Mum Can You Lend Me Twenty Quid? is the true story by Elizabeth Burton-Phillips of what drugs did to her family. The prologue described the knock at the door late one night, the police – one of her twin sons has died. Although this Prologue intended to encourage the reader to read on, I felt that it didn’t need it. I had already picked up the book because of the title and back cover.

The book starts off by describing the twins and their family. Average was the word that sprang to mind. Elizabeth describes the closeness of the twins and how they were lovely children. Elizabeth describes some of the warm, funny, close memories that she had of her young children and of family life at that time.

Then she tells the reader about her twins Nick and Simon’s adolescent years. Elizabeth discusses not knowing about their Cannabis use and Simon writes sections explaining what was really going on. He describes the early life style of his teenage years and how the little lies started to grow in to more elaborate complex lies.

Elizabeth describes how she felt as her sons became young adults, started to live independently and became involved in crime. Elizabeth still unaware of what exactually was going on, but knowing that something wasn’t right. The book continues with extracts from Simon explaining what was actually going on and how him and his twin brother progressed to become addicted to heroin.

Elizabeth then tells of how she coped with the addiction cycles. She explains the financial cost, the psychological pressure of trying to maintain her Teaching position with very few people knowing about her sons addition and most importantly the worry and anxiety she felt. She then tells the rest of the story with this addiction cycle coming some-what repetitive at points. Throughout the books she gains others perspectives by allowing them to write short sections. Contributers include Nick’s Drug Worker, his Probation Officer, Hostel Workers as well as Simon’s continued input.

Overall it is an emotional journey. It helps you to realise that addiction doesn’t just effect the person with the addiction but their families too. It helps you understand that because of the nature of addiction being a taboo subject it makes families feel isolated and alone, which is partly why she wrote the book.

The other reason she wrote the book is to make Nick’s life (the twin that tragically died) not be in vein. She describes that perhaps without the death of Nick, Simon would have never got drug free. They were too closely intertwined. The final few chapters of the book describe what the family have done since the death of Nick. The good work in setting up a charitable foundation, speaking at various conferences and even being a consultant for the UK government around UK drug policy. If you would like to read Mum Can You Lend Me Twenty Quid? by Elizabeth Burton-Phillips, you can buy it at Amazon.

Having watched all of Ricky Gervais live tours (available here in a complete box set: Ricky Gervais – Live – Animals/Politics/Fame [DVD] [2003]) and found them both cleaver and humourous I decided to buy the complete boxset of Extras.

The first series introduces Andy an extra who desperately wants to be an actor and will do anything to “get a line”. The humor in this series is created by the situations Andy gets himself in to as tries to convince others give him a line. One of the funniest scenes is were Andy is working as an extra in a war film directed by Ben Stiller. The film is telling a true-life story of a man who lost his wife during a war in a country torn apart by violence. As the man stirs at a photo of his dead wife and beings to talk about her Andy responds rather awkwardly starting by saying “about that line…” and gives him a £15 Boots gift voucher. We are also introduced to other characters.

Maggie is Andy’s best friend and even funnier than Andy in my opinion. Maggie is also an extra with a rather lovely but wacky view on the world. In the first series it focuses around Maggies love life. Unfortunately she is unsuccessful at finding a man in the first series, but you find yourself wanting her to find someone. You find yourself being to care for her happiness. Also introduced in the first series is Andy’s agent, a geeky, weird character. Enough said.

The second series shows that Andy progressed and has a sitcom commissioned by a BBC. Its a sketch style programme with a catch phrase “Is he having a laugh?” Simliar to Little Britain and The Catherine Tate Show now I come to think about it. However Andy is still not happy.

Andy wants both creditability (recognition from his peers) and celebrity status (being recognised on the street). The humor is found by the awkward situations Andy gets himself in to, such as agreeing to visit a ill child. Andy begins to become self-important and arrogant. He doesn’t have much time for Maggie and at one point when an extra comes to him asking for “a line” he has the extra sacked. Andy decides in order to get the credibility he strongly desires that he will give up the sitcom. We start to severely dislike Andy as he sells out all who have stood by him, including his manager for a more business-like trendy one. By the end of the second series we have mixed feelings about Andy, we have gone from sympathy and laughing (in the first series) to dislike and wanting to pick him up and shake him for being so self-centred (in the second series).

The final episode which is a Christmas Special, Andy has been out of work for eight months following his decision to end his sitcom. He decides to do a few things to keep his public profile up – including being an alien slug in Dr. Who which is hilarious. He ends up in celebrity big brother and suddenly realises the error of his ways. He walks out of big brother and heads off to the airport with Maggie to give a feel good ending.

