Paula Spencer

“An extraordinary story about an ordinary life.” —People

“Brilliant.” —The New Yorker

Meet the eponymous and iconic Irishwoman Paula Spencer in this intimate exploration of recovery and motherhood, by Roddy Doyle, Booker Prize-winning author of The Women Behind the Door

It’s been four months and five days since Paula Spencer last had a drink–she’s counted. It’s been ten years since her husband Charlo died–she’s counted that too. She’s tried to quit before, but this time it will stick–she’s sure of it.

As Paula relearns how to be herself again, she must also relearn how to be a mother–to Nicola, already an adult, who still checks Paula’s pantry for bottles every time she visits; to John Paul, who has built an entire life without Paula in it; to Leanne, who seems to be headed down the same path of self-destruction Paula just left; and to Jack, the baby, the only one she’s managed to do right by, so far. Things in Ireland are changing, and Paula is doing everything she can to change too.

Told with the unmistakable wit of Doyle’s unique voice, Paula’s dogged struggle for sobriety is a redemptive tale of a brave and tenacious woman, “as real as realism gets” (Atlanta Journal-Constitution). If you met Paula in The Woman Who Walked Into Doors, you’ll be eager to see where she is ten years on; if you haven’t yet, you’ll feel lucky to connect with her in this book and its successor, The Women Behind the Door.