The Ginger Man

The Ginger Man is a picaresque novel by American-Irish writer J. P. Donleavy, first published in Paris in 1955. The story is set in Dublin, Ireland, in post-war 1947. Originally banned for obscenity, the book has since become a major commercial success, selling almost 50 million copies worldwide. It is one of the best-selling books of all time, and in 1998, it was ranked 99th by the Modern Library in its list of the "100 Best Novels of the 20th Century." The novel has been translated into over 30 languages and is considered a cult classic of 20th-century literature. Donleavy wrote a stage adaptation, The Ginger Man: A Play, which opened in London in 1959.

The story follows the life of a young American student named Sebastien Dangerfield, who arrives in Ireland after the Second World War. He enrolls at Trinity College Dublin, and develops a strong liking for alcohol and women. The book is widely considered a classic of modern literature, and remains a popular novel.