Definitely worth getting if you liked his earlier books, 27 Oct 2008
It's quite hard to explain what this book is about without spoiling it. I think I would have been put off by the plot if I had seen it set out [the pitch to the publishers must have been interesting]. And that would be a shame because, as usual, there is a dead-pan, wierdly compelling logic that sort of pulls you in. Eventually I stayed up till 2am to finish it. If you have enjoyed his earlier books you will almost certainly love this one. It's just a pity that it is so short - more of a novella really - and I think there was a lot of scope to take the main idea further. Let's hope that we don't have to wait too long for the next book.

Ello Alexei, got a new alien?, 25 Oct 2008
Another really great book from Alexei Sayle. Short, at 180 pages, but sweet...but with a bitter aftertaste. The characters are fleshed out to a certain extent, in some cases not enough. The most amusing thing about the novel is the detachment with which anything regarding the alien life is presented, it's almost presented as everyday behaviour. I wish the book had been longer, it feels as if there was more to be told. But, overall, recommended.

I, Roberts, 16 Oct 2008
When an alien spaceship crashes in the south of Spain after an intergalactic battle, a young English boy living in the valley's English community discovers one of the robot suits the aliens used for planetary exploration. Donning the suit he becomes Mr Roberts and finds that the fearsome figure can be used for good or bad. Well, to be honest, it's only really used for greedy and nasty purposes, particularly when his neglectful mother gets her hands on it. Having a great deal of mild fun at the expense of Spanish customs, English ex-pats, theatre and television types, religion and even Scientology, Sayle's entertaining short novel makes for an enjoyable light read. Surreal and satirical, this is everything you would expect from Alexei Sayle and even better if you read it with his sarcastic rapid delivery Scouse accent in mind.

Definitely worth getting if you liked his earlier books, 27 Oct 2008
It's quite hard to explain what this book is about without spoiling it. I think I would have been put off by the plot if I had seen it set out [the pitch to the publishers must have been interesting]. And that would be a shame because, as usual, there is a dead-pan, wierdly compelling logic that sort of pulls you in. Eventually I stayed up till 2am to finish it. If you have enjoyed his earlier books you will almost certainly love this one. It's just a pity that it is so short - more of a novella really - and I think there was a lot of scope to take the main idea further. Let's hope that we don't have to wait too long for the next book.

Ello Alexei, got a new alien?, 25 Oct 2008
Another really great book from Alexei Sayle. Short, at 180 pages, but sweet...but with a bitter aftertaste. The characters are fleshed out to a certain extent, in some cases not enough. The most amusing thing about the novel is the detachment with which anything regarding the alien life is presented, it's almost presented as everyday behaviour. I wish the book had been longer, it feels as if there was more to be told. But, overall, recommended.

I, Roberts, 16 Oct 2008
When an alien spaceship crashes in the south of Spain after an intergalactic battle, a young English boy living in the valley's English community discovers one of the robot suits the aliens used for planetary exploration. Donning the suit he becomes Mr Roberts and finds that the fearsome figure can be used for good or bad. Well, to be honest, it's only really used for greedy and nasty purposes, particularly when his neglectful mother gets her hands on it. Having a great deal of mild fun at the expense of Spanish customs, English ex-pats, theatre and television types, religion and even Scientology, Sayle's entertaining short novel makes for an enjoyable light read. Surreal and satirical, this is everything you would expect from Alexei Sayle and even better if you read it with his sarcastic rapid delivery Scouse accent in mind.

Great Book, 09 May 2007
Most of these short stories were fab. A couple were abit less enjoyable. Love the way Alexi writes, as soon as I'd finshed this book I wanted to read it again as there is so much in it.

