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The Patterer #1
The Patterer
What if Jon Stewart—he of the Daily Show fame—invented the TV newscast more than 250 years before the invention of TV? He would be The Patterer. And the result would be an outrageous comedy that changes the way you view broadcast news. He’s no Jon Stewart, but Leeds Merriweather is the best patterer in London. Part barker, part storyteller, he’s scratches out a living in 1765 by dashing from street corner to street corner, reporting current events, real or imagined, in order to sell products to the crowds he draws. Inspired by a chance, drunken encounter with Benjamin Franklin, Leeds invents the daily “news performance” and assembles a zany cast of characters to help him pull it off. The story follows Leeds’ rise to celebrity status as history’s first newscaster, and his humiliating fall from grace when he is swept up in an affair with a married woman. In the end, Leeds learns a lot about himself, and the price of love, honor, and the ethics of news. The Patterer lampoons today’s broadcast industry using all the tried-and-true elements of every good blood, lust, celebrity scandals and slow motion replays of dwarf-chucking competitions in the sports report. Stay tuned!
- GenresHistorical Fiction
254 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2013
4 people are currently reading
374 people want to read
About the author
Larry Brill
12 books8 followersLarry Brill has been a storyteller since, well, forever. He began making up stories as soon as he was old enough to tell a fib. It carried him through school and into the world of TV news as an anchor and reporter.
Fudging the facts was never an option as a journalist, so Larry began writing fiction and has unleashed his quirky outlook on life and offbeat brand of humor on the fans of his novels from his home base in Austin, Texas.
Fudging the facts was never an option as a journalist, so Larry began writing fiction and has unleashed his quirky outlook on life and offbeat brand of humor on the fans of his novels from his home base in Austin, Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 30, 2019
Five O'clock News for 18th Century News Junkies
A fun, satirical comedy in 18th-century London where protagonist Leeds Merriweather invents "live at 5" style newscasting for news-starved Brits. A chance meeting with American luminary Benjamin Franklin prods Merriweather to evolve his simple news pattering to an elaborate news performance every night to paying customers at his favorite pub. Brill tells his tale with comedic skill, tossing in modern-day pop culture references from classic TV shows like Gilligan's Island to classic rock songs. “A three-hour tour?” a woman asked, wide-eyed. Indeed. “A three-hour tour.” Highly recommended!
A fun, satirical comedy in 18th-century London where protagonist Leeds Merriweather invents "live at 5" style newscasting for news-starved Brits. A chance meeting with American luminary Benjamin Franklin prods Merriweather to evolve his simple news pattering to an elaborate news performance every night to paying customers at his favorite pub. Brill tells his tale with comedic skill, tossing in modern-day pop culture references from classic TV shows like Gilligan's Island to classic rock songs. “A three-hour tour?” a woman asked, wide-eyed. Indeed. “A three-hour tour.” Highly recommended!
August 10, 2021
Good first book
Interesting discussion of English courtroom trials in 1770. Great introduction to a fine series. Silly but important to themselves characters.
Interesting discussion of English courtroom trials in 1770. Great introduction to a fine series. Silly but important to themselves characters.
December 10, 2014
London in 1765 is a great place to make a living, especially if you have quick wits and a golden tongue. Leeds Merriweather has both in abundance. He uses his patter – a titillating summary of the day’s events – to sell newspapers in the streets, but yearns to a higher calling. Leeds assembles a team to read, nay, to perform the news at the Tamed Shrew tavern, and also provide a crowd to buy the tavern’s ale. The nightly ‘live news performance’ soon fills both the Tamed Shrew’s coffers and Merriweather’s pockets. Then, a dalliance with the Lady Jasper provides Leeds with a shocking news item about the royal family. Revealing it could mean trouble, but the scandal is too good to resist…
Larry Brill’s The Patterer is a tongue-in-cheek rampage through Georgian London, complete with Benjamin Franklin and Russian spies at the Moose and Squirrel. Brill speaks of the patterer’s life with authority, for he was a TV news anchor for 25 years before turning his hand to fiction. Most historical novelists dread anachronisms, but Brill embraces them with his newscast team of patterers hired for their looks, sketch artists, actors who reproduce boxing matches for the crowd, and Doppler the weather dog. I had a lot of fun with The Patterer, and so will anyone looking for a hilarious read.
Larry Brill’s The Patterer is a tongue-in-cheek rampage through Georgian London, complete with Benjamin Franklin and Russian spies at the Moose and Squirrel. Brill speaks of the patterer’s life with authority, for he was a TV news anchor for 25 years before turning his hand to fiction. Most historical novelists dread anachronisms, but Brill embraces them with his newscast team of patterers hired for their looks, sketch artists, actors who reproduce boxing matches for the crowd, and Doppler the weather dog. I had a lot of fun with The Patterer, and so will anyone looking for a hilarious read.
December 8, 2013
I'm not normally into "period" novels but this one is different. I'm not normally into comic sarcasm either, but this one is different.
This is really a "for everyone" book. Although it is set in 1765 London, it's timely. It is also full of genuine "laugh out loud" moments, which are liberally poured on to every page. Leed's Merriweather, the protagonist of the novel, is very likable even when he is not so squeaky clean. He will have you laughing and thinking and shaking your head.
Truly an enjoyable undertaking from Mr. Brill in his second novel. I hear there is a sequel in the works and I am looking forward to reading it.
I encourage you to read it. I dare you not to like it!
This is really a "for everyone" book. Although it is set in 1765 London, it's timely. It is also full of genuine "laugh out loud" moments, which are liberally poured on to every page. Leed's Merriweather, the protagonist of the novel, is very likable even when he is not so squeaky clean. He will have you laughing and thinking and shaking your head.
Truly an enjoyable undertaking from Mr. Brill in his second novel. I hear there is a sequel in the works and I am looking forward to reading it.
I encourage you to read it. I dare you not to like it!
February 10, 2024
This book was different than I imagined (the description seemed somewhat sci-fi), but I enjoyed it far more than if it had met those expectations. Brill satirizes modern-day news broadcast from the point of view of an old English "patterer," one who announces the news of the day in hopes of selling the broadsheets from which he reads. The main character cleverly (and unwittingly) turns many phrases in a manner I typically credit to Terry Pratchett in his Discworld series.
I only degrade this book by stars in that, despite the fast-paced turn of events, it was unable to hold my attention for long stretches. I also cannot imagine enjoying it more than once. Nevertheless, I shall pass it along to friends.
I only degrade this book by stars in that, despite the fast-paced turn of events, it was unable to hold my attention for long stretches. I also cannot imagine enjoying it more than once. Nevertheless, I shall pass it along to friends.
February 25, 2015
I laughed and laughed. Very clever. Loved it.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews