Muškarac i dječak
"The Man and the Boy" by Tony Parsons, a debut novel published in 1999, tells the story of Harry Silver, a thirty-year-old successful TV producer in London, whose perfect life is ruined by an affair.
Harry's wife, Gina, an aspiring journalist, leaves him with their four-year-old son, Pat, and goes to Japan to pursue her dream, while Harry faces fatherhood unprepared. The novel is a moving and humorous saga of male vulnerability in a world where men like Harry—careerists without empathy—suddenly become single fathers.
Harry, inexperienced and panicked, learns to change diapers, confronts a child's night terrors, and the challenges of daily routine, while his father, the elderly Harry, struggles with dementia and nearing death. This duality—being a father to his son and a son to his father—deeply shapes Harry's transformation from a selfish boy to a responsible man.
Parsons masterfully combines humor and suffering: Harry's failed dates, supportive friends (like Cyd, a strong woman who helps him), and moments of pure love for Pat—like bedtime stories or games in the park—make the novel a universal portrait of fatherhood. Thematically, the book critiques the "macho" myths of the 90s, emphasizing that true masculinity lies in vulnerability and commitment.
Gina returns with her fiancé, looking for a son, but Harry, now stronger, refuses to return to his old life. "Man and Boy" is an anthem of love between father and son, reminding us that "life begins at 30" - not with a career, but with responsibility. Translated into numerous languages, it has influenced generations, making Parsons the voice of modern fatherhood.
One copy is available
- Slight damage to the cover
