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Commitments (Library Binding)

by Roddy Doyle (Author)

4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

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Product Details

Library Binding: 165 pages
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1439558124
ISBN-13: 978-1439558126

Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

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Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

"Dublin soul" is what the lads call it. Obsessed with James Brown, Percy Sledge and other rhythm-and-blues greats from across the ocean, young Jimmy Rabbitte organizes the "world's hardest working band," made up of fellow Dubliners, and sets out to teach the town a lesson about soul. This cheeky first novel by a Dublin native, punctuated with Irish obscenities and quotes from soul classics, informed by righteous working-class anger and youthful alienation, offers the entertaining and insightful chronicle of The Commitment's rise and inevitable fall. In the process, impromptu sermons on the true meaning of soul are delivered in delightfully offhand fashion ("soul is lifting yourself up, soul is dusting yourself off"). But only a true-blue soul music fan will be able to appreciate the nuances and hear the melodies that resonate throughout the text, as The Commitments recite their slightly skewed versions of songs from the '60s ("when a ma-han loves a wo-man . . . he'll even bring her to stupid places like the zoo-oo-").
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Book Description

This funky, rude, unpretentious first novel traces the short, funny, and furious career of a group of working-class Irish kids who form a band, The Commitments. Their mission: to bring soul to Dublin!

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Customer Reviews

14 Reviews

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

Average Customer Review

4.4 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)

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Most helpful customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Roide, Sally, Roide, April 14 2007

By	Craobh Rua "Craobh Rua" (N. Ireland) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Commitments (Paperback)

Roddy Doyle was born in Dublin in 1958 and saw his first novel, "The Commitments" published in 1987. It was later adapted for the big screen, a version that saw Star Trek's Colm Meaney and a very young Andrea Corr among the cast. Doyle went on to win the Booker Prize in 1993 with "Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha".

"The Commitments" is set in north Dublin and follows Jimmy Rabbite's attempts to bring soul "back" to the city. The band that Jimmy puts together - The Commitments pf the book's title - needs a little work. However, despite the fact that most of the band are still young, the raw talent appears to be there. The group's one 'old-timer' is their trumpet player, Joey 'The Lips' Fagan. Joey not only has the talent, he also apparently has the pedigree : he hold jazz in low regard and has performed with - among others - Otis, Marvin Gaye, Wilson Pickett and Booker T and the MGs. Joey, who insists on calling everyone Brother (or Sister, if it's a Commitmentette), plays a big part in holding the band togetherthrough many dark days. (These dark days are largely caused by Deco Cuffe, the band's vocalist - a singer with a big voice, but unfortunately with a bigger ego...).

"The Commitments" is a very enjoyable, short and easy read - even funnier if you've actually spent any time in Dublin. (Bloody Jackeens !). The language is occasionally a little ripe, and while a little familiarity with the Dublin dialect wouldn't be a bad thing, it's definitely recommended.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, Brother Rabbitte, April 1 2002

By	Dan Griffin (Bronx, NY) - See all my reviews

This book is enormous inspiration to me as a writer because of the way Roddy Doyle creates charactars through dialog and inner thought. After reading the book, as well as watching the movie, I get the feeling that I just spend a weekend around Dublin with Outspan, Jimmy, Deco and the rest of the "tossers." That's the strength of this book the feel of familiarity and the flow of the charactar development. Don't look for plot here, just feel how the book flows and notice how you become entranced with the charactars.

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4.0 out of 5 stars my other irish book..., Mar 18 2002

By	Erren (San Francisco, California) - See all my reviews

this one succeeds largely due to its " can do" spirit and its lively characters, not to mention doyle's love of soul music. he's got the history and the details down cold. and the irish speech is musical in itself.it was funny when one of the characters mentioned that the irish were " the black people of the u.k." i once heard george carlin say in a monologue that when young white irish kids were chastised by the older white people for acting black, he explained that when the irish first came to america, they were regarded as lower than the slaves and even did dirtier work than the slaves, so as to protect their cargo. a little soul goes a long way...

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Most recent customer reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars Boooorrrriiinngggg
*Yawn*

Had to read this for an english course, otherwise I never would have gotten past the first paragraph.

Published on Sep 30 2001 by eliana_

5.0 out of 5 stars Dublin Highlight
This Book is varrey tastey. cook the book with a little salt and pepper and fell bepper (better). This book is superb as it will make you drink much spannish fly for a very long... Read more

Published on Jan 31 2001 by asikopp

3.0 out of 5 stars An Amusing Read
"The Commitments," by Roddy Doyle, is an entertaining and humorous work that portrays youth and its tenacious energy to survive and to become better and wiser. Read more

Published on Feb 23 2000 by Mose Kim

5.0 out of 5 stars Kneecappingly Fun
Roddy Doyle creates the "world's hardest working soul band" in Dublin with his masterpiece The Commitments. Read more