Join Amazon Prime and get unlimited Free One-Day Delivery. Already a member? Sign in.

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
More Buying Choices
821 used & new from £0.01
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
One for My Baby
 
See larger image 

See all 3 customer images
Share your own customer images
Publisher: learn how customers can search inside this book.

One for My Baby (Paperback)

by Tony Parsons (Author)
3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
Price: £5.59 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £2.40 (30%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Want guaranteed delivery by Thursday, July 16? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
42 new from £0.50 771 used from £0.01 8 collectible from £0.01
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover (1st Atria) 2 used & new from £21.15
Paperback £6.99 £6.29 17 used & new from £0.01
Hardcover (Large Print) £17.99 £17.99 4 used & new from £2.88
Audio CD (Audiobook) £13.98 £12.58 10 used & new from £3.00
Audio Cassette (Abridged,Audiobook) 22 used & new from £0.01
Unknown Binding Order it used

Frequently Bought Together

One for My Baby + Man and Wife + The Family Way
Price For All Three: £17.07

Show availability and shipping details

  • This item: One for My Baby by Tony Parsons

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

  • Man and Wife by Tony Parsons

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

  • The Family Way by Tony Parsons

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Man and Wife

Man and Wife

by Tony Parsons
2.9 out of 5 stars (38)  £5.99
The Family Way

The Family Way

by Tony Parsons
3.4 out of 5 stars (42)  £5.49
Man and Boy

Man and Boy

by Tony Parsons
3.8 out of 5 stars (232)  £5.99
Stories We Could Tell

Stories We Could Tell

by Tony Parsons
2.8 out of 5 stars (20)  £6.29
My Favourite Wife

My Favourite Wife

by Tony Parsons
2.5 out of 5 stars (22)  £3.77
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Paperback: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Harper; New Ed edition (7 May 2002)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0006514812
  • ISBN-13: 978-0006514817
  • Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 2.6 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 75,796 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #10 in  Books > Fiction > Authors, A-Z > P > Parsons, Tony

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
In One for My Baby Hong-Kong-based language teacher Alfie Budd is about to ingest several gallons of the stuff. Returning to London to nurse a broken heart, he finds a world he barely recognises. Terry Wogan plays REM on Radio Two, there are Tai Chi classes on Highbury Fields and the England of Alfie's youth seems a distant dream. Alfie's father is now sporting disco gear and pitifully clinging onto his relationship with a Czech au pair half his age. Alfie's mother, meanwhile, cares a great deal about her rose bushes and not at all about getting her husband back.

Dazed by these changes, Alfie drifts--on a cloud of Tsingtao beer and Sinatra-fuelled reverie--into a new teaching job and into a string of pointless affairs with his students. But a man can only drift for so long before he starts to sink--and Alfie must learn some bitter lessons before he can regain the happiness he once knew in Hong Kong.

Tony Parsons' second novel deserves to match the phenomenal success of his first, Man and Boy--although there are reasons why it might not. One for My Baby lacks the cutesy appeal of single fathers bringing up sons and some readers may find it--with its double portion of deaths and mid-life depressions--a more demanding read altogether. The book deals with tough realities, with people who have ceased to love themselves and each other, with snobbery and prejudice and the acute loneliness of city life. But the tale is redeemed, ultimately, because humour and warmth pervade even its darkest corners. The laughable antics of Alfie's father are balanced beautifully by George Chang, Alfie's serene and dignified Tai Chi instructor. And while our hero's journey is an arduous one, we are invited to laugh with and at him and never to pity him. Mr Parsons deserves praise for creating a book that is not merely different to his first but also bigger, tougher and cleverer. --Matthew Baylis --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
This is the story of a man who believes in all the British values of a stiff upper lip and keeping emotion in check. He also believes you can only truly love one person in your life, and he loses that love when his wife dies. Eventually he meets a woman who turns all his ideas upside down. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

See all Product Description

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
Check a corresponding box or enter your own tags in the field below
(3)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

One for My Baby
62% buy the item featured on this page:
One for My Baby 3.4 out of 5 stars (52)
£5.59
The Family Way
13% buy
The Family Way 3.4 out of 5 stars (42)
£5.49
Man and Wife
11% buy
Man and Wife 2.9 out of 5 stars (38)
£5.99
Man and Boy
10% buy
Man and Boy 3.8 out of 5 stars (232)
£5.99
Explore similar items
 

Customer Reviews

52 Reviews
5 star:
 (19)
4 star:
 (11)
3 star:
 (5)
2 star:
 (7)
1 star:
 (10)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.4 out of 5 stars (52 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Hard to put down, 12 Aug 2001
This review is from: One for My Baby (Hardcover)
I read Tony Parson's previous novel "Man and Boy" last year and was waiting with expectation for his next book. I wasn't disappointed. It's not a great work of literary fiction but it is a book in which you can relate to the characters and imagine yourself in their position, making exactly the same mistakes. Tony Parson's strength is his ability to recognise and describe the workings and emotions of a thirtysomething man.

It's about Alfie Bud, a man in his thirties who has lost his wife and his sense of direction in life and love. It's funny, sad and addictive all at the same time. Do the human thing and buy it.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastically touching, relevant and human., 16 May 2002
By A Customer
Tony Parson's second novel, I feel, surpassed his first. This book was a fantastic read and I often sneaked off from work to get a few pages in. I read this book staight after reading Nick Hornby's 'How To Be Good', and whilst I enjoyed Hornby's novel I was struck by the contrast between the two. Both were touching, thought provoking and, in places tender, however, whilst Hornby's book was ultimately depressing for me, the warmth of Parson's characters provided a glimmer of hope. A tremendous victory for the less-celebrated writer. Maybe Tony Parson's books will soon be being made into Hollywood blockbusters too.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars Utter drivel, 3 Oct 2002
By Gareth Clark (London) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I read Man and Boy, and thought it was just about passable. Nothing new or interesting, just passable, so it was with trepidation and a sense of impending ennui that I opened One for my Baby.
I shouldn't have bothered, as this book confirms that Tony Parsons is a poor man's Nick Hornby who himself seems to content to write formulaic claptrap these days. That Parsons seeks to emulate Hornby, but fail to even achieve that level says everything about this tedious book. Is it me, or so these type of books follow some sort of "Mills and Boon for blokes" formula? 30-something man who lives in North London (normally Highgate or Holloway), having mid life crisis which is compounded by several key 'life' events such as the meeting of an ideal woman, or various women; the death of a parent; ludicrously stereotyped friends and the central character's reaction to all of the above etc etc. Unfortunately the net result is that by the time you have finished it (normally less than a day or two) it is almost impossible to differentiate from any of the many similar 'novels' on offer today.
I would compare One for my Baby to a Ford Sierra: initially very popular and sold in numbers but instantly forgettable and one may certainly ask 'What on earth did I buy that for?' a year or two down the line.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars From the cover.......
Alfie Budd found the perfect woman with whom to spend the rest of his life--and then lost her. He doesn't believe you get a second chance at love. Read more
Published on 17 Feb 2007 by Angel Silver

4.0 out of 5 stars You must read to make your own mind up.
There are few negative reviews on this, and I can see where some are coming from, but I feel that the book as it stands is a great read, after getting through the first few... Read more
Published on 13 Aug 2006 by Mr. Stuart Lindsay

5.0 out of 5 stars Touching
I am really surprised with the last two reviews I have seen about this book... I can only imagine those people never really loved someone! Read more
Published on 26 Mar 2006 by Lelya

1.0 out of 5 stars Read all his other books but this one.......................
Having read and enjoyed Parson's other books I looked forward to this read. As with some other reviewers I found it so desperately dull, depressing and predictable..... Read more
Published on 22 Aug 2005 by Baggie Blog

4.0 out of 5 stars a different story about the same things
Tony Parsons is great, but One form my baby isn't as good as Man and Boy, which was so great/wonderful/lovely. But I definitely likes One for my baby too. Read more
Published on 21 Aug 2005 by Faith

1.0 out of 5 stars Poorly researched.
I picked up this book not knowing anything about the author thinking from the sleeve notes that it would be a good read. I was sorely disappointed. Read more
Published on 14 Jan 2005 by Cecilia Strandqvist

4.0 out of 5 stars One for my Baby.
This is probably one of my all time favourite books and I find myself returning to it time after time. Read more
Published on 27 Sep 2004 by Rich Milligan

1.0 out of 5 stars Formulaic, watery, rubbish, but it sells.
Tony parsons has hit on something of an ingredient for success it seems. A dash of over sentimental nonsense here, a sprinkle of cringe worthy emotion there, some heart felt loss,... Read more
Published on 16 Jul 2004 by R. Britain

5.0 out of 5 stars A real tear-jerker
Admittedly I did read this book at a very emotional time of loss in my own life and reading of the main character's bereavement and how it affected him throughout the novel helped... Read more
Published on 8 Jul 2004 by E M Griffiths

4.0 out of 5 stars One for my favourite book collection
Some people, probably on this site, will tell you that 'One for my Baby' is just a rehash of Parson's other success, the brilliant 'Man and Boy' and his other succesfull, slightly... Read more
Published on 14 Mar 2004 by Susie Parker

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Feedback

Health & Beauty at Amazon.co.uk

Elemis Resurface and Renew Skin Care Gift Set of 4 Products
From soap to shavers, massagers to mascara, stock up on your daily essentials or truly pamper yourself.

›Discover Health & Beauty

  

More From Tony Parsons

Man and Boy

Man and Boy by Tony Parsons

"Some situations to avoid when preparing for your all-important... Read more
£7.99 £5.99

 

Train Hard...Play Hard

Nike, Gola, Converse, and more
Gear up with up to 60% off athletic and outdoor shoes.

›Shop now

  

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

›Learn more about Gift Certificates

  
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.
Continue Shopping: Top Sellers
The Girl Who Played with Fire
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
4.5 out of 5 stars (76)£3.86
 Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga)
Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga) by Stephenie Meyer
4.1 out of 5 stars (464)£6.49
 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
4.1 out of 5 stars (166)£3.99
 The Host
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
4.2 out of 5 stars (87)£3.86

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates