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Description
In this charming and truly unique debut, popular Irish musician Ronan Hession tells the story of two single, thirty-something men who still live with their parents and who are . . . nice. They take care of their parents and play board games together. They like to read. They take satisfaction from their work. They are resolutely kind. And they realize that none of this is considered . . . normal.
Leonard and Hungry Paul is the story of two friends struggling to protect their understanding of what’s meaningful in life. It is about the uncelebrated people of this world — the gentle, the meek, the humble. And as they struggle to persevere, the book asks a surprisingly enthralling question: Is it really them against the world, or are they on to something?
A Note From the Publisher
Digital Reading Group Guide available
Advance Praise
Praise for the UK edition of Leonard and Hungry Paul
British Book Awards 2020 Debut Book of the Year Finalist
Irish Book Awards 2019 Newcomer of the Year Finalist
“This quietly brilliant book is as funny as it is wise, as tender as it is ground-breaking. Rónán Hession mines for gold in the modest lives and ordinary friendships that might appear unpromising to another writer, and my goodness, he finds it. It is also a happy book — and we need those.” — Diane Setterfield, author of The Thirteenth Tale
“A charming, warm-hearted celebration of all that is treasurable about everyday life.” — The Guardian
“Charming without being twee, this funny, warm book will bring you sunshine.” — The Irish Times
'God, what a voice Ronan has. It is spectacular and already feels like a cult classic. I was absolutely hooked.' — Donal Ryan, author of The Spinning Heart
“For a book that defies convention I would heartily recommend Leonard and Hungry Paul. It’s as simple as it is unique . . . a celebration of kindness and having enough and being content — and living a life devoid of high drama and conflict. It’s very funny, and well-written, poetic in places. But above all it’s kind, a celebration of often overlooked people.” — Kit de Waal, author of My Name Is Leon
Marketing Plan
National media campaign with a strong focus on literary outlets in print and online
Target book reviews from newspapers such as Washington Post, NYTBR, WSJ, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, LA Times, Minneapolis Star Tribune, and more.
Target reviews and features at NPR Books, Vulture, Entertainment Weekly, People, Buzzfeed, O Magazine, Esquire, Refinery29, Vox, Vice, Slate, Daily Beast, Huff Post, etc.
Target literary coverage at Harper's, New Yorker, Paris Review, The Millions, Guernica, NYRB, LARB, LitHub, Vol 1 Brooklyn, Entropy Magazine, Book Riot, etc.
Target excerpt placed at a literary outlet such as LitHub or Paris Review
Pitch for inclusion on Summer Reading lists
Aggressive social media campaign promoting blurbs and reviews
Bookstagram campaign targeting fans of comparably charming books (The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, etc)
Newsletter campaign to general audience (18K recipients), librarians (17K), and booksellers (7K) with excerpt and giveaway info
Available Editions
EDITION | Other Format |
ISBN | 9781612198484 |
PRICE | US$25.99 (USD) |
Available on NetGalley
(EPUB) |
(MOBI) |
(EPUB) |