Amazon.co.uk Review
The premise of Pete McCarthy's first book,
McCarthy's Bar, is that you should never pass up the opportunity of having a drink in a bar that shares your name. There is clearly more to this plan than the obvious publicity stunt, since it could work with books as well--try reading
Cormac McCarthy after reading this hilarious, informed and intelligent book, and you may well be tempted to buy books by every other McCarthy around.
Born in Warrington, Pete McCarthy decides to go back to rural Ireland, to rediscover his Irishness. The feeling that you have heard this sort of thing all before doesn't last for long. There is a serious writer struggling to make himself heard above the many excellent jokes and this is what makes McCarthy's book so distinctive. Although he can crack Brysonesque quips with the best of them ("I've often wondered how businessmen used to cope before [mobile phones] were invented. How did they tell their wives they were on the train?"), and take us through hilarious and largely drunken set-pieces, McCarthy is equally at home discussing Celtic standing stones and the potato famine.
The resulting book is a wonderful debut. By the end, we, too, would like to move to Ireland. You sense that McCarthy has such a genuine feeling for Ireland, Irishness and Irish history that he can only temper his writing with side-splitting humour. In this way, his first book successfully embodies much of what it is to be Irish. --Toby Green
Review
‘McCarthy is a hilariously funny writer’ (The Times )
'An engaging, evocative book. Four out of five stars’ (Daily Mail )
'Hilarious, informed and intelligent ... a wonderful debut. By the end, we, too, would like to move to Ireland' (Amazon.co.uk )
‘One of the funniest writers around. If you were asked to choose the ideal travelling companion, you would put Pete McCarthy near the top of your list. But if he doesn’t happen to be available, MCCARTHY’S BAR is the next best thing’ (Yorkshire Evening Post )
‘Don’t panic - this is not the same story you hear from every tourist you meet ... This book will make you laugh out loud through recognition and embarrassment' (Irish News )
‘If you’re not pissing yourself within minutes of picking up this gem by Pete McCarthy, there’s every chance you’re actually dead' (SX )
'McCarthy mines a rich seam of humour as he finds himself on the receiving end of some warm but unsophisicated hospitality. But then, he could probably make a phone book funny.' (Independent on Sunday )
by Pete McCarthy
by Tony Hawks
by Terry Eagleton
by Colin Murphy
