Author:Paul Reizin
Paul Reizin is living proof that it is possible to find happiness through the lonely hearts column in a newspaper. So is his wife. And their baby.
Date Expectations tells the hilarious true story of some of the most disastrous dates in the history of courtship, as Paul sets out on an increasingly fraught quest to leave singledom behind ... These include the date with the psycho hippy nutter; the date who didn't turn up; the world's shortest date; and the date with a face like a bag of spanners.
Learn to interpret the secret language of the lonely hearts columns (e.g. 'bubbly' = fat). Learn how to read between the lines of a recorded message - fine tune your radar for those tell-tale references to cats and anger-management classes. And much, much more ...
Remember - blind dating is like life. By the time you've learned how to do it properly, you no longer need to . . .
'This witty account of his voyage through the personal ads is not only entertaining, it's full of useful hints...Best of all, it's hopeful - a real-life story with a happy ending'
—— You magazine'Hilarious'
—— Daily Mirror (four stars)Touching and witty
—— Star Magazine[An] exquisitely written memoir
—— Paul Bailey , Sunday TimesDestined to become a classic of Scots childhood... A beautiful read, but also a brutal one
—— Scotland on SundaySuperbly written; poetic in the best sense, summoning up a world of terror and beauty
—— Literary ReviewThis account of a failed father-son relationship is written with extraordinary beauty and insight... His is a profound meditation on the life of the spirit, and the shadows we all carry in our hearts
—— Bel Mooney , The TimesMarvellously written scenes...few people write more hauntingly... His prose has a poet's delicacy and fine-honed precision
—— Tim Jeal , Daily TelegraphAnyone who has read Gosse, Ackerley or Tobias Wolff will know that big books can be made about small-time fathers. It's a tribute to Burnside that he maps this same territory and prompts these comparisons while creating a story that is uniquely his
—— Blake Morrison , GuardianThis is a haunting read that will linger long after you close the pages of this book
—— Michelle Stanistreet , Daily ExpressPowerful
—— The Sunsounds like a spoof of French Women Don't Get Fatbut it's serious one-upmanship...the diet book fad sweeping Australia
—— Sydney Morning HeraldMoriyama's book is a compelling wake-up call
—— Sunday Telegraph (Australia)Brimming with easy recipes and lifestyle tips
—— Sunday Express Magazine