By Nobbs A PIECE OF THE SKY IS MISSING Paperback - February 2011

by David Nobbs

Why should up-and-coming, thirty-two-year-old executive Robert Bellamy get himself the sack? What made him draw a caricature of the Exports Manager on the wall of the non-executive gents? Why is he his own worst enemy? Is it because he nearly ran away from boarding school on his third day or because, when he was fourteen, his mother developed a fatal friendship for a man who looked like Hitler? Does his sense of inadequacy stem from his once being mistaken for a draft of 350 men? Or from his failure long ago to do justice to the facilities at Mme Antoinette's Maison d'Amitié (Paris branch)? Has he been too slow with Sonia, too fast with Frances? Whatever the reason, one act of brinkmanship seems to lead to another. Robert finds himself involved in a series of embarrassing farewells and confusing interviews and open and shut court case as he drifts towards the prospect of a stiflingly happy Christmas and an intolerably cheerful New Year.

Paperback

First published February 3, 2011

Reviews

[🐴 🍖]

ah yes, experimental author david nobbs... wait what? not joking; the godard & sam beckett namechecks in here don't appear to be accidental. this is reggie perrin played in a minor key as well as novel-as-tasting-menu: chapters include e.g. collections of main char robert's happiest and saddest memories ("joys" and "sorrows"), vignetted job interviews, the odd stream of consciousness & "a dip into the mailbag." if you're getting b.s. johnson vibes you're not far off. if you liked albert angelo, pursue at all costs; if you're strictly in it for the comedy you may have grabbed the wrong nobbs

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really interesting as much for how it relates to David Nobbs' most famous novel, The Death of Reginald Perrin, as it is in its own right . The story concerns Robert Belamy, an executive in his early thirties. He is detached from life, seeing its absurdities and destroys his own career with some ill-judged humour, drawing a caricature of another executive on the wall of the non-executive toilets. It is as much where the caricature is as the content that is objected to. The novel flashes back into his past, his dealings with life as his job comes to an end and his attempts at finding new work and a stable relationship. He's encumbered in this by his detachment and view of the absurdity of life.
It covers much of the same ground as Reggie Perrin, but is considerably darker in tone. This results in a certain poignancy in his being out of step and often ineffectual efforts to cope. Whereas Perrin highlights and satirises the absurdity of life. There is an almost relentless inevitability to the books' ending, although this leaves a number of significant questions unanswered as Nobbs leaves us without a clear ending. Even the finality of the inevitable doesn't really give us closure.
A fascinating, dark and occasionally funny book.

[Lammo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an intriguing read. I love David Nobbs’ work and have read all his novels apart from the earliest three which I challenged myself to read during the current pandemic lockdown. Just like “The Itinerant Lodger” this story gives lots of clues as to where the character of Reggie Perrin originated and even foretells “A Bit of a Do.” One of the minor characters in Robert Bellamy’s office is actually called Perrin. I found the constant flitting between past and present a bit confusing at times and was slightly losing patience about two thirds through if I’m honest, however the last three or four chapters made up for this and were really dark and poignant. The contemplation of ending it all clearly foretold one of the main themes in Reggie Perrin and was beautifully written. The Irishman Robert meets in his final sortie to the pub is full of worldly wisdom and is a clear clue as to the origin of Seamus Finnegan, the Irish navvie in the second Reggie Perrin novel who he recruits to his Grot organisation in the hope that he will bring it to its knees but to his amazement only succeeds in increasing its profits. Absolutely fascinating!

[Chalky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very fond of this author.

Just finished his first book "The Itinerant Lodger" and enjoying this slightly more.

Only a few chapters in but reminds me a little of Russel Hoban.

Highly recoomend, Perrin and Pratt series too.

Updated: i gave up on this after all. Think all his work before Perrin is rather labored! Sorry, as still love all his later works abd by later I mean the last thirty years!