Two Pints – Roddy Doyle (2012, 89 pages)
Two Pints is a series of conversations between two men who meet in a pub. Doyle has an excellent ear for dialogue and his first novel, The Commitments, was very dialogue-heavy. This is even more so, with no description at all. It’s set on specific dates and documents the characters’ reactions to events in 2011 and 2012.
Before some examples, a trigger warning for language. Roddy Doyle presents authentic voices, and those voices are sweary. Something he is quite renowned for (I’ve included this clip before, but g’wan, you will!):
There is an ongoing conversation as to the whereabouts of Colonel Gaddafi:
“…An’ anyway, that’s when I see him.
– Who?
– Gaddafi.
– From the chipper?
– No the other one. From Libya.
– In Dublin Airport?
– Terminal 2.
– Fuck off.
– Swear to God. That’s where he’s hidin’.
[…]
– You’re sure it was him?
– Course I am. I winked at him.
– Wha’ did he do?
– He winked back.”
There are also discussions of cultural issues, both high and low:
“- D’yeh ever read poetry?
– Wha’?!
– D’you ever –
– I heard yeh. I just can’t fuckin’ believe I heard yeh.
-Well look it –
– G’wan upstairs to the lounge if yeh want to talk abou’ poetry.”
“- Wha’ does ‘thinkin’ outside the box’ mean?
– You were watchin’ The Apprentice last night, weren’t yeh?”
By the end I really felt as if I’d been in a pub overhearing two old friends talking. The simplicity of Two Pints doesn’t mean it’s prosaic though: the stories regarding a young member of the family, Damien, become increasingly surreal, with an escalating collection of exotic animals and his fracking in the back garden using a magimix. You’re never quite sure what will happen next.
“ – See the Queen’s goin’ to mention Ireland in her Christmas speech.
– Ah, great. I might mention her in mine.
-It’s a big deal.
– Not really. I just say a few words to the family.”
Warm, witty and wonderful.
madame bibi lophile recommends 
Swearing doesn’t bother me, fortunately, so I laughed like a drain at this! 🙂
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I thought it was hilarious 😀
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Comedy genius! I’m definitely buying this. 😂
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I hope you enjoy it Sarah! It’s been a struggle to my book buying ban not to buy the sequel…
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Ah, Roddy Doyle. I haven’t read anything by him for years. I can see his ear for dialogue is still great. Are you going to read the sequel as well this month?
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I’d like to, it depends if I can get it at the library – pesky book buying ban!
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What an ear for dialogue Doyle has! It’s not possible to read this without hearing an Irish sweary voice in your head.
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Absolutely! He really captures the rhythms of everyday speech. Such a talent.
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Oh magical. And not even the tiniest bit gobshite
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😀
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Haha – love the poetry comment! I’m sure I’ve been in that pub… Hmm, not a fan of swearing, but the humour is brilliant and it’s shorter than his novels…shortlisted!! 😀
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Excellent! It is sweary but very short and so funny 😀
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Had me tittering like a good ‘un. Makes me want to get down the pub and earwig on conversations between old boys with accents, of all sorts :0)
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I’m sure that would be time well spent 😀
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I have to get that, I properly laughed. I also love that clip from Ted. In fact, any clip from any Father Ted.
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Happy reading Lucy!
You really can take any clip from Father Ted and its gold 😀
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This sounds like a lot of fun. And how hard it must be to write entirely in dialogue!
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Doyle makes it look so easy! The dialogue flows and draws you in, and it is very funny 😁
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Since reading this review, I was at the library, in the ‘D’ section, and was curious to see if we had this one. It wasn’t there… but there were so many others of his – it was very hard not to take one with me!
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He’s a prolific writer and very readable – many of his others would definitely be worth a read too 🙂
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