Paperboy: An Enchanting True Story of a Belfast Paperboy Coming to Terms with the Troubles cover art

Paperboy: An Enchanting True Story of a Belfast Paperboy Coming to Terms with the Troubles

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Paperboy: An Enchanting True Story of a Belfast Paperboy Coming to Terms with the Troubles

By: Tony Macaulay
Narrated by: Tony Macaulay
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About this listen

It's Belfast, 1975. The city lies under the dark cloud of the Troubles, and hatred fills the air like smoke. But Tony Macaulay has just turned 12 and he's got a new job. He's going to be a paperboy. And come rain or shine - or bombs and mortar - he will deliver....

Paperboy lives in Upper Shankill, Belfast, in the heart of the conflict between Loyalists and Republicans. Bombings are on the evening news, rubble lies where buildings once stood, and rumours spread like wildfire about the IRA and the UDA.

But Paperboy lives in a world of Doctor Who, Top of the Pops and fish suppers. His battles are fought with all the passion of Ireland's opposing sides - but against acne, the dentist, and the "wee hoods" who rob his paper money. On his rounds he hums songs by the Bay City Rollers, dreams about outer space, and dreams even more about the beautiful Sharon Burgess.

In this touching, funny, and nostalgic memoir, Tony Macaulay recounts his days growing up in Belfast during the Troubles, the harrowing years which saw neighbour fighting neighbour and brother fighting brother. But in the midst of all this turmoil, Paperboy, a scrappy upstart with a wicked sense of humour and sky-high dreams, dutifully goes about his paper round. He is a good paperboy, so he is.

Paperboy proves that happiness can be found even in the darkest of times; it is a story that will charm your socks off, make you laugh out loud and brings to life the culture, stories, and colourful characters of a very different - but very familiar - time.

©2013 Tony Macaulay (P)2016 Tony Macaulay
Funny Dream Witty Northern Ireland

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All stars
Most relevant  
Listening to Tony stories brought back so many found memories of growing up in Belfast. It was very nostalgic it was like stepping back in time.

Real Belfast

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funny, quick,beautifully written and narrated. Loved hearing about the only passivist paperboy in west Belfast. made me laugh out loud in my car (got some funny looks at traffic lights).

brilliant

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This book brought back so many great memories of my childhood……no stretched out or boring parts…. The whole book is well worth listening too or reading…… bring out many more of these please T McC.
I have ‘Bread boy’ now lined up for my next book.
LOVED ‘Paper boy’

JUST BRILLIANT!

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loved it , I could relate to the story line as I was paperboy too in Belfast in my younger days.
I hope that he publishes his other novels in audio version soon

Super

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Great story laughed for hours, simple tale in hard times very well read a must.

what about ye

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I laughed out loud! Very funny with serious history sewn through it! Really enjoed it!

Excellent

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Had great enjoyment listening to this book. Tony read it well. Brought back so many memories of when I was a teenager. Excellent read if you like a good laugh..spit my sides laughing

Funny

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funny, very entertaining, especially if you grew up in the 70's. you can relate to a lot of this story no matter where you lived.

excellent

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It brought me back to my own childhood living in N Ireland . I enjoyed every chapter . Well done !

Laughed out loud throughout this book

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Entertaining story well narrated by the author. Gave me a really rich sense of what it might have been like to be growing up in west Belfast in the 1970s—a funny, insightful, and charming audiobook.

Lovely and funny story!

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