Well, it took me ages to read this book for many reasons, but mainly because it made very little sense. On the back cover “The Spectator” describes it as 'witty, thought-provoking, unputdownable, scintillating etc.'. I thought it weird. I can only describe it as looking at those silly magic eye pictures and seeing absolutely nothing but a mass of dots, and then some bright spark says smugly 'Oh I can see the millennium dome with roses around the door. Can't you see it? Well no I can't. I briefly thought it made a bit of sense just before the end, but I was wrong.
(I'll be surprised if the Editor prints this review as it is one of his favourite books!)
I received this book last year as a Christmas present from a friend. I read the title and felt a little hurt, but was assured it was a story about a man called Henry Pratt and not to take it personally.
Anyway, they were quite right. It is three books in one and has lots of pages! Henry is one of lifes failures, thus the first part is called “Second from Last in the Sack Race” and is about Henry growing up during World War 2.
The second part, called “Pratt of the Argus” is about his army days, his careers, his marriages, children and divorces.
“The Cucumber Man” is the third part and describes his later life and how he comes to terms with it.
It is very witty, thought provoking, unputdownable, scintillating etc. - and this time, it really is.