Ross O'Carroll Kelly books

SPM1959

I was in a friend's place today and seen a huge collection of Ross O'Carroll Kelly books on his book shelf.

No one who was there could believe that I have never read any of these books. Surely I can't be the only one who hasn't?

Is it worth starting to read them or are they over rated like I always assumed?

anncoates

Consider a little joke that makes you laugh when you hear it.

Now consider being told the same joke over and over again for about 8 years.

That's it, essentially.

tecknika

SPM1959 wrote: »

I was in a friend's place today and seen a huge collection of Ross O'Carroll Kelly books on his book shelf.

No one who was there could believe that I have never read any of these books. Surely I can't be the only one who hasn't?

Is it worth starting to read them or are they over rated like I always assumed?

Joke wears thin after the first one and a half. Tragic thing is many have started to copy it and look complete idiots.

Sociopath2

SPM1959 wrote: »

I was in a friend's place today and seen a huge collection of Ross O'Carroll Kelly books on his book shelf.

No one who was there could believe that I have never read any of these books. Surely I can't be the only one who hasn't?

Is it worth starting to read them or are they over rated like I always assumed?

The first few are a brilliant satire on the celtic tiger, a role model for a generation of young men. We grew up though and the joke is wearing a bit thin at this stage

keano_afc

They're hilarious. I'd recommend a read.

fleet_admiral

Load of crap in my opinion.

eviltwin

I think they are brilliant

AndonHandon

They are very well written with some hilarious one-liners and metaphors.

duffman13

Kinda grew up with them, thoroughly enjoyed them and genuinely regularly make me laugh till it hurts. Read the first if you don't enjoy it then don't go back

suicide_circus

Good satire, of its time and place, could be a useful tool for studying the period in years to come.

tecknika

I found the book made pretty average stuff out to be some sort of extravagance. Made me think the writer was either out of touch or chippy.

HalloweenJack

Read it in the Times a few times to get the gist of it, got it and realised it wasn't going to interest me enough to read a whole book.

Insect Overlord

The first 3 are extremely funny. They get less hilarious as the characters get older, but the story-writing gets better and better so it's a fair trade-off.

Copa Mundial

The first few were hilarious imo, can't comment on the more recent ones.

"Taking the stairs like I would the Seoige sisters, two at a time"

Katgurl

Yeah I think they're really funny. They were starting to get a bit tired about three years ago but the most recent one was excellent. Read a few of the columns to see what you think.

I'm not sure I'd be bothered if I didn't grow up in south side Dublin though, probably appeals to me because I came across so many of those w@nkers on a regular basis.

Flincher

I haven't read the more recent books, but I read the column in the Times on a Saturday. Still find it hilarious, more his turn of phrase than anything. The story is a bit old, but I think the writing is top class.

tecknika

Those "w*nkers" very much so in south Dublin followed the script like some sort of bible despite many actually being anywhere near the social demographic Ross was supposed to be from.

dee_mc

I've read them all, the only one I didn't enjoy was the 'Guide to South Dublin on 10 grand a day' which wasn't really part of the series. I loved the latest one, it really made me laugh. I prefer the books to the column. Love the illustrations too.
I think the books are really clever, I have to avoid reading them in public after snorting with laughter on a crowded train once

madmaggie

Katgurl wrote: »

Yeah I think they're really funny. They were starting to get a bit tired about three years ago but the most recent one was excellent. Read a few of the columns to see what you think.

I'm not sure I'd be bothered if I didn't grow up in south side Dublin though, probably appeals to me because I came across so many of those w@nkers on a regular basis.

Where I grew up, and still live, is as far removed culturally from the SoDuCo set as you can get, but that's what appealed to me about these books. It was like reading about some exotic species. I remember being on the DART one time, incidentally it was Sydney Parade, when a crowd of young ones got on. Couldn't make out a word they said.

keano_afc

I like the way the characters have evolved over time. I feared for the series when Ross left college (not that he really went), but Ronan and Honor have taken it on and its still very very funny. I keep thinking the latest installment will be the last, but after I finish it makes me anticipate the next one even more.

Woshy

I find them very funny.

Weirdly - I lived in NZ for a few years and my local library had all the books (with a big sticker on the front saying Written by Paul Howard as Ross O'Carroll-Kelly so you'd know it was fictional). How on earth would the books make sense to the average kiwi?

SPM1959

I feel now that I have somewhat missed out on them. Will buy the first one and take it from there. I've worked with many from these areas in the past so know the 'type' described.

DainBramage

The dead horse has been flogged back to life at this stage.

Aongus Von Bismarck

I still read the column in the Irish Times. Find it moderately amusing. When I was in college I knew a few lads from South Dublin who had many of the same attributes as a young Ross: arrogant, completely lacking in self-awareness, and exceedingly vulgar. Unpleasant men really. So Howard captured the broad stereotype rather well.

Aongus Von Bismarck

I still read the column in the Irish Times. Find it moderately amusing. When I was in college I knew a few lads from South Dublin who had many of the same attributes as a young Ross: arrogant, completely lacking in self-awareness, and exceedingly vulgar. Unpleasant men really. So Howard captured the broad stereotype rather well.

bnt

I tried reading an extract of one that was in some paper. Found it incomprehensible. Do you have to be a Dublin native to get RoCK? If so, that severely limits the global market for his books. :cool:

The_Valeyard

"a horn so big you could beat a donkey out of a quarry with it"

thelad95

I think they're hilarious and good satire. Some of the more recent books are a tad more far-fetched in terms of the plot than the first one and the character of Ross never really grows up at all.

mr_edge_to_you

In recent years some of the stories are a bit far fetched alright, but they are still hilarious. I love them!

There was 2 books I didn't like - We Need To Talk About Ross and How To Get By On €10k a Day.

In my opinion Paul Howard is a genius. Had the pleasure of meeting him a few times and he appears to be a sound guy.

Off to see Breaking Dad in a few weeks too, looking forward to it.

ClovenHoof

Put it this way, they are 'Hilarious' to people who consider it a patriotic duty to pay their TV licence.

TheBody

I love the books. I love the way they take the pi$$ out of all the bollox that came with the Celtic Tiger Years.