language: English. Weight: 10.1 ounces. Trade Paperback. Shane Connaughton (born 1941 in Kingscourt, County Cavan is an Irish writer and actor, probably best known as co-writer of the Academy Award-nominated screenplay for 'My Left Foot'. He also co-wrote the screenplays for the Academy Award-winning 1980 short film 'The Dollar Bottom' and 1992 film 'The Playboys', as well as other screenplays and plays. He won the Hennessy Award in 1985. Connaughton is the author also of A Border Station (1989) , The Run of the Country (first published in hardcover in 1991) , and Big Parts (2009) . He adapted 'The Run of the Country' for the screen in 1995 and published a book about its filming, A Border Diary, the same year. A Border Station, a short story collection, was a bestseller in Ireland and was shortlisted for the Guinness Peat Award. His first two books are both set in the County Cavan village of Redhills, where he grew up. In 'The Run of the Country' a rebellious Irish teenager runs away after his mother's death, from his authoritarian father and roams the country, free of responsibility or authority, until he falls in love and must come to terms with the life he had fled. This is the author's first novel. This book is a classic, Shane Connaughton is a legend in Ireland. A modern Dickens! ; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 247 pages. Seller Inventory # 58024
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Seller: Kennys Bookstore, Olney, MD, U.S.A.
Condition: Very Good. 1993. Reprint. Paperback. 8vo.Some minor wear otherwise a good copy. . . . . Books ship from the US and Ireland. Seller Inventory # KEX0263892
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Seller: Kennys Bookshop and Art Galleries Ltd., Galway, GY, Ireland
Condition: Very Good. 1993. Reprint. Paperback. 8vo.Some minor wear otherwise a good copy. . . . . Seller Inventory # KEX0263892
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