Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

It's our book club choice and we're meeting next week. Think there's another John Boyne novel on the agenda too but 'The Boy With The Striped Pyjamas' was the only one I could see in Eason's yesterday.

It's a short book so got it finished last night. A truly enjoyable and moving read, even though I'd already seen the film. Have to say that as adaptations go, the film is a very successful one.

In terms of other comments on the book, if you were being picky you might pick up on the POV - fairly rock-solid Bruno, which really works, but occasionally drifts off into other characters, not needed really. Last chapter could have been an epilogue. It's a funny book too. Certainly one of my memorable reads of the year (okay, I know everyone else probably read it last year . .)

Also finally got hold of Seamus Heaney and Dennis O'Driscoll in a second edition of the paperback. Pity I didn't have the spare cash when the first edition hardback was still about. Have read the intro and the chronology of significant events in Heaney's life - it's been a full one. As per the question he asks, probably more poetically - what did you do with your life?

Good to see he's recovered well from the stroke, which can have a catastrophic impact for some, subtle effects on others. There's the occasional mention of his good friend, the late David Hammond, a reminder of a fine character I used to enjoy getting the occasional postcard from. I also had the novel experience of hearing myself speaking Irish in a TG4 programme about him. Didn't realise Joan Newmann, denizen of Kilcar, was in the Belfast Group, as was the late Jimmy Simmons, who ended up having the Poet's House in Falcarragh with his wife Janice Fitzpatrick Simmons.

http://johnboyne.wordpress.com/

Book online - Seamus Heaney: the making of the poet, by Michael Parker