The History Of The Ginger Man

"NEVER UNDERESTIMATE
YOUR ADVERSARY
NOT EVEN
IN A SNOWBALL FIGHT"

J.P. Donleavy from The History of The Ginger Man

Photo by Tessa Sayle

This, the third of Donleavy's autobiographical works, goes into his life before, during and after The Ginger Man in the most depth. It also chronicles his arduous legal battles with Maurice Girodias over publishing rights to the author's first and most famous novel. A must read for those interested in the Donleavy's life and for the surprise outcome of what surely must have been one of the longest and most complicated copyright suits in the history of literature. Gainor Crist (inspiration for Sebastion Dangerfield) is also a prominent subject in the book. A second volume has been mentioned in various Donleavy articles and interviews and may be one of JPD's current works in progress.

JPD reads a random page from The History of The Ginger Man manuscript. Photo by Thomas E. Kennedy.

The History of The Ginger Man

Cloth | Houghton Mifflin/Seymour Lawrence, Boston & New York, 1994 - ISBN 0395515955 - 517 pages

First US trade edition.

The History of The Ginger Man - an Autobiography

Cloth | Viking (an imprint of The Penguin Group), London, 1994 - ISBN 0670847933 - 517 pages

First UK trade edition.

The History of The Ginger Man - an Autobiography

Wraps | Penguin, London, 1995 - ISBN 0140175229 - 517 pages

First UK paperback edition.

To purchase books by J.P. Donleavy, go to the Buyers' Guide.

Reviews of this title | Bibliography index