Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #498155 in Books
• Published on: 2003-06-23
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
In his weekly Guardian column, Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About, Mil Millington archly chronicles the domestic dialectical antagonisms of life with his German partner, Margret. Although this novel, confusingly, shares the same title as the column and its central characters, Pel Dalton and Ursula Krötenjäger, are an Anglo-German couple not averse to disagreement, it is, without wishing to make a blindingly obvious point, a work of fiction. Millington's customarily whimsical take on contemporary gender relations is, of course, much in evidence but some of the sharper comedy here actually occurs beyond the familial settings. In certain respects the book has possibly more in common with the wry, mild-mannered satire of the Ealing films or David Nobbs' Reginald Perrin than the novels of Tony Parsons, Nick Hornby and co. (At one point Millington, though no doubt entirely unintentionally, even pilfers a classic Perrin gag.)

The book's narrator and protagonist, Pel, is a slightly hapless father of two who works in a library, or in modern parlance a "Learning Centre", at the University of North-Eastern England ("UoNe to its friends"). When his boss Terry Steven Russell ("TSR") vanishes from the University not long after babbling about extradition treaties during a game of Lazer Wars, Pel is promoted to Computer Team Administration, Software Acquisition and Training Manager (or "CTASATM" for short.) While the post pays no more money and he still has to do his old job as well, it does mean his partner Ursula, an affectionate if exacting German, can forge ahead with long-cherished plans to move house. Needless to say neither moving nor dealing with disgruntled colleagues and negotiating the university's slippery corporate structure prove easy. But as the latter finds Pel embroiled in acting as courier for the Triads, presiding over a scheme to build a new extension over a historical burial site and hiding a deadly nerve gas under its foundations, what he and his girlfriend argue about rather pales into insignificance. --Travis Elborough

Review
'A brilliantly written comedy. A novel that manages to be both funny and affectionate' -- Guardian 'With his tear-inducing humour, Millington has tapped into the zeitgeist, Helen Fielding-style.' -- Vogue 20020901 'While books that claim to be 'laugh-out-loud funny' are legion, ones such as this that actually are are rarer than molars on a Rhode Island Hen ... There is little to say about coupledom that is not wittily and often movingly explored here. Sharply-written, brilliantly observed and absolutely hilarious.' -- Wendy Holden, Daily Mail 20021025 'A fantastic debut - a funny and heart-warming comedy about love, fatherhood and being in the wrong places at all the wrong times.' -- Essentials 20021101 'Insightful and wickedly funny.' -- Heat 20021001 'The plot escalates with all the shameless hyperbole needed to fuel a really good row ... This is a very funny book.' -- Observer 20021013 'Compulsive reading ... drenched in self-deprecating humour.' -- Metro 20021007 'Mil Millington's comic timing is spot-on in this laugh-out-loud warm-hearted and engaging novel.' -- Publishing News 20021007 'A very funny look at relationships.' -- Company 20021101 'It's impossible not to laugh out loud at the Anglo-German quips and world-weary observations that tumble off the page' -- Guardian 20021109 'A brilliant, thoroughly urbane hoot' -- The Big Issue in the North 20021005 'A funny and touching read' -- Hello 20030107 'Hilarious and insightful ... Realistic and acerbic, this first novel is bound to receive a lot of attention.' -- Bookseller 20020726 'Mil Millington's legendary bust-ups with his long-term lover ... have now spawned a madcap novel.' -- In Style 20020726 'It's really funny' -- Daily Express 20021101 'A surprise hit ... a quirky little comedy.' -- Mirror 20020928 'Guaranteed to raise a smile' -- Irish News 20021007 'Funny ... moves at a cracking pace' -- Sunday Mirror 20021027 'A comedy of relationships in all their confusions' -- Sunday Life 20021201 'I don't normally quote for fiction, but as clearly all Mil has done in the way of fiction here is change the name 'Mil' to the name 'Pel', I have no compunction whatsoever in pointing out that this is completely hilarious.' -- Jenny Colgan 20021201

Guardian
'It's impossible not to laugh out loud at the Anglo-German quips and world-weary observations that tumble off the page'

Customer Reviews

THIS IS A VERY FUNNY BOOK - NO ARGUMENT!
Mil`s observations on the ridiculious nature of human relationships and male sexuality make this book a joy to read - the observations of college life with their ludicrious structures and time serving officialdom are spot on - the finale takes us into a flight of fancy which takes off into the stratosphere - we may have slight reservations but it makes for a highly enjoyable and entertaining ride!

Mick Drake author of the comic novel All`s Well at Wellwithoute

Tears of laughter!
I found this book in a second hand book shop in Thailand and bought it to kill a few hours on a coach. The first chapter had me in hysterics much to the annoyance of the Italian woman who had to sit next to me for a few hundred miles.

Each sentence seems to build upon the last joke and the entire book is filled with gut wrenchingly dry wit and sarcasm. I read most of it aloud as my friend couldn't stand not knowing what I was laughing at.

Very well written, definitely my kind of humour and so hard to read with a straight face. Comic genius!!

Witty
You really couldn't help but like this book. Pel was such a funny character to follow lurching from one comical disaster to another, burying his head further in the sand as the story went on. Flanked by a very amusing set of work colleagues, friends and family this was an enjoyable read not to be taken too seriously!