Thinly Disguised Autobiography

by James Delingpole

From the author of Fin, the book that tells you like it is and like it was. It's 1984 and wearing the bad clothes and bad hairstyle that everyone wore back then because they didn't realise it was the early Eighties, Josh starts his first year at Oxford busting with hopes, ambitions, and ludicrously unrealistic expectations. Brideshead has just been on TV, the Sloane Ranger Handbook has laid down the rules, and now all Josh needs is to find his own Sebastian Flyte (preferably with a tasty sister). But what he also wants to do is to take lots of drugs, hang with the cool set, wear black, lose his virginity, shag lots of chicks and listen to the Smiths and New Order. The two aims, he discovers, are not necessarily compatible. But then very few of his ambitions are, for Josh is a man who wants everything and isn't going to stop until he gets it. Or, at least, until ten years of heavy-duty reality intervene to hint that life might be a touch messier and more complicated than was dreamt of in his philosophy. Thinly Disguised Autobiography is the story of that rude awakening, from the horrors of Fleet Street to the thrills of the LA riots, the Es at the Wag to trips at Glastonbury, from Oxford to London via Venice, Spetses, Laguna Beach and the highs, the lows, and even a tiny bit of romance.

Genres: Fiction

Paperback

First published July 18, 2003

About the author

James Delingpole is a British journalist and novelist.

Reviews

[Judethmc · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had an English teacher who told us you should always finish a book no matter how challenging, she is the only reason I have finished this awful book with the hateful main character. If it possible to give no stars I would as no book has ever deserved it more. Thank god that's over.

[Huw Rhys · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first half of this book was excellent, tracing the author's time at University and his first forays into the "real" world. Then as these forays became more and more drug fuelled - this was reflected accordingly in the narrative. Really hard work by the end !

[Adam Altman · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was a fun read. bit of that snarky, i-know-better-than-the-world ism.
also, not sure that it's sensitive enough to appeal to the reader looking for depth.
but as an adventure to break out of the box, here's a life described that some of us always have a hint of wanting to live.

[Annukka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny, true and clever. Enjoyed it.