Ronan Hession

A disarming novel that asks a simple question: Can gentle people change the world? 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?

Leonard and Hungry Paul

I see a small—vague reflection of myself in Hungry Paul.

I just discovered my new habit; letting people lie. By this one, I mean, the kind of lie that showing me exactly where I should draw the line as to when I should not give any help because they don’t want one, they don’t want to receive one. For example; when my friend said that they are okay, when they were obviously not. I would ask them, “are you okay?”, so when they answered, “yes I am.” I usually stopped there. I knew they were not, but I convinced myself they wanted me to believe that they were. So I let them lie. I just left a message; “I’m always here if you need any help.” They understood and I stopped. I let them lie. I felt awful, I felt like I’m a bad person, I used to think that way. But as the time went by, I learned to understand that forcing someone to receive MY help might as well stopping them from learning from it and growing up. And I also learned that that is exactly how I want to be treated. I want people to believe that I’m okay when I say so. I want people to let me lie. I know how to help myself, how to handle things by my own, and how to grow out of it, so please, let me lie.

“When you love somebody, it can be hard to know where the boundary of solicitude ends and interference begins. How do you know whether you are a force for good? How do you ever know if the world would not in fact be lost without you? At what stage does a hand become a hold? Helping someone can so easily become a habit for both parties and people are often more comfortable being the helper than the helped.”

This very conversation of Leonard and Hungry Paul got me sitting and rethinking of myself once again; of my life, once again. I am, sometimes, torn apart between wanting to do no harm—just by existing, thinking and listening before getting myself involved in things that has stood me well and kept me in peaceful space. It’s not like I want to make a huge inovation to make my mark on the world, I mean it’s good, but it’s not what I want to do in my life. What I exactly want to do—or have to do—is open the doors and windows in my life. That does seem scary, that does seem like a threat because what if my space, my bubble, my life invaded and leaving me crumbled down, but I know, deep down inside I understand, that I have to.

“I feel myself getting smaller. I feel quieter and more invisible. There is this palpable sense of physics; that my life is being pulled inward. One thing has led to another and now I feel that if I don’t do something, I’ll just carry on some minor harmless existence.” 

“Hungry Paul had always been fascinated by the world around him; viewing it as something fantastical—as if he saw the body of scientific understanding as an anthology of legends, something so wonderful and impenetrable that it might as well be a myth. Leonard held a subscription to New Scientist, he liked to read Yesterday Today for all the latest developments in ancient history.

For the two friends, the bleaching of coral reefs was a current as he latest general election; the discovery of new dwarf planets was as relevant as last night’s penalty shoot-out; and Marco Polo was discussed as others might gossip about the latest red carpet ingénue. Their conversation combinations combined the yin of Leonard’s love of facts with the yang of Hungry Paul’s chaotic curiosity.”

I want to read a whole book about Leonard and Shelley

Robi

There is something very comforting about reading a low-stakes book where grown-ups - of an age similar to yours - are doing their growing up. 

While by description Leonard and Hungry Paul may seem quirky, the novel still feels like an appreciation to ordinary people. Hession manages to bring such gentleness to the story that you yourself cannot help but wish such gentleness to both the characters and to yourself. 

There is something very comforting about reading a low-stakes book where grown-ups - of an age similar to yours - are doing their growing up. 

While by description Leonard and Hungry Paul may seem quirky, the novel still feels like an appreciation to ordinary people. Hession manages to bring such gentleness to the story that you yourself cannot help but wish such gentleness to both the characters and to yourself. 

A disarming novel that asks a simple question: Can gentle people change the world? 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?

lovely and heartwarming with some really interesting perspectives

i wish i could read this in the fall/winter with my cat and some tea but it’s ok

lauren

Time goes by, people die, people get married, they entered your life unexpectedly and some left in a blink of an eye. Every act of kindness could be a form of one’s vulnerability of slings & arrows, for the amount of fortitude life holds in its palm; as well as a form one’s triumph, hugeness. This book celebrates the uncelebrated people; the kind, the gentle, the meek—celebrates Leonard who thinks the world holds one thing he loves the most; knowledge and Hungry Paul who sees the world as something so wonderful and impenetrable, might as well be a myth. The two men are quiet and assuming with so much idea to protect their understanding of what’s a meaningful life.

warm, cozy, wonderfully mundane. all-around lovely exploration of day-to-day life and love and relationships

Derek

Belle

Started out fun and silly but dragged so much by the end that I stopped enjoying it.

Hellboy TCR

Sarah Ryan

A very easy and funny read. Following the lives of two men. Friends and quiet introverts. We see them evolve through a book that is excellent at conveying the simple moments in life.

Leonard and Hungry Paul

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