An easy read and very amusing (Paws in the Proceedings - Deric Longden)

Member Name: laramax

Product:	Paws in the Proceedings - Deric Longden
Date:	08/04/08 (56 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A great example of Deric Longden's writing

Disadvantages: If you don't know the author I suggest you start with one of his other works

I have to confess that I do enjoy Deric Longden's books. He has a wonderful, somewhat offbeat but simplistic, way of looking at life that I love and his sense of humour has me chuckling away as I read so I was really pleased to see that he had a new book out and I could hardly wait for it to arrive from Amazon.

Paws in the Proceedings is the latest in a line of books which looks at life in the Longden household and, given the title, I was hoping it would make a lovely follow on from 'The cat that came in from the cold' and 'Enough to make a cat laugh' which were his two previous books about the felines in his life. It sort of does that because woven throughout the book is the tale of the latest arrival, Nokia, and how he fits in with Thermal and Tigger who feature in the earlier books but it also continues with varied tales of Deric and Aileen's life and the numerous problems that befall them and their extended family.

I read this book within a couple of days of receiving it which is testament to the fact that I enjoyed it. Because it is formed from lots of little tales of Deric's escapades it is quite easy to find sensible breaks to put it down which would make it an ideal book to dip into and out of.

Deric's humour is as good as ever and throughout the book he relates some of the problems he is facing as he gets older. The book starts with him shopping in the local supermarket and I just loved the bit where he says "As I stood there my eyes were drawn to a small sign that had been rammed deep into an innocent sausage roll. 'Free-Range Pork Pies'. Instantly my mind was off once more, this time to a sunny knoll atop a flower-sprinkled meadow somewhere deep in the heart of the English countryside where a couple of rather mature Melton Mowbrays were keeping a watchful eye on their individual pork pies as they romped gaily amongst the buttercups and daisies below"

That kind of humour appeals to me - a look at the absurdities of life, stopping to actually think about what is said and done and putting a different slant on things. This book is full of them and although at times the book feels a little disjointed I still enjoyed the whole and the lovely characters Deric portrays. There are some lovely tales about him going to New York, collecting his Emmy award and the lovely Dame Thora Hird who played his mother in the television adaptation of his book Lost for Words.

Overall I do not feel that this is his best book but nevertheless it is a very enjoyable read. Deric's book are uncomplicated humour and in a world that is generally rushing hither and thither all the time it is good to relax with a book like this and reflect on life.

Recommended retail price £14.99 - I got mine from Amazon for £8.99

Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Bantam Press (7 May 2007)
Language English
ISBN-10: 0593054687
ISBN-13: 978-0593054680


Also by Deric Longden:

Diana's story
Lost for words
The Cat who came in from the cold
I'm a stranger here myself
Enough to make a cat laugh
A play on words



I also published this review on Ciao in May 2007

Summary: Very amusing and entertaining full of Deric's humour