Reviews for Taking Leave
Sue Townsend 31.08.07 (author of Adrian Mole and Queen Camilla)
Taking Leave is a glorious celebration of human frailty. It is funny, moving, and clever, and exposes uncomfortable truths about the record industry.'
Stephen Fry - http://www.stephenfry.com
"Jeremy Thomas is a complete original. His writing, like his life, is a whirlwind of brilliance, wonder and blunder, by turns, hilarious and terrifying. Highly recommended"
"Taking Leave is funny, intelligent, moving and elegantly crafted. If you are interested in the record business, in lives out of control, or the plaintive and absurd realities of human nature then Thomas is your man. "
P. Henry wrote on Amazon about Taking Leave as:
"It is a long time since I have read a book which is erudite, engaging throughout, tightly written and makes me laugh out loud - but "Taking Leave" is all those things. Regardless of whether the reader has an insight into the record business, this is a very funny and completely gripping story of slow and irrecoverable decline in disaster through ego mania mixed with inferiority feelings and human frailty.
The central character Tim Lomax is very reminiscent of John Self in Martin Amis' Money and the scrapes he gets into are similar too - in scale and nature. If you liked "Money", you will love this. It's a page-turning feast. "
Darren Borthwick, Lancashire
The journey we experience in Taking Leave is exhilarating and at times troubling. How many people do we know suffer from depression? If you met Tim Lomax, would you know how troubled he was? There is a worm in his head and it's eating away at his very existence.
Jeremy Thomas takes you into a young man's world and plays with your emotions to extremes you have to read for yourself.
The exquisite details of the feelings within a troubled relationship are explored in great detail and the way Thomas plays with you on the journey is something to be admired. I really bought into Tim Lomax, his world and the way his illness affects it. The way Thomas uses humour to illustrate points is particularly poignant at times and goes to show how fragile human nature can be, laughing one minute and at the depths of despair the next.
If you want a great read and an insight into a truly terrifying illness then Taking Leave is the book for you.
Steven Harris, London
I have just finished reading this novel and can see why it has been awarded book of the month! It is a truly commendable first novel. I truly felt for the main character Lomax. He was portrayed masterfully. This novel will take you on a journey and you will want to keep reading beyond the final page!
Luke Massey (London)
From the offset I could relate to this book, so read with total obsession to say the least. It is definitely a roller coaster ride of emotions for the reader, in fact at one point on the train home I could feel myself welling up and had to actually tell myself ‘to keep it together’ because the lady opposite me started staring in a concerned but equally embarrassing way. I’ve read a lot of these reviews and one thing that keeps coming out is the obvious manic depression angle, is this all people get out of this book? I hope not.
It is a fascinating read about an important part of one mans life, we read about everything from his dreams to his nightmares, his loves and his fears. Sure his manic depression is a big part of who he is and which makes him do what he does but I find the situations he gets himself in and out of a lot more compelling to read about then the reasons behind it. I also found this book very funny, some people say they don’t like the character Tim Lomax or find him unlovable, I saw myself in that character (and most people I know who have read it do as well) and found him charming, witty, and more to the point real, the way all anti-heroes should be. I could write all day about this book, about how London seemed so real and alive, and even though I was not alive when the book was set, I felt like I actually had memories of it because the descriptions are so real.
The more I think about it, the whole book has a real pulse to it with a haunting soul floating around the top for good measure. In short it’s a great read, not just a lads book, and for Gods sake can someone else find it as funny as I do so I don’t feel like I’m missing the point!
Sarah London
It's a fantastic book. It takes a serious subject and deals with it in an often humorous way. It's very compassionate towards its characters as well. The tone is excellently handled and changes - from the hilarious frenetic confident start - to the poignant grown up ending. I really recommend it an engrossing read for the dark winter months when you need some
P. Henry wrote on Amazon about Taking Leave as:
It is a long time since I have read a book which is erudite, engaging throughout, tightly written and makes me laugh out loud - but "Taking Leave" is all those things. Regardless of whether the reader has an insight into the record business, this is a very funny and completely gripping story of slow and irrecoverable decline in disaster through ego mania mixed with inferiority feelings and human frailty.
The central character Tim Lomax is very reminiscent of John Self in Martin Amis' Money and the scrapes he gets into are similar too - in scale and nature. If you liked "Money", you will love this. It's a page-turning feast.
Duncan Williams - InChelsea.com magazine
"Jeremy Thomas is one of those rare events we fashionably term 'a new writing talent', in that he has genuine wit, literary skill and is simply a good old fashioned, can't wait to turn the next page, author... The only question we are left asking is; "why did it take so long to 'discover' this gifted wordsmith?"
Taking Leave voted Radio 5's book of the month - January 2007
http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/entertainment/mayosbookpanel/month/jan2007
Music Week (about Taking Leave)
"Highly recommended "
Reviews
"Jeremy Thomas is a complete original. His writing, like his life, is a whirlwind of brilliance, wonder and blunder, by turns, hilarious and terrifying. Highly recomended".
Stephen Fry
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