"Rory & Ita", Roddy Doyle's first non-fiction book, tells - largely in their own words - the story of his parents' lives. They remember every detail of their Dublin childhoods - the people, the politics, idyllic times in the Wexford countryside for Ita, Rory's apprenticeship as a printer. By the time they out down a deposit of two hundred pounds for a house in Kilbarrack, Rory was working as a compositor at the Irish Independent. By the time the first of their four children was born, he'd become a teacher at the School of Printing in Dublin. Kilbarrack began to change, and Ireland too. Through their eyes, we see the intensely Catholic society of their youth being transformed into the vibrant, modern Ireland of today.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 3.0 / 5.0
They are just not that interesting:
Rory and Ita strike me as nice people who have worked hard; I just wish I could say they led lives that I found interesting. I admire Doyle for honoring his parents this way, but to put it bluntly, this was boring. Growing up, finding work, finding each other, a story that's been told a million times and most of the time in more interesting ways than can be found in this book. After 338 pages, Rory and Ita still remain ciphers, there's no real emotional depth on display; it's just the story of two people... more info
Still waters:
Since the other reviews here don't touch on what I see as the strengths of this book, here's my take.
Roddy Doyle's first work of non-fiction is a low-key but deeply felt paean to his parents (and by extension life in mid-twentieth-century Dublin) in their own words. In alternating chapters, Rory and Ita Doyle tell of their immediate ancestors (including their own parents), their childhoods, meeting and marriage, and their life as a married couple, including seeing their children leave the nest as... more info
If you lose your job,it's the boat to England...:
I've read all of Roddy Doyle's books,and no doubt about it,this one is totally different.
This is not a book about Roddy,as a matter of fact it is not really a book by Roddy at all.
This is a book by Rory and Ita Doyle and about their lives and the lives of their parents,grandparents,families and friends.Not only it is written through their eyes and by them,Roddy is hardly even mentioned .His only involvement would seem to have been the catalyst between his parents and the publishers to make... more info
2 and a half, really:
Sorry to say this makes two disappointing ones in a row for the otherwise terrific Roddy Doyle.Here he essentially transcribes and edits his parents' memoirs. I couldn't help thinking what a great present this book is for his family. By the same token, this oral history doesn't contain a story that will knock the reader out. This criticism comes in spite of the facts that I can't help liking his parents and it was presented coherently. Predictably, the author's family background pales significantly to his... more info
