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Kevin Ansbro's Reviews > The Ginger Man
The Ginger Man
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Kevin Ansbro's review
bookshelves: shabby-hedonism, boozy-shenanigans, loveable-rogue, funny-as-f, dirty-delightful, favourites, irish-fiction, misogyny
Feb 10, 2016
bookshelves: shabby-hedonism, boozy-shenanigans, loveable-rogue, funny-as-f, dirty-delightful, favourites, irish-fiction, misogyny
The main protagonist, Sebastian Dangerfield, is a feckless, highly articulate, poetic drunkard who somehow has a roguish charm about him (though you wouldn't want to be saddled with the spiteful ne'er-do-well; he's best viewed from afar).
The Irish badinage is indecorously funny and the 'stream-of-consciousness' prose is masterly.
Those readers whose sensibilities are easily offended by make-believe misogyny in a fictional novel might want to give it a wide berth. : )
The Irish badinage is indecorously funny and the 'stream-of-consciousness' prose is masterly.
Those readers whose sensibilities are easily offended by make-believe misogyny in a fictional novel might want to give it a wide berth. : )
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Reading Progress
Finished Reading
February 10, 2016
– Shelved
February 10, 2016
– Shelved as:
shabby-hedonism
February 10, 2016
– Shelved as:
boozy-shenanigans
February 10, 2016
– Shelved as:
loveable-rogue
February 10, 2016
– Shelved as:
funny-as-f
July 11, 2016
– Shelved as:
dirty-delightful
August 26, 2016
– Shelved as:
favourites
September 13, 2017
– Shelved as:
irish-fiction
September 26, 2017
– Shelved as:
misogyny
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Cheri
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Sep 04, 2019 12:32PM
Adding this one for my potential March reads, Kevin! Love your "boozy shenanigans" and "shabby hedonism" categories!
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Cheri wrote: "Adding this one for my potential March reads, Kevin! Love your "boozy shenanigans" and "shabby hedonism" categories!"Thank you, Cheri!
The main protagonist, Sebastian Dangerfield, is a feckless, poetic, drunkard who somehow has a roguish charm about him (though you wouldn't want to be saddled with the ne'er-do-well; he's best viewed from afar).
The Irish badinage is indecorously funny, the 'stream-of-consciousness' prose masterly.
(without meaning to, by answering your comment I've just written a mini-review, so I shall copy and paste it!)
![Terence M - [Quot libros, quam breve tempus!]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1712357414p1/6658001.jpg)
This was another de rigueur novel for twenty-years old smart-arse layabouts like me in the very early 1960's. Some of my uni mates loved its rude raucousness and the coarse sex, of course, but I hated it. My original paperback copy is in a box in my garage, preserved only as example of the crap "literature" that we simply HAD to read back in the day!
Terence M wrote: "This was another de rigueur novel for twenty-years old smart-arse layabouts like me in the very early 1960's. Some of my uni mates loved its rude raucousness and the coarse sex, of course, but I hated it..."...so you weren't a fan then, Terence? ; )
"Terence M wrote: "Some of my uni mates loved its rude raucousness and the coarse sex, of course, but I hated it..."I would have hated it too, Terence, were it not for the accomplished way in which it was written.
I wouldn't like Basil Fawlty if I were to meet him, but I sure as heck love to watch him!!
: D
Delightful review, Kevin, though it sounds like Seb is a bit of a handful! Your shelves gave me a good chuckle as well!😋
I think I’ll give this a wide berth. Nice review, Kevin!
Kimber wrote: "Delightful review, Kevin, though it sounds like Seb is a bit of a handful! Your shelves gave me a good chuckle as well!😋"He is a bit of a handful. Not a nice person at all; deceitful and sexist, but still watchable.
Thank you for reading my review, Kimber! : )
Paula wrote: "I think I’ll give this a wide berth. Nice review, Kevin!"Probably for the best, Paula. And thank you! : )
Having been married to an Irishman, I'm a sucker for Irish literature, so the 'indecorous' (nice synonym) nature of Irish badinage doesn't bother me in the slightest. I don't know how I have missed this particular example of my favourite genre, but it's going straight to the top of my tottering TBR pile! Thanks for your heads-up, Kevin.
Maybe I read this in college, for a course in comic lit. Donleavy was the rage back then, despite his misogynistic characters. Anyway, read some book of his and I remember it made me laugh! Great review. Keep them comin�!
Anni wrote: "Having been married to an Irishman, I'm a sucker for Irish literature..."Marrying an Irishman is like winning life's lottery, Anni. Ask my wife! : D
(actually, don't ask her!)
