'Charmingly provocative' Observer 'A smorgasbord of delights' Irish Times 'Addictive' The Spectator In my case, reading has always served a dual purpose. In a positive sense, it offers sustenance, enlightenment, the bliss of fascination. In a negative sense, it is a means of withdrawal, of inhabiting a reality quarantined from one that often comes across as painful, alarming or downright distasteful. In the former sense, reading is like food; in the latter, it is like drugs or alcohol. In Autobibliography, Rob Doyle recounts a year spent rereading fifty-two books - from the Dhammapada and Marcus Aurelius, via The Tibetan Book of the Dead and La Rochefoucauld, to Robert Bolaño and Svetlana Alexievich - as well as the memories they trigger and the reverberations they create. It is a record of a year in reading, and of a lifetime of books. Provocative, intelligent and funny, it is a brilliant introduction to a personal canon by one of the most original and exciting writers around. It is a book about books, a book about reading, and a book about a writer. It is an autobibliography. Reader Reviews 'Enlightening, engaging and fun' 'A *superb* gift for any bookish friend or relative with an eye for the human comedy' 'A page-turner ... bright and fresh'
Rob Doyle
Rob Doyle is an Irish novelist and essayist known for his raw and introspective writing style. His most notable works include "Here Are the Young Men" and "Threshold," both of which explore themes of youth, disillusionment, and existential angst. Doyle's writing is characterized by its dark humor, sharp wit, and unflinching honesty, making him a distinctive voice in contemporary literature. His works have been praised for their insight into the human condition and their fearless exploration of modern-day anxieties. "Here Are the Young Men" is widely considered his most famous work, garnering critical acclaim for its powerful depiction of a group of young men coming of age in Dublin. Doyle's contributions to literature have solidified his place as a unique and impactful writer in the literary world.