The Ginger Man by J.P. Donleavy

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Description

'The Ginger Man' (1955) is a novel written by J.P. Donleavy which was first published in Paris. The Novel was originally banned from publishing both in Ireland and the United States of America because of obscenity. The book was rejected by numerous publishers, but 'The Manchester Guardian' published some extract from it, calling the book 'Comic Triumph'. Donleavy reached out to a Paris-based English-publisher 'Olympia Press' and succeeded in getting the book published by them, but he was angered by the fact that they published it under the pornography imprint series. 

'The Ginger Man', the story is set in Ireland just after World War II, 1947. It is a wildly funny, picaresque classic novel of the misadventures of Sebastian Balfe Dangerfield, a young American ne'er-do-well (belongs to a wealthy family), who is a Law student at Trinity College in Dublin. He lives his life on his own conditions, avoids bill collectors and he barely has time for his studies. Dangerfield's appetite for women, liquor, and general roguishness are insatiable -- and he satisfies it with endless charm. Since he is an alcoholic womanizer, eventually he finds himself in squalor and poverty.

Even though he has a wife and a daughter, he continues to have relationships with other women. He wrecks those relationships without caring. He moves to London by lending money from one of his mates. He expects handsome money through inheritance from his father, but he finds out that the dream will come true only after twenty years. 
However, at the end of the novel, he meets an old friend who is wealthy and flush with money. He tries to patch up with his last girlfriend Mary and plans to settle down with her for the future.

Review

'The Ginger Man' is one of the best novels in the world of literature holding the quality within. The very first line itself reveals the quality and immediacy of the very best work in history. 'The Ginger Man' reflects and comments dramatically on the absurdities of the age which is clinging to those values that no one believes in and makes the person unable to have the courage to find out the real moral convictions. 

The protagonist, Sebastian Dangerfield, is lusty, violent yet wildly funny. He believes in living with no limitations. He loves to spend time with women and drink until he wrecks down. He has no plans for the future until the end of the novel. 

J.P. Donleavy's novel is now recognized by the world as a masterpiece and modern classic of the highest order. It has also inspired a number of writers with its vivid and visceral narrative voice and the sheer poetry of its prose. It has sold 45 million copies and has never been out of print. It was named one of the 100 best novels of the Twentieth century by the modern library in 1998. It was reprinted in 2001 and republished on 29 July 2010 by 'Grove Press'.

"Nasty and lyrical, a curse that sounds suspiciously like a prayer, this outlandish hybrid of Irish-American letters is still armed and dangerous after thirty years. Sebastian Dangerfield, the Lecherous, treacherous, larcenous, and thoroughly charming Ginger Man appears to be immortal as well as immoral."-- Jay McInerney.

Adaptation

• J.P. Donleavy wrote the stage adaptation of 'The Ginger Man', directed by Philip Wiseman which opened in London in September 1955, with Richard Harris is playing Sebastian Dangerfield.
• The BBC produced a 90-minute 'made-for-television' version of the play, directed by Pete Dews, and aired it on 23 March 1962 in the United Kingdom. Ann Bell played Marion Dangerfield and Ian Hendry as Sebastian Balfe Dangerfield.
• In 2005, rumors of getting a film adaption surfaced everywhere, but the project never got anywhere. In 2006, Depp selected Laurance Dunmore as director and he went to Ireland to meet Donleavy in 2008 but again nothing went further.
• The book also inspired songs of the same name, the first song was recorded by Geoff Muldaur, Fritz Richmond, and John Sebastian on the 1964 Elektra The Blues Project. A second song was written and recorded by Australian singer-songwriter Brian Cadd and was released as the first single from his self-titled debut album, released in October 1972.

About the Author

James Patrick Donleavy, born on 23 April 1926, was an Irish/American novelist and playwright. His best-known work was the novel 'The Ginger Man', although he is also widely known and recognized for another novel 'A Fairy Tale of New York'.

Donleavy was born and brought up in Brooklyn, New York, USA, and went to Trinity College, Dublin (he left before taking his degree). He went to Paris where his novel 'The Ginger Man' was published for the first time. He moved to Ireland for good and lived at Levington Park, a country house on 200 acres (0.81 km square) at the shore of Lough Owel near Mullingar, County Westmeath from 1972 until he died (11 September 2017) at the age of 91.

J.P. Donleavy was the author of a large number of novels, including 'The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B', 'The Destinies of Darcy, Dancer, Gentleman', 'Leila', and 'Singular Man'. He was the recipient of many awards such as:

• In 2015, the Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award at the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards.
• In 2016, honorary doctorate at the Trinity College, Dublin.

J.P. Donleavy (1926-2017)

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Rating: 3.4/5

Author: J.P. Donleavy
Publisher: Grove Press/ Atlantic Monthly Press (29 July 2010)
Publishing Date: 29 July 2010
Language: English
Genre: Action and Adventure, Classic Fiction, Literary Theory, History and Criticism 
ISBN-10: 0802144667
ISBN-13: 978-0802144669
Pages: 347
Cost: $13.59 (Paperback)