Breakfast in Babylon

by Emer Martin

Isolt, a young Irish drifter, falls in with Christopher, and the two run scams, tell tales, and run with a band of vagabonds and junkies, until Isolt becomes determined to escape life as a beggar

Genres: Modern, Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Emer Martin is a Dubliner who has lived in Paris, London, the Middle East, and various places in the U.S. Her first novel Breakfast in Babylon won Book of the Year 1996 in her native Ireland at the prestigious Listowel Writers’ Week. Houghton Mifflin released Breakfast in Babylon in the U.S. in 1997. More Bread Or I’ll Appear, her second novel was published internationally in 1999. Emer studied painting in New York and has had two sell-out solo shows of her paintings at the Origin Gallery in Harcourt St, Dublin. Her third novel Baby Zero, was published in the UK and Ireland March 07, and released in the U.S. 2014. She released her first children's book Why is the Moon Following Me? in 2013. Pooka is her latest book for Children released in 2016 She completed her third short film Unaccompanied. She produced Irvine Welsh’s directorial debut NUTS in 2007. Emer was awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship in 2000. She now lives between the two clashing worlds of the depths of Silicon Valley, CA and the jungles of Co. Meath, Ireland. Her latest novel is The Cruelty Men

Emer is an experienced public speaker and enjoys talking to book clubs, schools, libraries etc. To book her for an event please contact her at martin_emer@hotmail.com

Reviews

[Philip Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emer Martin has a razor’s edge experience of the underbellies of Europe, the Middle East, the US, and other parts of the world, which she pours into her novels. As any writer knows, even filtered experience is useless to a novelist if she can’t write, but Emer is a true writer. Open her books anywhere and her prose will make you pause. Consider this from Breakfast in Babylon, where the central character Isolt and her friends are mourning the death of their Iranian friend:

If anyone should rest in peace, it was he. If anyone should truly cease to exist, it was he. Organic life repudiated him, machines bewildered him, night and day disturbed him, rest eluded him, nothing was of interest to him, no influence could save him. Was his soul missing from the plan? Was it invisible to God? Was it not located on the map of all souls? Was there an empty space inside him with an absent soul?

– Breakfast in Babylon p158, US edition.

[neon ghouls · Rating 2 out of 5]

kao vidin sta je poanta knjige? ig? al jfc. j.f.c.

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have never wanted to punch a main character so badly (except maybe...begbie from trainspotting).

[Madeline Siaroff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oscillates between being an absolute slog and profoundly upsetting. The gender and religious commentary does not land. Maybe it is just dated but I do not know because I wasn’t born yet when it was written.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Martin writes great detailed character descriptions and settings, really capturing the beggar lifestyle: it seemed authentic to me. The first two chapters are interesting because they use opposite methods of characterization. In the first chapter Isolt is characterized completely by showing her actions and thoughts in her current situation. No biography whatsoever. In the second chapter, Christopher's entire life, from birth, is gone through chronologically and in great detail. The scene that starts chapter 6 is a powerful characterization of Isolt, I think it is one of the key scenes that establish the reader's sympathy/empathy. Overall the characterization of Isolt is pretty amazing. We never learn why she's gone off to live the life she has, which is something we learn about every other character, even the minor ones, with the implication being that it is not some specific event, some trauma (as it was for many of the other characters) that set her off on this lifestyle, but a general malaise, and inability to imagine other options. She does get her fill of begging, however, and takes jobs, but in the end, she is on her way to New Orleans and it is not clear what the future holds. There is the sense that she is going to survive, unlike Christopher, he's gone over the edge. I don't think I will ever forget that courtyard in Paris with the dog diarrhea coating the flagstones, what an incredible section of imagery (chapter 3.) Lots of symbolism and Christian references in the novel. Might be interesting to reread this later and see all the threads she pulls.

[Cherry Ooglepop · Rating 5 out of 5]

love this book about a gang of misfit young people who gather in Paris and get up to no good. Would make a great film. hey why hasn't this been filmed?
Great writing and very funny parts. This book is a dark comedy. I finished it and started right back again at the beginning, it was dense and complex but worth it.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A stomach-turning tale of young people bumming around Europe. Gripping, horrifying and funny in parts. Emer Martin can really write...

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting account of one woman's journey as a squatter and vagabond.

[Dani Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a good read with an edgy view.. a few parts are difficult to understand and I had to keep my French to English translator near by for a few chapters.

[Kim Cowie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young Irishwoman Isolt bums around Israel, Paris and East London, supporting herself mostly by begging, associating with various drunks and dopeheads and living in various squats. Isolt attaches herself to the appalling Christopher, an American drifter and dope dealer. The writing is sharp and darkly amusing, and the various dysfunctional characters are well drawn. A vivid picture of a way of life that most of us have only observed from the outside. The book appears to be at least partly based on the author’s adventures in Israel, Paris and elsewhere.
Martin can certainly write. Well worth a read.

[Lady B of house Sefer · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a terrible way to exist. You can't call it living. Addiction suuuuuuuuucks. So depressing. I didn't find any of the humour everyone was banging on about either. Well written but just sooo effing depressing.

[Celeste · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 - the first half was slow and then the second half blew me away with its misery. emer martin is so good at character, at dialogue, and at writing the most devastating horrible things to ever happen. i was NOT prepared for how dark chapter 14 was. but i do choose to think there is something good out there in the future for isolt somewhere. anyway all of emer martin’s books leave me feeling like i can’t possibly read anything else after finishing that because it was just so. much. her characters feel like real people going through so many awful things and it really kind of takes a heavy toll but she is an amazing writer. what does it say about the end of this book that i know going back to the horror novel i was reading before it will be a lighthearted breath of fresh air? but i mean all that as a compliment i really really do

[Jenae Thom]

What a fucking depressing book. I hated it the whole way through. The blurb on the back of it is nothin like what’s inside. I thought it would be a story about a girl who breaks out of her homeless situation and flourishes with a whole new life. Nope. Just sad desolation up until the last 4 pages. So many grotesque scenes and ridiculous ramblings that are supposed to be seen as poetic but just come off as disillusioned. Do not read this book. It is a waste of time and will just depress you.