: D
Debbie wrote: "Maybe I read this in college, for a course in comic lit. Donleavy was the rage back then, despite his misogynistic characters. Anyway, read some book of his and I remember it made me laugh!..."Thank you, Debbie. It made me laugh too!
And laughing at a fictional misogynist doesn't make someone sexist any more than laughing at Basil Fawlty labels them as a xenophobe! : )
And not laughing at, or not being even slightly amused by, a fictional misogynist, is also perfectly acceptable - no label required.
Terence M wrote: "And not laughing at, or not being even slightly amused by, a fictional misogynist, is also perfectly acceptable - no label required."A very fair point, Terence.
Perfect gentlemen, such as you, are in short supply these days!
I enjoy being your friend, Kevin!😋. Thank you!🙏
Terence M wrote: "I enjoy being your friend, Kevin!😋. Thank you!🙏"
And I certainly enjoy being your friend, Terence.
I'm also a gentleman - albeit a more mischievous, rambunctious one!
: )
I love the word “rambunctious�! Another favourite is “curmudgeonly�.
I am probably more the latter than the former, but hopefully still a gentleman!
It is 11:00 pm Friday night and I am with my family enjoying my youngest grandson’s Second birthday. Cheers🍷!
Terence M wrote: "I love the word “rambunctious�! Another favourite is “curmudgeonly�.
I am probably more the latter than the former, but hopefully still a gentleman!
Cheers 🍷!"
Absolutely a gentleman. 👨🏼� Cheers, Terence! 🥂
Great review Kevin. I know Sebastian Dangerfield, he was my neighbor about ten years ago in Louisiana. You have described my friend perfectly, may he RIP. I so enjoy your reviews. I'll have to add this one.
Glenda wrote: "Great review Kevin. I know Sebastian Dangerfield, he was my neighbor about ten years ago in Louisiana. You have described my friend perfectly, may he RIP. I so enjoy your reviews. I'll have to add ..."Ha! Brilliant, Glenda. : )
We've all met a Sebastian Dangerfield at some point in our lives. And what a superb character name!
Terrific review, Kevin! Sebastian sounds like a most memorable character!
Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader wrote: "Terrific review, Kevin! Sebastian sounds like a most memorable character!"He certainly is, Jennifer! : )
Lovely to hear from you. Hope all is well in Tar Heel Towers!
I’m never offended by misogyny in a fiction novel (I give you my 5 stars for Dream Girl by Laura Lippman as evidence).Love your tags for this one, especially dirty-delightful, and funny-as-f
Lol
JanB wrote: "I’m never offended by misogyny in a fiction novel (I give you my 5 stars for Dream Girl by Laura Lippman as evidence).Love your tags for this one, especially dirty-delightful, and funny-as-f
Lol"
Thank you, Jan!
I was of course being mischievous; having a dig at those readers who are offended by something that a fictional character does in a work of fiction! : )
And I'm immediately going to hunt down your Laura Lippman review...
I would like to add, for the record, that I am highly offended by misogyny in real life. : )
Fiction reflects life, as well as the mind and ideas of the author. Depends on the context. Old books reflect the time they were written, the story might feature a misogynist as an antagonist, foil� there are more, but I’m sure you get the point. If it’s something that accepts or promotes it seriously, then no. I understand your point in this case. I don’t think I would enjoy it in my current state of� something negative.
Kristy wrote: "Fiction reflects life, as well as the mind and ideas of the author. Depends on the context..."Thank you, Kristy.
My point is this: many authors, myself included, deliberately create manipulative, diabolical baddies whom we hope our readers will despise. What we don't expect is for a reader to be deeply offended by said baddie when he/she doesn't even exist!
: )
Think we all know a few Sebastian Dangerfields Sir K! Great review as ever - hope you are staying cool! 🥂
Ceecee wrote: "Think we all know a few Sebastian Dangerfields Sir K! Great review as ever - hope you are staying cool! 🥂"Yes, we've all met a few Sebastian Dangerfields!
Thank you, Lady C. Cool as a cucumber, I am. : )
Ceecee wrote: "I don’t know why I asked 😂😂😂": D
Sir Kevin...love the review! Where is my copy? I'll have to climb my beanstalk. Is there a GPS for a skyscraper of piled books? I hope there will not be Fran splatter on the ground! 🤣
Fran wrote: "Sir Kevin...love the review! Where is my copy? I'll have to climb my beanstalk. Is there a GPS for a skyscraper of piled books? I hope there will not be Fran splatter on the ground! 🤣"My apologies for only just noticing your kind comment, Fantastic Fran.
📣 Step away from the beanstalk! ... I repeat. Step away from the beanstalk! 😀
