The Deportees and Other Stories by Roddy Doyle

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"Ireland America was never Ireland America to me." It's Langston Hughes rewritten, but the message works an ocean away from Harlem. And that's what drew me into Roddy Doyle's stories. Racism isn't just an American issue, nor is immigration. I'm sure the world will like to think so, but Doyle has painted a clear picture that it's not. But it's those topics that hit home. That made these stories memorable. 

The book collects nine stories - eight of which are set in Ireland, one in New York - and each deals with the xenophobia\racism of a nation. 

The title story is a sequel of sorts to Doyle's novel, The Commitments, in which Jimmy Rabbitte decides it's high time for another band. No whites, he wants to write in the ad. In fact, that's part of the interview. Do you like the Corrs? Are you sure you're not white? With a rag tag of immigrants, Jimmy decides that the name of this new band is The Deportees and they will sing folk songs rather than soul. 

"The Pram," a Polish nanny decides to seek revenge on her troublesome charges, two daughters who seemingly sabotage her romantic life, by telling them a ghastly story. Only the hauntings enter her waking life rather than their nightmares. The story echoes The Turning of the Screw with a slightly different ending.

In "Guess Who's Coming for the Dinner," a liberal-thinking father is faced with the fact that one of his daughters might be seeing a black man. How he acts surprises him and his family. Luckily, they're there to make sure he doesn't embarrass himself.

A group of teenagers shine some light on racism and stereotypes at local shops and how it hurts the stores financially in "Black Hoodie."

The Deportees and Other Stories is an eye opener at the state that we're in. Cross out Ireland and Irish and replace with America and American, and you'll see how this stories echoes across the sea. It makes the reader take a side step and evaluate how low we've come as a people by refuses others the seem benefits and dreams that we hold close to our hearts.

Before I close this post, I want to announce that I do have an extra copy of The Deportees and Other Stories by Roddy Doyle. And because I'm such a nice guy, I've decided to give one away.


Now this giveaway will take place starting the moment the Tumblr post or this post hits 30 notes/comments.  The rules are simple:

1. This giveaway is only open to residents of the Continental USA, sorry.
2. To enter, you must comment below and tweet the link, mentioning me in said tweet (@EnnuiPrayer).
3. Once one of the two posts hits 30, a period of fifteen days will pass before I draw a winner. 
4. I will announce said winner on both pages and my twitter - hence the reason I want you to mention me. You will then have a period of 48 hours to contact me with your address. If you fail to do so, I will pick draw another winner.

If you have a Tumblr, there's more, but I feel no need mention those here. You can check out the page if you feel like it. Until next time, keep on huntin'.

Read the new rules here.

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