This is the Life

by Joseph O'Neill

First edition. Very good hard cover, with unclipped dust jacket. Light shelf and handling wear, with minor scoring and creasing to DJ. Light tanning to page block, leading into page edges. Leaves are securely bound, content unmarked. CN

Genres: Fiction

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Joseph^O'Neill
There is more than one author with this name on Goodreads.

Joseph O'Neill was born in Cork, Ireland, in 1964 and grew up in Mozambique, South Africa, Iran, Turkey, and Holland. His previous works include the novels This is the Life and The Breezes, and the non-fiction book Blood-Dark Track, a family history centered on the mysterious imprisonment of both his grandfathers during World War II, which was an NYT Notable Book. He writes regularly for The Atlantic. He lives with his family in New York City."

Reviews

[Jayne Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

The blurb on the back cover doesn't really do this book justice. Having said that, my husband asked me what it was about and my own description at the time seemed rather unprepossessing too. You just have to read it - the skill is in the writing, the constant humour, and the voice of the narrator who starts off as an average bloke, a bit socially inept, but becomes ever so slightly creepy as the book goes on. It reminded me a lot of Zoe Heller's excellent 'Notes on a Scandal'. It's hilarious in a cringemaking way - the narrator lurches from one social embarrassment to another, including a particularly toe-curling lavatorial incident. An intriguing mystery is set up, too, and I would have given the book five stars had this been tied up in a more efficient manner. It's one of those books where an awful lot is left to the reader to interpret. I think I understood it, but I guess I will never know for sure whether my interpretation was right.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

När jag ska säga vad den här boken handlar om så måste jag tänka till. Konkret handlar den om James Jones, en jurist som en gång i tiden hade som ambition att nå långt i yrket, men som efter några besvikelser har nöjt sig med att vara junior partner på ett advokatkontor som jobbar med lågprofilerade småuppdrag. Han blir kontaktad av sin före detta mentor, stjärnadvokaten Michael Donovan, för att hjälpa till att bestrida hans frus skilsmässoansökan.

Egentligen utspelar sig handlingen mest i James huvud, där han sätter Donovan på piedestal och samtidigt är väl medveten om sina egna tillkortakommanden som människa. Det är ett mysterium både varför Donovan har kontaktat just Jones, och varför han vägrar att gå med på skilsmässan, och det mysteriet upptar alla James tankar.

Det låter kanske inte så roligt (och det är det inte heller), men det är humor i språket och i karaktären. Läsvärd!

[Isabelle Sim · Rating 3 out of 5]

very funny but it's got the two things i find uncomfortable to read about: a) solicitors and b) 500 days of summer transplanted into a man and his relationship with his former pupil master

first half was so up my alley though! kept thinking it might be a salutary tale of a hard worker reaping the benefits of said work, then it ended up not being that hahahaha much for me to consider

[Bookatoo.org.uk · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Jones, once an ambitious lawyer looking for a place in one of the most prestigious international law chambers in the world, now a junior solicitor dealing with petty injury claims is happy just wasting his life away. That was until his old boss contacted him with job he wants him to work on.

An action story with a bit more substance, this book is perfect for those just starting out. The book has you hooked from start to finish. This book really lets you into the nitty-gritty of working for a law firm without bombarding the reader with jargon. An absolute must read!

[N N · Rating 3 out of 5]

The narrator, who starts out as 'unreliable' because he is self-confessedly unaware of any human complexities and emotional depths, suffers a transformational crisis and ends up enlightened and an instrument of enlightenment for the reader. Roughly the same 180° thing happens to his principal subject. This is what I call the Hollywood fallacy: a transformation never takes someone from x to the opposite of x; it can only take you from x to x².

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's good but I can't figure out why my Dad would hand it to me and say, "Read this -- it's funny." I love black humor but this is only funny if you're really sadistic. Poor guy.

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A London solicitor, the narrator, comes to terms with realities in his life in this intelligent and witty comic novel. It's nicely written, and it is smooth, amusing reading.

[Trina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Odd book. I didn't really enjoy it. I would describe it as the book equivalent of "The Office" in terms of cringe factor. I wouldn't recommend it.

[Jo · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think I missed the point of this book. It's meant to be a comedy however I just found it depressing, bleak and ultimately ending up nowhere.

[James M · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solicitor recollects his mysterious year uncovering the life of his high-class cliental.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unexceptional bachelor UK lawyer is obsessed by former boss' life and career. He dreams of what might have been.