Throughout the entire boxset Ricky has enlisted the help of famous celebrities including actors, fellow comedians, TV personalities, etc. Sometimes it was appropriate and added realism to the scenes, whereas other times it felt as if Ricky was trying to capitalise on their status and fan base – particularly in the first series. Some reviewers have dubbed Extras a comedy classic, I don’t know if quite reaches that status as a comedy known by all. Would you make it a comedy classic?

You can buy Extras Boxset from Amazon. Write another review soon,

Antony

An Evening With John Barrowman was a Christmas present to myself. It was recorded in Glasgow, Scotland which was appropriate as John’s family are originally from there.

He entered the stage wearing a jacket and trousers made out of a silver, silky-looking material which were tailored and very stylish. This combined with a tight black shirt and his white cheeky smile made him look very sexy indeed. (Definitely good eye candy!)

He performed a range of covers from his album Music Music Music. I enjoyed the ballets that seemed to suit his voice but felt it that both the album and performance would have benefited from some original songs.

During the breaks between songs John talked about his life and private family photos were projected on to a screen behind the stage. He seemed to want the audience to know more about him, his past and how he got to be where he is today. He mentioned his autobiography I am What I am, his time as Captain Jack Harness (see Torchwood – The Collection (Series 1-3) [DVD] & Torchwood – Children of Earth [DVD]) and towards the end even brought his parents up on stage.

Overall I enjoyed the show and was glad I bought it. I will watch it time and time again. Although his songs could have been original rather than covers, his charisma and sex appeal makes up for this. There is a part on the DVD were John shows that he knows his sex appeal as he turns and shakes his bum for a few seconds (causing me to say Wow!).

You can buy An Evening With John Barrowman on Amazon.

Review more things soon,

Antony

For Christmas I treated my to The Enemy by Charlie Higson. It tells the story of a world were all adults have become sick and turned in to stupid crazed children-eating monsters. The disease effecting the adults doesn’t effect children under fourteen. You are quickly absorbed in to this world and meet two groups of children living on the outskirts of London. The first group lives in Waitrose and the second in Morrisons.

You soon discover that when the children go in to the streets scavenging for food that it is unsafe, filled with diseased and disgusting adults looking hungrily at them. There is real fear of danger amongst the children as they are being picked off one by one, weakest first.

As the many children characters are introduced each with their own attributes, skills and personalities you begin to care for them. One night outside of the Waitrose a lone child is being attacked by the adults. The Waitrose group rescue him and he tells them and the Morrison group of a place of safety: Buckingham Palace. The adults start off slow moving, unorganised and stupid meaning the children who are more intelligent and faster moving have the advantage. Although don’t let this fool you as if -or should I say when they get hold of the children they are much stronger and brutal. Some characters discover this for themselves as they meet a bloody end. As you continue to read the story you see the adults starting to get more organised and efficient and one seems to stand out. Is it possible these monsters have a leader?

You join the children as they head out with their destination set for Buckingham Palace. But will they make it? And will it really be safe? And if it is safe – will it what the children expect? The book becomes a page-turner that you are unable to put down as you follow the many twists, turns and surprises. At one point, I simply couldn’t put it down. I finished the 407 page book in two days.

As you finally reach the end you are left with questions as you discover that this book is the first in a series of books. You can buy The Enemy by Charlie Higson on Amazon.

Hope you enjoyed the review,

Antony

I originally discovered Jenny Colgan by picking up here book Where Have All the Boys Gone? I loved it and was unable to put it down! So when I saw her latest book Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend in a local supermarket, I couldn’t resist picking it up.

The book tells the story of a socialite-IT-girl Sophie Chesterton whose life evolves around parties, clothes, diamonds and all things shiny and sparklie, all paid for by her rich father. All seems perfect in Sophie’s world until disaster strikes, daddy’s gone and so is daddy’s money. Sophie is forced for the first time in her life to slum it: moving in with University students, having to clean to pay her way (rather than have a housemaid), working long hours in a low paid job photographing page 3 models (rather than her voluntary work in an excluse fashion photographers), etc.

In the book you follow Sophie’s journey as she deals with her fathers death, builds a relationship with her step mother, discovers love, makes new friends and rediscovers old ones, finding out about the interesting and funny experiences that happen along the way. One particularly funny scene is when Sophie uses oven cleaner to clean the toilet, one of the boy students she lives with uses the toilet and Sophie hear’s a scream from the bathroom. Hilarious!

In the end you come to care for Sophie and really appreciate the journey and life changing experiences she undertakes along the way. If you love chick-flick-books, a bit of entertaining, light reading, you’ll love this book.

Take Care,

Antony