The Life and Times of a Teaboy [Paperback]

Michael Collins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1999

Ambrose Feeney has seen his hopes and ambitions dashed by others' influence and his own inertia. His Limerick is an old siege city of walls, both real and psychological. As Ambrose descends into lunacy he paints a starkly sane portrait of one family's life in an Ireland unsoftened by the mists of legend. The Life and Times of a Teaboy begins with the recollection of a Christmas past and ends with the entrance of the principal character into a lunatic asylum; a crisis in personal growth that mirrors the nation's. 'He is one of the most exciting talents to have emerged not only from Ireland but anywhere in recent decades' The Times

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael Collins was born in 1964 in Limerick, Ireland. He is the author of six novels, and two collections of short stories. His work has garnered numerous awards, including a Pushcart Award for Best American Short Stories, The Kerry Ingredients Irish Novel of the Year, along with being shortlisted for The Booker Prize and IMPAC Prize. Collins is also an extreme athlete and has won The Last Marathon in the Antarctic and set a record time in winning both The Himalayan 100 Mile Stage Race and The Everest Challenge Marathon. He is currently training for The North Pole Marathon in 2006. www.michaelcollinsauthor.com

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Phoenix Paperbacks (July 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0753807556
• ISBN-13: 978-0753807552
• Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.6 x 7.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,579,057 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Lacklustre Characters, Great Prose Style, July 28, 2001

By 

"labibliophile" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Life and Times of a Teaboy (Hardcover)

This book, which tells the story of a poor Irishman's descent into madness was very disappointing. While the writing itself was first-rate, the character development left much to be desired. The main character really doesn't change much over the course of the book, and, as such, we don't get to "see" his madness develop. In fact, he appears to be just as mad when the book begins as when it ends. Since The Life and Times of a Teaboy is definitely a character-driven novel, as opposed to a plot-driven one, this makes for a very glaring fault. I felt no emotional connection with the characters; their plight made me feel nothing more than ho-hum.

The story is told in a frame, something many readers may not realize until they reach the end of the book, a major disadvantage in my opinion, since those readers will be waiting for something to happen that simply never comes about.

It is the first-rate prose that really saves this book. Collins' writing is even throughout, smooth as silk and it always rings true. His descriptive powers are also quite excellent and I felt like I was "really there."

Despite the fact that I found this particular book "lukewarm," I want to emphasize that I won't give up reading Michael Collins. He's a very talented writer and his view of Ireland is both unique and fascinating. This simply wasn't my cup of tea.