Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Jack is my hero!, 2 April 2007
I'm a young professional, 23, living in London and was given the book by a friend I met at university. She told me I might be able to use it for inspiration - and when I read it I completely fell in love with the character of Jack Lancaster. In fact, I liked the book so much I felt compelled to write a review of it.
From the first few pages where he stops to re-evaluate his life "Yes: I'm a tosspot" to his heartbreakingly hilarious semi-breakdown and drunken resignation from his high-paid city job, through to his ultimate redemption after a tragic turn of events that force him to realise what's truly important in life, I laughed and cried all the way through. There is so much embittered honesty in his observations about modern life. This one passage had me in hysterics,
"I started going to the gym recently and it was fun, at first... there are the overweight women who look like they were poured into their lycra and forgot to say when; the work-shy layabouts spending their dole money on Lucozade; the bored housewives who drive to the gym, walk on a treadmill whilst watching MTV, eat a Mars bar to celebrate the successful completion of their exercise routine, and then drive home again."
I think he struck a nerve in my own shameful vanity... But there's a lot of heart too. Essentially he's just a young, confused guy just trying to work out his place in life and struggling to understand all of life's little absurdities.
The one thing I would have to say is that it can be very crude, and perhaps not for the squeamish or faint-hearted, especially when it comes to sex. Jack's tell-it-like-it-is style may not be for everyone, but you can't deny his truthfulness. Jack can also be a bit of a b*stard sometimes, and I often found myself wondering if he was really an entirely sympathetic narrative character, but in the end I realised that it was this complexity that made the book all the more satisfying, and when he comes good in the end you can't help but feel somehow redeemed yourself. There's a little, maybe a lot, of Jack in all of us, and if you're young, running low on your idealism and need a funny, outrageous and strangely moving pick me up, then this is definitely a great read.
It's very uncompromising and doesn't pull its punches, so I guess it's one of those love it or hate it kind of books. I certainly know which side I'm on!
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliantly witty, accurate and a cracking read, 30 Mar 2007
I read Twenty Something recently after it had been highly recommended to me by several friends and colleagues - like them, I became an instant fan after the first few paragraphs. As a twenty something living in London myself, I was amazed by how accurately Hollingshead portrays this world. Equally though, this book should appeal to any generation and you certainly do not have to be a Londoner to appreciate it - in fact, non-Londoners will love the witty send-up of elements of London life and society. Hilarious and addictive - I didn't want it to end. Sequel please!
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Twenty something's must read! , 6 Feb 2009
I got this book from the staff recommended shelf in books etc. Reading the first few pages in the store was enough to persuade me to take this home away with me at RRP - Not something I'd normally do I must admit, nowadays my key source for books is amazon; not only because they sells less than RRP, but also the opportunity to look at other readers' comments - the crowd in most cases is always the best critic.
If you are a twenty something who is somewhat unsure about your career, it's a must-read. Not that it'd necessarily give you instant insipration of what you should do, but it's a fun read. The character in the book works in the financial industry, but this book is not the liar's poker type - its appeal is much wider than the i-bankers/ pricing monkeys.
This book was an instant hit with my loved one too, he finished the whole book in one sitting, in his flight from jfk to lhr.
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