I never know when people don't like me, and I never expect them not to. So I've always been surprised when I irritate people It's a pretty extraordinary outburst, this – replete with references to the impact on his family of the vitriol heaped on him for 2013 sitcom The Wright Way – that Elton tries to rein in, but can't. ("I've done what I never do, which is prove to be over-sensitive …") I offer him a get-out, by emphasising the positive – which is that, to engender such a sharp sense of betrayal, his work was clearly hugely important to people in the first place. And isn't it fascinating that we can invest so much in, and expect so much of, a comedian? Congratulations this another brilliant Ben Elton book .Its has 10 murders ,it is side splitting funny. Set just before the 2017 referendum this about political correctness gone insane. This book is hilarious, sad in parts, and terrifying as it is so easy to see the truth in the humour.

Identity Crisis by Ben Elton | Waterstones Identity Crisis by Ben Elton | Waterstones

Mean that you actually want to kill them. It’s more like “Oh, I disagree with you. Maybe you should think things through more”, that sort of thing.” This is brash, sharp writing. Swear words abound, so look away if you're easily offended. The short snappy chapters keep the story flowing well, and the chapters are titled - love it! More books should have them. outrage and counter-outrage. Everyone was looking for martyrs. Everyone was looking for scapegoats. No one seemed to be in any mood to compromise." MyHome.ie (Opens in new window) • Top 1000 • The Gloss (Opens in new window) • Recruit Ireland (Opens in new window) • Irish Times Training (Opens in new window)The wider world in which the microcosm is occurring is just as crazy - not only have we had the Brexit referendum, but now a similar vote is forthcoming to decide on Britain's future as the United Kingdom, or if it will break up. Both campaigns eagerly fall on every social media trend and news item, spinning it to their cause, to outrageous effect. There were flashes of genius in this book and some great ideas underpinning it all, but the execution let it down badly. It pretty much turned into an essay with ciphers for characters and I just wanted it to end. Ironically, just as he finally had something gripping happening to the characters, the whole thing ended, so what's the moral to this story? Britain’s most talked-about and much-loved TV show was now linked irrevocably with the enablement of sexual abuse. Whether people agreed with that view or not was irrelevant.” Ben Elton: ‘I don’t do trivial observations any more. I’ve run out of them. And I assume everybody’s covered everything by now.’ Photograph: Don Arnold/WireImage The endless conversations on political correctness (in particular pronouns) become repetitive and tedious fast and it reads exactly like how it is: a 60 year old writing for other 60 year olds about da yoof of today.

Elton takes a satirical swipe at a Britain sliding off axis Elton takes a satirical swipe at a Britain sliding off axis

I like to think that Ben Elton usually adds an extra layer of something that might just be true to really elevate a social phenomenon. This one was a little too literal for me, and maybe it's just the age gap showing, but his attempts at levity through his dialogue (usually a huge strength) fell a little flat. I felt like he was trying to explain mindsets and get his audience up to speed on the language and approaches rather than doing anything innovative with them. I'm finally beginning to say something," says Elton, visibly upset. "I haven't said anything for 30 years. But it's been wearying. It just keeps coming around, every interview – 'So do you feel you've sold out?' Tell me what – apart from that Stewart Lee, whoever he is, thinks I have – might make you ask that?" I would have liked more of a focus to the story, which only really got going in the last 1/4 of the book. Reader’s of Elton’s previous novels will recognise many similar ideas used again in this book, particularly from Dead Famous and Past Mortem I would like to preface this review by saying that generally speaking I like Ben Elton and I understand that this book is satire. The problem is, I just can't work out quite what it's trying to satirise, and therefore if I think the satirisation of that issue is something I can or cannot get behind.Ben Elton was born on 3 May 1959, in Catford, South London. The youngest of four, he went to Godalming Grammar school, joined amateur dramatic societies and wrote his first play at 15. He wanted to be a stagehand at the local theatre, but instead did A-Level Theatre Studies and studied drama at Manchester University in 1977.

Ben Elton releases 16th novel, Identity Crisis | Stuff.co.nz Ben Elton releases 16th novel, Identity Crisis | Stuff.co.nz

I'm going to say upfront that while I really enjoyed this book, I'm not sure the humour would be for everyone. Previous satire novels from this author are right up there in my top favourite books ever (Blind Faith and Chart Throb if you are looking for recommendations haha) and this new one has a similar feel to them. However, it is definitely controversial and no doubt would be offensive to some readers in relation to both its themes (identity, pronouns and online rage) as well as profanity (the 'c word' is used a few times, consider yourself warned). Again, like his previous satire novels, the storyline is both ridiculous and yet also scarily believable. The characters are not necessarily likeable, but are highly entertaining. Whoooo boy. Okay. I have some feelings about this book. So many mixed feelings. I've been thinking about it since I finished it last night and I still can't quite decide how I feel about it so bear with me if this review is a mess. I listened to this as an audiobook read by the author, and laughed aloud more than once walking along. Ben Elton is a talented narrator (as well as author), bringing his characters to life with ease. It was not at all a trial to keep up with each story and voice. A perfect audio read, really.I’d hoped this book was going to be a wry, amusing look at the current state of Western society - specifically: vapid celebrity worship, outrage culture and social media witch-hunts, empty and divisive identity politics, and out-of-control political correctness - but unfortunately it’s not. Elton touches on all of those subjects but not in any way I’d say was fun, unique or insightful. And then he wasn't. Nowadays you can't talk about Elton without references to selling out, and to Stewart Lee's notorious routine comparing him with Osama bin Laden, who "at least lived his life according to a consistent set of ethical principles". More on that later: Elton has plenty to say on the subject. But then, he's got plenty to say on every subject. At 60 and a self-described "dad man", the artist formerly known as Motormouth (the title of his 1987 album) is as voluble as ever in the run-up to his first standup tour in 15 years.

Identity Crisis by Ben Elton | Goodreads

I’ve never given such a low rating to a Ben Elton book but I would’ve given up on it if it wasn’t written by him. I was hoping it was going somewhere, but unfortunately not really. He never meant to stay away so long. But his three kids were growing up, he was living mainly in Fremantle, Australia, his wife Sophie's home town. He had his writing to occupy him: 16 novels now, not to mention three series of Shakespeare sitcom Upstart Crow (plus a stage version, opening in the West End early next year). Which partly explains why he is "as scared as I get" to return to standup. "Which is not proper scared," he clarifies. "When I started as a comedian, 38 years ago, standup was very, very rough. That was proper scary. If I hadn't had my cornflakes by 8am on the day I was compering at the Comedy Store, there was no way I was going to eat."Full disclosure that I read this book because I'm researching reactionary contemporary satire. This book wasn't quite as reactionary as you might anticipate from the book cover, however. It's less Old Man Yells At Cloud and more 'well, isn't this all a bit befuddling?' The focus is very muddled, and the narrative completely loses steam halfway through.