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    The Guts
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    The Guts
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    The Guts
    Audiobook10 hours

    The Guts

    Written by Roddy Doyle

    Narrated by Laurence Kinlan

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Jimmy Rabbitte of The Commitments returns in the triumphant new novel from the Booker Prize-winning author

    The distinct wit and lively, authentic dialogue that are the hallmarks of Roddy Doyle's fiction are on a full display as he reintroduces Jimmy Rabbitte in this follow-up to his beloved debut novel The Commitments.

    In the 1980s Jimmy Rabbitte formed the Commitments, a ragtag, blue-collar collective of Irish youths determined to bring the soul music stylings of James Brown and Percy Sledge to Dublin. Time proves a great equalizer for Jimmy as he's now approaching fifty with a loving wife, four kids, and a recent cancer diagnosis that leaves him feeling shattered and frightened.

    Jimmy still loves his music, and he still loves to hustle-his new thing is finding old bands and then finding the people who loved them enough to pay for their resurrected albums. As he battles his illness on his path through Dublin, Jimmy manages to reconnect with his own past, most notably Commitments guitarist Liam "Outspan" Foster and the still beautiful backup vocalist Imelda Quirk. Jimmy also learns the trumpet, reunites with his long-lost brother, and rediscovers the joys of fatherhood.

    An immensely funny and poignant novel, The Guts captures friendship, family, the power of music, the specter of death, and the zeal for life.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateJan 23, 2014
    ISBN9780698151758
    Unavailable
    The Guts
    Author

    Roddy Doyle

    Roddy Doyle is a bestselling author acclaimed across the world. He was born in Dublin in 1958 and still lives there today. He has won many awards for his writing, including the Booker Prize and a BAFTA for Best Screenplay. He has also won the Irish Children's Book of the Year and was shortlisted for the prestigious CILIP Carnegie Medal. His novel The Commitments was turned into a blockbuster film directed by Alan Parker and opened as a musical to rave reviews. Rover and the Big Fat Baby is his eighth novel for children and the fourth book in the series which began with The Giggler Treatment.

