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Borstal Boy (Nonpareil Books) Paperback – September 1, 2004

by Brendan Behan (Author), Benedict Kiely (Afterword)

4.4 504 ratings

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A teenage volunteer in the IRA, a fanatical believer, Brendan Behan was arrested with explosives at the age of 17 and spent three years locked in a British juvenile borstal. There he begins to wonder, who’s really the enemy?

Borstal Boy is both a riveting self-portrait and a window into the problems, passions, and heartbreak of Ireland’s past. It is also a record of a change of heart. Inside the borstal (reform school), Behan meets British Protestants who are there for reasons of their own. He begins to see that class creates more common ground than he ever believed while religion and nationality are much more superficial divisions between people than he’d ever been taught. Released, Behan returned to Ireland changed though still and a rebel—and became one of that country’s most important dramatists with the plays The Quare Fellow, The Hostage, and Richard’s Cork Leg.

Celebrated for its dialogue and masterful characterization, Borstal Boy has endured as an important document of a time and an artist.

Review

“Without a doubt, Borstal Boy is the most important book of its kind published this century.”―New Statesman

About the Author

Brendan Behan was an author and playwright―and also a member the Irish Republican Army. Born in Dublin into a staunchly republican family, he became a member of the IRA’s youth organization Fianna Éireann at the age of fourteen. Behan eventually joined the IRA which led to his serving time in a Borstal youth prison in the United Kingdom and he was also imprisoned in Ireland. Subsequently released from prison as part of a general amnesty given by the Fianna Fáil government in 1946, Behan moved between homes in Dublin, Kerry and Connemara, and also resided in Paris for a time.
In 1956, Behan’s first play, The Quare Fellow gained him a wide reputation. This was helped by a famous drunken interview on BBC television. In 1958, Behan’s play in the Irish language An Giall had its debut at Dublin’s Damer Theatre. Later, The Hostage, Behan’s English-language adaptation of An Giall, met with great success internationally. Behan’s autobiographical novel, Borstal Boy, was published the same year and became a worldwide best-seller.

Benedict Kiely was one of the most beloved Irish authors. In 1996, he was named Saoi of Aosdána, the highest honor given by the Arts Council of Ireland.

Print length

386 pages
Language

English
Publisher

David R. Godine, Publisher
Publication date

September 1, 2004
Dimensions

5.54 x 1.17 x 8.26 inches
ISBN-10

1567921051
ISBN-13

978-1567921052
Lexile measure

1340L
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The Complete Plays: The Hostage, The Quare Fellow, Richard's Cork Leg, Moving Out, A Garden Party, The Big House

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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ David R. Godine, Publisher; Later prt. edition (September 1, 2004)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 386 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1567921051
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1567921052
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1340L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.05 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.54 x 1.17 x 8.26 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #510,251 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #566 in Censorship & Politics
- #2,169 in Criminology (Books)
- #2,385 in Author Biographies

Customer Reviews:
4.4 504 ratings

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4.4 out of 5

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peaceforALL

Neighbor highly recommended

Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2023

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Looking forward to a well-written and entertaining read.

Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2020

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I ran across this writer while digging up quotes. Was quite surprised to find such a treasure, like an aged bottle of whisky, without the hangover.

2 people found this helpful

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Tom Quinn

Exceptional account of unique juvenile prison experience by extraordinary Irishman

Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2019

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I gave Borstal Boy five stars not because it is by any means a literary masterpiece, but simply because it is a unique account of a juvenile experience of imprisonment by one of Ireland's most extraordinary 20th-century characters. Behan would become a sort of "enfant grotesque" of the mid-20th-century literary world, but this memoir captures (no pun intended) him in sensitive and sensible mode long before his transition into celebrated if unruly raconteur and writer. There is a lot of Behan here, his Irish Nationalism, his love of song and story, his brave-hearted warm nature, his openness to others, and his ability to be liked by others, often with a cheerful song at the drop of a hat. In essence Behan seems to find a home within the Borstal system, and his account, while there are some rough encounters, is marked moreso by innocence camaraderie good-humour and even kindliness even on the part of the warders or "screws"... I did struggle in the beginning and felt the book was long and slow-moving... But I do think Behan was happy to be back in the world he was remembering. He does not wallow in nostalgia, but there is a wealth of it here... Apart from anything this book will provide a useful and informative insider account of the workings of the juvenile prison system in mid-20th-century England. Complete with rude language and some unsavoury subjects and characters, as you would expect...

The older Behan would become a monster devouring himself. There are unsparing accounts of the older Behan in John Ryan's "Remembering How We Stood" (Ryan is perhaps overly gentle with him!), in Anthony Cronin's "Dead as Doornails" (very harsh, dark, true…), and J.P. Donleavy's "The History of the Ginger Man" (equally hilarious and hair-raising!)...

4 people found this helpful

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C. Collins

A beacon of hope about the nature of mankind

Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2005

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This autobiographical account of Brendan Behan's arrest and imprisonment from 1939 until around 1943 in a British Borstal (youth correctional facility)is an outstanding piece of literature.

There are four primary strenghts to this great work.

First, the language is witty, charming, and creative. I found the mixture of Irish and British male adolescent working class slang to be musical and amusing. Behan had a wonderful sense of dialogue and the manner in which young men verbally duel with each other, striving for rank and dominance and friendship.

Second, the story is unique. A 17 year old IRA terrorist is arrested and sent to a youth facility full of adolescent petty criminals. The worlds of incarcerated vs. free; adult vs. adolescent; Catholic vs. Protestant; Irish vs. English: and criminal vs. political prisoner are just a few of the wonderful tensions and juxtapositions that Behan creates.

Third, is Behan's slow pace and ability to observe the most remote details, describe them uniquely, and then weave these streams of images together to create a world and to populate it with characters that ring true with every word.

Fourth, the story is a tremendous testament to the goodness of mankind. Underneath the tensions, the rivalry, the ideology, the story reveals the simple common kindness of mankind. Brendan Behan may have evoked this kindness through his own exceptional openness and acceptance of his fellowman or he may have observed this kindness through this insightful but possibly biased vision of the innate goodness of mankind; but, none the less, his faith in our sometimes distorted and crippled species shines through the autobiography like a beacon of hope.

I wish I could have given more than 5 stars to this superb work. Don't rush through this book. Let Behan take you into his experiences and his kind view of the world of man.

46 people found this helpful

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S.M. O'Callaghan

Very Good read.

Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2016

Very Good read.

"The Compliments Pass When The Quality Meet"

Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2008

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Brendan Behan's memoir of his time incarcerated in England , is a comical, sympathetic and humanistic work of art. As a young IRA member arrested in Liverpool at the age of 16 in possession of explosives he demonstrated a remarkably fatalistic viewpoint for someone so young and seemed to take in the experience as an observant participant in a human drama without a hint of self pity.

As he begins in a remanded prison before his transfer to London and ultimately to a Borstal (reform school) he meets with a variety of characters both fellow prisoners and "screws" or guards and they populate his story that also includes incredibly detailed descriptions of the routine of a life behind bars.

Behan became famous as a playwright and notorious drinker in his later years and died tragically young apparently from years of heavy drinking. He is a writer of great insight and power and should not be missed by anyone interested in Irish literature.

9 people found this helpful

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John McDuffie

Fun read!

Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2013

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I really enjoyed reading this book. It gives a unique insight into Behan's life, his experience in prison and reformatory school, and his Irish upbringing. Parts are brilliant and humorous, parts depict the mundane life of incarceration, and parts are painful to read, like a "Ringsend uppercut." The self-proclaimed "drunk with a writing problem" can certainly write. Glad I read his book.

One person found this helpful

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ARG

Wicked sense of humor and wonderful sense of the man both come through in this story of a young Republican serving his time

Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2017

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Brendan Behan may have been dead these 50 years but this book is like sitting next to him on a barstool telling this slice of his life story. As a teenager, Behan was arrested for his IRA activities and spent some time in custody at various English correctional facilities. He makes friends, he deals with prejudice, he deals with stupid rules. Really nothing happens in this book and yet it was entertaining. Wicked sense of humor and wonderful sense of the man both come through in this story of a young Republican serving his time.

5 people found this helpful

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Phil the Greek

The ballacks

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 4, 2023

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Fro the cradle to the grave, well almost. Great fun and characterisation from Irelands great philanderer. A must to understand the character. Both sad and enlightening a great read.

One person found this helpful

Phil-Don

Un récit captivant

Reviewed in France on February 27, 2010

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Brendan Behan, jeune irlandais de 16 ans, est arrêté à Liverpool pour son appartenance à l'IRA. D'abord envoyé en prison en l'attente d'un jugement, il sera ensuite placé dans une institution Borstal (centre de redressement pour les jeunes adultes). Ce sont ces quelques années de sa vie que l'auteur nous relate. Le témoignage est sincère et direct, tour à tour joyeux et émouvant - et toujours passionnant. Les personnages sont attachants et le récit de ces quelques années captivant d'un bout à l'autre.

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pgtips16

Well worth a read!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 9, 2017

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Superb writing from Behan. Written in a very immersive style, he demonstrates his good nature throughout. Not so much a coming of age tale as a collection of anecdotes in chronological order but we see the author mature as the book goes on.

Christopher Pluch

Subject matter is engrossing and well written. A lyrical ...

Reviewed in Canada on August 5, 2016

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Subject matter is engrossing and well written. A lyrical ride through the mind of a writer. The actual copy of the book is original, therefore a challenge to read and keep the book together. A rustic quality, to be sure.

Janet Boyd

delightful

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 25, 2023

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A wonderful memoir, very relevant and could have been written yesterday.

One person found this helpful

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