Troubles
Published on 5. August 1993
Book
Paperback/Softback
480 pages
978-1-85799-018-8 (ISBN)
Description
Winner of the 1970 lost Man Booker prize
'A work of genius' GUARDIAN
'One of the finest novels of the past 50 years' MAIL ON SUNDAY
'Funny, sad and beautifully written; prescient, wise, original and unexpectedly eccentric' OBSERVER
'No finer work has ever been written about this transitional period in Irish history: it remains a landmark in 20th-century Irish literature' IRISH INDEPENDENT
Major Brendan Archer travels to Ireland - to the Majestic Hotel and to the fiancee he acquired on a rash afternoon's leave three years ago. Despite her many letters, the lady herself proves elusive, and the Major's engagement is short-lived. But he is unable to detach himself from the alluring discomforts of the crumbling hotel. Ensconced in the dim and shabby splendour of the Palm Court, surrounded by gently decaying old ladies and proliferating cats, the Major passes the summer. So hypnotic are the faded charms of the Majestic, the Major is almost unaware of the gathering storm. But this is Ireland in 1919 - and the struggle for independence is about to explode with brutal force.
'A work of genius' GUARDIAN
'One of the finest novels of the past 50 years' MAIL ON SUNDAY
'Funny, sad and beautifully written; prescient, wise, original and unexpectedly eccentric' OBSERVER
'No finer work has ever been written about this transitional period in Irish history: it remains a landmark in 20th-century Irish literature' IRISH INDEPENDENT
Major Brendan Archer travels to Ireland - to the Majestic Hotel and to the fiancee he acquired on a rash afternoon's leave three years ago. Despite her many letters, the lady herself proves elusive, and the Major's engagement is short-lived. But he is unable to detach himself from the alluring discomforts of the crumbling hotel. Ensconced in the dim and shabby splendour of the Palm Court, surrounded by gently decaying old ladies and proliferating cats, the Major passes the summer. So hypnotic are the faded charms of the Majestic, the Major is almost unaware of the gathering storm. But this is Ireland in 1919 - and the struggle for independence is about to explode with brutal force.
Reviews / Votes
A work of genius * Guardian * One of the finest novels of the past 50 years * Mail on Sunday * Funny, sad and beautifully written; prescient, wise, original and unexpectedly eccentric -- Rachel Cooke * Observer * TROUBLES has everything: great story, compelling characters, believable dialogue and big ideas. It's a book good enough to win the Booker in any year. Not just 1970. * GUARDIAN * Like Fawlty Towers written by Evelyn Waugh -- Rachel Cooke * Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival * No finer work has ever been written about this transitional period in Irish history: it remains a landmark in 20th-century Irish literature, and one that deserves to win The One And Only Great Retrospective Booker * IRISH INDEPENDENT * Farrell's vision and voice are unique, inimitable -- John Banville It's funny, sad and beautifully written; it's prescient, wise, original and unexpectedly eccentric. Vote JG, I say. Or even better, just read him. -- Rachel Cooke * OBSERVER * Troubles has everything: great story, compelling characters, believable dialogue and big ideas. It's a book good enough to win the Booker in any year. Not just 1970. -- John Crace * GUARDIAN * Like Fawlty Towers written by Evelyn Waugh -- Rachel Cooke * Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival, 2010 * 'I can't praise this book enough. It's a good rule that reviewers should be forbidden from using the word "genius"...But it's hard to know what else to say when faced with a book like Troubles. There's no avoiding it. JG Farrell was a genius.' -- Sam Jordison * GUARDIAN BOOKS BLOG * No finer work has ever been written about this transitional period in Irish history: it remains a landmark in 20th-century Irish literature, and one that deserves to win The One And Only Great Retrospective Booker. -- Kevin Myers * IRISH INDEPENDENT * Troubles stands up at every stage. It has a fine beginning and a brilliant ending, and is sustained throughout by this wit, laughter and intelligence. -- Tobias HIll * INDEPENDENT * meaty and magnificent?He [Farrell] is a master at controlling pace, and his writing is satisfyingly solid. He is capable of the most vigorous farce, and then he will bring things to the knife edge of tragedy?a fine and fitting winner. -- Philip Womack * DAILY TELEGRAPH * Poignant, meticulously observed, often hilarious, it is one of the finest novels of the past 50 years. -- Simon Shaw * MAIL ON SUNDAY *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Orion Publishing Co
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 196 mm
Width: 128 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
354 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-85799-018-8 (9781857990188)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Person
J.G. Farrell was born in Liverpool in 1935 and spent a good deal of his life abroad, including periods in France and North America, and then settled in London where he wrote most of his novels.
Among his novels, TROUBLES won the Faber Memorial Prize in 1970 and the Lost Man Booker prize in 2010 and THE SIEGE OF KRISHNAPUR won the Booker Prize in 1973.
In April 1979 he went to live in County Cork where only four months later he was drowned in a fishing accident.
Among his novels, TROUBLES won the Faber Memorial Prize in 1970 and the Lost Man Booker prize in 2010 and THE SIEGE OF KRISHNAPUR won the Booker Prize in 1973.
In April 1979 he went to live in County Cork where only four months later he was drowned in a fishing accident.