Thursday, 4 November 2010

Day 4 - A favourite book

This posting is part of the 30 day challenge...

I don't read much these days, but I did make a recommendation a while back (see here).  But I want to recommend a brilliantly written book that is wonderfully paced and is one of the funniest and most entertaining books I have ever read.  It is called 'This Is Your Life' by John O'Farrell.

It's all about Jimmy Conway who has reached his 30's and feels like he's achieved very little and has always wanted to be famous.  He then manages to con his way into the world of celebrity.  Here is some text from Amazon:

"It’s a big night at the London Palladium. As Jimmy Conway steps out blinking into the spotlights live on national television, he can’t help wondering whether he should have perhaps shared his little secret with someone by now. Jimmy has never done any performing of any sort ever before… Just as ‘bogus doctors’ are occasionally discovered working in hospitals, Jimmy Conway has become a ‘bogus celebrity’; winning an award for something he never did, being photographed in Hello! in someone else’s house, and ultimately making a fool of the entire mad and shallow celebrity merry-go-round."

Note: Another of John O'Farrell's books, 'The Best A Man Can Get' is also very funny (though  'May Contain Nuts' is lacking somewhat).

And I should make another quick recommendation. A stunning drama that almost made me cry!  Yes, a book had that impact! It's
The Kite Runner and I read it on holiday and it made such an impact on me.

2 comments:

  1. I loved "Things Can Only Get Better (18 miserable years in the life of a Labour supporter) and read "The Best a Man Can Get" on the strength of it, only to be completely disappointed.

    I did like his "An Utterly Impartial History of Britain", though.

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  2. hey mate, I know it's only the 4th but here you go :)
    http://naked-cat.blogspot.com/
    looking forward to yours
    Take care
    T

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