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A Star Called Henry

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A Star Called Henry

By: Roddy Doyle
Narrated by: Roddy Doyle
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Summary

 Born in the slums of Dublin in 1901, his father a one-legged whore-house bouncer and settler of scores, Henry Smart has to grow up fast. By the time he can walk he's out robbing, begging, often cold, always hungry, but a prince of the streets. At 14, already six-foot-two, Henry's in the General Post Office on Easter Monday 1916, a soldier in the Irish Citizen Army, fighting for freedom. A year later he's ready to die for Ireland again, a rebel, a Fenian and soon, a killer. With his father's wooden leg as his weapon, Henry becomes a republican legend, one of Michael Collins' boys, a cop killer, an assassin on a stolen bike.

An historical novel like none before it, A Star Called Henry marks a new chapter in Roddy Doyle's writing. It is a vastly more ambitious book than any he has written before. A subversive look behind the legends of Irish republicanism, at its centre a passionate love story, this is a triumphant work of fiction.

©1999 Roddy Doyle; (P)1999 Random House Audiobooks Historical Fiction Fiction
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Critic reviews

"This is a radical departure for Doyle, and a stunning success." (Amazon.co.uk)
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What a story! and brilliantly narrated by the author himself. I would thoroughly recommend this audiobook. The story is captivating and the characters are life size.

5 Stars! Amazing

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read it at one sitting. powerful. poetic. poignant. beautiful . cant wait to read more

riveting

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Brilliantly punchy dialogue, intriguing characters. It made me laugh, it made me cry. I w listened to it twice. Having the author narrate the story gives a real feeling of intimacy.

An amazing view of a fascinating time in Ireland

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The story begins implausibly with a one-legged bouncer but it soon takes off and becomes an exciting story of a young man whose early years are marked by poverty and exclusion. Later he becomes a rebelious hero. Roddy Doyle has gone to a lot of trouble to ensure the historical accuracy of the story.

Stimulating and educating

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Listened with partner and home educated teenager (eek, lots of underage sex!) during the period of the centenary of the Easter Rising. The writing is excellent, like swift poetry, as is Roddy's telling, which regularly went into snippets of song and kept the humour deadpan. I also appreciated, towards the end of the story, the critique of the modern Irish culture yet to come, which took this period of hope and desperation and turned it into something many involved would have cringed at. I was at a commemorative event for the Rising recently when the local mayor ascertained that the leaders of the Rising would have been proud of Ireland as it stands. I doubt it somehow, particularly for those with the harder line Socialist outlook.... Thousands of homeless children and yet so many empty houses and entire empty estates while the government and banks manufacture a mini property bubble, 'the great oil and gas giveaway', the few refugees let in kept in institutions, etc, etc. Personally I see Connolly spinning in his grave.

I very rarely read or listen to fiction but I loved this. Recommend.

Excellent story and narration

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