Here, Glenn Bradley* reviews former RUC officer Sam Thompson’s new novel, The Birthday Boys. It tells the story of four childhood friends from a tough North Belfast neighbourhood during the Troubles. While many of their contemporaries drifted into loyalist paramilitaries and from there to jail, the four friends aspired to better lives. They went their separate ways in adult life but pledged to get together for birthdays, no matter what.
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An unremarkable thing? On 23 July past, a once extraordinary set of events occurred that in our world of today are now so unremarkable that people don’t even notice. On that day I—with all my back story—drove from the suburbs of East Belfast to collect Danny Morrison—with all his back story—from his house in West Belfast and together we attended the Lisburn Féile event, ‘Lisburn Talks Back’.
Danny was a panelist at the discussion, as were Jackie McDonald and Dr Joanne Murphy, chaired by veteran journalist Brian ‘Barney’ Rowan.
Getting a lift in my car was also Jim Gibney of Sinn Féin and Danny’s son Kevin. As I drove, we discussed the recent heat wave hitting Europe; the local hoods terrorising ordinary citizens with anti-social behaviour on the Stewartstown Road and at Connswater in the East; my forthcoming Camino walk in northern Spain, which Kevin had already done; local housing problems; the great work of the People’s Kitchen etc. Danny spotted a hawk hunting and we all paused to glance at it hover and strike. Four people attending an event to support and listen to other people they knew. All so normal.
All so unremarkable yet all so once unthinkable. Those that know, know exactly what I refer to when I state that. As we returned home Danny gifted me a copy of Sam Thompson’s new novel, The Birthday Boys.
At this juncture I must confess that Sam and I are former Belfast Boys Model pupils and that we’ve shared acquaintance a few years. That doesn’t mean he gets a bye-ball though! I read the book. First was a speed read; second, taking my time. It’s what I’ll call an easy read. The type of short book that draws you in, and at this opening of my review I do wish I’d kept it for a beach holiday and read it as I chilled—it’s that type of character-driven book. It’s a grounded story of life, like our car journey to Féile in July, built around four characters. Unlike our car journey they’re all friends since teenage years in North Belfast.
The book subtly informs their life journeys, all of which indulges you, the reader, into the dysfunction of this place we call home. One could say that reading this book is a voyage into the types of personality that make this place so impaired and flawed. That’s what I felt.
I found myself going, ‘Yer man Marine Boy [one of the four characters] is so like so and so’ And, ‘Thon fella Barry gets on like so and so.’
Yet it’s not a doom and gloom novel about here. Far from it.
Sam writes it wonderfully and the passion, humour—particularly our black humour—and our humanity screams from the pages via the four principal characters.
Author Samuel Thompson
A word of caution, though, specifically to those who are military types, former military types, wannabe military types or just the gun-ho cyber online warrior-types. Don’t expect detailed, accurate military jargon or history in regard to Marine Boy, or our legacy of conflict. It’s not there. It doesn’t need to be there. The book is written to convey impression not overwhelm the average punter with argot that would need a glossary. Because nothing is lost by generalising in this tale.
Go buy The Birthday Boys. Read it. You won’t regret it and will smile at life, recognising in the characters your own angst, insecurity, fears, passions, humour and the fact that none of us get off this planet alive. It is truly a remarkable little book about unremarkable lives.
*Glenn Bradley is from West Belfast and is a former soldier, politician and businessman. Now retired, Glenn remains committed to Peace Activism, Trade Unionism and is a Leadership Consultant. He is Chair of the Irish Chapter of Veterans For Peace and a Board Member of the Belfast Charitable Society.