Why people recommend it
Night Boat to Tangier by Kevin Barry is a darkly comic and evocative novel that follows two aging, grizzled Irish gangsters as they spend a night in a Spanish ferry port searching for a missing daughter. The book has attracted praise from critics and readers interested in contemporary Irish literature. On The Book Review podcast in an episode titled "Samantha Power on What She's Learned" broadcast on July 18, 2024, John Williams recommended Kevin Barry's novel, noting that he had recently read it while on vacation. Later that same day, in an episode titled "Two Times Reporters on ‘The Education of Brett Kavanaugh’," Dwight Garner discussed the novel during a critics roundtable segment. Garner elaborated on the premise of the book, describing the two main characters as older, grizzled men in their mid-fifties navigating a tense and atmospheric landscape. Both commentators highlighted the distinct voice of the Irish writer and the gritty, atmospheric nature of the narrative. These podcast discussions emphasize the novel's unique blend of dark humor, stylized prose, and compelling character dynamics, establishing Kevin Barry's work as a standout piece of modern fiction that commands the attention of literary critics.
Who recommended it
- John Williams Recommended
- Dwight Garner Recommended
John Williams — 1 mention
“recently on vacation a book called night boat to Tangier by Kevin Barry the Irish writer”
Dwight Garner — 1 mention
“and the new one is called nightboat to Tangier and it's about a couple old gu the guys they're not even that old they're probably mid-50s they're grizzled though”