When returning some other books to the book sharing shelf at work I picked up a copy of Dave Hill's
Man Alive, mainly being attracted by the cover design. I thought it may be a bit like some of the John O'Farrell books that I've enjoyed before. Not quite though.
Man Alive, mainly being attracted by the cover design. I thought it may be a bit like some of the John O'Farrell books that I've enjoyed before. Not quite though.
Derek Hawker does something to do with designing shopping centres. He seems to be having a mid-life crisis. His wife, Denise, has gone to China for a year to visit pandas and teach English. Son Matthew is in Australia and keeps trying to psycho-analysis his Dad over e-mail. Daughter Charlotte is a student in London. Derek suddenly decides to pack in his job, but doesn't both to tell any of his family.
After spending all of his time at home he gets invited by one of his neighbour's to visit his Irish themed pub in Stevenage. A police visit to the pub after hours means that Derek is suddenly more involved with his neighbour's life than he was planning. To add to the confusion he arrives home in the early hours of the morning to find that Charlotte has come to stay. And she's pregnant. And doesn't want anyone to tell her mum.
Cue a book in which there appear to be quite a few family secrets and hence people becoming much closer to various neighbours than their own family.
It's generally an OK read, but I'm glad I didn't spend any money on a copy. Back to the bookshelf at work for it tomorrow morning…
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