E(njoy)! (E. (A Novel) - Matt Beaumont)

Name: missbrowneyedgirl

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Product:	E. (A Novel) - Matt Beaumont
Date:	27/09/01 (149 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: funny, funny, funny

Disadvantages: probably wouldn't be as funny is you have no experience of office email

Have you ever used email at work? Yes? Well you will love this book!

E (A Novel) is kind of a new concept in novels as the entire story is told via inter-office emails. It starts off with an email from David Crutton, the CEO of Miller Shanks, to his secretary telling her to get her butt in there now. A few emails later she has lost her job, and this is pretty much how the novel continues. Backstabbing, irrational, two-faced, flirting and breakdowns. Just like any other office really!

Miller Shanks is an advertising firm who are pitching for the Coca Cola marketing contract. Via the emails you are introduced to all the members of the company. One nice thing about the book is how all of the characters get pretty much even coverage. At first the book is a little difficult to follow and you keep having to flick backwards to check who people are. However, you soon become accustomed to the characters and then the fun begins!

Most of the tale is told on a subliminal level as you read into the story from various people's opinions of what is going on. One brilliant feature is the way workers will badmouth the boss' ideas to their colleagues the immediately send an email to the boss praising his brilliant perception.

Ass-kissing, lying and bitchiness are rife throughout Miller Shanks as well as some saucy goings on over the boss' desk! One of the funnier storylines is the error on the CEO's PC which copies every email he sends to Pertti Van Helden - The CEO of Miller Shanks in Finland. Perrti being a jolly sort of guy always replies and offers his advice which only serves to drive David Crutton insane! As you read on the IT department change 'Heads of IT' like you or I would change our underwear!

One of my favourite characters is Nigel Godley, the accounts clerk who is addicted to QVC and uses the work email as a means of selling his unwanted purchases. When chastised for clogging up the internal email syste
m Nigel believes he is about to be fired and becomes a martyr to the cause of free speech. Hilarious!

Suzi Judge-Davis is another one to watch as the psychotic secretary to Simon Horne, Head of Client Services. Pinki Fallon(?) is a creative with a heart who frequently takes a moral stance on issues. For example refusing to help with the Coke pitch because of their company beliefs. Sometimes right, sometimes plain quirky but always fun is the best way to describe her!

As each of the emails shows From, To, Time & Date and Copies. Some of the beast laughs can be had by simply noticing who is being blind copied on a mail, or noticing how a change of tune has happened two minutes later! There are also the standard interoffice jokes flying around:

?How many account directors does it take to change a light bulb??
?How many would the client like it to take??

Although the novel only spans just over two weeks in the life of Miller Shanks, it is by no means short of content or laughs! I could barely put this one down and frequently found myself laughing aloud. I wont spoil it any more because I really think you should read this one!

The official website of Miller Shanks is listed as www.millershanks.com in the book, although it doesn't seem to be working at the moment. Incidentally the follow up novel 'The E Before Christmas' is available through amazon.co.uk for only £2.99!

~ Update ~

I got this back a couple of weeks ago after all of my friend's had read it, so I read it again and it's just as funny the second time around. In fact, like a good film, you find bits that you missed on the first read.

I really would recommend this book to anyone who has used email in a work place - it's hysterical!

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