Sorting Out Billy [Paperback]

Jo Brand (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 10, 2004

Sorting Out Billy is an hilarious novel about the things we do for love and the elaborate combat strategies we devise when it all goes wrong.

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. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Headline Book Publishing (May 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 075532336X
• ISBN-13: 978-0755323364
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 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: #6,870,996 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.