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Word Monkey
This is the memoir Christopher Fowler always wanted to write about 'writing'.
It's the story of how a young bookworm growing up in a house where there was nothing to read but knitting pamphlets and motorcycle manuals became a writer - a 'word monkey' - and pursued a sort of career in popular fiction. And it's a book full of brilliant insights into the pleasures and pitfalls of his profession, dos and don'ts for would-be writers, and astute observations on favourite (and not-so-favourite) novelists.
But woven into this hugely entertaining and inspiring reflection on a literary life is an altogether darker thread. In Spring 2020, just as the world went into lockdown, Chris was diagnosed with terminal cancer. And yet there is nothing of the misery memoir about Word Monkey. Past and present intermingle as, in prose as light as air, he relates with wry humour and remarkable honesty what he knows will be the final chapter in his story.
Deeply moving, insightful and surprisingly funny, this is Christopher Fowler's life-affirming account of coming to terms with his own mortality.
It's the story of how a young bookworm growing up in a house where there was nothing to read but knitting pamphlets and motorcycle manuals became a writer - a 'word monkey' - and pursued a sort of career in popular fiction. And it's a book full of brilliant insights into the pleasures and pitfalls of his profession, dos and don'ts for would-be writers, and astute observations on favourite (and not-so-favourite) novelists.
But woven into this hugely entertaining and inspiring reflection on a literary life is an altogether darker thread. In Spring 2020, just as the world went into lockdown, Chris was diagnosed with terminal cancer. And yet there is nothing of the misery memoir about Word Monkey. Past and present intermingle as, in prose as light as air, he relates with wry humour and remarkable honesty what he knows will be the final chapter in his story.
Deeply moving, insightful and surprisingly funny, this is Christopher Fowler's life-affirming account of coming to terms with his own mortality.
453 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 24, 2023
11 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Fowler
264 books1,285 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Christopher Fowler was an English writer known for his Bryant & May mystery series, featuring two Golden Age-style detectives navigating modern London. Over his career, he authored fifty novels and short story collections, along with screenplays, video games, graphic novels, and audio plays. His psychological thriller Little Boy Found was published under the pseudonym L.K. Fox.
Fowler's accolades include multiple British Fantasy Awards, the Last Laugh Award, the CWA Dagger in the Library, and the inaugural Green Carnation Award. He was inducted into the Detection Club in 2021. Beyond crime fiction, his works ranged from horror (Hell Train, Nyctophobia) to memoir (Paperboy, Film Freak). His column Invisible Ink explored forgotten authors, later compiled into The Book of Forgotten Authors.
Fowler lived between London and Barcelona with his husband, Peter Chapman.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Christopher Fowler was an English writer known for his Bryant & May mystery series, featuring two Golden Age-style detectives navigating modern London. Over his career, he authored fifty novels and short story collections, along with screenplays, video games, graphic novels, and audio plays. His psychological thriller Little Boy Found was published under the pseudonym L.K. Fox.
Fowler's accolades include multiple British Fantasy Awards, the Last Laugh Award, the CWA Dagger in the Library, and the inaugural Green Carnation Award. He was inducted into the Detection Club in 2021. Beyond crime fiction, his works ranged from horror (Hell Train, Nyctophobia) to memoir (Paperboy, Film Freak). His column Invisible Ink explored forgotten authors, later compiled into The Book of Forgotten Authors.
Fowler lived between London and Barcelona with his husband, Peter Chapman.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
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October 3, 2023Most will know Christopher Fowler for his brilliant and hugely successful Bryant and May crime series, though he was as well known in horror circles for his darker fiction. Word Monkey is the third of Chris Fowler’s memoirs. You don’t need to have read Paperboy (winner of the Green Carnation Prize) or Film Freak to enjoy Word Monkey – just read them because they are good.
I met Chris many times over the years and knew him as a gentle, genial man with a wicked sense of humour, who is sorely missed by his many friends. Reading Word Monkey I can hear him recounting these events as if he were sitting in the bar telling them in person. What you read is very much what and who he was. Funny, informative, thought provoking… I found Word Monkey both moving and heart-rending – especially the latter. Written in the last months of his life it is in an honest and often funny sketch of his journey through cancer treatment with the added trials of lockdown. There are also several chapters on writing, giving his take on the writing process for authors everywhere to take on board.
Well worth the read! I don’t give 10/10 too often but Word Monkey earns it in spades.
I met Chris many times over the years and knew him as a gentle, genial man with a wicked sense of humour, who is sorely missed by his many friends. Reading Word Monkey I can hear him recounting these events as if he were sitting in the bar telling them in person. What you read is very much what and who he was. Funny, informative, thought provoking… I found Word Monkey both moving and heart-rending – especially the latter. Written in the last months of his life it is in an honest and often funny sketch of his journey through cancer treatment with the added trials of lockdown. There are also several chapters on writing, giving his take on the writing process for authors everywhere to take on board.
Well worth the read! I don’t give 10/10 too often but Word Monkey earns it in spades.
September 10, 2023
A wonderful final memoir by Christopher Fowler, full of bittersweet humour concerning his cancer treatment during the pandemic as well as general comments on his life as a writer and writers in general. As a fan of his ‘Bryant & May’ detective series this showed how his love of the quirky ,historical London ,was channeled into those books. The final chapter is an extremely poignant short story he wrote years before.
February 24, 2024
This is a wonderful gift for Chris to leave us. Like having a really good last dinner with a much loved friend. Acerbic, witty, deeply intelligent and compassionate, this is a beautiful love letter to writing, and to his friends and partner, Pete. I love that Chris never stopped loving books and creating, right up to the end. A brilliant writer with a fantastic body of work, and I’m honoured that I got to commission four of his novels.
November 26, 2023
Brilliant, incredibly witty, heartbreaking memoir by a wonderful writer I was lucky to call a friend. This took a while to read because it’s just chock full of incredible literary and film references and I wanted to look up every one. Chris was one of the smartest and funniest men I’ve ever met and this telling of his fight against cancer interwoven with writing tips, recommended authors and childhood memories will make you laugh, cry and wish the book wouldn’t end.
September 4, 2023
An amazing account of approaching death from cancer, diagnosed during lockdown when regular treatment and support was hard to get, due to overflowing hospitals and incompetent politicians.
And yet, filled with wry laughter, self mockery, letters from Maggie, terse and bracing observations from Pete, and memories of better times. Plus a few not so good ones. Oh, and conversations with Arthur Bryant himself.
The last chapter is a short story of going away, and preparing for the journey. How much do you need to take? And a farewell fading quietly away.
And yet, filled with wry laughter, self mockery, letters from Maggie, terse and bracing observations from Pete, and memories of better times. Plus a few not so good ones. Oh, and conversations with Arthur Bryant himself.
The last chapter is a short story of going away, and preparing for the journey. How much do you need to take? And a farewell fading quietly away.
January 11, 2024
This is a wonderfully odd and sad book. Christopher Fowler was a British author. He was best known for his Bryant and May series about two old English police detectives. They are the best and funniest London detective novels.
This is, loosely speaking, the third volume of his autobiography. It starts with him meeting, in August of 2021, with his oncologist. It is a very funny scene. The doctor is wearing a covid mask and a visor and has an accent.
"From behind his protective layers, his voice sounded as if it was coming from the bottom of a well. It didn't help that he had a deep gravelly voice. "Well, I'm afraid it is not good news."
He said something I didn't understand. I looked at him stupidly and said, "what?".
"I said I'm afraid you are terminal."
"I'm Gemini?"
"No terminal. He pushed at his glasses. "You are terminal. Your cancer is terminal."
I expected that this was the story of his dying. I knew he died of the cancer in March of 2023.
Instead, this is Fowler talking about all of the things he wanted to get to before he died. He says, early on in the book, "illness, like the details of other people's dreams and the photos of their dogs, is intrinsically boring."
He wanders through the stuff he was interested in. Fowler loved books. He discusses the best novels set in the tropics. He has a convincing defense of Agatha Christie as a writer. He argues for the quality of the plays of Shakespeare's rivals. He has a perfect two pages on why you should read Dickens.
He wanted to pass on what he learned about writing. He has a very funny analysis of some famous writing advise from the 1930s. He reviews all ten maxims, like "write what you know" or "find your routine" and explains why they are wrong.
He also has a very handy list of crime novel cliches to avoid. I recognized most of them, including my favorite, "a lone woman in an empty underground car park will turn and ask who's there instead of getting into her car."
The brilliant part of this is that he does weave the story of his last days into the book. His husband is a strong supportive presence. Fowler's struggles with the NHS weave through the book, although he always makes a point of praising the amazing level of sacrifice from the nurses and doctors.
He tries to avoid wallowing in the horror of dying. He enjoys black humor.
"But I did not go bald. The chemo killed everything else in me except the cancer and my hair." He insists on looking clear eyed at the inevitably of his death. He chooses to stay involved with the things that give him joy.
We get his defense of Gilbert and Sullivan right after he deals with a conman pushing phony anti-cancer drugs. As he deals with the fact that he cannot hold any food down, he notes the startling fact that "nearly all of the jokes in Monty Python TV series would go over the heads of today's kids" They would not get the references to the Spanish Inquisition or the Visigoths.
His matter of factness and insistence on living on his terms ultimately makes this an even sadder story.
This is, loosely speaking, the third volume of his autobiography. It starts with him meeting, in August of 2021, with his oncologist. It is a very funny scene. The doctor is wearing a covid mask and a visor and has an accent.
"From behind his protective layers, his voice sounded as if it was coming from the bottom of a well. It didn't help that he had a deep gravelly voice. "Well, I'm afraid it is not good news."
He said something I didn't understand. I looked at him stupidly and said, "what?".
"I said I'm afraid you are terminal."
"I'm Gemini?"
"No terminal. He pushed at his glasses. "You are terminal. Your cancer is terminal."
I expected that this was the story of his dying. I knew he died of the cancer in March of 2023.
Instead, this is Fowler talking about all of the things he wanted to get to before he died. He says, early on in the book, "illness, like the details of other people's dreams and the photos of their dogs, is intrinsically boring."
He wanders through the stuff he was interested in. Fowler loved books. He discusses the best novels set in the tropics. He has a convincing defense of Agatha Christie as a writer. He argues for the quality of the plays of Shakespeare's rivals. He has a perfect two pages on why you should read Dickens.
He wanted to pass on what he learned about writing. He has a very funny analysis of some famous writing advise from the 1930s. He reviews all ten maxims, like "write what you know" or "find your routine" and explains why they are wrong.
He also has a very handy list of crime novel cliches to avoid. I recognized most of them, including my favorite, "a lone woman in an empty underground car park will turn and ask who's there instead of getting into her car."
The brilliant part of this is that he does weave the story of his last days into the book. His husband is a strong supportive presence. Fowler's struggles with the NHS weave through the book, although he always makes a point of praising the amazing level of sacrifice from the nurses and doctors.
He tries to avoid wallowing in the horror of dying. He enjoys black humor.
"But I did not go bald. The chemo killed everything else in me except the cancer and my hair." He insists on looking clear eyed at the inevitably of his death. He chooses to stay involved with the things that give him joy.
We get his defense of Gilbert and Sullivan right after he deals with a conman pushing phony anti-cancer drugs. As he deals with the fact that he cannot hold any food down, he notes the startling fact that "nearly all of the jokes in Monty Python TV series would go over the heads of today's kids" They would not get the references to the Spanish Inquisition or the Visigoths.
His matter of factness and insistence on living on his terms ultimately makes this an even sadder story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2025
This is the final personal writing of Christopher Fowler who has recently died. In this biographical traipse through his life we follow him through his cancer treatment and to his final words, 'No, I'm right here', to his beloved partner, Pete. the author gives us his guide to short story writing, and to writing detective fiction, as well as sharing the workings of his brain and his heart, mainly his brain, as he navigates the covid years and his treatment, eventually recognising his own death. There is an thread of messages from his friend, Maggie, who uses words in an extraordinary way whilst living her extraordinary life and I thought she might die before Christopher did...I very much hope she is still alive and engaging with life in such a unique way. Credit to his partner, Pete (the dedication is 'For Pete, there are no words.'), who remains a constant in Christopher's life...alongside the books that punctuate his very existence. I was glad to see that Arthur Bryant appeared as well. To make the ending less harsh in its finality, he gives us a short story from 2005 that is both pertinent to his story and a reminder to us all of the fragility of life ad the embracing of death, when it comes. Excellent. with Sean Pertwee's magnificent narration, it felt like Christopher was talking direct to me...and that made it a real treat.
January 30, 2024
Christopher Fowler is one of my favourite authors. I love his Bryant & May books. He died in 2023 and this is the last of his trilogy of memoirs. I really wanted to give it 5 stars... and many have, but I'm afraid I just couldn't, as it's not up to the standard of his first 2.
I feel very guilty, as this memoir details Fowler's life from being diagnosed with cancer as the pandemic was beginning, and the surreal and scary world he was plunged into. He's a braver man than I, as he details it all with unerring honesty, and no little humour. His bitterness at certain things does come through, and while I understand why, it sometimes seemed a little harsh. The writing was also scattergun, and repeated itself many times. I do understand that this was not written in the best health (physically or mentally), and I do believe Fowler deserves a posthumous medal for his writings. I'm glad I read this, and I will miss him for his novels and his blog. He was an entertaining and interesting man.
I feel very guilty, as this memoir details Fowler's life from being diagnosed with cancer as the pandemic was beginning, and the surreal and scary world he was plunged into. He's a braver man than I, as he details it all with unerring honesty, and no little humour. His bitterness at certain things does come through, and while I understand why, it sometimes seemed a little harsh. The writing was also scattergun, and repeated itself many times. I do understand that this was not written in the best health (physically or mentally), and I do believe Fowler deserves a posthumous medal for his writings. I'm glad I read this, and I will miss him for his novels and his blog. He was an entertaining and interesting man.
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December 12, 2023DNF and have put it in the donation box.
This is a book about Christopher Fowler's cancer journey and writing.
Something I noted before putting this book down and picking up another book from my "to read" pile: Page 35 "From online articles and brochures you'd be forgiven for thinking there's a guardian angel of cancer (a 'navigator' apparently) who is supposed to organize your regime, treatments, prescriptions, physical and mental wellbeing. At this point no such person existed. The angel of care had fallen under a bus." Fowler can be forgiven for thinking that this suddenly became a problem during the pandemic but, for most people in treatment before and after the pandemic, the navigator existed only in those online articles and brochures.
This is a book about Christopher Fowler's cancer journey and writing.
Something I noted before putting this book down and picking up another book from my "to read" pile: Page 35 "From online articles and brochures you'd be forgiven for thinking there's a guardian angel of cancer (a 'navigator' apparently) who is supposed to organize your regime, treatments, prescriptions, physical and mental wellbeing. At this point no such person existed. The angel of care had fallen under a bus." Fowler can be forgiven for thinking that this suddenly became a problem during the pandemic but, for most people in treatment before and after the pandemic, the navigator existed only in those online articles and brochures.
August 18, 2024
I’m not usually one for reading memoirs but this one caught my eye. The mixture of words of writerly wisdom, the shared experience of chemo (although mine wasn’t during lockdown and I’m still here), and the wacky surreal humour all chimed with me.
It’s a long, rambling mess of a book, drifting from one thing to another, running around in circles and full of hilarious non sequiturs, but the author is definitely someone whose company and conversation I enjoyed even though it does go on a bit.
At a time when I start dozens of books and lay them aside, this one held my attention to the bittersweet end. Would I read it again? Surprisingly yes, hence four stars.
It’s a long, rambling mess of a book, drifting from one thing to another, running around in circles and full of hilarious non sequiturs, but the author is definitely someone whose company and conversation I enjoyed even though it does go on a bit.
At a time when I start dozens of books and lay them aside, this one held my attention to the bittersweet end. Would I read it again? Surprisingly yes, hence four stars.
January 7, 2024
Wonderful third volume of Christopher Fowler’s memoirs, written as only he could do it, with erudition, empathy and humor. It covers a multitude of subjects, including lots about books and writing, but everything is linked by his journey with the cancer that eventually killed him. His legion of fans - including me - miss him terribly, since I suspect we all felt he was a friend. To be reread for his insights into writing, London, and the place of white witches in the scheme of things.
January 25, 2025
Funny honest and fascinating
Word monkey is just the book I needed to help me face getting older, and the prospect of illness. Fowler's unflinching report of his terminal illness interspersed with reflections on life, love and literature shows just how much books and stories matter. This is a keep and re read for me.
Word monkey is just the book I needed to help me face getting older, and the prospect of illness. Fowler's unflinching report of his terminal illness interspersed with reflections on life, love and literature shows just how much books and stories matter. This is a keep and re read for me.
October 30, 2023
Sad but brilliant final memoir
I was lucky enough to have met Chris a few times and interview him. I've read 20+ of his books. This brutal account of his terminal cancer brilliantly captures his journey with exactly the wit and humanity I've come to expect from him.
It's a long, sad goodbye, but I'm so glad he wrote it - it is, ironically - life-affirming.
I was lucky enough to have met Chris a few times and interview him. I've read 20+ of his books. This brutal account of his terminal cancer brilliantly captures his journey with exactly the wit and humanity I've come to expect from him.
It's a long, sad goodbye, but I'm so glad he wrote it - it is, ironically - life-affirming.
November 28, 2023
Christopher Fowler's third and final memoir is brilliant, hilarious, painfully sad, and achingly sweet. If you know, you know.
July 26, 2024
What a fitting ending to his writing career. Smart, lyrical and often funny. I will miss visiting in his worlds and words.
January 16, 2025
Heartbreaking memoir of cancer treatment (last chapter and the final short story especially), interspersed with tips on what books to read and advice on writing. Christopher Fowler is deeply missed.
December 30, 2025
In many ways a lot more scattershot and random than the previous two memoirs but that is to be expected. It was still fully engaging, funny, self deprecating, sad, intelligent and educational. I loved the way he has never stopped trying to pass his passions on to other readers. More books once again added to my to read list. He will be sorely missed. Oh, and the short story at the end wrecked me.
December 3, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews