Staying Alive

by Matt Beaumont

From the bestelling author of 'e' comes a hilarious and moving novel of a very normal life becoming extraordinary Murray's living life to the full -- and it might just kill him. He's started telling the truth at work. He's borrowed a stack of cash from a man with a gun, a speech impediment and no grasp whatsoever of APR. He's also taking drugs and -- God help him -- he's started dancing. Badly. To trance. And now he's on the run with a human version of Muttley and a teenage girl called Fish. Which is strange, because a few weeks ago Murray didn't even burn the candle at one end. But when his doctors tell him he has only months to live, he gives his boring old self the boot, relaunches a new, improved Murray and falls in love with a passion he didn't know was in him. His old self, of course, would tell him he's digging his own grave. But he'll be needing one of those soon enough anyway, won't he?

Genres: Fiction, Comedy, Humor

448 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, a little slow to start with it soon picked up pace (I would give it 4.5 stars if I could).
Despite the somewhat depressing terminal cancer aspect it is a very funny book that regularly had me chortling to myself & at times laughing out loud in public places.
The plot and characters are well thought out. I can't wait to get my mits on some of his other books.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matt Beaumont has a beautifully twisted mind and a rare and original talent. Staying Alive is a book I can read again and again and it still makes me laugh and enjoy his crazy cast of characters. Loved this book as much as E. How a book about a terminal illness can be so hilarious seems is amazing. Write more please Matt! I think I'm a little in love with Vince.

[Fariha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was hilarious. I foud myself laughing loudly at some parts which is not really common for me. It was a really good read for me after reading many books I didnt like in a row. Thanks to this,it broke the curse. Bubbles rocks! Awesome read for anyone who's bored with their usual genre.

[Manguins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughts
In true Beaumont fashion, the story starts of ridiculous and only becomes more and more increasingly fantastic. A fun read.

Quotes
Her sincerity puts a glossy red cherry on top of my whipped cream of a depression. (9)

Never mind how I'd like to die. What will surely kill me is a terminal cynicism. (10)

First rule of the market economy: it's the consumer's inalienable right to fuck himself over. (85)

You've got to understand that Vince operates by a simple code...F.E.A.R. ... Fuck Everything And Rumble, darling. Live each day as if it's your last. (87)

Every relationship in my life is essentially shallow. Enjoyable maybe, but with all the emotional depth of a puddle. (100)

She always knows exactly what she wants . . . Except in shoe shops. She's worse than useless in shoe shops. (109)

I never imagined that being fired could feel this special. (213)

He still looks and sounds like the drug-addled drummer from a not especially together indie band, but he's acting like a supermum in a Pampers ad. (248)

The American gun nuts are right. It's not the firearms that kill people. It's stupid bloody pillocks like Clark and me. (432)


I borrowed this book from a friend. ISBN10: 0-00-716703-2

[Stephen Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Couldn’t put it down

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adored this book! Read it many years ago and lost it :( cant wait to get another copy to read it again

[Amanda Rosser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humourous and addictive

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read

Took a while to get going but but once it did. Great fun. Well thought out full of twist and turns

[Dude · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much narrative and not enough dialogues , made it slow to read.

[Sweeney Hughes]

My friend and colleague Kyla has recommended this to me, so I might check it out at some point

[Karschtl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Am Anfang wirkte die Witzigkeit auf mich teilweise aufgesetzt und nicht lustig. Wenn er zum Beispiel am Anfang bitterböse Mails schreibt, dann auf senden geht und uns danach erzählt er hat danach die Mail eh nochmal umgeschrieben. Spätestens beim zweiten Mal ist dieser Witz, der eh nie einer war, nicht mehr lustig.

Aber entweder hatte ich mich bald an seinen Stil gewöhnt oder aber er unterließ solche Dinge später. Es wurde dann jedenfalls noch sehr unterhaltsam. Spitzenklasse fand ich die 3-jährige Bubbles und ihre Kommentare. Nun werden ja Kinder immer gern als "Requisite" genutzt, um auf naiv-lustige Weise Wahrheiten kundzutun und damit Geheimnisse aufzudecken oder Leute bloß zu stellen. Insofern liefert Bubbles hier keine Überraschungen, aber sie ist dennoch witzig. Besonders wenn sie anscheinend auswendig gelernte Sätze ihres Papas zitiert, wie z.B. auf Seite 508. Hilarious!

Die Story ist natürlich gnadenlos überdreht und nix für Realisten. Oder passieren solche Dinge in Britain öfter??

[Kiku · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those fun novels--it's entirely made in its tone, which is brilliant from start to finish. It reads like your best friend telling you a great story, with the simile and humor you would expect from a good yarn.

The plot is fairly simple--Murray, an advertising photographer, gets the news that he has terminal cancer--and so he decides to live it up with his last months on Earth; losing his job by hitting send on all those nasty, snarky emails at the office, crashing the boss's car after a botched (and unwanted) blowjob from a supermodel...which turns out to spiral into a web of events that could kill him faster than his disease.

A fantastic read, especially for those who enjoy the tone and content of the works of Tom Perrotta (Election), with a bit of a British twist.

[Христо Блажев · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Искам си топките" на Мат Бомонт - голяма смехория: http://www.knigolandia.info/2009/12/b...

Е не съм очаквал от книга за 2 лв да бъде толкова смешна. "Искам си топките" на Мат Бомонт наистина си заслужава четенето, пък и то няма как да е дълго - действието се развива светкавично и те поглъща напълно.

Отегченият рекламен агент Мъри е в тотална дупка - любимата му го е напуснала, мрази работата си, шефа му го тормози, няма пари, абе всичко му е от лошо по-лошо. Но се оказва, че нещо винаги може още повече да ти утежни положението - той намира бучка в интимната си област.

[Tanya Korval · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a departure for Beaumont: he takes a brave step in abandoning the world of advertising and the 'tell it through email' format and at the same time chooses a dark subject: death. This is a little like one of those feel-good Hollywood movies about someone who finds out he's going to die and sets off to do his 'bucket list' except (a) it's much deeper than that, more about how the experience changes him than a shallow wish-fulfillment exercise (b) it's not at all schmaltzy - in fact it's beautifully dark in places and (c) it's hilarious.

[Smell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murray Colin finds out he has terminal cancer and with only a few months left to live he decides to live life to the full. The story line flowed nicely. It was predictable, however, that didn't take away the humour from some of the situations he found himself in.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nitty-gritty, painful at times, witty, and pretty unforgettable. I definitely appreciated the twists and turns, which made it something I could easily lose myself in on a crowded train. It was a bit like a cold shower - I'd recommend it to anyone needing to feel abusively refreshed.

[Cydney · Rating 1 out of 5]

i couldn't finish it. Loved the e books

[Mish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this. Very british, very funny. Cancer, heartbreak, advertising and the russian mafia - what more could you ask for. Bubbles rocks!

[Patrick · Rating 1 out of 5]

Whiny to the level of total unreadability. Sadly.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really laughed out loud.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book. Funny and sad in equal parts.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious comedy of errors, loved every minute of it

[Richard Mulholland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started slow, but brilliant nonetheless