Product Description

Harry Silver returns to face life in the "blended family." A wonderful new novel about modern times, which can be read as a sequel to the million selling Man and Boy, or completely on its own. Man and Wife is a novel about love and marriage -- about why we fall in love and why we marry; about why we stay and why we go. Harry Silver is a man coming to terms with a divorce and a new marriage. He has to juggle with time and relationships, with his wife and his ex-wife, his son and his stepdaughter, his own work and his wife's fast-growing career. Meanwhile his mother, who stood so steadfastly by his father until he died, is not getting any younger or stronger herself. In fact, everything in Harry's life seems complicated. And when he meets a woman in a million, it gets even more so! Man and Wife stands on its own as a brilliant novel about families in the new century, written with all the humour, passion and superb storytelling that have made Tony Parsons a favourite author in over thirty countries.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #87285 in Books
• Published on: 2008-08-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Man and Wife, the sequel to Tony Parsons' bestselling debut Man and Boy, follows the marital and parental misadventures of Harry Silver, a mawkish North London television producer. Harry has remarried. Second wife, Cyd, and her feisty daughter, Peggy, provide him and his Phantom Menace obsessed son, Pat, with a family. Harry's luck couldn't be better. His television show, Fish on Friday, is a hit and Cyd's posh catering company, Food Glorious Food, is thriving. However, Harry is not the only one starting again. His ex-wife Gina has also remarried. Her partner Richard (who must be the only thirtysomething male on the planet who hates Star Wars) is Pat's "new father." When the couple announce they are moving to America--taking Pat with them--Harry reacts, in time-honoured fashion, by attacking Richard. Separated from his son by the Atlantic and struggling as Peggy's stepfather, Harry begins to yearn for a good old-fashioned "normal, family life"--the kind his lovely old mum and dear departed dad enjoyed. Rather surprisingly, he decides that Kazumi, an attractive Japanese photographer friend of Gina's, could be the answer to his prayers.

Male frailty and the perils of modern parenting are Parsons' forte, but Man and Wife, although occasionally touching, is overburdened by plot twists, unlikely conceits and whiffs of reactionary sentimentality. Parsons' fans are unlikely to be disappointed but, to indulge in a vaguely pertinent comparison, this follow up is definitely more Attack of the Clones than The Empire Strikes Back. --Travis Elborough, Amazon.com

Review
Praise for Man and Boy: 'Wistful, touching and funny, it looks back at the glory days of the family without losing hope for the future. In the end, it is a deeply touching book: a love letter to a son from his father, and to a father from his son' Mail on Sunday 'One of the finest books published this year! Hilarious and tear-jerking in turns' Express Praise for One for my Baby: One for my Baby! covers almost the entire spectrum of human emotion with the same combination of self-deprecating humour and well-intentioned bafflement that endeared Man and Boy to millions of readers.' The Observer 'One For My Baby is stylish, polished, complex and it really gets its teeth into the big issues of sex, love, family and friendship.' The Mirror More praise for Man and Boy: 'Parsons has written a sharp, witty and wise book straight from his heart. His characters are all nitty-gritty, bounce-off-the-page, real people; his dialogue is brilliant' Daily Mail 'A touching novel! full of quiet tenderness, and written from the heart' Independent More praise for One for my Baby: 'Parsons pays eloquent testimony to the dignity, courage and humour of the old and dying, and the way small acts of kindness can give birth to saving grace. He makes the reader care.' Independent on Sunday

From the Publisher
Tony Parson's wonderful character,Harry Silver, returns to face life in the ‘blended family’. A wonderful new novel about modern times, which can be read as a sequel to the million selling Man and Boy, or completely on its own.

Customer Reviews

Good Stuff Man
Tony Parsons introduces us to thirty-year old Harry Silver, "Man and Boy". who seemingly has it all: a beautiful wife, an angelic son and a high-paying job. His life is just about perfect, until one night he casually sleeps with a slim redhead co-worker. After the fateful night, his life falls apart. He is forced to learn what life and love are all about. It is a funny, sharp, warm and moving account of the relationships of one man.
Continuing Harry’s adventures, Parsons returns with a humorous and touching sequel, “Man and Wife”, which finds Harry still struggling with life, love and family demands. Gradually he comes to terms with his divorce, new love and parenthood but encounters more troublesome temptations.
This novel tackles the genuine dilemmas of present times, about why we fall in love and marry, why we stay together or break up. It revolves around the conflicts between parent and child, invasions on personal space, life-threatening accidents and the struggle to remain sane. Parson’s male perspective on love, sex and marriage hits the funny bone and the emotional jugular at the same time. His writing is witty, sharp and engaging and says more about human relationships than a set of self-help books.
Parsons is one of the finest male writers brave and successful enough to tackle contemporary emotional issues. A must for the Daddies and Big Brothers of Harry Potter wannabes everywhere. Ditch the wizardly skills and prepare to enrol in the adult school of the philosophical secrets of growing up and experience the magical order of love and marriage and the spells and prisons of parenthood.

Oh dear........
What a disappointment. Anyone expecting the sequel to Man and Boy to be anywhere as entertaining and readable will be sorely let down.

‘Man and Wife’ continues the story of Harry and his adorable son, his new wife, ex wife and potential new lovers. Unfortunately, where Man and Boy was genuinely moving, funny and believable, Tony Parsons has turned this into a collection of clichés, unlikely plot twists and sugary emotion ready to turn you diabetic.

There is much in the book that made me laugh aloud – but for all the wrong reasons. I just do not believe people talk like they talk in this book and I just couldn’t believe the coincidences that help the help the formulaic story along.

You can’t help thinking Tony wants to throw a bit of everything into the story. Harry was unfaithful in the first book…that worked well so lets do it again in this one. Dad died of lung cancer…… lets give mum breast cancer and so on. It just doesn’t work second time round.

The signs were there with ‘And One for My Baby’. That wasn’t anywhere near as good as ‘Man and Boy’. This is not much good either. Come on Tony, we expect better of you!

Man and Wife
After having read and loved Man and Boy, I couldn't wait to pick up Man and Wife. True to form, Tony Parsons does not disappoint and despite having a nine week old baby, could not put this book down, snatching in a chapter when my daughter slept. It will make you laugh and cry. I was amazed at how this book could have been based on recent events in my life. I love the way Parsons writes about modern day issues, so if you have ever been married, divorced, had children or been part of a step-family, sorry "blended" family, then this book is for you.
I am even trying to convince my husband, (a strictly non-fiction type) to read it. It is that good.