My Biggest Book 05 | Roddy Doyle on The Commitments

In this episode of My Biggest Book, where prominent authors reminisce about the book that defined their career, Roddy Doyle reflects on the times and difficulties of publishing The Commitments.

A comic novel about a group of Irish youth who form a soul band, it's a brash and honest portrayal of working-class Dublin. It was rejected by numerous publishers, but Roddy persisted by self publishing.

The Commitments became a hit, was made into a successful film and stage play. It also formed a trilogy about the same community, including The Snapper and The Van.