Oh, Play That Thing

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On the last page of A Star Called Henry, Henry Smart is on the run from his Republican paymasters after a life of violence. He escapes from Dublin to Liverpool and then to Ellis Island, New York, where Oh, Play That Thing begins. Set in 1924, New York is vibrant and alive. Henry finds work as a handsome man with a sandwich board, cleverly hiding a stash of illegal alcohol for the speakeasies of the Lower East Side. As he hires kids to help him, he draws the attention of local mobsters, prompting him to flee once more, this time to Chicago, a place free from his past. Chicago is wild and new, bursting with music, particularly the exhilarating sounds of Louis Armstrong, a talented trumpeter constrained by racial barriers. The mob controls the music scene, and Armstrong, needing a white ally, chooses Henry. This novel pulsates with energy and invention, its language and rhythms reflecting the music it celebrates. Roddy Doyle's unparalleled vision and ambition shine through, making this work a remarkable triumph that continually surprises.