Man and Boy - Tony Parsons

‘Unashamedly touching…….. funny and well-written’ said The Daily Telegraph, ‘Extremely average, and actually quite dull at times’ says Tripley. Oh dear, when people started to talk of a book being ‘better than Hornby’ I instantly decided that they were talking trash – its rare that I’m right about a book – but in my own opinion, I was this time. We open up the tale ‘Man and Boy’ seeing Harry, fast approaching his 30th birthday and still a successful producer on ‘the Marty Mann Show’ – a show he’s nurtured from Radio to TV. Harry has it all, a beautiful wife ...  Read the complete review

I’ve just discovered Tony Parsons. Don’t snigger, you who’ve known him for ages, in case you’re old enough, from the seventies, first as a music journalist who has become a cult figure on the grounds of his interviews with The Clash, Sex Pistols, Blondie, Talking Heads, later, in the eighties for his journalistic work as a reporter for GQ, Elle et al, and in the nineties as a regular guest on BBC’s Late Review. And in 1999 he published the novel ‘Man and Boy’ which was on the British bestseller list for 50 weeks! It was Book of the Year and won the British Book Awards. How could I not notice him? Well, not ...  Read the complete review

Tony Parsons is well known as a newspaper columnist for the Mirror. He has written for many other publications over the years, including The Daily Mail, Elle, Marie Claire, Sunday Times and GQ to name but a few. I was however interested to see how he faired when it came to writing longer pieces such as a novel, so I decided to try his first novel "Man and Boy". Once again this novel had been sitting on my bookshelf gathering dust for quite some time "Man and Boy" is actually a story of our times. It tells of a marriage that ends and deals with the issue of custody and raising children as a single parent. There are indeed quite a few books of ...  Read the complete review

Isn't that the truth. The title I mean. Life isn't what you see in films is it? Real life is hard, cruel, bitter and twisted. Life can also be joyous, ecstatic, meaningful and full of love. Love. Love that lasts. Can love really last for eternity? Well this is what Harry Silver is about to find out just as he hits his thirtieth birthday. What it is with men and middle age? Well thirty is hardly middle age is it, I thought fifty was nearer the mark. Why is it when some men hit thirty and all of a sudden they want to recapture their youth? Harry has what he wished for in life. A beautiful wife who gave up her dreams of going to Japan to be with him. A ...  Read the complete review

As Man and Boy opens, Harry Silver is about to turn 30. I just turned 30 myself. It was never something that bothered me until its imminent arrival ….. and then it happened. Suddenly, I feel too old to be young when viewed by the 17 year old office junior but not nearly wise enough to be perceived as anything more than a young flippertyjibbert, when viewed by 80+ year old neighbour. So, I immediately empathised with Harry circumstances. According to Harry, when preparing for your 30th birthday, you should avoid the following;  A one night stand with a colleague from work  The rash purchase of luxury items you ...  Read the complete review