This was a recommendation from Lisa Crosbie during an episode of the UP Podcast. After checking it out on Amazon (other bookstores are available) I thought it looked like something I might like and ordered it immediately, hoping to get a bit of deckchair time at some point during the following weekend.
Unfortunately the ‘great’ British weather had other ideas. Undeterred, I made myself a nest of pillows and settled onto the sofa with book in hand, and an array of suitably unhealthy snacks at the ready, to start reading …
From the very first page I was totally rapt. It seemed to me that somebody had crawled inside my head – probably while I was doing the washing up – and had scattered the contents onto the pages … except of course in a much less jumbled and far more eloquent style than I could ever hope to achieve. I shall however, attempt to recount a very brief summary, and offer my full apologies in advance to the author!
The book is written in first party, and the story revolves around the trials and tribulations of the main character Andy Bellows. As might happen to many of us at one time or another, Andy has slightly overindulged in social media activities, and having found himself in a bit of a pickle is forced into undergoing a 60 day ‘digital detox’.
Now … as someone who elects to take a 10 day off-grid holiday once a year, I pride myself on having enough self awareness and control to be able to ‘step away from the machine’ … but 60 days?! Buuhhhh … the thought of 2 months without the internet makes me shiver.
And judging by Andy’s experiences, with very good reason!
This book is written with a dry, borderline cynical style illuminated by ‘LOL’ moments of silliness reminiscent of Tom Sharpe. Having picked it up, I found that I didn’t want to put it down .. and while I did eventually have to come up briefly for air (and feed the starving minions) … I finished the book in well under a day. That is no testament to my love of literature, or my level of literacy, more to the entertaining nature of the writing and I think also in part to the personal connection I suspect many of us may have with the subject.
