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Ben Aitken

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Twitter

benaitken85

Genre

Travel, Memoir

Member Since

October 2015

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Ben Aitken was born under Thatcher, grew to 6ft then stopped, and is an Aquarius. He is the author of six books: Dear Bill Bryson, A Chip Shop in Poznan (a Times bestseller), The Gran Tour ('Both moving and hilarious', Spectator), The Marmalade Diaries, Here Comes the Fun and Shitty Breaks. ...more

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Average rating: 3.7 · 4,770 ratings · 657 reviews · 11 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Marmalade Diaries: The True Story of an Odd Couple really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1,296 ratings — published 2022 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Chip Shop in Poznań 3.43 avg rating — 1,383 ratings — published 2019 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Gran Tour: Travels with my Elders 3.74 avg rating — 1,111 ratings — published 2020 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Dear Bill Bryson: Footnotes from a Small Island 3.52 avg rating — 706 ratings — published 2015 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Here Comes the Fun: A Year of Making Merry 3.51 avg rating — 120 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Shitty Breaks: A Celebration of Unsung Cities 4.03 avg rating — 79 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Cafe 4.44 avg rating — 62 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Here Comes the Fun: A Journey Into the Serious Business of Having a Laugh 3.63 avg rating — 8 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Marmalade Diaries really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 4 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Marmalade Diaries [Hardcover], The Gran Tour, Dear Bill Bryson, A Chip Shop in Poznan 4 Books Collection Set By Ben Aitken it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Ben is Currently Reading

Ben Aitken is currently reading

The Lemon Table

by Julian Barnes

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Jan 13, 2020 07:27AM

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The Honey Farm

by Harriet Alida Lye (Goodreads Author)

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Ben Aitken said: " Gosh. This is elegant, compelling, and a touch disturbing. Alida Lye is one to watch - or read rather. "

Dec 12, 2018 12:45PM · see review

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Ben Aitken wants to read On Being 40(ish) by Lindsey Mead	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 17, 2025 07:07AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of On Being 40 by Lindsey Mead. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — On Being 40 by Lindsey Mead <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ben Aitken wants to read The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 22, 2025 03:42PM · 2 likes · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ben Aitken wants to read Talking to My Daughter About the Economy: or, How Capitalism Works—and How It Fails by Yanis Varoufakis	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 22, 2025 02:43PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Talking to My Daughter About the Economy by Yanis Varoufakis. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Talking to My Daughter About the Economy by Yanis Varoufakis <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ben Aitken rated a book it was amazing Moveable Feasts: AN FT BEST FOOD & DRINK BOOK OF 2025 by Chris Newens (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 07, 2025 11:51AM · 2 likes · like
Ben Aitken wants to read The Offing by Benjamin Myers (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Mar 15, 2024 07:14AM · like

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Quotes by Ben Aitken (?)

“Over dinner, we mostly talk about Henry being gone a year. I tell her what someone told me in Italy: that grief is fruitful because it gives perspective and a sense of scale. Winnie says that's bollocks. Says that loss begets fear of loss. Says she likes the spare ribs though.”
― Ben Aitken, The Marmalade Diaries: The True Story of an Odd Couple

tags: fear, grief, grieving, growth, loss, perspective

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“She says there's been a few drops of snow in Yorkshire so the BBC are calling it a White Christmas. I say that's like calling me a vegetarian because I eat peas twice a week.”
― Ben Aitken, The Marmalade Diaries: The True Story of an Odd Couple

tags: exaggeration, hyperbole, vegetarianism

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“I ask what inscription she'd have on her headstone. She gives it some thought, then says, 'Was meant to be enjoying herself but polished the doorknob instead.”
― Ben Aitken, The Marmalade Diaries: The True Story of an Odd Couple

tags: enjoyment, joie-de-vivre, life-is-short, relaxation

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
The Seasonal Read...: Completed Tasks: PLEASE DO NOT DELETE ANY POST IN THIS THREAD	4046	367	Nov 30, 2018 09:27PM
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Adult Non-fiction, Humour/Travel/Biography. Young man unexpectedly ends up on a coach trip with a group of senior citizens, ends up loving it and writing about his experiences.	4	22	Dec 12, 2020 09:35AM
Book Nook Cafe: What did you read in ~~ April 2021	43	35	Jun 13, 2021 07:08PM
Book Nook Cafe: What books did you get from the library, bookstore or online ~ 2021	269	85	Jan 01, 2022 11:50AM
The Reading For P...: What Do you Think? Book Reviews Centre	4258	382	Mar 08, 2023 04:45AM
Book Nook Cafe: John's 100 Book Challenge - 2023	282	44	Jan 01, 2024 04:57PM
Book Nook Cafe: What did you read in ~~~ December 2023	51	44	May 03, 2024 04:06PM

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