Much-loved novel which includes Julia Roberts among its fans is adapted for new BBC TV series
When I first spoke to Irish author Rónán Hession, it was back in March 2019 and his debut novel Leonard and Hungry Paul had just been published by Hebden Bridge-based independent publisher Bluemoose Books. It was already causing something of a stir – flying off the shelves in bookshops and rapidly gaining a word-of-mouth momentum.
It became the fastest-selling debut that The Book Corner in Halifax, which hosted the official UK launch, had ever seen and it only weeks after being published was selected as a BBC Radio 2 Book Club choice. Its gentle story about the friendship between two thirtysomething men, Leonard and Hungry Paul, both slightly at odds with the world, who share a sense of humour, a love of boardgames and the (much-underrated) ability to appreciate the simple things in life, seemed to strike a chord with many. Celebrating ordinary lives and everyday kindness, it was one of the most beautiful books I had read for a long time – in my review I referred to it as ‘a lovely warm hug of a book’ – and Hession’s writing was so lyrical, assured and finely wrought.
The novel quickly became a bestseller, reaching readers all over the globe – it has sold over 350,000 copies worldwide, is a bestseller in Germany having spent eleven weeks in their top 20, has been translated into nine languages and shortlisted for several prestigious literary awards. Now, six years on from its publication, the novel has been adapted for television, a co-production between the BBC and Irish broadcaster RTÉ, and the first episode of the six-part series is being broadcast on BBC Two on Monday.
The manuscript for Leonard and Hungry Paul dropped into the inbox of Kevin Duffy, founder and director of Bluemoose Books in late 2018 and he didn’t delay in letting Hession know that they would be publishing the book. Within four days the contract was signed. “I knew it was something special, from the very first line,” says Duffy. “I thought it was going to be an underground cult classic but I didn’t appreciate how readers across the world would embrace it. It’s our biggest-selling book ever and people still email me today to say how much they love it. It is a book that speaks to everyone. I think especially now, with what is happening in the world, people are finding it a balm for the soul.”
One of the fans of the original book was Hollywood superstar Julia Roberts. “I got an email one day from someone who said they were Julia Roberts’s PA. I just thought it was a joke, so I deleted it,” says Duffy. “Then I got another one – it turns out she actually was Julia Roberts’ PA. She said that Julia had absolutely loved the book, had gifted it to many friends and she wanted to get in touch with Rónán to thank him personally for writing it.” That led to a lovely unforeseen outcome which is that Roberts is the narrator for the BBC adaptation. Quoted in the BBC press release announcing the series, she says: “Leonard and Hungry Paul is such a magical book. I am delighted to be a tiny part of this novel becoming a television series.”
Hession, who has a demanding full-time day job as a senior civil servant working for the Irish government, wrote Leonard and Hungry Paul in his spare time, working at the dining room table in the evenings after work. The Dublin-based writer has gone on to write two more novels – Panenka and Ghost Mountain – also published by Bluemoose and has just finished the first draft of his fourth. “We didn’t really expect Leonard and Hungry Paul to end up as a BBC TV series; I am delighted about it,” he says. “It’s a privilege as a writer to see my work being brought to life in a different creative form. When the crew were over here filming in Dublin, I went to visit the set and met the team of actors. It felt like a lovely atmosphere on set and they all said how much they enjoyed working on it.”
In the TV series Alex Lawther plays Leonard, a ghost writer of children’s encyclopaedias and the role of Hungry Paul, a part-time postman who still lives at home with his retired teacher parents, is played by Laurie Kynaston. The two friends try to navigate their way through the complexities of the modern world, finding solace in their quiet routines. The sudden death of Leonard’s mother, the forthcoming wedding of Hungry Paul’s sister and a tentative potential romance for Leonard, prompts both men to face new possibilities and opportunities. Duffy says that when a book is optioned for television, there is sometimes a concern about how the story might be approached. “The worry here was that they might not get the tone right, but I was sent some rushes and they have got it absolutely spot-on. It is brilliantly done.”
Hession agrees. “There will be some differences to the novel but I’d rather they made confident creative decisions. The actors were younger and cooler than the way I had imagined the characters but they look great, it is beautifully shot and they are all really enthusiastic about it. I’m really looking forward to seeing it. I hope people like it and that it might encourage them to explore the book.”
With its timeless message about love, friendship, family connection and finding a sense of purpose, of seizing the moment and recognising what really matters amongst the noise and complexity of life, the book deserves to become a modern classic. “The core of the story is about the huge power, strength and stabilizing force that can be found in silence,” says Hession. “At the moment in the world it can feel that loudness is very dominant. I think it is important to hold a space for quiet and to stand for something and believe in it.”
Leonard and Hungry Paul is available on BBC iPlayer now; the first episode will be broadcast on BBC Two on Monday, October 20.