About this ebook
'Fascinating and hugely entertaining'
Daily Telegraph
'It's not like other comedians' memoirs. It's funny'
Guardian
The Sayles might not have been the only Jewish atheist communist family in Liverpool, but Alexei knew from an early age that they were one of the more eccentric.
Born on the day egg rationing came to an end, Alexei was the only child of Joe, an affable trade unionist who led the family on railway expeditions across eastern Europe, and Molly, a hot-tempered red-head who terrified teachers and insisted Alexei see the Red Army Choir instead of the Beatles.
Perceptive and hilarious, this is a portrait of a family, a city, a country and a continent going through enormous changes.
'Sayle's book has charm and substance, both as memoir and history'
Times Literary Supplement
Daily Telegraph
'It's not like other comedians' memoirs. It's funny'
Guardian
The Sayles might not have been the only Jewish atheist communist family in Liverpool, but Alexei knew from an early age that they were one of the more eccentric.
Born on the day egg rationing came to an end, Alexei was the only child of Joe, an affable trade unionist who led the family on railway expeditions across eastern Europe, and Molly, a hot-tempered red-head who terrified teachers and insisted Alexei see the Red Army Choir instead of the Beatles.
Perceptive and hilarious, this is a portrait of a family, a city, a country and a continent going through enormous changes.
'Sayle's book has charm and substance, both as memoir and history'
Times Literary Supplement
Ratings and reviews
4.3
9 reviews
Denis Southall
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July 10, 2023
Alexie seemed somewhat sad, bemused, anxious and lonely most of the time.... just like myself.
Max Collins
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December 1, 2016
Interesting family life and upbringing punctuated regularly with funny observations.
Anthony Gelatka
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January 1, 2013
Easy to read and light
About the author
Born in Liverpool, the only child of Communist parents, Alexei moved to London in 1971 to attend Chelsea Art School. He became the first MC of the Comedy Store and later the Comic Strip. After years of stand-up, television, sitcoms, films and even a hit single, he published his first highly acclaimed collection of short stories. BARCELONA PLATES was followed by THE DOG CATCHER, two novels: OVERTAKEN and THE WEEPING WOMEN HOTEL and a novella, MISTER ROBERTS.
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