Diary of a Somebody

Product Information

His ex-wife has taken up with a new man, a motivational speaker and indefatigable charity fundraiser to boot; he seems to constantly disappoint his long-suffering son; and at work he is drowning in a sea of spreadsheets and management jargon. Diary of a Somebody keeps up a stream of witticisms that is admirable and relentless and, in the end, a little bit tiresome. or Kingsley Amis’s Lucky Jim; or it may be lit up by a character of memorable monstrousness (Elizabeth Taylor’s Angel Deverell in Angel, Philip Roth’s Mickey Sabbath in Sabbath’s Theater … name your favourite). I still ADORED the poems, and any mention of the cat, and of course the celebration of custard creams.

From office politics to bin day; searing jealousies to procrastination; and, of course, heart-break; we are taken through a year where Brian seems to be his own worst enemy. He’s like a poetic semi-grown-up Bridget Jones/Adrian Mole hybrid with infusions of Magnus Mills and Dan Rhodes and Rachel Joyce and Jonas Jonasson – but so much more than that too. I've never read poetry before, but this book has a story with a little poetry thrown in, that will make you laugh and make you cry.Or it may be a novel that starts out as comic before turning altogether darker, such as JG Farrell’s Troubles. It’s January 1st and Brian Bilston is convinced that this year, his New Year’s resolution will change his life. Picador, 2021), and his novel Diary of a Somebody (Picador, 2019) was shortlisted for the Costa first novel award.

So when Salt mysteriously vanishes, Brian comes under suspicion, not least from Mrs McNulty, his spiritualist neighbour and fan of Countdown (“She claims that amidst the vowels and consonants there are hidden messages from ‘the other side’.

This is the humdrum, unglamorous side of poetry that is often hidden from ordinary members of the public. And yet I don’t think it’s an outstanding book, let alone, as the publisher’s blurb claims, “the most original novel you will read this or any year”. Whether that's putting new work on stages across the world or supporting our outreach and learning programmes, every purchase you make really does make a difference. I am sure that this is because when other people are laughing because someones fallen flat on their face I am going "ouch that must have hurt".