Confessions Of An Irish Rebel

Brendan Behan was born in Dublin in 1923. A member of the IRA, he was sentenced to three years in Borstal in 1939 and a further fourteen years in 1942. He became a dominant literary figure almost overnight with the 1956 production of his play The Quare Fellow, based on his prison experiences. This recognition was reinforced by the success of Borstal Boy and his second play, The Hostage. Brendan Behan described his recreations as 'drinking, talking, and swimming' but no factual description could do justice to his flamboyant, larger-than-life character. Generally regarded as irreverent and unpredictable if not actually dangerous, there was nonetheless no publicity which ever obscured his marked talents or his great understanding of human nature. A man whose contemporaries include Flann O'Brien, Patrick Kavanagh and Anthony Cronin, Behan was a key part of Ireland's great modern literary tradition.Brendan Behan died in 1964.

The best thing in Irish writing since Sean O'Casey

1. 4/5

   En biografi med sting

   Om man tycker om en ärlig, inte alltid rumsren biografi som berättar om det hård livet hos en författare som till slut dukade under för spriten så är Behåns bok något att skaffa. Den kan vara lite svårläst, framför allt om man inte har så stor kännedom om Irland och befrielsekampen mot britterna. Behans öde är många gånger tragiskt och man kan skönja hur slutet kommer krypande. "A drinker with writing problems" som han själv kallade sig.

   Robert G

   23 oktober 2014