Rory and Ita

ItaDoyle:'InallmylifeIhavelivedintvvohouses,hadtvvojobs,andonehusband.I'maveryinterestingperson.'RORYANDITA,RoddyDoyle'sfirstnon-fictionbook,tells-largelyintheirownwords-thestoryofhisparents'livesfromtheirfirstmemoriestothepresent.Bornin1923and1925respectively,theymetataNewYear'sEvedancein1947andmarriedin1951.TheyremembereverydetailoftheirDublinchildhoods-thepeople(aunts,cousins,shopkeepers,friends,teachers),thepolitics(bothcamefromRepublicanfamilies),idyllictimesintheWexfordcountrysideforIta,Rory'sapprenticeshipasaprinter.Ita'smotherdiedwhenshewasthree('theonlymemoryIhaveisofherhands,doingthings');Rorywastheoldestofninechildren,fiveofthemgirls.BythetimetheyputdownadepositoftwohundredpoundsforahouseinKilbarrack,RorywasworkingasacompositorattheIrishIndependent.Bythetimethefirstoftheirfourchildrenwasbornhe'dbecomeateacher,attheSchoolofPrintinginDublin.Kilbarrackbegantochange('itwasn'taruralplaceanymore')andIrelandtoo.ThroughtheireyesweseetheintenselyCatholicsocietyoftheiryouthbeingtransformedintothevibrant,modernIrelandoftoday.BothRoryandItaDoylearemarvelloustalkers,withexcellentmemories,socombinedwithRoddyDoyle'slegendaryskillinilluminatingordinaryexperience,itmakesforabookoftremendouswarmthandhumanity.