The Men from the Boys
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Author Description
An entertaining, provocative novel, a fresh look at male bonding and our sense of kinship, by a young, high-flying political consultant. Living in neighbouring houses on a tough estate in Lancashire, Adam and Kevin were childhood best friends. Kevin - child of a problem family, revered fighter and footballer - was definitely the leader, while Adam - puny, bookish and sensitive - rode on the coat-tails of his dominating friend.However, Kevin's football career is wrecked by a knee injury, leaving him at 18 unemployed with a wife and two children to support. He takes refuge in drink and drugs while Adam, complete with a new set of well-heeled friends, lands a high-flying job in London. The stretch between Strangeways prison and the hallowed cloisters of Cambridge, between the estate's Working Men's Club and London media life, becomes too much for even the best of friends.But when Adam and Kevin lose the people that mean most to them, they - back in their home town again - are forced to confront what their roots really are and what means success to them - and in doing so they come to know what separates the men from the boys.Touching, funny and completely unputdownable, Philip Collins's novel of life, love and loss is the unforgettable story of a new generation.Peopled with wonderful characters and vivid scenes from closing mines to university quads, from unemployment centres and hopeless estates to the upwardly mobile, fast-stream Islington lifestyle, The Men From the Boys is also rich in the questions it poses. Readers of Roddy Doyle, Tony Parsons and Nick Hornby will enjoy The Men From the Boys.
Menrva's Summary
THE PULSE
The lifelong bond between two childhood friends from a Lancashire estate fractures under the weight of divergent social trajectories and personal tragedy. Adam, the sensitive intellectual, and Kevin, the charismatic athlete, find their paths diverging as Kevin’s life collapses into unemployment and addiction while Adam ascends into the elite circles of London media. The narrative tracks their parallel lives, utilizing a dual-perspective framework that highlights the widening chasm between their respective environments. As both men face profound personal losses, they are pulled back to their shared origins, forcing a reckoning with their definitions of success and the nature of their masculinity.
INSIDE THE PAGES
- Dual-protagonist narrative structure contrasting working-class and elite lifestyles
- Detailed depiction of the socioeconomic divide between Lancashire estates and London media circles
- Exploration of the psychological impact of early childhood friendship dynamics
- Use of regional setting as a catalyst for character development and conflict
- Examination of the transition from adolescence to adulthood under duress
- Thematic focus on the intersection of class, ambition, and personal identity
- Realistic dialogue reflecting the vernacular of the Lancashire working class
- Pacing that alternates between the frantic energy of professional life and the stagnation of unemployment
THE COLLECTIVE ECHO
This novel aligns with the tradition of British social realism, drawing comparisons to the works of authors like Roddy Doyle and Nick Hornby. The narrative structure emphasizes the stark contrast between the characters' environments, using their shared history to interrogate the shifting landscape of modern masculinity. Readers likely find the exploration of class mobility and the lingering influence of childhood roots to be the central thematic draw. The prose maintains a focus on the mechanics of social change, presenting the characters' internal conflicts as a direct result of their external circumstances.
Page Count:
358
Publication Date:
2003-01-01
Publisher:
HarperCollins
ISBN-10:
0007126824
ISBN-13:
9780007126828
Contemporary
British
Fiction
Literary collections
Comparative Politics
Speeches
Coming of Age
Friendship
Social Realism
Public Speaking
London England
