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e #1.5
The E. Before Christmas
Once again told entirely in a series of e-mails, the further adventures of the characters from e take them into the run-up to Christmas. Harriet's determined to make her first party as MD mega-memorable, but even her much-tested imagination can't predict what actually happens. Meanwhile, Pinki wants to change the world by introducing Real Women Barbies and Simon has resurfaced to write a novel -- which is rejected by a publishing director known to many of us...
129 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
260 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
December 29, 2018
I love Matt Beaumont, he makes me laugh! I read 'E' while on a camping holiday in Canada 2 years ago, and I remember reading it at the campfire, laughing out loud all the time. So I thought I just had to read The E before Xmas. Couldn't find it in the bookstores in London, so I ended up ordering this one second hand from amazon and I don't regret it. A great, entertaining, relaxing read just before Xmas. Hilarious and such a good destressing 'tool' to battle the work(aholic) stress! And some details (I repeat, only some) believe it or not, so recognible (people all over the place stealing the credits for a good idea from each other to 'score'... and then failing hopelessly in the process). With the risk of falling into a repeat read, I do so hope that that there will be another E, a summer E in Finland or something, featuring the new Chirpy-chirpy-cheep-cheep Euro CEO Pertti. Will be looking out for the other books of Matt Beaumont definitely!
ps Last week in a staff management meeting a request was done to hand in all time sheets in time before Xmas at my company! Nige.... you are not alone!
ps Last week in a staff management meeting a request was done to hand in all time sheets in time before Xmas at my company! Nige.... you are not alone!
February 3, 2019
This is another book that I've had for a very long time. I read E a long time ago and enjoyed it, but this left me strangely cold. Yes it was funny in places, but not funny enough.
Disappointed, but it was a pretty quick read being only 120ish pages and told all in emails (just like the original).
Disappointed, but it was a pretty quick read being only 120ish pages and told all in emails (just like the original).
December 20, 2020
This is the follow up to E, a novel that takes place in uber-horrible advertising agency, Millar Shanks. Like E, it is structured entirely in emails and like E it is hugely funny. After that disasterous Coke pitch, the staff of Millar Shanks have made a decent effort at turning the fortunes of the company around and things seem to be going swimmingly (okay, maybe not swimmingly, but better than could be expected) until the New York boss decides to hold the Euro-CEO conference on the same day as the famous Millar Shanks Christmas party. What could possibly go wrong?
If you liked E, this is worth checking out. It's only short, an hour's read at most, and will make you feel grateful that your Christmas is going to be nothing like theirs!
If you liked E, this is worth checking out. It's only short, an hour's read at most, and will make you feel grateful that your Christmas is going to be nothing like theirs!
April 13, 2009
Love, love, loved this book - finished it in a couple of hours and laughed so much. All the favs from "E" are back in fine form.
First to read will enjoy - Nige.
First to read will enjoy - Nige.
January 4, 2013
I devour Matt Beaumont's books. All written in emails. Set at an agency in London. Trashy. Fast-paced. Hilarious. Write more, Mr. Beaumont. Please write more.
August 3, 2019
Yet another hilarious account from the E series, this time a shorter book spanning the events leading up to the Christmas party. The usual Miller-Shanks suspects show up including a certain Pertti van Helden. If you're new to Matt Beaumont, you might like to know that his novel E (the precursor to this book) is considered the first example of an epistolary novel using email. This novel comprises only emails (like E.E and unlike e SquaredE Squared which also included chat transcripts, messages and blogposts).
I read this one as a palate cleanser between some really heavy books and it worked well. There's really nothing else to add except that if you liked the other books, you'll enjoy this one.
I read this one as a palate cleanser between some really heavy books and it worked well. There's really nothing else to add except that if you liked the other books, you'll enjoy this one.
April 20, 2019
The E series of books have me hooked for years. I'd like to give my ex-boss complete credit for introducing me to this. The pain of emails is real. The characters in this book are so relatable, and I've worked in the agency environment in India, but I could still relate to these buffoons and the shenanigans they pull. Brilliant piece of targetted storytelling. Probably my favourite book series of all time.
January 12, 2021
Kurzer Auszug aus HansBlog.de:
Das erinnert alles deutlich an Teil 1, und so wirkt The E. before Christmas etwas wie ein Abklatsch – vielleicht schnell nachgeschoben wegen des Erfolgs von Band 1. Zwar gibt es hier erstmals mehrseitige Werbespot-Skripts, Partyreden und -plakate, die das Buch jedoch nicht besser machen. Die Pannen und Vulgaritäten gehen im 2. Band einen Tick weiter als im ersten.
Das erinnert alles deutlich an Teil 1, und so wirkt The E. before Christmas etwas wie ein Abklatsch – vielleicht schnell nachgeschoben wegen des Erfolgs von Band 1. Zwar gibt es hier erstmals mehrseitige Werbespot-Skripts, Partyreden und -plakate, die das Buch jedoch nicht besser machen. Die Pannen und Vulgaritäten gehen im 2. Band einen Tick weiter als im ersten.
December 6, 2017
3 stars.
Short story of the Miller Shanks Agency leading upto their Xmas party.
This book sits between e and e squared, but doesn't really capture the same level of humour or engagement.
Short story of the Miller Shanks Agency leading upto their Xmas party.
This book sits between e and e squared, but doesn't really capture the same level of humour or engagement.
March 10, 2018
Good little sequel to 'e.'
August 7, 2018
Short, funny and really entertaining. Although my favorite e book is still E squared, this book did not disappoint me! I’d love to see the characters in 2018.
May 6, 2019
In the industry, too funny
December 27, 2023
Not as good as the original but an entertaining xmas tale none the less
November 19, 2024
A great continuation of the story. I loved the 'Real Women Barbie' campaign. The characters, yet again, had me cracking up!
January 8, 2025
A short continuation of the "E-a novel", in the same spirit.
April 4, 2025
Absolutely the ideal follow up to E. Humour and observations are so spot on from the previous book this feels like another chapter. Couldn't stop laughing all the way through. Brilliant.
June 3, 2020
This one didn't capture my attention quite like the first book, E, but it was a fun addition to this series.
March 15, 2017
So glad to return to the hilarious backstabbing world of Miller Shanks, yet at the same time eternally grateful that I don't work there :-) Awesome to see 'Aunty Melinda' take more of a role in this book - she was one of my fave characters from the first book. If you enjoyed 'e' you will love this - just be warned it's very, very short and over way too quickly :-)
May 9, 2021
Some things naturally follow others. A heavy night's drinking will often be followed by a hangover. In the same way, a sequel will often follow every successful film, book or album. The comparison doesn't always end there either, as the sequel is frequently rushed out just to cash in with the success of an original and, like the hangover, not nearly as good as the events which caused it.
"The E Before Christmas" follows on from the original "E - A Novel", picking up events at the Miller Shanks advertising agency some months later. Following the disaster that the agency became, it is time to try and salvage their year by having the best Christmas party ever. Unfortunately, in true Miller Shanks style, they give the organisation of the party to the person least likely to make an effort, who in turn passes it to the person least likely to get it right.
As the organisation of the party hits a few hitches, so does the advertising side of the business. A Miller Shanks idea involving Barbie has not proved a success and we get to follow various Miller Shanks employees as they try to deal with the fall out this has caused, as well as watching them try to come up with an advertising campaign for a new client.
All of the old favourites from "E" return, although some characters have been pushed into the background as a natural follow on from the events of the original novel. At the same time, others have new positions and we get to see how they have adapted to their new roles and there are a couple of new staff, as is natural in any company over the space of a year.
For those unfamiliar with Miller Shanks from "E", there is very little point in starting by reading "An E Before Christmas". Being a sequel, especially being a Christmas cash-in sequel, it starts with the assumption that you've read the original and doesn't set the scene in any way, not even introducing you properly to the new people. This means that if you haven't read the first book, you won't know the history between certain people and won't understand where people like Vince and Brett and Simon Horne fit in and this means that many of the jokes will be lost.
