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The Personals
The Personals reveals how classified ads are not just a few commercial lines of text in print or online – they can be a treasure trove of fascinating human stories; stories of love, loss, loneliness, redemption and hope.
Some people do Sudoku, others watch Netflix. Brian O’Connell loves the classified ads.
In an era of spin doctors and press releases, celebrities and social influencers, the classified ads can open a door into the lives of ordinary people with extraordinary stories.
What draws Brian to the classified ads are the intriguing human stories he finds there, the unexpected twists and turns, the personalities, the curious objects and the range of human experience waiting to be discovered.
The Personals is a diverse collection of compelling stories about the people and the lives behind the small ads.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published October 3, 2019
8 people are currently reading
69 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 10, 2021
Interesting non fiction looking at the people and stories behind personal ads. This delves into loves lost and celebrated, personal childhood trauma, Irish history and even an Eastern European with a bulletproof car.
Although I found this a fascinating look into social history, and the examination of the wealth and depth of people's personal lives, it all started to feel a bit repetitive after a while. Also, quite a lot of the stories are only a page long which didn't really give me anything in terms of information. My favourite section was the ad from Charlie, who wanted a dog, and ended up being a deep dive into the Catholic industrial schools and laundry. Although it's a topic that obviously cannot be explained in only a couple of pages, you still get a sense of the grief and trauma Charlie went through and how it's effected his whole life.
A book that delivers exactly what it aims to do, but I couldn't help feeling like this skimmed the surface of what these personal ads really do on a social level, and the many stories still left to be told.
Although I found this a fascinating look into social history, and the examination of the wealth and depth of people's personal lives, it all started to feel a bit repetitive after a while. Also, quite a lot of the stories are only a page long which didn't really give me anything in terms of information. My favourite section was the ad from Charlie, who wanted a dog, and ended up being a deep dive into the Catholic industrial schools and laundry. Although it's a topic that obviously cannot be explained in only a couple of pages, you still get a sense of the grief and trauma Charlie went through and how it's effected his whole life.
A book that delivers exactly what it aims to do, but I couldn't help feeling like this skimmed the surface of what these personal ads really do on a social level, and the many stories still left to be told.
October 14, 2019
Great book, some lovely and eye opening stories
January 14, 2020
A handful of interesting stories. However most are too short to be insightful. Skipped some stories because I found them to be either repetitive (many wedding-related ones) or just something not within my interest (WWII relics ones). Some profiles don't give much for the writer to work with. Kinda wish that this book proved that there are more oddities in the world — that would've fit the very concept of this collection.
December 30, 2024
Rating: 3,5/5
The premise of this book is wonderful! O'Connell invites the reader in to partake in his obsession with "personals", the adverts published in newspapers and online by private individuals. He selects the ones that sound the most interesting and that he feels likely have real backstories and travels around Ireland and even further afield to interview them.
The audiobook narrated by the author is excellent and there were many laugh-out-loud moments, some deliberately funny and others funny because they were just so absurd. These are balanced out by darker, sadder stories. Overall, although as others have commented already, there is a fair amount of repetition in the book, O'Connell manages to cover a wide number of interesting topics and relate the adverts back to Ireland's current affairs and the societal changes that have taken place over the past few decades.
A lovely little book. I'm glad to have picked it up.
The premise of this book is wonderful! O'Connell invites the reader in to partake in his obsession with "personals", the adverts published in newspapers and online by private individuals. He selects the ones that sound the most interesting and that he feels likely have real backstories and travels around Ireland and even further afield to interview them.
The audiobook narrated by the author is excellent and there were many laugh-out-loud moments, some deliberately funny and others funny because they were just so absurd. These are balanced out by darker, sadder stories. Overall, although as others have commented already, there is a fair amount of repetition in the book, O'Connell manages to cover a wide number of interesting topics and relate the adverts back to Ireland's current affairs and the societal changes that have taken place over the past few decades.
A lovely little book. I'm glad to have picked it up.
April 25, 2025
The concept immediately hooked me—a deep dive into the stories behind classified ads? Count me in! Though nonfiction isn’t my usual go-to, I found this book to be quite engaging, thanks to its exploration of universal human experiences. The structured sections, each centred on a broader theme, made for an enjoyable reading experience.
It’s a slow-paced, soothing book, but in my opinion, that allows the emotional weight of each story to fully sink in. A refreshing change of pace for me, and one I’d happily recommend!
It’s a slow-paced, soothing book, but in my opinion, that allows the emotional weight of each story to fully sink in. A refreshing change of pace for me, and one I’d happily recommend!
January 11, 2020
Really enjoyed this book. The collection of essay type pieces were each fascinating in their own right but as a collection it made me stop and think about what compels a person to start collecting or searching for a certain item. Or the random ways items can fall into our hands. For me, it's the perfect book to have by the bedside and read a chapter (they are usually only 4-5 pages long) before going to sleep.
August 23, 2025
İrlandalı bir gazetecinin internette gördüğü ilginç ilanlardan, her ilanın arkasında bir kişi ve bir hikaye vardır diyerek yola çıkmasıyla yazdığı bir kitap. Gerçekten de dediği gibi her ilanın ilginç bir hikayesi var. İnternette gördüğümüz her ilan, her post, her cümlenin arkasında (şu sıralar bazen yapay zeka olsa da 😅) bir insan olduğunu unutmamak gerektiğini hatırlattı. Çok ilginç öyküler de var içinde.
November 17, 2019
A very unique book on the stories behind the classified ads. Would have loved it to be more insightful though.
March 15, 2020
Stories behind some of the personal ads in the papers . Interesting but quite repetitive . Yet always wondered when I see "wedding dress, never worn".
February 20, 2021
Very fun and enjoyable book, with poignant moments.
February 29, 2020
A fascinating look at the stories behind various personal ads , both print and online , between 2008 and 2019. From engagement rings and wedding dresses to military memorabilia, missed connections and cross dressing services, each ad has a story, some are uplifting, some are heartbreaking but all of them give a glimpse into the life of the person who placed the ad, as well as acting as a barometer of the prevailing social issues.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews