The Guts cover art

The Guts

 Preview
Try Premium Plus free
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

The Guts

By: Roddy Doyle
Narrated by: Laurence Kinlan
Try Premium Plus free

£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

Jimmy Rabbitte is back. The man who invented the Commitments back in the eighties is now forty-seven, with a loving wife, four kids...and bowel cancer. He isn't dying, he thinks, but he might be. Jimmy still loves his music, and he still loves to hustle - his new thing is finding old bands and then finding the people who loved them enough to pay money for their resurrected singles and albums.

On his path through Dublin he meets two of the Commitments - Outspan, whose own illness is probably terminal, and Imelda Quirk, still as gorgeous as ever. He is reunited with his long-lost brother and learns to play the trumpet....

This warm, funny novel is about friendship and family, about facing death and opting for life. It climaxes in one of the great passages in Roddy Doyle’s fiction: four middle-aged men at Ireland's hottest rock festival watching Jimmy’s son Marvin’s band Moanin' at Midnight pretending to be Bulgarian and playing a song called 'I'm Going to Hell' that apparently hasn't been heard since 1932.... Why? You’ll have to listen to The Guts to find out.

©2013 Roddy Doyle (P)2013 Random House AudioGo Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction

Listeners also enjoyed...

 Teesside Steal cover art
Bright Stars cover art
The Photograph cover art
That's Your Lot cover art
Daft Wee Stories cover art
Calling Major Tom cover art
Glue cover art
Watermelon cover art
All stars
Most relevant  
This is a really funny tale on what is still something of a taboo subject. Although a little slow at times the banter is hilarious and brought to life by the excellent narration.

Brilliant!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
not a bad story but never really takes off, instead it plods along with the odd laugh.

plods along

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Roddy Doyale at his best.Excelant book.The characters are typical him,the listener has an empathy with the story line.loved it.

If you love Rory Doyale you will love this.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I ❤️ it so fecking funny great Crack.
jimmy rabbit at his best.
we're going to hell

The Guts

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
wonderfully narrated and a great story, the Rabbittes return for an update. If you have had cancer, or know someone who has, the honesty and life affirmation is incredible.

buy this!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Would you listen to The Guts again? Why?

I am certainly going to listen to this wonderful book again, Doyle's capture of the Irish speak is masterful, he could tell you any story, but if it had the Roddy Doyle spin, it is unmissable. This continuation on from the Commitments, see's the Rabbite family a few years down the line. If you liked any of Roddy Doyle's book's, you'll love this. Utterly fantastic

What did you like best about this story?

It continues on from the Commitments

Which character – as performed by Laurence Kinlan – was your favourite?

Jimmy Rabbite senior still makes me roar with laughter

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

no, but I could easily do

Any additional comments?

See comments in the first paragraph

another Classic from Roddy Doyle

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Great Audiobook...few niggles regarding the dads voice, the overuse of 'Grand" at times, and the theme of infidelity could have been explored more..maybe if the dad had of found out and offered an opinion... but overall best audiobook I've listened to yet possibly.

Great Audiobook...Dublin in yer ear!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
what A wonderful journey, following the highs and lows of the Rabbits from the Commitments to The Guts

Roddy Doyle is the master of dialogue led narrative

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You find yourself laughing a parts maybe you shouldn't be. I hope there is follow up book.

A good laugh at Cancer.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Roddy Doyle brings together characters to create a thoroughly enjoyable, funny yet serious, emotional but not sentimental, journey through male mid-life and all that life brings with it. Wonderfully read by Laurence Kinlan. Recommended

A rollercoaster ride

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews