Is Shane MacGowan Still Alive? [Paperback]

Lincolnshire-born Leeds United fan Tim Bradford claims no Irish blood, but is well qualified to write about Irishry having spent years propping up West London bars wearing a leather jacket and clutching a pint of Guinness. Vaguely based on misguided jaunts to Ireland in 1998 to try and sell his Vauxhall Corsa, Is Shane MacGowan Still Alive? casts him as a Kerouac figure (albeit one who spends more time in the pub than on the road). The book has the potential to be an edgy-but-funny travelogue, but as the preface forewarns, maybe instead you should "think of it as a rambling pub conversation...". --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

'This is an absolute must for anyone who's ever indulged even a moment of romantic yearning for all things Hibernian. Like some latter day Kerouac, Tim Bradford drives around the Emerald Isle in search of captivating wild women, poetry, folk songs and of course, the odd pint or two. He meets Europe's spottiest hitcher and drives along Ireland's worst road; he gives a bluffer's guide to being Irish for those who aren't and provides an essential map of the land showing the distribution of conversational topics including house prices, moving statues and condom availability. Hilarious.' Scotsman

'An irreverent homage to Ireland…sly and funny.' Irish Post

'An engagingly whimsical tour, in which Bradford seeks to discover what it means to be Irish (and indeed Oirish), where the best Guinness is found, whether Irish music is any good, and sundry related topics. This is always amusing and frequently laugh-out-loud funny: Bradford can see the serious in the inconsequential and vice versa. He comes across as the kind of guy you'd love to have a drink or three with… A book that achieves the difficult feat of being light in tone, funny and human. I await his next with pleasure.' Glasgow Herald

A wry and extremely witty travelogue exploring all things Irish (and Oirish).'With Spike Milligan-ish humour, Bradford investigates the Irish psyche: at times he comes close to adding a new mythology of his own.’ Time Out

'If you know who Shane MacGowan is, you may well love this bizarre, funny, brash, telling-it-like-it-is book. If you don't, then it will expand your cultural range' Sunday Times

'An absolute must for anyone who's ever indulged even a moment of romantic yearning for all things Hibernian. Like some latter-day Kerouac, Tim Bradford drives around the Emerald Isle in search of captivating wild women, poetry, folk songs and of course, the odd pint or two. He meets Europe's spottiest hitcher and drives along Ireland's worst road; he gives a bluffer's guide to being Irish for those who aren't and provides an essential map of the land showing the distribution of conversational topics including house prices. Moving statues and condom availability. Hilarious.' Scotsman

'An engagingly whimsical tour, in which Bradford seeks to discover what it means to be Irish (and indeed Oirish), where the best Guinness is found, whether Irish music is any good, and sundry related topics. This is always amusing and frequently laugh-out-loud funny: Bradford can see the serious in the inconsequential and vice versa. He comes across as the kind of guy you'd love to have a drink or three with… A book that achieves the difficult feat of being light in tone, funny and human. I await his next with pleasure.' Glasgow Herald

Reviews for IS SHANE MacGOWAN STILL ALIVE?
'If you know who Shane MacGowan is, you may well love this bizarre, funny, brash,telling-it-like-it-is book. If you don’t, then it will expand your cultural range' SUNDAY TIMES

'An irreverent homage to Ireland… sly and funny.' IRISH POST

'This is an absolute must for anyone who’s ever indulged even a moment of romantic yearning for all things Hibernian. Like some latter day Kerouac, Tim Bradford drives around the Emerald Isle in search of captivating wild women, poetry, folk songs and of course, the odd pint or two. He meets Europe’s spottiest hitcher and drives along Ireland’s worst road; he gives a bluffer’s guide to being Irish for those who aren’t and provides an essential map of the land showing the distribution of conversational topics including house prices. Moving statues and condom availability. Hilarious.' SCOTSMAN

'An engagingly whimsical tour, in which Bradford seeks to discover what it means to be Irish (and indeed Oirish), where the best Guinness is found, whether Irish music is any good, and sundry related topics. This is always amusing and frequently laugh-out-loud funny: Bradford can see the serious in the inconsequential and vice versa. He comes across as the kind of guy you’d love to have a drink or three with… A book that achieves the difficult feat of being light in tone, funny and human. I await his next with pleasure.' GLASGOW HERALD

‘An irreverent and funny book which will have you laughing into your Guinness’ WHAT'S ON

'The title is taken from a chance encounter at Camden tube station with a man whose death has been greatly exaggerated and yet fervently expected. Bradford’s chance encounter with MacGowan tempts him into making an odyssey of sorts around Ireland. A book like this could so easily slip into good-humored whimsy. Bradford’s book is good-humoured, clever and well written. He takes on Ireland on its own terms, never patronises nor indulges his subject matter. He breaks Ireland up into imaginary zones. Dublin is Viking Town, the Midlands, for reasons best known to the author, is Orange County; the south is Maryland after the moving statues at Ballinspittle. The book is interspersed with animations, which make you laugh out loud – like the map of Ireland depicting areas of heavy rainfall - the entire island, of course. It's worth buying for his hilarious and accurate descriptions of Oirish theme pubs alone. Enjoy.' RI-RA

'Determinedly and flatulently funny.' IRISH BOOKSELLER

'A superb and positively hilarious book which adds a liberal helping of cynicism to the portrayal of folk singers in bars, vomiting tourists, and moving statues. As much fun as a night’s pub crawl round Dublin. Well, almost.' MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS

'With Spike Milligan-ish humour, Bradford investigates the Irish psyche: at times he comes close to adding a new mythology of his own.' TIME OUT

"An irreverent homage to Ireland, sly and funny"
IRISH POST

"This is an absolute must for anyone who's ever indulged even a moment of romantic yearning for all things Hibernian. Like some latter-day Kerouac, Tim Bradford drives around the Emerald Isle in search of captivating wild women, poetry, folk songs and off course the odd pint or two. He meets Europe's spottiest hitcher and drives along Ireland's worst road; he gives a bluffers guide to being Irish for those who aren't and provides an essential map of the land showing the distribution of the conversational topics including house prices, moving statues and condom availability. Hilarious."
SCOTSMAN

"An engagingly whimsical tour, in which Bradford seeks to discover what it means to be Irish (and indeed Oirish), where the best Guinness is found, where Irish music is any good, and sundry related topics. This is always amusing and frequently laugh-out-loud funny: Bradford can see the serious in the consequential and vice versa. He comes across as the kind of guy you'd love to have a drink or three with. A book which achieves the difficult feat of being light in tone, funny and human. I await his next with pleasure"
GLASGOW HERALD

"With Spike Milligan-ish humour, Bradford investigates the Irish psyche: at times he comes close to adding a new mythology of his own."
TIME OUT

TIM BRADFORD is a freelance writer and illustrator. He has written for the NME, When Saturday Comes, Empire and Amateur Photographer. His drawings have appeared in the Observer and the Express. He lives in London and is an enthusiastic trainee Celt.