528. Borstal Boy

Borstal Boy
Brendan Behan
1958
Around 390 pages

Because this is an autobiography, I had to venture to a different floor in my library than normal. It was dark and scary up there, and I had to take the stairs. I feel like all autobiographies are fiction. Nobody can be objective and truthful about their own life. 

Behan spent his formative years in what Americans would call a juvenile detention center, but the rest of the world calls a borstal. He bonds with the British prisoners despite his support of the Irish Republican Army. The novel uses working class Irish dialect, which makes it very authentic, and very difficult for outsiders to digest.

I wish I could stop hating on Irish authors as much as you do. I'm not faulting Behan for his choice to feature regional dialect, but it does come at the cost of isolating readers. It can still be a rewarding experience, but it's definitely more of a slog to get through. 

So overall a bit of chore, but the themes of unity and "we're not so different, you and me" were interesting, especially coming from Behan.

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

Banned in Ireland for unspecified reasons until 1970.

UP NEXT: Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico