Roddy Doyle, Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha

Roddy Doyle, Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha is written from the point of view of a ten-year-old boy as he struggles to comprehend the world around him and deal with his problems at home. His father beats his mother, his brother has withdrawn from the world and he is trying to deal with these situations as best he can. The narrative jumps from scene to scene, between school, play and home, to put the reader in the frame of mind of a young child, and ranges from sweet and heartwarming to disturbing and sad. It's a remarkable book and very worthy of it's Booker Prize (1993).