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Amazon.co.uk Review
Fiftysomething Victor Phillips is a senior-ish accountant with respected City firm Wilkins & Co. Or rather, he was: unbeknown to his sons, his saintly wife and his nosy suburban neighbours, Mr Phillips has lost his job, and doesn't know what to do next. So what he does do is the most sadly predictable: pretend he's still in work. On the morning of the day's events that comprise the entirety of this novel he rises as per, breakfasts as per and steps out into the city, as per. From then on, though, he embarks on a bizarre odyssey around London, doing various sad, strange or aimless things: if he's not ogling schoolgirls on buses, he's being accosted by nutters in the Tate or trying to meet TV celebs during a bank robbery.
Taken as read, the whole might sound odd: a Diary of a Next To Nobody. What saves from the book from being weirdly boring is Lanchester's skill in capturing Mr Phillips' inner voice: as the ex-accountant schleps around town he is constantly working out, for instance, how many women take their clothes off for money, or how much more likely it is one will die on any given week than win the National Lottery (about 3,000 times more likely). All this is very witty and very well done--and very much the meat of the book. If the novel is ultimately aimless, that is, of course, the point. John Lanchester has taken an average day in an averagely tragic life and made from it, if not great art, a readable, amusing and perceptive novel. --Sean Thomas
Amazon.co.uk Review
Fiftysomething Victor Phillips is a senior-ish accountant with respected City firm Wilkins & Co. Or rather, he was: unbeknown to his sons, his saintly wife and his nosy suburban neighbours, Mr Phillips has lost his job, and doesn't know what to do next. So what he does do is the most sadly predictable: pretend he's still in work. On the morning of the day's events that comprise the entirety of this novel he rises as per, breakfasts as per and steps out into the city, as per. From then on, though, he embarks on a bizarre odyssey around London, doing various sad, strange or aimless things: if he's not ogling schoolgirls on buses, he's being accosted by nutters in the Tate or trying to meet TV celebs during a bank robbery.
Taken as read, the whole might sound odd: a Diary of a Next To Nobody. What saves from the book from being weirdly boring is Lanchester's skill in capturing Mr Phillip's inner voice: as the ex-accountant schleps around town he is constantly working out, for instance, how many in women take their clothes off for money, or how much more likely it is one will die on any given week than win the National Lottery (about 3,000 times more likely). All this is very witty and very well done--and very much the meat of the book. If the novel is ultimately aimless, that is, of course, the point. John Lanchester has taken an average day in an averagely tragic life and made from it, if not great art, a readable, amusing and perceptive novel.--Sean Thomas --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I think reviewers who dislike this book have completely missed the point. Its not about how accurate office life is depicted, or whether the correct accountancy and word processing programmes are name checked, its about how out of control we feel about modern life and how this is reconciled in somebody's head. I first read this book when my accountancy career took a bit of a wobble, and always return to it for a bit of comfort! It is absolutely convincing on the consistency, the character, and the expression of Mr Phillips thoughts. I particularly enjoyed the calculation of the chances of dying compared to winning the national lottery. Its also stunningly accurate in respect of men under stress thinking constantly about sex (sorry ladies) and also on the sheer pointlessness of about 90% of modern life. As this review appears to be becoming more about me than the book, I'll stop right here!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a book which conveys a man's inner life with humour and honesty. Mr Phillips' thoughts are poignantly set against the often mundane and sometimes baffling events which he encounters on the day after he is made redundant. It reminded me of Reggie Perrin and also of Ian McEwan's Saturday - another almost real-time account of one man's day. I liked it better than Saturday, which falls to pieces with an unbelievable and melodramatic conclusion. Whereas Saturday is about an upper-middle class over-achiever (wealthy top surgeon), Mr Phillips is an everyman, and even his involvement in a bank robbery is downbeat in a typically British way. Lanchester's world is far more realistic than McEwan's and this book says more about what it's like to be a 21st century man than McEwan's does. If there is a fault with the book it's that it is too short, which does not allow the theme of Mr Phillips' reluctance to tell his wife about his redundancy to develop beyond the mildly interesting stage. But Mr Phillips is an enigma to his wife and family, and perhaps that's the point.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
You may very well find this fine book understated but gently brilliant and very rewarding. You'll already have gatherered the gist of the plot from the other reviews; so lets just add: dont be distracted by nitpicking (if its bombastic you're after look elsewhere) but Mr P's day is entertaining and even gripping, there is some touch of melancholy but this is life affirming stuff. I've read it 4 times over the last 10 years: "Get with it baggy!", maybe you're just too young? :)
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
great
Arrived promptly, was in good condition and turned out to be a great read. Two of us read it. What amazing value.
Published 10 days ago by maddymum
No masterpiece
How this can be classified a "masterpiece" on the cover is beyond me. I had just finished The Ladies' Paradise by Emile Zola and it's a masterpiece compared to Mr Phillips which... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Goodbook Lover
Excellent
This is a very good book, and an interesting change of gear from The Debt To Pleasure. While less striking, I think Mr Phillips is a better, more mature, considered and rounded... Read more
Published 12 months ago by S. T. Betts
I laughed my head off
I listened to this novel on audio book and simply laughed my head off. Thanks John Lanchester for this honest, hilarious book!
Published 17 months ago by J. Caulton
Mr Dirty Macintosh
The ramblings of a member of the dirty mac brigade. Pointless in reading, rather than artistic musings about some of the pointless aspects of life.
Published on 19 Feb 2010 by P. Spink
Surprisingly sensitive but didn't really grab me
I liked Mr Phillips. He was struggling to cope with the strange situations that he found himself in during the day and could only manage by reverting back to his comfort zone -... Read more
Published on 7 Jun 2007 by Janie U
More of a nudge in the ribs than a poke in the eye
An original, gently amusing and interesting take on the day-in-a-life genre, as a reluctantly redundant accountant attempts to come to terms with the reality of a world from which... Read more
Published on 13 Oct 2006 by G. L. Haggett
Mr Phillips
One gets the impression that John Lanchester wasn't exactly straining at the leash here.Lanchester is a hyper talent, (if you've read his other stuff you'll know... Read more
Published on 16 Mar 2006 by C. Sellek
Nearly a masterpiece
Mr Phillips isn't at work today, he's having a day off, a day out. In his pinstripe suit, briefcase in hand, he wanders around London striking up the occasional conversation,... Read more
Published on 2 Feb 2005 by Dee-Dee
Great start which fizzles out .........
I purchased this book as it had an interesting story line and good reviews, well having read it it does have an interesting story line but sorry I got a little bored by the end... Read more
Published on 6 Feb 2004 by Elizabeth Taylor
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