“I hereby bet Tony Hawks the sum of One Hundred Pounds that he cannot hitchhike round the circumference of Ireland, with a fridge, within one calendar month.”
I don’t know about you, but any book with a line like that gets my interest straight away.
Round Ireland with a fridge begins with this rather formal drunken bet. The wager itself is made pointless from the get go as Tony Hawks purchases a fridge for the journey that actually costs him more than he’s ever going to make from winning.
His travels see him (or rather, the fridge) meet a destitute king, a superfluity of nuns (yes, apparently that’s the collective noun), and a large host of what can only be called ‘eccentric characters’. In addition to this, the fridge is blessed, christened and even goes surfing!
I found it a short yet witty and charming story of one man doing the improbable. This book won’t change your life or make you think much about it, but it’s an enjoyable and relaxing read that should not be taken too seriously. It may also leave you with a vague wish to see more of Ireland, perhaps carrying a toaster or some such….
In short, it’s silly, but it’s my kind of silly.
Rating: 
