This book is part of the following of my reading list projects:

* 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die [#460]

TBR...

It was interesting to read this soon after reading Kingsley Amis' "Lucky Jim", another novel set at about the same time, featuring a young man trying to find his place in post-war Britain. Although both novels are comic and both protagonists have quirky inner monlogues and are given to trying to fabulate their way out of awkward situations, Waterhouse's book is a significantly more downbeat.

Billy lives with his parents in a small Yorkshire town works and has a mundane clerical job at the local undertakers. Although he posseses a great imagination and some skill at writing, most of the time he uses this just to tell lies to person after person, oblivious to the fact that eventually these are bound to catch up with him.

Although initially I found Billy quite a likeable figure as the novel went on, he demonstrated more and more sociopathic tendencies and a disregard for others' feelings. The only possible exception to this is Liz, the one person is appears he might have genuine affection for.

The ending (which I won't describe here) also bears comparison with Lucky Jim but turns out somewhat differently.

All in all, a funny, sad and, ultimately, quite moving novel.

I picked up this book when UrbanSpaceman arranged a small meet-up especially for me when MrFan and I visited UK and were staying in Surbiton.
We met in "Joy" (an Indian restaurant) where we had the joy of meeting three UK BookCrossers. We've both read the book since then and thorougly enjoyed it.

What a character our Billy is. Love to have seen the film.

SIncere thanks to USM for arranging the meet-up; the food was good and the company great.

RELEASE NOTES:

Released on a seat in a Bus Shelter in Upper Brighton Road, Surbiton.

Travel safely little book.