How to Lose Friends and Alienate People by Toby Young

I recently finished reading Toby Young's 'How to Lose Friends and Alienate People' [Amazon UK|US] - an autobiographical account of what happens when journalist Toby Young uproots his life in London to go and work as a contributing editor for Vanity Fair in New York. Toby Young seems to be one of those people who doesn't really understand why some behaviour in certain situations might not be appropriate. He hobnobs with celebrities and moguls and usually offends them just prior to falling out with them or their minders. He is continually outperformed in the US by his contemporary Alex de Silva, and indeed by pretty much everyone. Naturally, his relationship with Vanity Fair, as with countless dates and the 'best' bars, ends badly.

This is quite a funny book both because the author is decidedly odd which tends to lead to ridiculous situations. I think the author maybe thinks he's pretty funny too. His writing is amusing and throughout the book he uses footnotes to gives historical or political context, e.g. many references to Alexis de Tocqueville, the American dream and the idea that the US is a meritocracy.

Posted by Paul in Recommended Books Entertainment at August 17, 2004 03:37 PM | 5 Comments