Fortysomething

by Nigel Williams

Paul Slippery is 49 years and 5 months old, and lives with his long-suffering wife in Wimbledon, together with their three children. As well as the impending birthday, Paul hears that the character he has played for 20 years in a radio soap is being killed off.

Genres: Fiction, Humor

416 pages, Paperback

First published August 26, 1999

Reviews

[Opolitlo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never knew I would enjoy a book about a slightly sexist, and rather pathetic, man going through a midlife crisis. But this is one of my favourite books. I think it is very cleverly written and quite funny.

[Mark Ludmon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing comic novel from the author of The Wimbledon Poisoner. It is the diary of a self-obsessed, pompous actor, Paul Slippery, who is worrying about turning 50. It follows his adventures at the BBC as he fights to stop his character in a radio soap from being axed as well as his troubled relationships with his wife Estelle and their three sons. While it is has some sharp comedy, it becomes repetitive and feels over-long, with little in Paul or Estelle to endear them to the reader. Much of it is satire about the BBC which is funny and strikingly reminiscent of more recent TV comedy W1A. However, some elements have not aged well, especially its treatment of trans characters. I struggled through its 400 pages and nearly gave up but the moments of comedy kept me reading.

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nigel Williams is very funny. I really enjoyed the start and end of this book, but the middle felt like it was covering the same ground multiple times (possibly inevitable in a diary-style book!). A couple of nice insights about middle-aged men.

[Jayne Charles · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main character in this book, Paul Slippery (sorry, didn't like the name, made him sound ridiculous before the story even began) experiences a minor breakdown on the cusp of fifty. Odd things start happening at work (he is a biggish cheese in broadcasting, like the author of this book - nothing like wrting about what you know), and when I say odd I mean totally unbelievable. His home life similarly disintegrates to the extent that he is unable to even spell the name of one of his sons (though to be fair they did call him Ruairighy or something like that.....).

It was mildly funny in a distorted way, like Ben Elton on crack cocaine, but the main thing that kept me reading was that somewhere along the line the author was going to have to bring it to an acceptable conclusion and explain all the weird goings-on, and I wanted to know how he would pull it off. Unfortunately the denouement was a little like being relieved of one's drunkenness by means of a bucket of water in the face, which leaves one a little shocked, and disappointed at the way the world suddenly looks.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't finish this book. This is one of only two books on my shelf that I have not finished. I used to have this policy where I would finish everything I started but really life is too short for that. This book is not funny, or interesting. It's basically a lot of 'in-jokes' about the BBC which given the fact that we all pay for it, I found less amusing than I imagine was intentioned. I just didn't like any of the characters and the only thing that got me reading as much as I did is the fact that I know they made this into a tv series starring Hugh Laurie and Benedict Cumberbatch, so I tried to imagine them when reading. Very poor!

[Lex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too long, was a bit of a chore to finish... I liked the characters but some of the sub-plots seemed to spiral off into nowhere. The Ruairghy mis-spellings joke wore thin after a few pages and yet continued for the duration of the book.
Not as funny as other Williams books - The Wimbledon Poisoner being a notably better (and shorter!) example of his work.

[Louise Armstrong · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't do it for me. I could see there were some funny bits in it, and I quite liked the main character, but his realtionship with his wife was so awful I couldn't laugh at it and I found the ending sentimental and unbelievable. Only on a beach would I have finished it.

[Barry Leighton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not that funny, won't be taking Jeremy Paxmans' word again, "Very funny", indeed. Did however find humour in some of the books surreal situations. Given it an extra star for it's unashamed none p.c.ness, was written in 1999, something which everything has to be "careful" with these days.

[Ilsabe]

I think it shows that the diary format is somewhat difficult to pull off. Kind of a slog with occasional funny bits.

[Alice · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the TV show. So I was disappointed with the slow pace and lack of plot line in the book.
It's not the worst book but it is far too long.

[jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF'd about halfway - bored to death, which a shame because i really enjoyed the telly program.

1.5 stars