of John O'Farrell's The Best a Man Can Get belongs indisputably in the latter category. When his first daughter is born, Michael Adams imagines her as the warden of a prison that will permanently deprive him of his youth and freedom. Terrified by his new responsibilities, he regularly escapes to a bachelor pad across the Thames, pretending to be at work. Another child arrives--and with still another on the way, it is only a matter of time until Michael's wife discovers his double life. At that point, he must make a choice between his family and his hedonistic haven. By turns hilarious and touching, O'Farrell's book delves deeply into the anxieties of modern parenting. Yet the novel is not without empathy for the 21st-century father. After all, it's easy to imagine the lure of a child-proof hideaway, insulated from sleepless nights and dirty diapers. At the same time, Adams often wonders whether "just being tucked up warm and cosy" is really "the best a man can get". With its charming prose and its truant protagonist, this first novel is sure to win over even the most reluctant parent. --Greg Bensinger
Advantages: Hilarious but also a warning not to let it happen again Disadvantages: well, maybe not the perfect book for your dyed in the wool Conservative
...A brilliantly funny book. One of those ones that makes you
laugh out loud and which you just can't put down.
It tells the story of JohnO'Farrell - a Labour supporter -
when Labour couldn't get in to power. JohnO'Farrell has
been involved in lots of local politics, pushed leaflets
through doors, been to the world's most boring meetings...
and eventually become a comedy writer on programmes such as
Have I Got News For You. J-O-F laughs at himself and
his Party. This book shows the depths to which the Labour
Party sunk in its years of opposition but also the
indefatiguable spirit of those who believed next time
things would be different, in fact, that things could only
get better. Read it!...
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helpful 02.07.2000
Very Amusing Review ofI Blame the Scapegoats - JohnO'Farrellby
ashleythompson
Advantages: Highly amusing throughout Disadvantages: Brings own views into it too much
...I blame the scapegoats is a collection of columns from "The Guardian" newspaper, written by JohnO' Farrell. JohnO'Farrell is a well recognised satirical writer, best known for writing material for BBC 1's "Have I Got News For You" and "Spitting Image", as well as appearing on other BBC radio and television shows, including "The News Quiz" and "Grumpy Old Men"
The book itself makes for good, easy reading and the book is consistantly funny throughout. It takes a funny satirical line on a wide range of current affairs. The articles tend to follow a pattern of starting off with a recent piece of news and slowly meanders into a completely absurd but hillarious scenario.
As a criticism, I would say that his own, strongly left-wing views come into his writing too often for my personal liking. I would perhaps prefer something slightly more...
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Advantages: easy to pick-up and read and very funny Disadvantages: characters may annoy some people
...when i read this i was only 14 and it had been recommended by my daddy.
from the second i read the first paragraph i new i'd find it funny.
the characters may annoy some readers, but i found them very amusing!!
although i was only 14 i could still relate to the book and the characters very well.
the only disadvantages i found with this book was that the overall plot was a bit boring and predictable at times, but
i still would DEFINATLY recommend this book!!!!!
i havnt read any other of johnofarrell books but if there as funny and bizzarre as this 1 im sure the're worth a read.
the cheapest place i have found this book to buy is play.com at £5.50 with FREE delivery!!!!!!!!
BUY IT!!!...
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02.07.2000
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