A Kick Against The Pricks: The Autobiography

by David Norris

David Norris is one of Ireland’s most popular, colourful and charismatic public figures. Not a man to shy away from controversy, he has spent most of his adult life challenging the establishment, whether as a leading campaigner for gay rights, a passionate conservationist, an unconventional academic and Joycean scholar, a brilliant raconteur, or, since 1987, a fiercely independent Senator and outspoken defender of human rights.Born in the Belgian Congo to an English father, who died when he was six years old, and an Irish mother, who died when he was twenty-one, David has been a Dubliner all his life, and the city of Ulysses remains one of his great passions. He spear-headed the revival of Georgian Dublin, particularly through his campaign to save North Great George’s Street, where he has lived for the last thirty-five years.But it is David Norris’s campaign to decriminalize homosexuality that will stand as his major legacy. Over a long sixteen years, he fought a difficult battle to overturn the Victorian law, finally winning a historic victory in the European Court of Human Rights in 1988.David’s decision to run for President of Ireland in 2011 was not lightly taken, but it proved to be the most bruising period of his life. His popularity and the public affection in which he is held saw him quickly established as the front-runner. However, a sustained and hostile media campaign forced him out of the race; although he re-entered it in the autumn, the momentum had been lost. In these pages, David Norris reveals for the first time the full, no-holds-barred story of his presidential campaign, and of how he recovered from the turmoil.A Kick Against the Pricks is a brilliant, deeply revealing autobiography, a remarkable journey from the margins to the centre of Irish society.

Genres: Irish Literature

416 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2012

About the author

Senator David Norris has been an Independent member of Seanad Éireann since 1987. He won a historic constitutional challenge in 1988 to the laws criminalizing homosexuality in Ireland. Senator Norris was a candidate in the 2011 Irish presidential election. He is a former lecturer at Trinity College Dublin, a Joycean scholar, a conservationist and a passionate defender of human rights.

Reviews

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great, opinionated, dramatic and occasionally upsetting read. Senator Norris has had so many successes in his career, but the sad end of the presidential bid ends the whole book a sense of regret, and sometimes bitterness. Totally biased, totally entertaining and totally Norris, a required read.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the eve of Bloomsday in 2008(?) I bumped into David outside a corner store when he was picking up his morning paper and a pint of milk in central North Dublin half a block from his Georgian House. The Trinity College professor, Senator of the Irish Government, James Joyce Centre board member, on a beautiful June morning, I was introduced to David and we chatted about Joyce biography Richard Ellmann and the reprinting of his seminal work. Later that week I attended his one-man-show/Lecture on Joyce at the Gresham Hotel. Being on holiday and as an exile for nearly fifty years I was in my element, I had know of David from his Joyce work and as a highly regarded gay activist, respected Senator and respected member of the ever decreasing Anglo-Irish Protestant community. I was aware of the Presidential election in which he was involved but never did I realise what a dogs-breakfast that campaign turned out to be, and that is putting it mildly. In reading this biography it makes me ashamed for my fellow-Irish citizens that they would allow such treatment of this fine man by the Irish media. As he says in the book we (Irish) have always looked to the UK with pity with their mid-blowing gutter press (Murdoch) and they way they have been allowed to get away with their smear campaigns….”this would never be allowed in Ireland!” Well as we all saw the Irish gutter-press were alive and well and live zombies awaiting a meal and what a meal they had with Senator Norris and by and large Ireland looked on and generally said nothing! Yes, he sailed close to the wind for decades in his support of causes that were not all mainstream but human rights were always at his core. He had stepped on a few toes- Church and Press toes- and therein likes the twist. The knives were out and committed to taking him down when he dared to run (and possibly win) the post of President of Ireland. The stabbing of character on the forum steeps from all angles and directions, possibly naïve on his part or innocent, he never stood a chance. The shame lies with the people of Ireland who allowed the assignation to occur, outcome of the election notwithstanding.

[Ita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book immensely. Mr Norris is force to be reckoned with as well pleasure listen to. Reading his book and his thoughts just enhances how much I admire the man and his philosophy of life and politics. His wicket sense of humour I can share.

[Norbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read and a stroll down memory lane for anybody who grew up in Dublin from late 70s to date. The book is well written and an honest account of one mans struggle against prejudices in Irish society.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read! Mr Norris writes as he speaks, extremely eloquently and always entertaining. Really enjoyed this book.