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Henry Pratt
By David Nobbs - The Complete Pratt (Henry Pratt) (2007-03-14) [Paperback]
THE COMPLETE PRATT compiles the first three volumes of the misadventures of Henry Pratt, beginning with a brilliantly funny evocation of a Yorkshire boyhood in SECOND FROM LAST IN THE SACK RACE; Henry's first job is as a cub reporter on the Thurmarsh Evening Argus , told in PRATT OF THE ARGUS, hailed by Sue Townsend as 'very funny'. Finally, in THE CUCUMBER MAN, Henry decides to take on a new role and a new challenge - working for the Cucumber Marketing Board in Leeds.Stumbling through the fifties, sixties, seventies and eighties, Henry accumulates marriages and children along the way and THE COMPLETE PRATT is a touching and hilarious ride through a divided Britain...
- GenresHumor
Paperback
First published July 2, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 6, 2017
A comforting trilogy of novels follow the life and times of Henry Pratt, from Yorkshire schoolboy through an early career in local newspapers to a rather more farcical life in non-profit marketing. Henry, though "hanging on to the rim of normality" is capable of inducing thoughtfulness alongside humour - for example, "the euphoria slipped gently away as he left the glory behind and drifted reluctantly back to his bed-sitter. He thought of his father, and then he thought of his mother. His eyes filled with tears, and the gale mourned for her in the telegraph wires." The third novel adds next to nothing but you can't help but want to know how things pan out.
October 14, 2024
I'm loving these.
Like anyone else in the world with a funny-bone, I loved the Reggie Perrin TV series and have watched them several times. However, I'd never felt the urge to read the original books. In general, I nearly always find that; if I've seen a TV series first, the novels will disappoint me. And, conversely if I've read a novel first, the TV or film dramatisation will likewise be a let down. I guess it's because I get such a fixed idea from the first medium of how the characters should look and act that they always feel a bit wrong, when I encounter them again in another media format.
So it was with David Nobbs. For my ignorance, I only knew him as the writer of the Reggie Perrin novels and, since the TV series were such classics and almost every cast member so iconic in their role, I avoided the books for fear of disappointment.
Then a few months back, I stumbled upon the radio dramatisation of David Nobbs's "The Maltby Collection". Another comedy classic and, as with Reggie Perrin, chock-full of wonderful characters. So very, very belatedly, I thought 'OK. That's 2 out of 2 great series from David Nobbs' —and The Maltby Collection was brilliant, in spite of having a relatively unknown cast, which suggested his work didn't need people of the stature of Leonard Rossiter, Geoffrey Palmer, etc. to make it shine.
So I decided to track down some of David Nobbs's original works and see for myself if the books where anywhere near as good as the series derived from them. I grabbed a copy of the Complete Pratt Omnibus and have been enjoying it for the past couple of weeks. I've just started book three. And I love them.
Jaded oul' bugger that I am, it's been a long long time since I actually looked forward to bedtime so that I could get back into a book I was reading. But I'm getting that vibe again with these. They're just so enjoyable. Obviously semi-autobiographical and Nobbs / Pratt is the kind of foot-in-mouth, self-conscious, failng-at-life character that I so much prefer reading about than tedious cardboard cut-out hunky heroes.
The books are witty but also capable of great pathos and, like Nobbs's other creations which I've enjoyed on telly and radio, there are a plethora of other well-rounded and engaging characters, as well as the central figure.
Top stuff. Is it bedtime yet?
Like anyone else in the world with a funny-bone, I loved the Reggie Perrin TV series and have watched them several times. However, I'd never felt the urge to read the original books. In general, I nearly always find that; if I've seen a TV series first, the novels will disappoint me. And, conversely if I've read a novel first, the TV or film dramatisation will likewise be a let down. I guess it's because I get such a fixed idea from the first medium of how the characters should look and act that they always feel a bit wrong, when I encounter them again in another media format.
So it was with David Nobbs. For my ignorance, I only knew him as the writer of the Reggie Perrin novels and, since the TV series were such classics and almost every cast member so iconic in their role, I avoided the books for fear of disappointment.
Then a few months back, I stumbled upon the radio dramatisation of David Nobbs's "The Maltby Collection". Another comedy classic and, as with Reggie Perrin, chock-full of wonderful characters. So very, very belatedly, I thought 'OK. That's 2 out of 2 great series from David Nobbs' —and The Maltby Collection was brilliant, in spite of having a relatively unknown cast, which suggested his work didn't need people of the stature of Leonard Rossiter, Geoffrey Palmer, etc. to make it shine.
So I decided to track down some of David Nobbs's original works and see for myself if the books where anywhere near as good as the series derived from them. I grabbed a copy of the Complete Pratt Omnibus and have been enjoying it for the past couple of weeks. I've just started book three. And I love them.
Jaded oul' bugger that I am, it's been a long long time since I actually looked forward to bedtime so that I could get back into a book I was reading. But I'm getting that vibe again with these. They're just so enjoyable. Obviously semi-autobiographical and Nobbs / Pratt is the kind of foot-in-mouth, self-conscious, failng-at-life character that I so much prefer reading about than tedious cardboard cut-out hunky heroes.
The books are witty but also capable of great pathos and, like Nobbs's other creations which I've enjoyed on telly and radio, there are a plethora of other well-rounded and engaging characters, as well as the central figure.
Top stuff. Is it bedtime yet?
August 1, 2019
A wonferful read.
September 3, 2019
Really excellent, one of those few books that you’ve sad to have finished.
March 8, 2022
Entertaining but quite a heavy volume to get through at one sitting.
June 30, 2024
Funny enough but felt forced a5 times. Definitely some hilarious bits though.
I kept swapping round Pratt and Nobb when I was telling people what I was reading.
I kept swapping round Pratt and Nobb when I was telling people what I was reading.
January 9, 2010
Funny, funny, funny!
Want to read
January 10, 2016I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13801761
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13801761
January 10, 2016
Part One was the funniest book I've ever read, laughed out loud!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews