Roddy Doyle Books In Order

Publication Order of The Barrytown Trilogy Books

Publication Order of The Last Roundup Books

Publication Order of Rover Adventures Trilogy Books

Publication Order of Elsewhere Collections

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Collections

Publication Order of's Childrens Books

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Author Roddy Doyle was born May 8, 1958 in the city of Dublin, Ireland, and he grew up in Kilbarrack with his middle class family. Ita Bolger Doyle, Doyle’s mother, was one of Maeve Brennan’s first cousins (who was a writer of short stories).

He got his Bachelor of Arts degree after attending University College Dublin. He taught English and geography for a few years before starting to write full time in the year 1993. In the year 2009, he and Sean Love founded a creative writing center called “Fighting Words”; it opened in January of 2009, in Dublin. Some personal notes and work books belonging to Roddy Doyle have been given to the National Library of Ireland.

His wife, who is named Belinder Moller (whom he married in the year 1987), is a granddaughter of Erskine Hamilton Childers (who is an ex-president of Ireland). Together, the couple has three kids: Kate, Rory, and Jack. He is also an atheist.

He has written books for both adults and for kids; he also writes short stories, plays, screenplays, and non fiction. His first novel was published in the year 1987 (with the title of “The Commitments”), and since then, he has not looked back for any reason. One non fiction book that he wrote, which was called “Rory and Ita” was a biography about his parents. Doyle’s “Barrytown” series was made into three hit films.

A lot of his work includes little exposition or description, and are mostly made up of conversations between the characters.

In 1991, he won a BAFTA Award for the best adapted screenplay of his novel “The Commitments”. He also won an Irish PEN Award in the year 2009 and a Man Booker Prize for “Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha” in the year 1993.

“The Commitments” is the first novel in the “Barrytown” series and was released in the year 1987. Barrytown, Dublin currently has something to sing about. The Commitments have been spreading around the soul’s gospel. Jimmy Rabbitte does a great job managing them, and they are expertly coached by Joey Fagan (also called the Lips).

Their ability to assault both Barrytown and Motown takes them very far, from the parish hall all the way to the door of the studio. Will these Commitments be able to live up to their big name?

This is a irreverent, foul mouthed, and energetic novel. Fans of the novel enjoy this and its set up. The movie adds a lot to the book, as it really is just a performance of everything that is in the novel. It is written with dialogue and song lyrics, without much in the way of stage direction and no description or internal monologues. It has the feel and rhythm of Motown after being placed into Barrytown, Ireland. Here is an author that is able to make high art of of conversation, and that happens to be about 90 percent of what happens in this book.

“The Snapper” is the second novel in the “Barrytown” series and was released in the year 1990. Here are the Rabitte’s, who are eclectic who are a bunch of ne’er do wells that are lovable. They live in a purgatory that is full of dog shit, dirty dishes, and hangovers.

The older sister announces to the entire family that she is pregnant, and the clan has to discover the oddness of intimacy. The question still remains though, which friend of the family is the one that fathered Sharon’s kid?

After reading this one, some cannot wait to finish this great series off, by reading the last book in the series. This is nothing but a fun read, and you will find yourself laughing out loud (either in public or private, it does not really matter). Fans of the novel enjoyed reading this, especially the characters; this author does a great job writing about people living their working class lives.

“The Van” is the third novel in the “Barrytown” series and was released in the year 1991. Jimmy Rabbitte, Sr. has no job at the moment, he just spends his days miserable and alone. Bimbo, Jimmy’s best friend, gets laid off too, and the pair keep each other company while being miserable together.

Things begin to look up for them, however. They purchase a run down fish and chip van and start a business together and sell food to hungry and drunk people. They also do their best to keep just ahead of the health officers.

Here is a bittersweet story about a friendship that gets ruined by starting a business together. Fans of the novel found this to be their favorite of the books in the series. Readers who enjoyed the first book in the series, liked this one, finding they were not disappointed and found some of the same things they found in it (similar larger than life characters and comedic moments).

“The Guts” is the fourth novel in the “Barrytown” series and was released in the year 1991. Jimmy Rabbitte has returned (the one that came up with The Commitments in the eighties). He is now 47 years old, has four kids, a wife that loves him, not to mention, cancer in his bowels. He could be dying, but he may not be, he thinks.

Jimmy still enjoys his music, and loves hustling still. The new thing he is into is looking for old bands, and finding the biggest fans of them that would pay online for redone singles and albums they made. Going through Dublin, between chemo sessions and his work, he finds two members of the Commitments: Imelda Quirk and Outspan Foster. Imelda is just as gorgeous as she once was and Outspan has an illness that is probably terminal. He finds Les, who is his long lost brother, and learns the trumpet.

Fans found this to be warm and funny, which is about both family and friendship; you see people that are confronted with their own mortality and choose to live. Once again, Doyle shows off his ability to write top notch, excellent dialogue, and somehow make a story about someone dying from cancer a funny thing. Some will be reading more and more of this author’s work after reading the “Barrytown” books, Doyle is just that good of an author.

One Response to “Roddy Doyle”

1. Ila: 7 months ago

   Today is Sept. 04, 2022. I just fell headlong in Mr. Doyle’s book A Star Called Henry.

   I love finding new to me authors and every so often a gem is discovered, as in this case.

   It is magnificent, an adjective I give to very few books. I’m about halfway through the book and there are very few emotions that I haven’t experienced.

   I already know that I absolutely must read the rest of his books. I really think that experiencing the rest of his books is a more apt descriptor though.

   Ila in Maine

   Reply