Growing Up Is Hard To Do

If you like strong first-person narratives, I invite you to take the hand of ten-year old Paddy Clarke and let him lead you through his engaging tale of growing up in 1960s Ireland. Roddy Doyle expertly captures the voice of his young protagonist in the Booker Prize-winning Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, guiding readers through Paddy's thoughts and recollections, sometimes jumping from one story to another and back again. Against the backdrop of his parents' deteriorating marriage, Paddy details his exploits in Barrytown (including setting fires, enduring school humiliations, and torturing his little brother, "Sinbad"). The tone of the story starts out lighthearted and gradually becomes more wistful, culminating in the origin of the book's title as Paddy leaves the innocence of childhood behind. HM

Check out this interview with Roddy Doyle and discover how Paddy came to be: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/aug/29/paddy-clarke-ha-roddy-doyle