June has arrived and still lock down drags on. So we’ve gone for something a little different as our Book of the Month as I think we are all a bit bored of ‘same’ at the moment. Diary of a Somebody by Brian Bilston is a fictional diary with a smattering of poems thrown in for good measure. Poetry, now there is something we haven’t done before!
Diary of who?
Brian Bilston has been described as the ‘poet laureate of Twitter’ and if you don’t follow him already you really should (@brian_bilston). Be aware however that BB is a non de plume as the man behind the words prefers to remain anonymous. No wonder he’s compared to Banksy!
Whoever he is, Diary of a Somebody was shortlisted for the 2019 Costa First Novel Award. Being part love story, part murder mystery and part comedy it will no doubt appeal to a lot of people, and then of course there is the poetry. Come read along with us and find out why you might suddenly have a craving for custard creams…
Diary of a Somebody– the blurb
It’s January 1st and Brian Bilston’s life needs to change. His ex-wife has taken up with a new man, a motivational speaker and marketing guru to boot; he seems to constantly disappoint his long-suffering son; and at work he is drowning in a sea of spreadsheets and management jargon.
Brian’s resolution is to write a poem every day; poetry will be his salvation. But there is an obstacle to his happiness in the form of Toby Salt, his arch nemesis in the Poetry Group and rival suitor to Liz, Brian’s new poetic inspiration. When Toby goes missing, Brian is the number one suspect.
Part tender love story, part murder mystery, part coruscating description of a wasted life, and interspersed with some of the funniest poems about the mundane and the profound, Diary of a Somebody is a unique, original and hilarious novel.
Join Us…
We will be sharing our Big Review of Diary of a Somebody on 26th June. A series of Book Club questions will also be around for you to answer on 25th. Don’t wait until then though, we would love to know your marks out of ten as soon as you have read it. So grab your copy and read along with us.