Awkward Situations for Men by Danny Wallace

So after a pile of uni work had been completed and submitted I decided it was time to read something from my 'casual reads' line of books and so a book by TV and radio personality Danny Wallace was to be read.

Having read 'Yes Man' in the past, I made the correct assumption that this would be light but enjoyable.

Danny Wallace is a shy man who says things at the wrong time and accentually lets it slip that his friend (A) who shares a birthday with another friend (B) has bought a pricey present for B and that B should now buy something equally as expensive all resulting in a horrible outcome. Not something you'd expect to happen to someone who spent a year saying yes to everything, but it does and it's rarely pretty, hence Awkward.... In Awkward Situations for Men we are given a documentation of a year Mr. Wallace's life involving the previously mentioned situations along with minor celebs attending private parties, accidentally spitting on people's foreheads and arriving on time.

Being written by Danny Wallace, the book is funny, light-hearted and easy to read, perfect for that quick break in your studies. He's cheeky and cocky but not to the point of annoyance. To add to this the reader is often sat there thinking "Oh no, do NOT even THINK of going there!" yet he still does it, making the reader feel slightly better about themselves.

As the book continues, Mrs. Wallace becomes pregnant and Danny realises he has to grow up and switch beer for tonic water and normal carrots for organic carrots yet, inevitably, things go wrong and an awkward situation appears and when it does we can't help but laugh and feel slightly sorry for the poor man. Sometimes we can even connect with the situations and think to ourselves "Yep, I've done that."

I managed this book in just two sittings, something I haven't managed in a long time, and was worth the hours I lost, engrossed between the words. As a non-fiction writer, Danny Wallace is definitely one of my favourites. A well-recommended writer. If you can't get your hands on this book, have a look out for 'Yes Man'.

Overall rating: 4/5

A quick update

Hello readers,

As you may be able to see/tell, it's been a while since I reviewed a book or uploaded any writing onto my creative writing blog. I am still very much alive but just recently I've had very little motivation to read anything significant (short stories, to me, don't really need to be reviewed) and in Creative Writing/Story and Myth this year we've been planning a story rather than writing weekly pieces. I have written a feww small pieces which I would consider worthy of uploading, however, I've been lazy and not done so. Oops! I'll get those online soon (possibly).

I'm also working on writing up a strict timetable which, if kept to, will provide a significant amount of reading and writing. Additionally, a friend and I have been toying with the idea of a reviews site which will feature multiple reviews. Along with this I'm considering writing some pieces which focus on life in general and my personal views on things within it. This won't be to everyone's tastes but, to remain in context, that's life.

I'm still writing for appleuncovered.com so you can view my news articles and occasional reviews over there if you so wish. In the meantime, feel free to go back over previous reviews and assignments to experience my writer's voice.

For now, goodbye,

Pete