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    Reviews for The Guts

    4/5

    82 ratings13 reviews

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    • 3/5
      There seems to be a major trend of late of authors revisiting old characters and having them see the light of day in a modern-day context. Roddy Doyle is the latest to through his hat into the ring with adventures of Jimmy Rabbitte, Jr. in post Celtic Tiger Ireland. I am a huge fan of the Barrytown trilogy and slipping back into Doyle's world is as seamless as rooting out your favourite slippers as the autumn chills set in. There seems to be an overbearing focus on 21st century fads (Facebook/texting/the Oxegen music festival) but this is a solid return to Barrytown form for Doyle. And I still see Colm Meaney's face everything Jimmy Sr. appears on the page.
    • 5/5
      -What did yeh think o' tha'?-Brilliant.-Fuckin' brilliant.-Fuckin' amazin'.A sort of sequel to Doyle's "The Commitments" some twenty years later, with Jimmy Rabbitte settled down with partner and kids, still loving his music and band management, but now diagnosed with bowel cancer.Doyle takes the reader to some very sensitive places, especially regarding the affect that Jimmy's diagnosis has on him, his family and his work.A wonderful piece of modern story telling, reviving the incredibly likable Jimmy Rabbitte, mixing middle-aged longing with the realities of serious illness.The best novel I have read this year!
    • 3/5
      Dublin music promoter Jimmy Rabbitte (from The Commitments) is dealing with a few problems going into mid-life: a recent diagnosis of bowel cancer, the recession hurting his business; and his dog-in-law's visit.When he learns the Catholic Church is planning a world conference in Dublin -- that the Pope may or may not attend -- he comes up with a money-making plan and enlists the help of an American grad student named Ocean and his elderly, deaf gay uncle. Later, the plan develops into a not-totally-honest scheme that turns out better than anyone could have hoped.Along the way, he must deal with quite a few quirky characters including his business partner who insists on calling him "Jimbo" despite his disdain for the name, a husband and wife punk music group who break up every time they perform, his father who insists on misspelling his text messages and his 14-year-old daughter who has declared that she's a vegetarian -- except when the family gets Chinese takeout.The final act takes place at a Woodstock-like event called Electric Park and is pure perfection. It goes from hilarious to heart-wrenching to exhilarating and back before you can say Dexy's Midnight Runners.This is one of those times I wish I could give a book 1/2 a star. I liked it more than other books I've given three stars, but not quite as much as books I've given four. But, hey, three stars isn't bad. I liked it!I received this book free from Goodreads First Reads in exchange for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      adult fiction; Irish punk music cancer family. While definitely more *colorful* than you'd find in English lit, Doyle's Irish dialogue is always fresh, realistic and full of humor.
    • 5/5
      Brilliant, Jimmy Rabbitte is back. Jimmy has moved on from managing the Commitments in the 80's. He has a family, wife and four children and is fighting cancer. Not the usual subject for humour you would think. Jimmy tells his dad first. Out for a pint and a chat."...How's your own woman?--She's grand. How's Ma?--Grand. Are yeh havin' another?--No, said Jimmy. --I'm drivin'.--Fair enough.--I have cancer.--Good man.--I'm bein' serious, Da.--I know.Jimmy was shaking. He hadn't noticed while he was working himself up to tell his father. But he knew it now. He pressed his hands down his thighs, made hos arms stiff. He wondered if his eyes were bloodshot, becuase they felt like they had to be.--Jesus, son.--Yeah.--Wha' kind?--Bowel.--Bad.--Could be worse.--Could it?--So they say, said Jimmy.--They?--The doctors an' tha'. The specialists. The team.--The team?--Yep.--What colour are their jerseys?Jimmy couldn't think of an answer.--It's terrible, said his da.--Yep.--When did yeh find ou'?--A few days ago, said Jimmy. --Monday.--God."There is no deep introspective conversation between the two, most of it is in their own familiar short hand. Emotions felt but unexpressed. Never has the word 'grand' carried so much weight as it does in this book. "--This is our big day now, his ma had told him.She spoke quietly.--How are yeh, love?--Grand.--No, she said,--Listen to me. I've been livin' too long with your father, How are you - really?His ma had shrunk. She was under his chin, a hand on his chest and a hand on his back, the way he'd often held onto his own kids.--Really, he said. --I'm grand.--Grand, she said.--I hate that bloody word."Music is still an integral part of his life and becomes even more so as two of the old band re-surface.This is humble story of life, facing death, family, friends and what the hell is it all about.
    • 3/5
      The Guts wasn't what I expected. I cannot remember the last time I read a novel that included so much dialogue. I read a lot of literary fiction, and certainly the authors of these works especially include a significantly higher percentage of narration than dialogue. One wonder if the author more easily maintains greater control over the text's meaning in a narrative style; is some strength or ability to be direct lost when putting more of the story in characters' mouths? It was a very interesting diversion in form from most novels I read, but it took some getting used to. I had to become familiar with the rhythm, local Irish vocabulary, and sense of humor of the characters. I got the hang of it soon enough and found the novel a good read overall. I particularly recommend it to any reader who, like myself, reads narrator-dominated novels. It's good to switch things up I find, and Roddy Doyle is a strong writer whose dialogue is not without some semblance to poetry (this is understating it). I appreciate the opportunity to explore this major release in advance of official publication provided through the First to Read program of Penguin Books.
    • 5/5
      Reading a Roddy Doyle novel is like reading a great screenplay - you get fully formed characters established mostly through phenomenal dialogue. The Guts reunites us with Jimmy Rabbitte 25 years after the events in the Commitments. It feels like catching up with an old friend. Jimmy's married now with several almost grown children and we meet back up with him as he reveals his newly diagnosed cancer to his dad. The opening scene is touching and heartfelt and, as is the rest of the book, laugh out loud funny. We get to see Jimmy go through his cancer ordeal, reunite with his long lost brother, reunite with an old friend in chemo who is much worse off than him and "resurrect" a lost song from 1932.Let's hope it's not another 25 years before we meet Jimmy again.
    • 5/5
      Anyone who loved The Commitments or The Snapper or The Van should just plain rush out and get this, the fourth installment of the Barrytown Trilogy. Jimmy Rabitte is back, and still involved in the music biz, but with a digital flavor. 25 years on, Jimmy, Outspan, Imelda, and a variety of other characters you'll remember are facing big new challenges.As usual what separates a Roddy Doyle book from the pack is his uncanny knack for authentic dialogue and the oxymoronic sad humor that makes the people of Barrytown such a joy to share experiences with. Sort of spoiler alert. The final scenes are superb!
    • 4/5
      Took longer than usual to get into this JR story by Doyle. Nonetheless, it speaks to middle age, family, frailty and friendship. A bit of insight into the Ireland of every day hopes and struggles. If you are under 40 and reading it, save it for reading again later.
    • 4/5
      I loved The Commitments and The Deportees and this was a very creative continuation of the story of Jimmy Rabitte and his cohorts only they are all middle aged with families and health issues. The dialog is brilliantly witty and poignant and the last part of the book, with four middle aged men camping out at Ireland's hottest rock concert, is great. Really great.
    • 4/5
      I loved The Commitments and The Deportees and this was a very creative continuation of the story of Jimmy Rabitte and his cohorts only they are all middle aged with families and health issues. The dialog is brilliantly witty and poignant and the last part of the book, with four middle aged men camping out at Ireland's hottest rock concert, is great. Really great. SRH
    • 4/5
      Roddy Doyle is so brilliant at interaction and dialogue. This was the best "go feck ye'self" to ageing (and all the self-pity we have as we get older) that I've yet read. Funny, heartbreaking, honest and totally punk rock!
    • 5/5
      Roddy Doyle is just brilliant. Here he revives Jimmy Rabbitte from his novel The Commitments, which was also the name of the band Jimmy managed. Jimmy is 47 now, with a family and a case of bowel cancer. He’s still in the music business, in a company he and his wife started, but sold, so he’s like an employee. Jimmy is negotiating the cancer, work, and the relationships with his family, including his brother Les, who moved to England decades earlier and dropped out of contact. He meets Outspan, a member of the Commitments, at a chemotherapy session. Outspan isn’t doing as well as Jimmy in the recovery department. “There’ll be no happy ending there.” The story culminates at an outdoor music festival that basically sums up what, and who, is important to Jimmy.