As a baby, Simon Gray discovered that he could move his pram while still nestling inside it. 'It was a complete mystery to the adult intelligences, how had he done it, if it was he who had done it, but if not he, who then and why? So the next afternoon they (Mummy and Nanny) planted the pram in the usual spot, and stood over it, watching - the baby lay there smiling or snivelling up at them, until it struck them that they should try observing the baby when unobserved by the baby, and they withdrew behind bushes and trees etc; and thus witnessed the swaying of the pram, then the juddering of the pram, then its slow, unsteady progress along the path, the movement accompanied by a low humming and keening sound from within that reminded them more of a dog than a human...jouncing was the word they used for it. I was a jouncer therefore.' In these, the latest chronicles of triumph and disaster from the celebrated author of "The Smoking Diaries", Gray intertwines scenes from his adult and his childish self to produce a brilliant and moving counterpoint of life's unsteady progress.
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'Long may Simon Gray continue to jounce' -- The Stage
‘A trenchant, funny and surprisingly mellow book’ -- Daily Mail
‘A wonderful book, hilarious and poignant in turn’ -- Time Out
‘Certain to be one of the funniest books of the year’ -- London Review of Books
‘Gray’s a very cunning craftsman. But also, thank goodness, a very funny one’ -- The Scotsman
‘His lack of bounce is as sympathetic and entertaining as ever’ -- The Guardian
‘Laugh at his triumphs, weep at his disasters’ -- Tatler
‘Long and vigorously may he continue to jounce’ -- Literary Review
‘One of the great modern memoirists’ -- Daily Telegraph
‘You will be lucky to find a more delicious read this year’ -- Sunday Telegraph
‘A trenchant, funny and surprisingly mellow book’ -- Daily Mail
‘A wonderful book, hilarious and poignant in turn’ -- Time Out
‘Certain to be one of the funniest books of the year’ -- London Review of Books
‘Gray’s a very cunning craftsman. But also, thank goodness, a very funny one’ -- The Scotsman
‘His lack of bounce is as sympathetic and entertaining as ever’ -- The Guardian
‘Laugh at his triumphs, weep at his disasters’ -- Tatler
‘Long and vigorously may he continue to jounce’ -- Literary Review
‘One of the great modern memoirists’ -- Daily Telegraph
‘You will be lucky to find a more delicious read this year’ -- Sunday Telegraph
Book Description
Simon Gray reads the second volume of his much-praised The Smoking Diaries, full of wit and worry and as irresistible as ever.
--This text refers to the
Audio CD
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First Sentence
Here I am, sitting at my table, pigeons hopping about in the sun, little birds with yellow chests settling on the rim of my fruit punch, in front of me the sea in Caribbean blue and green, and from it the occasional purr and cough of small boats, the roar of a speedboat, brief and violent, and behind me the clatter of waiters laying tables while they talk to each other in incomprehensible Bajan -everything very much as you hope it will be when you're in London during Christmas, longing to be here. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Here I am, sitting at my table, pigeons hopping about in the sun, little birds with yellow chests settling on the rim of my fruit punch, in front of me the sea in Caribbean blue and green, and from it the occasional purr and cough of small boats, the roar of a speedboat, brief and violent, and behind me the clatter of waiters laying tables while they talk to each other in incomprehensible Bajan -everything very much as you hope it will be when you're in London during Christmas, longing to be here. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By L. Hennessy
TOP 100 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
This is volume two of Gray's diaries. The first is The Smoking Diaries, and the third is The Last Cigarette.
I really enjoyed getting to know SG in the first volume, and the familiarity I have with him now made this even more enjoyable. He writes more about theatre in this volume, and he examines his own behaviour a lot more, too.
There's a real sense of being there with him as he writes - at one point he's describing what's actually happening as he's writing (a couple looking at him) as he writes it, not watching the pen on paper, which was so vividly 'in the moment' that it almost seemed like some kind of hallucination. Almost ;)
He's impeccably honest, and the writing style is something to savour - he's spent so many years writing that he writes effortless sentences that read like trains of thought - fascinating and funny - that just flow. There's a natural ease of expression that gets you happily going along with it all. I smiled all the way through.
Recommended for those who don't like autobiographies - I don't, but I loved this; it's an easy, entertaining read that was over far too quickly. Great for the beach - if you're off to Barbados it might be worth taking, as SG spent his holidays there, and quite a few of his entries are written there. Time for me to buy the third volume, I think...
I really enjoyed getting to know SG in the first volume, and the familiarity I have with him now made this even more enjoyable. He writes more about theatre in this volume, and he examines his own behaviour a lot more, too.
There's a real sense of being there with him as he writes - at one point he's describing what's actually happening as he's writing (a couple looking at him) as he writes it, not watching the pen on paper, which was so vividly 'in the moment' that it almost seemed like some kind of hallucination. Almost ;)
He's impeccably honest, and the writing style is something to savour - he's spent so many years writing that he writes effortless sentences that read like trains of thought - fascinating and funny - that just flow. There's a natural ease of expression that gets you happily going along with it all. I smiled all the way through.
Recommended for those who don't like autobiographies - I don't, but I loved this; it's an easy, entertaining read that was over far too quickly. Great for the beach - if you're off to Barbados it might be worth taking, as SG spent his holidays there, and quite a few of his entries are written there. Time for me to buy the third volume, I think...
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By John H
Format:Paperback
This style may be copied but it'll never be surpassed. Simon Gray was a one-off and as much as The Smoking Diaries is the best of these autobiographical studies, The Year of the Jouncer is great fun. The worst thing about his books is they end too soon.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Caren Firth
Format:Paperback
Lots of interesting and quirky thoughts and plenty of insight into the playwright's life and business, along with amusing anecdotes concerning Simon Gray's friends (most of whom are famous and interesting in themselves). A lovely chatty style, an easy read, a most interesting and attractive person - what more could you want? However, for chronological reasons, I'd read first The Smoking Diaries, which is also excellent.
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