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The Dead Republic Audiobook
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(3.03) - 381 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Booker Prize winner Roddy Doyle shines with this epic conclusion to the saga of his indomitable Irish rebel Henry Smart. Chronicling nearly 25 years of history, The Dead Republic finds Smart working closely with, then violently severing ties to, legendary Hollywood director John Ford and eventually returning to Ireland in the 1950s. Desiring a quiet retired life in a small village north of Dublin, his life is further thrown into tumult by IRA uprisings and a surprising reunion with a woman who may just be his long-lost wife.
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"Henry is an old man now. One absolute treat for me is the development of "The Quiet Man" storyline. I've read the story that supposedly was adapted as the movie, and they have almost nothing in common, beyond the title. Doyle fills in the gaping divide with vivid skill. The book is a satisfying conclusion to the star that is Henry."
— A. (5 out of 5 stars)
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“If you don’t already know Henry Smart, The Dead Republic is an excellent place to meet him—because it’s the best of Doyle’s trilogy and because in it Henry reviews his past while serving as Ford’s consultant for a movie about the Irish revolution…A thoughtful book about a sometimes thoughtless political process.”
— New York Times -
“The story of Henry’s reintegration into a much changed Ireland is thoroughly absorbing.”
— New Yorker -
“Doyle’s inventive mix of genuine film history and manic storytelling sets up his novel’s powerful central themes: What does it mean to be Irish? Who decides?…It may have taken a while for Henry Smart to get back to Ireland, but in the end it was worth the wait.”
— Toronto Star -
“In The Dead Republic, Henry’s violent, often comic collisions with history continue…Henry Smart remains one of Roddy Doyle’s great characters. Funny, laconic, profane, he spits back every role history force-feeds him.”
— Globe and Mail (Toronto) -
“Doyle retains his canny and surprising eye, his gift for the corporeal…Doyle is a master of [dialogue].”
— Guardian (London) -
“The Dead Republic harbors some lovely writing to go with the book’s magnificent theme…A fine…farewell to one of the more memorable protagonists in recent literature.”
— Denver Post -
“Doyle exhibits a peerless ear for cynicism as he grapples with the violence and farce of Irish history.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Readers will want to tune in to see what fate awaits the irrepressible Irishman.”
— Booklist -
“A thought-provoking account of the mythology surrounding modern Irish history.”
— Bookmarks
The Dead Republic Listener Reviews
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" Maybe because I didn't read the first two I couldn't get into it although it was set in Hollywood and was about the filming of The Quiet Man. "
— R.J., 2/17/2014 -
" The third in the trilogy, beginning with A Star Called Henry and Oh, Play That Thing. I don't like these nearly so much as his earlier works (which I love). It's much more mechanical, and the emotions are hidden deep under the surface. I think Doyle, a wonderful writer, has gone off on the wrong direction. "
— Tim, 2/6/2014 -
" The final part in the trilogy of Henry Smart, bringing us back to Ireland and right up to the modern day. I have loved these three books, and feel a genuine affection for Henry Smart - due to Doyle's wonderful story telling. "
— Tilly, 1/14/2014 -
" This book was nothing at all like the other two in the trilogy. Doyle should have quit while he was ahead! "
— Larry, 1/14/2014 -
" This is the third part of the trilogy that began with A STAR CALLED HENRY which I didn't like. I didn't read the second book. I read the third because I saw that it involved Henry working with John Ford on "The Quiet Man" and becoming angry when his republican story was not the one that was told in the film. And his tale moves on from there. Despite the facts that Doyle obviously knows so much about the controversies about "The Quiet Man" and so much about 20th-century Irish history (and about Ernie O'Malley, who really did consult with John Ford on the film) - and incorporates his knowledge into Henry's life story, all I can say is, "It was ok." "
— Vivian, 1/5/2014 -
" I really enjoyed a star called henry and play that thing was a decent enough book .. the dead republic though is just bewildering. The storylines are so far fetched and the writing turgid, that it's hard to believe this is a book by Roddy Doyle. "
— Ciaran, 12/25/2013 -
" Well, that was fairly mind-blowing. "
— Angela, 12/24/2013 -
" Third of a trilogy finds Henry Smart Irish independence fighter accidently tied up with Hollywood as a source for John Ford's "The Quiet Man" and then back in Ireland to become an icon of the revolution. "
— Jack, 12/19/2013 -
" I love so many of Doyle books, but this Henry trilogy baffles me. Not in a good way. "
— Paddy, 11/16/2013 -
" This is the third book of a trilogy about the life of an IRA fighter named Henry. The first two books were A Star Called Henry and Oh, Play That Thing. Very readable with more than a touch of Irish sardonic irony that was also evident in his book The Commitments. "
— Debbie, 6/27/2013 -
" Pace too slow. Too boring for my taste. I tried to get through this, but I kept falling asleep. "
— Tim, 3/14/2013 -
" Taken me three years to finish it. Not a great sign! "
— clogsilk, 2/28/2013 -
" Intense, very intense. Makes the implausible action so real!! "
— Wendy, 2/26/2013 -
" A beautiful book. Don't read it before reading other books in "The Last Round trilogy". "
— Dejan, 8/1/2012 -
" Roddy Doyle has written some of my favorite books. This one is a terrible disappointment. "
— Tim, 3/13/2012 -
" Not my style -- sounded like a fun premise, but I lost interest within the first 50 pages and chose not to finish it. It definitely didn't work as a standalone novel. "
— doug, 2/24/2012 -
" This is Roddy Doyle's concluding volume of his trilogy ("A Star Called Henry" & "Oh Play that Thing") and his best. All three feature Henry Smart, all three are excellent reads. "
— Bill, 9/1/2011 -
" This is one of the most profound and interesting series of books I have ever read. These books explore the history of Ireland, the IRA and love. "
— Rita, 6/23/2011 -
" A challenging but interesting read. "
— Sarah, 6/14/2011 -
" The final episode did not disappoint, although it bogged down a bit towards the end. "
— Tenli, 6/7/2011 -
" This book was nothing at all like the other two in the trilogy. Doyle should have quit while he was ahead! "
— Larry, 3/20/2011 -
" I love so many of Doyle books, but this Henry trilogy baffles me. Not in a good way. "
— Paddy, 3/14/2011 -
" Intense, very intense. Makes the implausible action so real!! "
— Wendy, 1/30/2011 -
" This is the third book of a trilogy about the life of an IRA fighter named Henry. The first two books were A Star Called Henry and Oh, Play That Thing. Very readable with more than a touch of Irish sardonic irony that was also evident in his book The Commitments. "
— Debbie, 1/13/2011 -
" Despite what critics say, I did not enjoy this book as much as the previous two Henry novels. "
— Joanne, 9/18/2010 -
" A beautiful book. Don't read it before reading other books in "The Last Round trilogy". "
— Dejan, 8/11/2010 -
" Really, one of Doyle's best books. "
— Kevin, 6/26/2010 -
" I had been waiting for this book to come out for years, and while it was horribly depressing, it beautifully wraps up the themes of the trilogy - particularly the mutability of history. It would be very difficult to read the trilogy without a basic knowledge of 20th century Irish history. "
— Alexa, 6/23/2010
About Roddy Doyle
Roddy Doyle is the author of ten acclaimed novels, several collections of stories, and several works for children and young adults. In 2009 he received the Irish PEN Award for Literature. The Commitments was made into a motion picture in 1991, and Paddy Clarke Ha-Ha-Ha won the Man Booker Prize, Britain’s highest literary award. The Van was a finalist for the Booker Prize. He lives in Dublin where he was born in 1958.
About Gerard Doyle
Gerard Doyle, a seasoned audio narrator, he has been awarded dozens of AudioFile Earphones Awards, was named a Best Voice in Young Adult Fiction in 2008, and won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. He was born of Irish parents and raised and educated in England. In Great Britain he has enjoyed an extensive career in both television and repertory theater and toured nationally and internationally with the English Shakespeare Company. He has appeared in London’s West End in the gritty musical The Hired Man. In America he has appeared on Broadway in The Weir and on television in New York Undercover and Law & Order. He has taught drama at Ross School for the several years.