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In 1942, with war raging in Europe, the playwright 'Perry' Perry and his wife Babs tire of Dublin literary life and move to the small, quiet coastal town of Drane. Drane, however, is more than it seems, and the astonished Perry is soon entangled in a web of hypocrisy and scandal, affairs and adultery, love, tragedy and death.
- GenresIrish Literature
Hardcover
First published September 21, 2004
7 people want to read
About the author
Hugh Leonard
76 books3 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Hugh Leonard was an Irish dramatist, television writer and essayist. In a career that spanned 50 years, Leonard wrote more than 18 plays, two volumes of essays and two autobiographies, one novel and numerous screenplays and teleplays, as well as writing a regular newspaper column.
Hugh Leonard was an Irish dramatist, television writer and essayist. In a career that spanned 50 years, Leonard wrote more than 18 plays, two volumes of essays and two autobiographies, one novel and numerous screenplays and teleplays, as well as writing a regular newspaper column.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 28, 2021
Lots of Irish fun, but one caveat: it helps a lot if you’re a film buff. If dropped names like Gabby Hayes and Nick and Nora Charles leave you blank, then you may remain puzzled for much of the book.
Which would be a shame, because there’s much humour to be found within, and Hugh Leonard, in one of only three novels he wrote, indulges an obvious love for classic movies. Casablanca, Stagecoach and Angels with Dirty Faces are all referenced along with more obscure stuff like Dodsworth and even Love Finds Andy Hardy.
Dublin luvvies Micheàl Mac Liammóir and Hilton Edwards make a passing appearance, and there are some great one-liners: “The smile on her face was so thin that she might have shaved off her moustache with it”.
Which would be a shame, because there’s much humour to be found within, and Hugh Leonard, in one of only three novels he wrote, indulges an obvious love for classic movies. Casablanca, Stagecoach and Angels with Dirty Faces are all referenced along with more obscure stuff like Dodsworth and even Love Finds Andy Hardy.
Dublin luvvies Micheàl Mac Liammóir and Hilton Edwards make a passing appearance, and there are some great one-liners: “The smile on her face was so thin that she might have shaved off her moustache with it”.
February 12, 2009
This book has a very epiodic feel to it - all neatly written chapters where new events take place and gentle humour tickles but overall, the book seems without purpose or a message. A bunch of stuff happens.
Set in 1940's Ireland - its a gentle story of village life told in an Oirish patter - where the scandals are compared to the big screen presentations.
Starts in the present sense, where a narrator meets an old playright, Perry, and his wife Babs - it then moves to the past and tells the story from their perspective - never returning to our narrator (strangely).
Perry has writers block and moves to the village where no radio reception means that the cinema is the sole source of entertainment. Cinematic releases are contrasted with scandal in the village and Irelands involvement in the war.
Very laid back and nicely Oirish in terms of attitude and dialect. Gentle humour but ultimately tears up no trees or seems to have a pont to make.
Set in 1940's Ireland - its a gentle story of village life told in an Oirish patter - where the scandals are compared to the big screen presentations.
Starts in the present sense, where a narrator meets an old playright, Perry, and his wife Babs - it then moves to the past and tells the story from their perspective - never returning to our narrator (strangely).
Perry has writers block and moves to the village where no radio reception means that the cinema is the sole source of entertainment. Cinematic releases are contrasted with scandal in the village and Irelands involvement in the war.
Very laid back and nicely Oirish in terms of attitude and dialect. Gentle humour but ultimately tears up no trees or seems to have a pont to make.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews