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Daren's Reviews > Dubliners
Dubliners
by
by
Daren's review
bookshelves: fiction, fiction-short-story-ies, irish-author, ireland, digital, 4-star
Sep 20, 2024
bookshelves: fiction, fiction-short-story-ies, irish-author, ireland, digital, 4-star
I honestly wasn't sure what to expect with this collection of vignettes. It turns out, for me anyway, that they read as a more modern style that the date they were written (1904-07) or published (1914). They are reasonably 'gritty' with swearing and bad behaviour on display in a way I wouldn't have expected. I think this is probably what made it an interesting read.
The stories are (mostly) short snapshots of everyday live in Dublin's poorer classes - the way they live their lives, interact with each other. They scheme and double cross, they find ways to work around the law and the morals expected of them. There are also lots of sayings and idioms that are still in use nowadays in Dublin (specifically) and probably all of Ireland - another factor which contributed to me generally enjoying this. Personally I can't help getting a kick out of recognising a street name, or even a suburb from the few years I lived in Dublin.
4 stars.
The stories are (mostly) short snapshots of everyday live in Dublin's poorer classes - the way they live their lives, interact with each other. They scheme and double cross, they find ways to work around the law and the morals expected of them. There are also lots of sayings and idioms that are still in use nowadays in Dublin (specifically) and probably all of Ireland - another factor which contributed to me generally enjoying this. Personally I can't help getting a kick out of recognising a street name, or even a suburb from the few years I lived in Dublin.
4 stars.
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Reading Progress
August 17, 2024
–
Started Reading
September 17, 2024
– Shelved
September 17, 2024
–
Finished Reading
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Nah, Christchurch doesn't have a patch on early 20thC Dublin.Charles wrote: "…They are reasonably 'gritty' with swearing and bad behaviour on display in a way I wouldn't have expected. I think this is probably what made it an interesting read.�
Like life on the mean street..."
I’ve heard this is the most accessible Joyce work. Maybe I should read it first.
This was the reason I read it first Dmitri. I liked it, but not sure I am up for more in a rush.Dmitri wrote: "I’ve heard this is the most accessible Joyce novel. Maybe I should read it first."
Interesting that many of the local sayings and expressions were being used back then.Dubliners do seem to swear a lot (as everyday speech rather than in an aggressive tone).
Yes, there is a lot of swearing, albeit often not offensive swearing , but perhaps that's why I fit in so well! Dubliners (Irish in general I think) are pretty good at making an archaic phrase or word fit into common use, I think. Scots are not much different I think, the Celtic connection?Ian wrote: "Interesting that many of the local sayings and expressions were being used back then. Dubliners do seem to swear a lot (as everyday speech rather than in an aggressive tone)."
Ian wrote: "Interesting that many of the local sayings and expressions were being used back then.Dubliners do seem to swear a lot (as everyday speech rather than in an aggressive tone)."
My mum said that about Glaswegians.
Charles wrote:" Like life on the mean streets of Christchurch?"I was picked up by a tour bus in Christchurch many years back, and the driver apologised to me on behalf of the people of Christchurch for the smashed window at the bus stop.
Things are probably a little different now, the bus driver likely wouldn't want to converse, and bus stop shelters with broken glass are a regular Sunday morning sight...fourtriplezed wrote: "I was picked up by a tour bus in Christchurch many years back, and the driver apologised to me on behalf of the people of Christchur..."
fourtriplezed wrote: "Ian wrote: "Interesting that many of the local sayings and expressions were being used back then.Dubliners do seem to swear a lot (as everyday speech rather than in an aggressive tone)."
My mum..."
Hmm! Maybe so! I have noticed it less but maybe that's because I am more adjusted to Glaswegian speech.
Not on the subject of swearing as such, but in Glasgow the word "messages" is used as another word for "groceries". One time an Englishwoman who moved to Glasgow told me how she was totally confused by this at first. People would say things like, "I was getting my messages yesterday when I bumped into so-and-so", or, "I'll need to go. I need to get my messages." She was utterly baffled as to why everyone constantly seemed to be collecting messages. 😄😄
Daren wrote: "Things are probably a little different now, the bus driver likely wouldn't want to converse, and bus stop shelters with broken glass are a regular Sunday morning sight...fourtriplezed wrote: "I wa..."
No doubt the work of those immigrant, Prepper, billionaires flooding into the country? Riff-raff! 🧐
Nice review Daren, I have an old copy of this I picked up a few years ago and have often thought about going for it, but Joyce like Proust is one of those names which seems to come with a lot of potential assumptions and baggage which can strike terror into mere mortals, but your review has paved an easier way towards it, so I'll maybe give a shot sooner rather than later.And yes the Irish like the Scots often use swearing as punctuation, and it can seem like anger to the untutored ear, when its actually just the default setting or heightened excitement.
The mention of "messages" had me smiling in recognition. I still find myself using that on occasion too.
Thanks - yes as mentioned above this is considered the most accessible of Joyce's works. I saw a couple of high-brow reviews explaining the deeper meanings of these stories - but for me they were just vignettes capturing a view of life. I am not very good at interpreting deeper allegorical meanings. Keen Reader wrote: "Nice review Daren, I have an old copy of this I picked up a few years ago and have often thought about going for it, but Joyce like Proust is one of those names which seems to come with a lot of po..."
Ian wrote: "fourtriplezed wrote: "Ian wrote: "Interesting that many of the local sayings and expressions were being used back then.Dubliners do seem to swear a lot (as everyday speech rather than in an aggre..."
I flat shared with a Scottish girl years back, and she used the term "Piece" for sandwich and "bairn" for a child, and that confused the heck initially out of another flatmate. I had heard of those terms as a child through my mum.
fourtriplezed wrote: "Ian wrote: "fourtriplezed wrote: "Ian wrote: "Interesting that many of the local sayings and expressions were being used back then.Dubliners do seem to swear a lot (as everyday speech rather than..."
Was that the Stranraer lassie?
Both terms are still widely used although I would say that "bairn" is on the whole more of an east coast term - its use also extends into the NE of England and "Geordie" speech.
Like life on the mean streets of Christchurch? 😉