Borstal Boy

I had heard a lot about this book or would say that it is "famous" and therefore I assumed it was a great piece of literature and had always intended to read it at some point, which I've just done. It is indeed a good story and undoubtedly told by a great raconteur and an intelligent character who lives off his wits. The borstal boy's streetwise confidence and vanity is apparent but his ultimate kindness and fairness also shine through. It rambled on a bit though, with plenty of "blarney" and became rather repetitive. Once you've read a good chunk you more or less get the picture. I felt like I wanted to get to the end once I was half way though, although the last few pages as he leaves and then returns home are actually some of the best. Apparently its autobiographical but I suspect only loosely so. I imagine there's an amount of poetic licence and doubt that all the events and dialogue happened exactly as described unless he has a sensational memory. It was first published nearly 20 years after the events.

This book was given to me when I was in my early twenties with the proviso that when I'd finished it I must pass it on. The copy was a 60's Pan paperback - its pages were dog-eared, its spine was broken, the body of the text had fallen into three parts (attempts had been made to hold it together with sticky tape). This was a many times read volume.I kept my part of the bargain and passed it on after I had read it. I know that the friend I gave it to also passed it on. How many more people were able to read it before it finally fell to bits I know not.I can't think of a higher reccomendation for a text.However - one word of warning. This is the (true) story of a teenage IRA Volunteer who came to mainland Britain to engineer an atrocity. This might put off certain readers in the United Kingdom and, given the current political climate and fear of international terrorism, elsewhere in the world.Its an important caveat for terrorism is a difficult issue. One man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist and all that.Irish politics does not weigh heavily on the text which is really about the struggle for survival and dignity in the face of the adversity of the penal system. Behan's humanity, courage and basic decency shines throughout and makes this an incredibly uplifting read.His mantra when totally up against it - " What can't be cured must be endured" has stayed with me for the last 25 years and served me well.This is an important book. Read it and pass it on!

I was fortunate to see a dramatised production of "Borstal Boy" at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin in August 1968 and I was enthralled by Behan's raw depiction of a teenage IRA member (himself) held under the British (I must emphasise ENGLISH as I am a Welsh-speaking Cymro sympathetic to the cause of Irish separatism) penal system. The book is a mixture of the naivety of youth, impressive historic knowledge of Ireland with which Behan was imbued from a young age and is written in a style redolent of autobiographical literature of its age. English people will find its political truths and their nation's refusal to see the Irish Republican viewpoint difficult to grasp, but they might, just might understand some basic truths about the then impending demise of their colonialist exploitative past and the Protestant people of Northern Ireland should try to understand the cruel consequences of the religious bigotry that has plagued the beautiful Emerald Isle.

I though for most of my life that both the IRA and anyone who had been sent to a Borstal Institution (a 'bad boys school', I was told) were at best to be feared, at worst to be despised.With his biography 'Borstal Boy' Brendan Behan effortlessly blows both of my long held myths out of the water.His account of his time spent under the influence of the British Judicial System, at a tender and incredibly impressionable age is writen with a stunning intermingling of humour and wisdom, and with shocking honesty.I found it hard to put down, drawn as I was into the lives of 'Paddy''Chewlips' 'Joe' and 'Jock' not to mention 'Jones 538'. It is a great read, but more importantly perhaps, a slight insight into a world populated by young, and often troubled, young men.

I bought this book after viewing the film of the same title. This was because i enjoyed the film so much that i wanted to read Brendan's own account of the event which could have ended in his execution if he had been of that age. I was surprised at the way the film differed from the book. Almost another story altogether. But a beautiful story and finely acted by all concerned. The film also introduced me to Danny Dyer in a role that I would enjoy seeing him play more often as he had become typecast as gangsterish.

Superb writing from Behan. Written in a very immersive style, he demonstrates his good nature throughout. Not so much a coming of age tale as a collection of anecdotes in chronological order but we see the author mature as the book goes on.

Masterpiece

Bought as a gift, no complaints.