Welcome To The Working Week

by Paul Vlitos

Meet Martin Sargent. He hasn't got a girlfriend (not anymore, anyway); he hasn't got a flatmate (see point one) and he definitely hasn't got the gift of tact. But he has got his mates (against all odds), an office crush and a mum who wants him to welcome Jesus into his life. But most pressing of all - Martin's got a disciplinary meeting for improper use of work email... A frank, hilarious and oh-my-god-that's-me look at life and love, all seen through the unforgiving crucible of modern life...the email account.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

345 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Tania Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my go-to book when I want a good laugh. I have probably re-read it around 3 times. The casual, sarcastic, and very human interplay in emails of everyone in Martin's life left me wheezing I was laughing so hard. And, while this book isn't meant to be life-alteringly deep, it does make some nice, subtle points about friendship, maturity and where to draw the very difficult line between growing up and taking yourself far too seriously.
I read this book when it first came out (I got the ARC at the bookstore I was working at) but was reminded of its glory yesterday. A while back, I went looking for Vlitos' second book and found it had never been published in North America (I'm Canadian). After trying in vain to get a physical copy, and not being able to afford a lot of shipping costs at the time, I gave up. And then, yesterday, while walking through Ted's Paperbacks in the town of Kelowna, BC, I stumbled upon a second hand copy of Every Day is Like Sunday. I began whisper-screaming "What? What? Seriously??!!!" and doing what may have looked like an excited pee pee dance. I can't wait to read it and hope the second is as good as his first.

[Marta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Welcome to the Working Week (2007)

Questo libro è molto primi anni 2000: si sviluppa solo tramite e-mail, perciò inviate soprattutto dal lavoro e, in misura minore, da casa (una cosa impossibile da immaginare in un libro scritto oggi, con la messaggistica istantanea e le mail lette ovunque anche dal cellulare); si inizia a parlare di web reputation e internet impact (quando Laura pubblica sul suo blog non così segreto alcuni commenti poco carini fatti da Martin su colleghi e amici, con relative conseguenze); ad un certo punto la fiction si intreccia con gli attentati di Londra del luglio 2005 (e devo dire che la commistione tra trama e fatti reali risulta credibile e non fuori luogo, nonostante il libro abbia un tono umoristico). Leggerlo oggi sottolinea molto i cambiamenti intercorsi nel frattempo nelle tecnologie comunicative e mette in evidenza che, purtroppo, certe problematiche non hanno trovato soluzione, ma sono solo accettate come tali.
Detto questo, la trama sentimentale di fondo non è niente di nuovo (cercare di riconquistare la ex con sbandate lungo il percorso, finale con amica di sempre aperto ma consolatorio), ma è portato avanti bene con un certo umorismo.

[Mark Farley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps Martin Sergeant/Seargeant is the new Ricky Gervais, who knows, but what is important to know is that this is probably the funniest book you will come across all year. Set completely in the email form, this novel is just a rollicking, laugh a minute ride through a very boring life told in the very most clever and extremely witty way. About a guy in an office who spends a surprising amount of time emailing his friends from work, he re-tells grandiose and hilarious moments of social and erroneous calamity. It's just brilliantly done and the guy's timing is superb!

[William Foreignerski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, sharp observations, zero pretentiousness and delicious irony! So very much reminds Three Men in the Boat, in the best possible sense. Excellent read for any humour lover.

[Manuela Bernasconi · Rating 3 out of 5]

E' un romanzo epistolare moderno: gli scambi di email sono esilaranti.

[Shona Moyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was brilliantly funny. So dry and witty, and down to earth.

The way it was written was in the form of emails in and out of Martin Sargeant's email account, in much the same style as Holly's Inbox, if anyone has read that. (I started it but didn't finish, but plan to go back to it now that I've read this, to compare the two.)

The format of the story is clever - it relays just enough information of actual events to the reader without actually reading any of that action as it's happening, but we do get a clear insight into the character's themselves through their communication with one another. It works marvellously!

There's a lighthearted little story here, with massive doses of humour. Reads like a funnier, more clever (and obviously male) version of a tech-savvy Bridget Jones, and will make you laugh out loud whilst reading it. *stifles giggles on public transport*

[Ma. Lalaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a series of e-mail exchanges. Normally, I do not read those types but because of the humour. Also, the factor that Martin and I are newly single. LOL. Hope, we both moved on in the end chapter. Good luck to us. Think POSITIVE!

Martin Sargent is still living on his own. His flatmate left him because he is full of bullshit. his inbox is full of bullshit. He is an adorable pathetic bastard that many can relate. For those who live on their former flames and have no true bloody friends, this one is for you. In the end, he just jumped from Sally to Laura. I guess he moved on.

[Nick Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

A disposible sort of novel, enjoyable as it was - young people in London having relationships and friendships and making fools of themselves - with the 'gimmick' of all being all written as e-mails. Rather light and hit-and-miss in places but there were some very funny moments. However, it was really quite a short book, and the sort of trash I've read plenty of before - apart from the quirkiness of the gimmick, it was nothing outstanding in any sense.

[Maria Casey · Rating 2 out of 5]

At the beginning of the book, Martin Sargent has no girlfriend, no flatmate and no tact. At the end of the book, Martin Sargent still has no girlfriend, no flatmate and no tact.

Rated two because nothing happened, but there was still a few somewhat funny one liners.

[Kazu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Utterly boring.

[Jessica Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't mind this book. Read it very quickly! But the end was disappointing; it didn't seem to go anywhere. Enjoyable, light, easy read though!

[Neenee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting way to tell a story - through e-mails going back and forth. Lots of humour. But Martin Sargent, the protagonist, is quite a forgettable character.