The Chisellers (Agnes Browne Series)

Book number 2. Great read

The perfect book in a series of books that make you laugh, cry and enjoy. The author developed the characters in a manner you can see them as they pull off some of the funniest stuff that makes you laugh to tears, cry from sadness, revel in victories and simply enjoy the lives he created. They are also caring, compassionate, naughty and very lovable. Great job, Brendan!!! I first listened to this as audio books and admit if I wasn't done with the book by the end of my journey I would drive around before stopping at my hotel just so I could delight in the final chapter. I enjoyed the audio so much I decided I had to have a copy of the written script versions as well. That's how good this series is!!

We are huge fans of Brendon O'Carroll. Now we own the books we love and are lending them to many friends - who also love them. Great reading for anyone needing some smiles and laughs. This book is one of 4 in the Agnes Brown series. Make sure to start with the book "The Young Wan" - it is the prequel to the trilogy. O'Carroll is a fine writer with a big heart and a great sense of humor. If the 'F' word bothers you then it might be heavily used here but these characters live in the Dublin slums and have little to no education. I was wowed by the dialects and multi-plot engagement of all of the books. My teenage son loved them and so do friends of ours from his age into their 80's! One book hasa few dark scenes in London - but it is well worth reading as it is still a timely tale of the consquences of our choices.

Just as would be expected the amazing Brendan O'Carroll certainly delivers literary perfection once again. Once again we are given the gift of spending time with the funny yet heart warming Browne family led by the always entertaining first lady Agnes Browne the loving mother and matriarch.

Brendan O'Carroll's entire Agnes Browne series is utterly hilarious. For all that unfortunate incidents are related without flinching, the dialogue would keep one all but rolling on the floor screaming. He also recreates a nostalgic, semi-magical 'old neighbourhood,' where friends are always there for one another in a pinch (...even if the children aren't the sum of perfection, the eldest is grand.) I've had many a laugh with these books, which are just the size to tuck into a bag for train trips and time in the park. The sexual content, by the way, is in no way offensive or explicit. (Violence is hinted at, rather than displayed in graphic detail, in a few sequences.)

Brilliant!Just read the description of the book. It's been awhile for a book to make me laugh out loud but this book did just that on more then one section. A very nice story overall.

This book was advertised in some of the American Irish Papers and the photo looked very cute, and frankly, I could have been one of the kids on the cover, so I picked it up. The novel is PURE pulp set with some cute characters, but this author 'jazzez' up the storyline and makes it 'modern' in a way that is subtle to the modern mind but a fraud and a trick on the reader.This book follows teen and late teen working class (comparitively) large family living in a Dublin apartment. In the tradition of a trite modern movie, good things happen to this 'single mother' 'Agnes' who never had an 'organism' with her late husband because he was like ice upon her back. You gotta throw in the single-mom and sexually underutilized 1970's housewife to sell a novel these days you know. She however, finds fulfillment in a French transplanted pizza maker.This all the while her oldest son, who works for an Austrian Jewish holocau$t refugee and survivor (gotta throw the holocau$t reference in there to make a modern novel you know) and saves the survivors old fashioned handcrafted furniture factory when the English clients want cheap disposable furniture, by making . . . cheap disposable furniture. Along the way, he finds a girlfriend and gets married.The second older son becomes a hairdresser and a homosexual, but Agnes, being the stupid woman, never cathces on even when her gay son dances with his randy boyfriend at the other son's wedding. But the son actually married says the modernist 'Whatever makes you happy?'But the third older son is a skinhead punk (gotta throw the nazi rascism reference in there to sell a modern novel ya' know) He steals money from Agnes, gambles, and helps beat her gay son almost to death with his other skinhead punk friends. We all know that there were *so many* skinheads and beatings in Dublin circa 1973. That is why the whole country, below the 6 counties, had 2 murders a year.The other kid is a shoplifter, the other daughter races a go-kart, all summing up into a completely false and unbelievable tale wrapped in quaint language with some true references to way people act, and still act in some quarters. I think this book's cover is its only high point. I have cut the cover off, by the way. Buy this book with the hopes of scoring a picture, do not expect writing in the style of the McCourts, or as accurately truthful as 'Its a long way from Penny Apples'

Book II of Brendan O'Carroll's series was just as delightful as book 1, "The Mammy." A sweet and funny portrait of a working class Dubliner family.

This book is absolutely brilliant. It gives you a great insight into the kids of the Agnes, their likes and loves, and also a good insight of Agnes herself.She is one terrific character, and am sure that her kind exists everywhere.Also her son Frankie, will exist in a lot of families.Buy, read and enjoy, it has a lot of humour, and sadness. Altogether a terrific read. This is the 2nd one of the trilogy, and am now going on to read the the 3rd one The Granny.

The second in the trilogy of Agnes Browne books and equally as good as the first for me.Life continues for Mrs Brown and her many children. However this book, although still funny, is a lot more serious as well. A fan of the series this one brings to the fore the differences between the series and the books.Once again the author manages to create a story which is full of life. Then characters are all vibrant and full of life. The way their lives intertwine is written very well too.A great addition to the trilogy.

I have now read the first 2 books in this trilogy and am on the third. I am on holiday and intend to read the last one before I go home. Yet another enjoyable read with a great ending with the good guy getting the prize. Again sometimes sad but mostly funny following the trials and tribulations of a maybe not your average Irish family . Will be sorry when I have finished this trilogy. Thanks Brandon for more making my holiday reading so enjoyable.

Brilliant follow up from The Mammy,this is just as good.I was sad when I finished The Mammy but I started reading this one straight after, it is just as good I could'nt put the book down really enjoyed reading it.I promise you that you will enjoy this & I have read the last one of the three & I've loved them all.Very enjoyable will read them again at a later date.Brendan O'Carroll is amazing!!

Don't think the book is based on the television series Mrs Brown. It is not. Rather a story of a woman bringing up her family in Dublin (which I know sounds rather like the tv series!) but how she copes and survives, how the children grow and make their ways in life. The book makes no pretensions to be great literature, rather the book is good old fashioned story telling. I think most readers will really enjoy the book.