Sorting Out Billy [Hardcover]

Jo Brand (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 10, 2004

Billy is a lad. He's a laugh, he's loud, he behaves badly and Sarah is besotted with him. But after another 'accident' involving Billy's temper, Sarah's face and a night in the A&E, Sarah's friends Martha and Flower decide that it's time to take action. What should they do? Reason with him? Send him to anger management classes? Hire a hit man? Martha and Flower have problems of their own: Martha is seven months pregnant by one of three possible blokes (she did this mainly to wind up her sanctimonious vicar father); and hippie Flower's career as a stand-up comic is more sit-down after some nasty encounters with south London's finest hecklers. Will Martha survive single-motherhood on a council estate in need of a peace-keeping force? Will Flower find the perfect put-down? And will they sort out Billy before he gets to them first...? Jo Brand tells it like it is in her darkly comic and sharply observed debut novel.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jo Brand is a stand-up comic with many TV and radio shows to her name. She is married with two children and lives in South London.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Review; First Edition edition (May 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 075530666X
• ISBN-13: 978-0755306664
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,163,682 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Puts the "Fun" in Dysfunctionality, February 5, 2006

By 

J. Bouffard "so_cal_jan" (Costa Mesa, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sorting Out Billy (Paperback)

For those who not familiar with British comedienne Jo Brand, this book is a decent introduction to her satirical, biting wit. In her first effort as an author, she tells the story of 3 friends, Martha, Flower, and Sarah. Martha is the product of a dysfunctional family. Her father was the village Vicar (Minister) and revenge against him has been her motive for living. Flower is the duaghter of hippie parents and yearns to be a successful stand up comic, and Sarah has a successful career. Billy is Sarah's boyfriend, who has anger-management problems and needs to be "sorted" according to Martha and Flower.

We follow Martha through her last two months of pregnancy as we wonder, along with her, who fathered her child. We see Flower struggle to hold her own doing her stand-up routine in various London clubs, only to discover that one of the hecklers in her audience is stalking her. We see Sarah and Billy in their relationship issues, and various attempts at interventions by Martha and Flower. As serious as these problems are to each woman, Brand's deliciously wicked observations make them laughable and believable. The vignettes with Martha's mother are hilarious.

If you are not familiar with the English way of life, you may find yourself on the internet looking up various terms -- such as "council house" (public housing). However, if you don't get hung up on those little details, you will find this a fun, easy read.