Admittedly, there will still be parts that you can enjoy. After all, the things that gave "E" a more universal appeal than for those who had worked in advertising are still there. Some people have their own E-Mail habits, particularly new girl Wanda, which are quite interesting. There is also the standard office gossip, which again seems to revolve greatly around Wanda and this makes the Miller Shanks office seem almost like a soap opera at times. This does mean that you can enjoy the book on its own, but it is much more fun is you've read "E".
That said, even for the experienced Miller Shanks fan, this isn't the best follow up. The scope is focussed more on the Christmas party and less on the advertising business they are trying to run and this takes some of the edge off it. Those same in jokes that will be lost on the casual reader do add a little more to the mix, but the whole thing feels a little bit like a cash-in based purely on the season and it feels a bit rushed in parts. Unlike the original, I felt that some of the repeated jokes went on a little too long, as if there wasn't enough material to go around and some of it had to be stretched to fit. The Vinnie Jones scenario was one of these.
As with the original, it is a very readable book, as the E-Mail style encourages you to read just one more and you get through the whole book without realising it. Despite some of the jokes falling a little flat or outstaying their welcome, there are still some very funny moments, even if they do seem to be a bit more thinly spread than in "E". In particular, the very ending is absolutely hilarious, especially as it comes as quite a surprise, although it is another one of those in jokes that a casual reader may appreciate less than I did.
This review may also appear, in whole or in part, under my name at any or all of www.ciao.co.uk, www.thebookbag.co.uk, www.goodreads.com, www.amazon.co.uk and www.dooyoo.co.uk
"The E Before Christmas" follows on from the original "E - A Novel", picking up events at the Miller Shanks advertising agency some months later. Following the disaster that the agency became, it is time to try and salvage their year by having the best Christmas party ever. Unfortunately, in true Miller Shanks style, they give the organisation of the party to the person least likely to make an effort, who in turn passes it to the person least likely to get it right.
As the organisation of the party hits a few hitches, so does the advertising side of the business. A Miller Shanks idea involving Barbie has not proved a success and we get to follow various Miller Shanks employees as they try to deal with the fall out this has caused, as well as watching them try to come up with an advertising campaign for a new client.
All of the old favourites from "E" return, although some characters have been pushed into the background as a natural follow on from the events of the original novel. At the same time, others have new positions and we get to see how they have adapted to their new roles and there are a couple of new staff, as is natural in any company over the space of a year.
For those unfamiliar with Miller Shanks from "E", there is very little point in starting by reading "An E Before Christmas". Being a sequel, especially being a Christmas cash-in sequel, it starts with the assumption that you've read the original and doesn't set the scene in any way, not even introducing you properly to the new people. This means that if you haven't read the first book, you won't know the history between certain people and won't understand where people like Vince and Brett and Simon Horne fit in and this means that many of the jokes will be lost.
Admittedly, there will still be parts that you can enjoy. After all, the things that gave "E" a more universal appeal than for those who had worked in advertising are still there. Some people have their own E-Mail habits, particularly new girl Wanda, which are quite interesting. There is also the standard office gossip, which again seems to revolve greatly around Wanda and this makes the Miller Shanks office seem almost like a soap opera at times. This does mean that you can enjoy the book on its own, but it is much more fun is you've read "E".
That said, even for the experienced Miller Shanks fan, this isn't the best follow up. The scope is focussed more on the Christmas party and less on the advertising business they are trying to run and this takes some of the edge off it. Those same in jokes that will be lost on the casual reader do add a little more to the mix, but the whole thing feels a little bit like a cash-in based purely on the season and it feels a bit rushed in parts. Unlike the original, I felt that some of the repeated jokes went on a little too long, as if there wasn't enough material to go around and some of it had to be stretched to fit. The Vinnie Jones scenario was one of these.
As with the original, it is a very readable book, as the E-Mail style encourages you to read just one more and you get through the whole book without realising it. Despite some of the jokes falling a little flat or outstaying their welcome, there are still some very funny moments, even if they do seem to be a bit more thinly spread than in "E". In particular, the very ending is absolutely hilarious, especially as it comes as quite a surprise, although it is another one of those in jokes that a casual reader may appreciate less than I did.
This review may also appear, in whole or in part, under my name at any or all of www.ciao.co.uk, www.thebookbag.co.uk, www.goodreads.com, www.amazon.co.uk and www.dooyoo.co.uk
January 27, 2025
Following on from the last book, the staff are getting ready for the Christmas party. Be prepared to see wildly different suggestions, for theme of the party, department heads high on their own self importance, bluster about things they know nothing about, with a massive pile of unearned confidence.
An excellent follow up to the first book, another page Turner I found hard to put down.
An excellent follow up to the first book, another page Turner I found hard to put down.
December 2, 2012
A thoroughly entertaining short novel told entirely through work emails sent around the time of the Christmas party. This enables the reader to never get a true picture of events, but only as it is seen through the eyes of each of the main characters. Although not the first person to use this kind of idea, it did remind me of my days working in an office and the countless pointless, gossipy or bitchy emails that filled my days.
(I recently re-read this book and enjoyed it as much the second time around. Being shorter than 'e' you can whizz through it in a couple of hours and the story is quick, sharp and funny.)
(I recently re-read this book and enjoyed it as much the second time around. Being shorter than 'e' you can whizz through it in a couple of hours and the story is quick, sharp and funny.)
January 10, 2013
It's not often that novellas get released (outside of indie publishing), which is a pity because they're a great low-cost way to try a new author. I'd already read 'e' before I came across 'The e Before Christmas' so for me it was just another bite-sized portion of the same great Beaumont humor. It retains the same characters from 'e' and relates events before and immediately after an office Christmas party. As in 'e', office life, the advertising industry, PR and marketing are all in for a dig, and for my money Beaumont is right on the ball. If you liked 'e', this is a no-brainer. If you haven't tried 'e' yet, pick it up at the same time and read 'e' first.
December 3, 2015
Nicht so lustig wie e., aber genauso bissig. Ich habe leider ein bisschen den Faden verloren, weil zu viele Anspielungen auf Personen, TV-Sendungen usw. der britischen Alltagswelt enthalten sind, die mir nicht bekannt waren. Außerdem haben mich Wandas SMS-typische kryptische Emails zu oft aus dem Lesefluss gerissen, weil ich sie mir erst übersetzen musste. Trotzdem war es ein Vergnügen und ich freue mich auf e squared, was ich auch schon auf meinem Lesestapel ganz oben habe. Der Irrsinn geht also weiter, was sonst :-)
August 27, 2012
So this is in between e and e squared, which may have been more entertaining if i had read it in order, but i feel like this one was a little flat. Maybe, as much as i love hanging out with this gang, it's gotten too predictable, or maybe i just already know too much from reading e squared. still a fun read though and bonus lesbionic sidebar.
April 23, 2008
This isnt really a book, but an online file I bought from Amazon a few years ago - a follow-up to the hilarious book "E" about the antics of an advertising company in London. Matt Beaumont is a great writer, and I wish more of his books would be available in the US.
October 23, 2015
I've read this before and I love it. It's a short follow-up to the the original E: A Novel and very funny as we enter the festive season.
Apparently Matt Beaumont is writing a new novel about the Miller Shanks ad agency for publication next year. I can't wait!
Apparently Matt Beaumont is writing a new novel about the Miller Shanks ad agency for publication next year. I can't wait!
December 21, 2008
I've read this before and I love it. It's a short follow-up to the the original E: A Novel and very funny as we enter the festive season.
Apparently Matt Beaumont is writing a new novel about the Miller Shanks ad agency for publication next year. I can't wait!
Apparently Matt Beaumont is writing a new novel about the Miller Shanks ad agency for publication next year. I can't wait!
November 7, 2012
Same characters from E but none of the imagination. The title is very apt; it feels like a book that was written quickly just to make money from the Christmas shoppers. A completely unnecessary follow-up.
May 3, 2021
A sequel to e. Just as hilarious. Coming it at around 100 pages, a very quick read. Again it’s told through emails and involves the same crazy characters from the first book. These books have brought me so much joy. Seriously funny for anyone who works in a large company.
August 28, 2010
Read this one in 2 days!
A nice little funny book. Passing this on to someone I know has it on their wishlist.
A nice little funny book. Passing this on to someone I know has it on their wishlist.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews