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Let That Be A Lesson – Ryan Wilson

The malodorous horrors of Sports Day.
Bracing yourself for Parents’ Evening.
Refereeing teenage relationship dramas.

This is not what you see in the adverts.

From the age of eight, Ryan Wilson dreamt of being a teacher. This is the inside story of his time at the chalkface, from fresh-faced trainee with grand ideals to exhausted assistant head battling ever-changing government demands. It is a tribute to the colleagues who befriended him and to the chaotic, brilliant, maddening students who inspired and enraged him. From Sean, the wannabe gangster with a soft heart, to David, the king of innuendo, and terrifyingly clever Amelia. And, above all, it’s about the lessons they taught him: how to be patient and resilient, how to live authentically and how to value every day.

I received a review copy from the publishers via Netgalley

As Christmas approaches I like to look beyond the crime/thriller and horror books I normally read and I enjoy some new voices, different subject matter and I like to share my thoughts on books which I feel would make great gifts.

Let That Be A Lesson by Ryan Wilson is a fun look at what a new teacher goes through as they first venture into schools and find themselves face to face with a room full of hormomal teenagers who just do not care what you have to say to them. Ryan was that teacher and this is his telling of how he found his place in the classrooms, the teachers he would lean upon for guidance and, of course, the kids under his care.

Having been in Ryan’s position (a trainee teacher hoping to get his students to engage) I was fascinated to see if Ryan’s experiences were anything like my own. Hat’s off to him – Ryan is clearly a far better teacher than I ever was and I really enjoyed watching his confidence grow through the book.

Let That Be A Lesson would be a great read for someone considering taking on teaching in the future as there will be more covered in this book than you could possibly hope to learn in any teacher training classroom. Trust me when I say every lesson discussed there goes smoothly! But Ryan Wilson will help readers understand that nothing ever goes quite to plan as kids are unpredictable and even more so when in a crowd.

But there are lessons to plan, meetings to attend, trips to supervise and colleagues to bond with. The staffroom doors are thrown open in this book and it does make for interesting reading. The book is written in an easy companiable style and mixes up some of Ryan’s own life with those of his school and colleagues. It wasn’t the compilation of funny anecdotes in the style of “Kids Do The Funniest Things” which had been sort of what I had originally been expecting. However, the depth of issues which are touched upon makes for a more interesting narrative than a collection of funnies.’

Let That Be A Lesson is published by Vintage and is available in hardback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/let-that-be-a-lesson/ryan-wilson/9781784744014

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June 13

A-Z of Skateboarding – Tony Hawks

For more than twenty years, Tony Hawks has been mistaken for Tony Hawk, the American skateboarder. Even though it is abundantly clear on his website that he is an English comedian and author, people still write to him asking the best way to do a kickflip or land a melon. One mischievous day he started writing back in a pompous tone, goading his correspondents for their spelling mistakes and poor grammar, while offering bogus or downright silly advice on how to improve their skateboarding. Featuring entries on parents’ pain, disappointment, underachievers, Quorn and the Vatican, this is his A to Z guide to the world of skateboarding, as seen through the eyes of someone who knows absolutely nothing about it.

I received a review copy from the publishers and was invited to participate in the blog tour by Anne Cater of Random Things Tours. My thanks to both.

For many people the name Tony Hawk will immediately bring to mind the image of a skateboarding legend.

If you hear Tony Hawks being mentioned your first thought may also be of that skateboarding legend but you would be wrong! Has Tony Hawk ever been on Top of the Pops? NO. Has Tony Hawk ever hitchhiked around Ireland WITH A FRIDGE? NO. And has Tony Hawk ever played a game of tennis? Well maybe…but I’ll wager he has never taken on the Moldovan national football team at tennis. So Tony Hawk can do some stunts on a skateboard and become famous but he hasn’t accomplished half of the successes of Mr Tony Hawks.

Confused? No need. The English comedian and frequent contributor to Radio 4 has reached the end of his tether when it comes to being confused with the American skateboarder who has a somewhat similar name. Twenty years of frustration have led to Mr Hawks penning a “helpful” A-Z of Skateboarding advice – largely dominated by a running thread that getting on a skateboard is a pretty terrible idea.

Not content with just delivering the helpful 26 tips spanning the A-Z classification we are also treated to an insight into some of the correspondence Tony (from England) receives which is intended to reach Tony in America. Delightfully our author (Mr Hawks) also shares some of the replies he sends to the correspondents. Given these are mainly young(ish) American kids or their parents it remains unclear how many of them may get the joke. Which is a shame really as the replies are hilarious.

The A-Z of Skateboarding is not to be taken seriously if you are actually looking for skateboarding advice, but should certainly be kept in mind when looking for a fun wee read. With Father’s Day looming in the UK this would be a top idea to gift a Dad in their 20’s to early 40’s – this seems the optimum age range to get the Tony Hawk references and to understand just what those American Kids are trying to articulate.

I laughed often as I read this one and I suspect I drove Mrs Grab slightly crazy as I read her some of my favourite lines. I don’t read nearly enough funny books these days – this was a very welcome addition to my week.

The A-Z of Skateboarding is published by Unbound and is available in digital and hardback editions. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Z-Skateboarding-Tony-Hawks/dp/1783526734/ref=sr_1_4?qid=1560457198&refinements=p_27%3ATony+Hawks&s=books&sr=1-4&text=Tony+Hawks

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February 18

Losing It – Helen Lederer

Millie was at one time quite well known for various TV and radio appearances. However, she now has no money, a best friend with a better sex life than her, a daughter in Papua New Guinea and too much weight in places she really doesn’t want it.

When she’s asked to be the front woman for a new diet pill, she naively believes that all her troubles will be solved. She will have money, the weight will be gone, and maybe she’ll get more sex.

If only life was really that easy. It doesn’t take her long to realize it’s going to take more than a diet pill to solve her never-ending woes . . .

Thanks to Emma at Busy Bee for my review copy

Losing it is a big departure from my normal type of read, however, I am happy to jump to a new genre if there is a compelling reason. In this case the chance to read a novel by Helen Lederer (of whom I have been a fan since the Naked Video days) is more than enough reason for me to risk a book that will not have a murder or two (probably).

Fortunately the quirky humour I was expecting to find is there in abundance and I enjoyed the change of pace that this book presented – a story with fun at heart. Losing It was an engaging read and the awkward/hapless heroine, Millie, is a likeable character to follow.

When I was half way through Losing It I read an interview with the author in which she described her novel as ‘mid-lit’ – loved that phrase! Millie is not the ditzy thirty-something I had initially expected but a more mature 50 something with a grown-up daughter and a best friend with an overactive sezual appetite – or so the more prudent Millie believes. One of the high points of the book was Millie’s ‘tricky’ relationship with her daughter, exacerbated by the fact her daughter is in Papau New Guinea and many of their conversations need to be conducted via Skype.

Some of Millie’s conversations with her daughter (and in particular around the research that her daughter is conducting in Papau New Guinea) are screamingly cringe worthy. I really felt that Helen Lederer nailed a cross-generation dialogue where Millie is really not comfortable with the more open (and modern) outlook her daughter has.

Millie is deeply in debt and struggling to make ends meet, yet she is offered a chance at a lucrative payday when she is asked to front a campaign for a new diet pill. All she has to do to receive a handsome payout is stick to a diet, achieve a target weight and she will receive the money she needs to clear off her loans. What could be simpler?

I suspect that many of us can sympathise with the problems that are faced when weight loss is required. Indeed, as a Scottish bloke in his middling years I generally refer to my own physique as ‘sturdy.’ I share her weight-loss pain and laugh along with her ability to rationalise chocolate consumption.

Millie’s battle to shift the pounds and resist the Toblerone is full of frequent pitfalls and Helen Lederer delivers laughs a-plenty as we follow Millie from throws of despair to her weight loss highs. Millie’s support network of friends and family are a joy to read about too. Often brutally honest in their observations they can be seen dragging Millie to feng shui guru’s, colonic irrigation clinics and support meetings: each of which they genuinely believe will be of some assistance.

As I have previously mentioned, Losing It is not my normal bookish escape. However, I enjoyed the change of pace that it offered, it made me laugh aloud on several occasions and I have had 4 or 5 work colleagues ask to borrow my copy when I am done as they really like the sound of it too! All positives – this is definitely a book worthy of your attention.

Losing It is published by Pan and is available now in Paperback and online in digital format.

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February 10

Holy Cow – David Duchovny

Elsie Bovary is a cow and a pretty happy one at that. Until one night, Elsie sneaks out of the pasture and finds herself drawn to the farmhouse. Through the window, she sees the farmer’s family gathered around a bright Box God – and what the Box God reveals about something called an ‘industrial meat farm’ shakes Elsie’s understanding of her world to its core.

The only solution? To escape to a better, safer world. And so a motley crew is formed: Elsie; Shalom, a grumpy pig who’s recently converted to Judaism; and Tom, a suave turkey who can’t fly, but can work an iPhone with his beak. Toting stolen passports and slapdash human disguises, they head for the airport …

Elsie is a wise-cracking, slyly witty narrator; Tom dispenses psychiatric advice in a fake German accent; and Shalom ends up unexpectedly uniting Israelis and Palestinians. David Duchovny’s charismatic creatures point the way toward a mutual understanding and acceptance the world desperately needs.

Thanks to Elizabeth Masters at Headline for my review copy – a Bookbridgr request.

Read the book description above? Thinking ‘That sounds bonkers’? You are pretty much there. This is not in any way a book to take seriously (obviously), nor is it going to take you long to work your way through. But what you will get is an entertaining and (probably) unique comedy adventure.

David Duchovny treats us to some wonderful one-liners, comedy set pieces and some astute observations on modern day life – all seen through the eyes of a cow, pig and turkey.

The book is short and the review will need to be too – seek this out if you like your comedy to be zany, offbeat and downright bizarre. I can see this being an ideal book to give to a friend or loved one as a gift as it looks distinctive and fun. However, if you DID decide to gift this book, treat yourself and read it first!

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September 2

Waiting For Doggo – Mark Mills

Thank you to Frances Gough (and Doggo) for providing a review copy

I really enjoyed this charming wee tale (tail)?

Dan has been dumped and he has been lumbered with the new addition to his (now broken) household: a small and seemingly unattractive canine named Doggo. Doggo and Dan have not bonded thus far but now must forge a relationship for the sake of Doggo’s gentleman parts…the Dog Home will not take him back ‘intact’.And so we begin our entertaining journey into Dan and Doggo’s strange relationship.

Dan had a successful career in Advertising until his wingman had a breakdown. Now he has a chance at a new start with an upcoming advertising agency and through Waiting For Doggo we find how Dan rebuilds his life and his career while battling rejection, navigating office politics and dealing with unexpected family revelations.

The author, Mark Mills, writes with an easy flowing style. He creates fun characters and I found it easy to get caught up in the office squabbles and be frustrated by the missed opportunities for our hero, Dan, to find his one true love.

Waiting for Doggo is not my normal type of read. No murders, no suspenseful cliff-hangers and I cannot recall any times when Dan faced mortal peril. However, I found I enjoyed Doggo a lot more than I may have expected. A fun story – if a film were made it would be considered a Rom-Com (with emphasis on the ‘Com’ as I read it with a grin on my face).

Doggo will likely be one of the shorter novels I read this year and it came to an end quicker than I expected. I was slightly surprised to find that I was disappointed by this as I would have read more. Hurrah for Dan and Doggo – good luck to you both.

Very different from my normal choice of read but lots of fun!

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