Garbhan Downey’s follow-up to last year’s RUNNING MATES is YOURS CONFIDENTIALLY: LETTERS OF A WOULD-BE MP, with Gerard Brennan of CSNI declaring it “a laugh-out-loud-funny, fast-paced story and an entertaining education in the climate of Northern Ireland’s politics.” The rascal. Anyhoo, the Guildhall Press have been kind enough to offer us three signed (woo-hoo!) copies to give away, but first the blurb elves: The Derry author’s fourth novel is a comedy-thriller set against the current British and Irish political landscape and it cements the former newspaper editor’s reputation as one of the sharpest political fiction writers on these islands. The story centres on an independent North Derry assemblyman, out to win himself a seat in the House of Commons and some real, honest-to-God power. To do that, he’s going to have sign a Faustian pact with a murderous gangster. But in a country where everyone bugs everyone else, all the time, it can only be a matter of time before the dubious deal is exposed. As with Downey’s PRIVATE DIARY OF A SUSPENDED MLA (described by the Sunday Times as “the Northern Ireland political novel of the century”), real politicians are given cameo roles. The cover design of YOURS CONFIDENTIALLY: LETTERS OF A WOULD-BE MP is by award-winning animator John McCloskey, whose film Crumblegiant was nominated for this year’s BAFTA.Lovely. To be in with a chance of winning a copy, just answer the following question:
Is Derry officially known as:Answers, along with an (at) rather than @ email address, via the comment box please, keeping the poisonous sectarianism to an absolute minimum, before noon on Tuesday, May 13. Et bon chance, mes amis …
(a) ‘Londonderry’;
(b) ‘Slash City’;
(c) ‘Yon other place in Norn Iron that’s not Belfast, whatchamacallit?’
Is Derry officially known as:
ReplyDeleteSince I'm from the states, and all I know about Ireland comes from Bruen and the two Declan's, my anwear is:
(b) ‘Slash City’
Bloody brilliant book!
ReplyDeleteI'm tempted to put my name in for it, even though I have a signed copy, but that'd be greedy. So, I'll do the noble thing and wish you good luck, people. And if you don't win it, you really should buy it.
gb
It's time I quit lurking and stood up to be counted! The answer is Londonderry.
ReplyDeleteinspiralster_at_gmail_dot_com
(a)
ReplyDeleteAlthough isn't it strange that the city's football team plays in the league of a different country without the London prefix ? Or is it just me ?
glasgowian(at)hotmail.com
Glasgowian - it's not like the Candystripes play in the LOI by choice - they were kicked out of the Norn Iron version, if memory serves, for being Croppies who wouldn't lie down - aka, riot-starting, stone-throwing troglodytes at the Prod venues. Or was it just at Linfield? Still, we love 'em, the Harp-swilling rascals. Cheers, Dec
ReplyDeleteb........coleman.keane (at)ntlworld.com
ReplyDeleteBefore trying to answer this one (and after reading all the answers thus far, I still have no idea what you lot are talking about), I have a question of my own. What is an "MP?"
ReplyDelete