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London Pub Reviews
London Pub Reviews is a truly unique collection of stories, all set within actual London pubs. Informative, enlightening, and somewhat surreal, the stories follow one man's love of ale, and the bizarre experiences he encounters as he enjoys a pint or two around London. Paul Ewen was born and raised in New Zealand. Although wanting to follow the Kiwi tradition of working in English pubs, he was thwarted by a complete and utter lack of social skills, forcing him to write about them instead. He now lives in South London.
- GenresHumor
180 pages, Paperback
First published November 30, 2006
1 person is currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Paul Ewen
9 books20 followersPaul Ewen is a New Zealand writer based in south London. In NZ his work has been published in Landfall and Sport, and in the UK his stories have appeared in the British Council’s New Writing anthology (edited by Ali Smith and Toby Litt), and also in the Times Higher Education Supplement and Tank magazine. He has written for Dazed & Confused, and is a regular contributor to Hamish Hamilton’s online magazine Five Dials.
His first book, London Pub Reviews, was called ‘a cross between Blade Runner and Coronation Street’ (Waterstones) and ‘a work of comic genius’ (Dan Rhodes).
Francis Plug—long-time companion of Paul’s, if only in a parallel universe—is a key figure in the British literary scene, regularly found in the company of today’s highest profile authors. Based in Tufnell Park, London, he also works as a residential gardener (with very competitive rates). According to Francis, How to Be a Public Author, his first book, was written with the assistance of his amanuensis, Paul Ewen.
His first book, London Pub Reviews, was called ‘a cross between Blade Runner and Coronation Street’ (Waterstones) and ‘a work of comic genius’ (Dan Rhodes).
Francis Plug—long-time companion of Paul’s, if only in a parallel universe—is a key figure in the British literary scene, regularly found in the company of today’s highest profile authors. Based in Tufnell Park, London, he also works as a residential gardener (with very competitive rates). According to Francis, How to Be a Public Author, his first book, was written with the assistance of his amanuensis, Paul Ewen.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 26, 2022
Witty, charming, and surreal beyond belief. Just read it.
(Do not read this with the expectation that it is a useful guide to London pubs).
(On second thought, please do).
BBC made a series when Tim Key narrates some of these, which is a similarly excellent experience.
(Do not read this with the expectation that it is a useful guide to London pubs).
(On second thought, please do).
BBC made a series when Tim Key narrates some of these, which is a similarly excellent experience.
April 10, 2019
A funny and enigmatic series of stories... 'London Pub Reviews' feels like the warm-up to the marvellous 'Francis Plug' and his crazed perambulations around city drinking holes.
November 19, 2024
DNF. Started well enough, as a nice little bit of surreal humour. However, repeating variations of the same joke, over and over again is - for me at least - more than a little wearing...
November 18, 2023
What a charming, funny, surreal book! Ewen's character has a calamitous (yet endearing) nature as he bumbles around the capital, writing about some fine boozers before being barred.
Each pub's traits and qualities are overanalyzed to an end result of absurd, irrational happenings. The character's experience is most likely brought on by a fog of drunken stupor, where he's overly confident in the actions being performed, much to the disapproval of bar staff, landlords and other patrons alike.
For example, the character is in the Jeremy Bentham (WC1E 6JL, nearest tube: Warren Street). Noticing lots of students at neighbouring tables, and an abundance of blackboards being used to notify drinkers of specials and desserts, he proceeds to arrogantly wipe a board clean, grab the attention of his 'class', before picking up chalk and proceeding to give a nonsense lecture. This happens until the 'lesson' is interrupted by the landlord throwing him out. Stuck outside, the character then begins to 'mark' beermats, writing each patron's 'grade' upon it.
The only negative aspect of this book is that it's already begun to be outdated - it seems that a large chunk of the boozers have since gone, so get reading while you can if you wish to do a pilgrimage and tick each off your list!
Each pub's traits and qualities are overanalyzed to an end result of absurd, irrational happenings. The character's experience is most likely brought on by a fog of drunken stupor, where he's overly confident in the actions being performed, much to the disapproval of bar staff, landlords and other patrons alike.
For example, the character is in the Jeremy Bentham (WC1E 6JL, nearest tube: Warren Street). Noticing lots of students at neighbouring tables, and an abundance of blackboards being used to notify drinkers of specials and desserts, he proceeds to arrogantly wipe a board clean, grab the attention of his 'class', before picking up chalk and proceeding to give a nonsense lecture. This happens until the 'lesson' is interrupted by the landlord throwing him out. Stuck outside, the character then begins to 'mark' beermats, writing each patron's 'grade' upon it.
The only negative aspect of this book is that it's already begun to be outdated - it seems that a large chunk of the boozers have since gone, so get reading while you can if you wish to do a pilgrimage and tick each off your list!
January 6, 2008
Not what you think.
This isn't a serious collection of reviews (although each one does list the address and nearest tube station) - but then, that's pretty clear from lines like:
"Jerk Chicken was advertised as a Special on a blackboard alongside this, reminding me of the many names I had been called in my formative years, including 'JERK', 'CHICKEN', and 'SPECIAL'."
and
"I climbed for some distance, reminded of the boarded off escalators in the London Underground where the only thing UNDER CONSTRUCTION is lies."
Instead, this is an assemblage of truly odd short stories, each one taking place in a real London pub, and each one ending - in the words of the author - "in disaster." Usually in hilariously outlandish ways.
Sample chapters can be read at the official website. I highly recommend you do so.
This isn't a serious collection of reviews (although each one does list the address and nearest tube station) - but then, that's pretty clear from lines like:
"Jerk Chicken was advertised as a Special on a blackboard alongside this, reminding me of the many names I had been called in my formative years, including 'JERK', 'CHICKEN', and 'SPECIAL'."
and
"I climbed for some distance, reminded of the boarded off escalators in the London Underground where the only thing UNDER CONSTRUCTION is lies."
Instead, this is an assemblage of truly odd short stories, each one taking place in a real London pub, and each one ending - in the words of the author - "in disaster." Usually in hilariously outlandish ways.
Sample chapters can be read at the official website. I highly recommend you do so.
August 8, 2011
Both absurd and surreal, it's an expansive, and hilarious set-piece masquerading as a 'pub review'. Each piece begins as a well-made survey -- the general lay of the Jack, as it were -- then veers like mad in to drunken fits of the outrageous and sublime. If you've got friends like this (& don't we all?), it makes the read all the better! A narrative through-line connecting the misadventures is all that's missing here -- surely a necessary sacrifice made to maintain the veneer of the traditional 'pub review'. If you can't smile reading this charmer...you need more than another pint!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews