The Pile of Stuff at the Bottom of the Stairs and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more

Buy New

Quantity:

Buy Used

Used - Good See details

Price: �1.49

Fulfilled by Amazon

More Buying Choices

Have one to sell? Sell yours here

Sorry, this item is not available in

Image not available for
Colour:

Image not available

Share your own customer images

Search inside another edition of this book

Start reading The Pile of Stuff at the Bottom of the Stairs on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

The Pile of Stuff at the Bottom of the Stairs [Paperback]

Christina Hopkinson (Author)

4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (53 customer reviews)

RRP:	�7.99
Price:	�4.44 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
Deal Price:
You Save:	�3.55 (44%)
	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

Only 10 left in stock (more on the way).
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon. Gift-wrap available.

Want it Friday, 21 June? Choose Express delivery at checkout. Details

	Amazon Price		New from	Used from
Kindle Edition	�4.22		--	--
Hardcover	�11.95		--	--
Show # more hardcovers
Show fewer hardcovers
Paperback	�4.44		--	--
Show # more paperbacks
Show fewer paperbacks
Audio Download, Unabridged	�7.57	or Free with Audible.co.uk 30-day free trial

Amazon.co.uk Trade-In Store
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Special Offer until June 30, 2013: Receive an additional £5 promotional Gift Certificate, when you trade-in at least £10 worth of books. Learn more.

› See more product promotions

Book Description

Release Date: 16 Feb 2012

Mary Gilmour is struggling to cope. Her job is part time but housework is full time, leaving no time at all for her two young sons - let alone herself. For Mary, there is only one thing standing between her and a life of organised contentment: her husband, Joel.

Since star charts worked wonders improving their children's behaviour, she commits her unknowing husband to the same fate. A spreadsheet, detailing every dirty tissue, every lost sock, and every wet towel on the bed.

Joel has six months to prove his good behaviour outweighs the bad. Or else...

#outer_postBodyPS { display: none; } #psGradient { display: none; } #psPlaceHolder { display: none; } #psExpand { display: none; } Mary Gilmour is struggling to cope. Her job is part time but housework is full time, leaving no time at all for her two young sons - let alone herself. For Mary, there is only one thing standing between her and a life of organised contentment: her husband, Joel.

Since star charts worked wonders improving their children's behaviour, she commits her unknowing husband to the same fate. A spreadsheet, detailing every dirty tissue, every lost sock, and every wet towel on the bed.

Joel has six months to prove his good behaviour outweighs the bad. Or else...

Frequently Bought Together

Price For All Three: �15.67

Show availability and delivery details

Buy the selected items together

This item: The Pile of Stuff at the Bottom of the Stairs by Christina Hopkinson Paperback �4.44
The Pissed-Off Parents Club by Mink Elliott Paperback �5.99
Mum On The Run by Fiona Gibson Paperback �5.24

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

The Pissed-Off Parents Club
› Mink Elliott

4.0 out of 5 stars (23)

Paperback

�5.99
Memoirs Of An Imaginary Friend
Matthew Green

4.5 out of 5 stars (67)

Paperback

�5.03
One Step Too Far
› Tina Seskis

4.5 out of 5 stars (103)

Paperback

�5.99
Just Another Manic Mum-Day
› Mink Elliott

4.3 out of 5 stars (16)

Paperback

�4.74
The Playgroup
› Janey Fraser

4.1 out of 5 stars (28)

Paperback

�5.24
I Don't Know How She Does It
› Allison Pearson

3.8 out of 5 stars (118)

Paperback

�5.99

Product details

Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Hodder Paperbacks (16 Feb 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1444710419
ISBN-13: 978-1444710410
Product Dimensions: 12.9 x 19.7 cm

Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (53 customer reviews)

Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 59,387 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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

More About the Author

› Visit Amazon's Christina Hopkinson Page

Discover books, learn about writers, and more.

Product Description

Review

This should be compulsory reading for all working couples with small children, since it encapsulates precisely, but with plenty of humour, the madness of the modern working family (Sarah Vine, The Times)

'The new I Don't Know How She Does It' (Grazia)

'I read it, I really enjoyed it, I left it on the stairs.' (John O'Farrell)

Christina Hopkinson is a talented writer with a gift for observational humour and sharp one-liners (Spectator)

'Christina Hopkinson has wittily and very realistically tapped into the zeitgeist - literally the most relevant novel for a working mother since I Don't Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson.' (Plum Sykes, author of Bergdorf Blondes)

About the Author

Christina Hopkinson is an author and journalist whose work has appeared in the Daily Telegraph, the Guardian, the Times, Grazia and Red magazine. Her first novel, IzobelBrannigan.com was published by Piatkus and was described by the Mirror as 'an insightful debut - witty, wise and worth reading'. She lives in London with her husband and three children.

Visit Christina's website, www.christinahopkinson.com, and follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/Xtinahopkinson.

Inside This Book (Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.

Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?

Memoirs Of An Imaginary Friend by Matthew Green Paperback
4.5 out of 5 stars (67)

�5.03

I Don't Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson Paperback
3.8 out of 5 stars (118)

�5.99

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes Paperback
4.8 out of 5 stars (2,939)

�3.85

The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce Paperback
4.5 out of 5 stars (1,540)

�3.85

› Explore similar items

Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars

4.0 out of 5 stars

Write a customer review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A thought-provoking, hilarious romp through family life and definitely not just for women... 23 Jun 2011

By Jon Rance

Format:Hardcover

The Pile of Stuff at the Bottom of the Stairs by Christina Hopkinson is a truly laugh-out-loud wry take on wedded bliss gone awry. On the face of it, it seems to be just a middle-class comedy of errors about one women's fight to get her slothful husband to change his slovenly ways.

Joel is the traditional slacker; the husband who leaves his coffee mug around to collect all manner of detritus, discards wet towels like chewing gum wrappers and generally doesn't do his fair share around the house or with the kids, expecting Mary to pick up the pieces he leaves behind. All Mary wants is a neat, ordered house - just like her friend Mitzi - and so she starts The List, an excel spreadsheet of Joel's domestic disappointments and gives him six months to prove his worth or else.

However, as the book unfolds it becomes much more than just a domestic drama about Mary's marital discontent. At the heart of this book is the love story between Mary and Joel that with the introduction of children falls apart. It's the middle-class dream in all it's Aga, soy café lattes beauty turned upside down with the realisation that with children our lives are no longer our own. Mary's friend Mitzi seems to have it all; the beautiful, perpetually clean house, the wonderful children and the perfect alpha-male husband, while Mary is up to her arms in detritus and baby poo.

I won't give anything away but as with everything in life; the realisation that all is not what it seems and that we should always be wary of what we wish for comes true.

Being a married man with two children myself there was much to relate to in this book. The laughs were plentiful, the drama gripping, the scene in Norfolk shocking and the ending - as ending should be- was perfect.... Read more ›

Comment |

Was this review helpful to you?

Yes

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Typically woman versus man humour. 21 Mar 2011

By Karen Baxter VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

If you have a husband or partner and children you will find 'The Pile of Stuff at the Bottom of the Stairs' by
Christina Hopkinson extremely amusing, plenty of laugh out loud moments throughout. In fact my husband
got quite fed up with me reading out bits to him especially as some snippets bared a remarkable resemblance
to someone very close to me ... need I say more!

Here's the gist ...

Mary is dissatisfied with her husband Joel big time. Her gripes (and boy there are a few) are mainly about
her husband's lack of ability in the domestic line of things, being totally incapable of tidying up after himself
for example really rankles her. On top of that there's his lethargic attitude to looking after their children
and the fact that he sides with his mother about all manner of minor but never the less annoying topics.

It's a typical woman versus man type of war, however this time with a difference ... Joel has no idea it's
even going on, totally oblivious in his laziness he fails to notice that Mary appears to be preoccupied of late,
in fact she is completely engrossed in her version of a star chart, this one's for her husband and whereas a
child's star chart keeps track of good deeds, this one keeps meticulous detail of all Joel's bad points.

I love the quote at the beginning of the book from the author 'To Alex - you constantly inspire me but you are
not the inspiration for the story of a grumpy woman married to an untidy man', but sometimes you get to wondering
just how does she know so much :)

A great read and a fun book to discuss with other member of a reading book club.

Comment |

Was this review helpful to you?

Yes

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars How true to life! 31 July 2011

By Greenfingers

Format:Kindle Edition

I found this book so true to life (apart from the Norfolk episode which kept me giggling for ages!) Everyone who is married should read this and realise that nothing is perfect. Christina must write from experience as she has domestic hell portrayed exactly right. I shall certainly view my 'posh' friend through very different eyes now!

Comment |

Was this review helpful to you?

Yes

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Easy and Funny Read 6 April 2011

By Lincs Reader TOP 100 REVIEWER VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Christina Hopkinson's novel is a wry look at modern-day marriage, totally honest, often funny and at times, alarmingly familiar. All too often it is the tiny irritations in life that make the most impact on how we are feeling; the wet towels left on the floor, the piles of loose change and crumpled tissues on the kitchen table, and yes, the pile of stuff at the bottom of the stairs. Mary decides she has had enough of Joel's laziness and compiles a complicated list that has debits and credits according to his behaviour - if he goes over his allocated credits, then she is thinking about divorce. Only Joel has no idea that the list exists.

At times I got incredibly irritated by Mary's whinges, on the face of it she has a pretty nice life, with a handsome husband, two beautiful children, a part time job that she loves and good friends. I began to ask myself what was the point of all of this. There were other times when I found myself nodding in agreement when she described Joel's annoying habits, but other times I was envious of her, and wishing I had a husband who could rustle up a fabulous meal at the drop of a hat - even if it did mean that he used every pan in the house.

This is a funny read that at times deals with some serious subjects. Mary's friend Mitzi and her husband Michael are two obnoxious characters who take a starring role towards the end of the book, even if it's a toe-curlingly embarrassing scene to read!

An easy read, that doesnt take long and looks at the everyday stresses and strains of life in a humorous and touching way.

Comment |

Was this review helpful to you?

Yes

› See all 53 customer reviews (newest first) on Amazon.co.uk

Write a customer review

Would you like to see more reviews about this item?

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 6 reviews 4.3 out of 5 stars

Were these reviews helpful? Let us know

Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read

Published 22 days ago by busy mum

5.0 out of 5 stars Good read

This book seems like a lightweight read and to some extent it is, but it is certainly food for thought in how we perceive our own relationships.

Published 1 month ago by D

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny

Easy to read book with lots of very funny bits in it :) Even my husband liked it... Greatly recommended!

Published 2 months ago by Isabel

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious and touching!

Loved this book as you can recognise so many day to day situations. A couldn't put down read! definitely worth a look

Published 7 months ago by claire stephens

5.0 out of 5 stars funny look at domestic hum drum

the book title "the pile of stuff at the bottom of the stairs" appealed because i have a pile of stuff at the bottom of the stairs! Read more

Published 11 months ago by suzymac

4.0 out of 5 stars Tripping up over Lego...

If you've ever wished he did more than take the bins out,you'll love this lighthearted look at the domestic divide...
I found this novel quick to read,and enjoyable.. Read more

Published 13 months ago by Tacky Modernism

4.0 out of 5 stars I recommend a read

I wasn't sure at first but I got engrossed and couldn't put it down
A very good read for the ladies.

Published 14 months ago by Helen

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't. Just don't.

Granted, it may be amazing after page 100 but by then I'd given up in disgust. Premise, apparently, that it's hilarious (yawn) to whine about your husband/MIL, be jealous of your... Read more

Published 14 months ago by Bouquiniste

2.0 out of 5 stars was this meant to be a black comedy?

Was this meant to be a black comedy? If so, as usual, I may have read the book more seriously than I should have done? Read more

Published 15 months ago by Aberter

1.0 out of 5 stars Truly awful book

This book starts out with what sounds like it might be a reasonably interesting idea - that equality for women will never come until the man starts tidying up (something I would... Read more

Published 15 months ago by Dotty P

.jsOffDisplayBlock { display: block; } .jsOffDisplayInline { display: inline; } .jsOffVisibility { visibility: visible; } .jsOnDisplayBlock { display: none; } .jsOnDisplayNoneBlock { display: block; } .jsOnDisplayNoneInline { display: inline; } .jsOnDisplayInline { display: none; } .jsOnVisibility { visibility: hidden; } .jqOnDisplayBlock { display: none; } .jqOnDisplayInline { display: none; } .jqOnVisibility { visibility: hidden; } .jqOnDisplayNoneBlock { display: block; } .jqOnDisplayNoneInline { display: inline; }

Customer Discussions

This product's forum

Discussion	Replies	Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight

Start a new discussion

Topic:

First post:

Receive e-mail when new posts are made

Prompts for sign-in

Guidelines

Active discussions in related forums

Discussion	Replies	Latest Post
fiction discussion forum Spend an erotic night of BDSM, Domination/submission, and exhibition with Jim and Kay this weekend..	48	9 minutes ago
fiction discussion forum Self-published books: pain or gain?	6127	1 hour ago
fiction discussion forum Come on - why don't we write our own book right here in the fiction forum ? I'll do the first sentence, and then jump in....hold on, here we go...	7216	6 hours ago
fiction discussion forum Nobody reads on the loo do they ? not really - and yet so many people have books in the loo !	19	9 hours ago
fiction discussion forum What is the POINT of zombie novels, exactly?	135	10 hours ago
fiction discussion forum Can anyone recommend a good book	108	10 hours ago
fiction discussion forum Novels set in or about pubs?	11	16 hours ago
fiction discussion forum Fed up with all the books not having an Ending?	34	23 hours ago