The Wig My Father Wore

by Anne Enright

Book Overview

The second novel to be published in America by widely acclaimed Irish author Anne Enright, The Wig My Father Wore is a spry, hilarious novel about parents, love, religion, and the absurdities of them all. Grace is a young Dubliner who works on a television show called Love Quiz. Her father is going benignly senile, but her life otherwise seems fairly solid. When Stephen arrives on her doorstep, however, Grace has no idea what she's in for. Stephen...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0802138322
• ISBN13: 9780802138323
• Release Date: October 2001
• Publisher: Grove Press
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.63 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

A Strange, But Hilarious Irish Story

I found this book very surreal and often times strange. It starts out with Stephen the angel showing up on Grace's doorstep. At times I'd get lost going back and forth from Grace's home life and her trying to accustom to Stephen's presence. Throwing herself into her job in TV broadcasting at a weekly program called the LoveQuiz. Her father is going senile with Alzheimer's. Looking at Grace, she's pretty much has a good solid life.Through most of her cynical views. She realizes she must take hold of her life and all of it's absurd turns. With Stephen's appearance he explains to Grace he (a former bridge builder who committed suicide) came back to earth to guide lost souls. Soon they both establish a household together. Visits to her parents house and the memories and pictures that are hidden from view. Reminds Grace that her father who she always knew wore a wig. From the time of her parents meeting and the later stuff. All the family reminscences. The time they first got an Aerial. The first time they got a TV. The first night viewing in 1969 with a memorable list of Irish TV programs. Do these bring back memories? Such as, Steady As She Go-Goes (on the night they landed on the moon), Apollo 11, The Riordians on Wednesday night.The ending is subtle and fluid like the milk she trails on the road to her house. Describes it like making love or dying. Nothing really dies. To a woman it make's sense. Just as the sky is blue. Just imagine that unpredictable revelation like falling in love. Through the complex picture of family, religion, sex, love and redemption is a glowing wit and a vibrant flavor like the blue pattern of a TV screen. This book has everything from parents and love to religion and the weird oddities of life. The author probes every angle with precision. And with a penchant for a zoom lens to focus on the fluid and clever situations. I think it was quite an entertaining and a fun read.

Wierd but wonderful in places

The set-up for the plot was excellent and I loved the ending of the book but the middle was a muddle. Still, the author has a very interesting way of looking at the world and capturing it in words.