A 'celebrity' writer who can actually WRITE!..., 06 Feb 2005
...Monsiuer Sayle being the only example thereof apart from Stephen Fry I can think of. He's especially valuable when you consider the likes of Ben (shudder) Elton and David (ugh!) Baddiel clogging up the genre...
I've read and enjoyed all his stuff but I think this one might be bestest. It's worth it for "The Mau Mau Hat" alone; a beautifully observed character study with a terrible, lonely undertow. It's about ageing, and inevitably, death, yet crams in a motherlode of salty one-liners as well. The other highlight is "The Only Man Stalin Was Afraid Of", which uses a jaunty, almost simplistic style (something Sayle happens to be very good at - light but knowing, and never patronising) to rip apart the absolutely disgusting individual Uncle Joe really was, with none of the slightly histrionic moralising of Martin Amis' otherwise excellent "Koba The Dread".
My only beef is that the construction - the grammar and so forth - is often shoddy. Believe me, I'm the last person to give a s**t about split infinitives and the like normally, but it's noticeable in Sayle's stuff more often than not, and this is a shame when you consider how otherwise talented he is. The impression given is of someone who thinks for months, maybe years, about the content of his stories, but when it comes to writing them, takes a couple of afternoons at most.
Suggested targets for your next collection/novel, Alexei: Ben Elton, Ricky Gervais, Ariel Sharon, and a story about the BNP might be good as well. Cheers!

Brilliant, 03 Mar 2003
Being Dutch and living in Amsterdam, I had no idea Alexei Sayle had two volumes of short stories out. I came upon Barcelona Plates by chance and as I started reading it, I had the same experience as when I first heard his stand-up tapes, many years ago. It's like a slap in the face: where did this come from, how could anyone write like this? After Barcelona Plates I didn't expect The Dog Catcher to be better but it is. Mr Sayle is a genius in being completely unpredictable but he is also able to make you laugh, feel uncomfortable by observations that are almost too real and think about his characters and stories over and over again. His stories are exciting, often fast moving but he is also capable creating of a beautiful stillness. In a few pages or in a few words, he can paint a complete world. He is very brave: he seems to use every good idea that comes to mind and is not held back by any convention. His writing is highly original and very fluent.
I hope he will continue to write: more short stories, a full-length novel or an autobiography. But if he has a volume out of collected shopping lists, I will buy it too. You can't go wrong with this writer.

Thought provoking and clever., 11 Dec 2002
Alexei Sayle is a comic genius with a twisted darkside to his humor. I read this book in a couple of days because I just had to see what the next story delivered. A couple of the stories could be best compared to koans,I had to sit back and just try to put it all together. I would if I could detail each tale and try to pick the best or worst but I can't,for all the stories had there own little vibe and left me with different feelings.

Another great job by Alexei. I would love to se a full length novel in the future.

Story buffet, 15 Aug 2002
It's brilliantly written, better than Dahl, and with a way of sidling up on unexpected phrases that fit perfectly that previously only Douglas Adams had mastered.
This is a lot like Tales of the Unexpected, each story has a twist and each of the twists are more evil than you would expect.
I left this at home when I went on a long 'plane journey because this is not a book where you should read the whole thing in one sitting. So once you've read one story you want to read the next, but each is so dark you'd become numb to the effect. Far better to read one and let it fester for a day before reading the next.
If you've a half hour commute to work then reading this on the way is ideal. Not if you drive of course.

Definitely worth getting if you liked his earlier books, 27 Oct 2008
It's quite hard to explain what this book is about without spoiling it. I think I would have been put off by the plot if I had seen it set out [the pitch to the publishers must have been interesting]. And that would be a shame because, as usual, there is a dead-pan, wierdly compelling logic that sort of pulls you in. Eventually I stayed up till 2am to finish it. If you have enjoyed his earlier books you will almost certainly love this one. It's just a pity that it is so short - more of a novella really - and I think there was a lot of scope to take the main idea further. Let's hope that we don't have to wait too long for the next book.

Ello Alexei, got a new alien?, 25 Oct 2008
Another really great book from Alexei Sayle. Short, at 180 pages, but sweet...but with a bitter aftertaste. The characters are fleshed out to a certain extent, in some cases not enough. The most amusing thing about the novel is the detachment with which anything regarding the alien life is presented, it's almost presented as everyday behaviour. I wish the book had been longer, it feels as if there was more to be told. But, overall, recommended.

I, Roberts, 16 Oct 2008
When an alien spaceship crashes in the south of Spain after an intergalactic battle, a young English boy living in the valley's English community discovers one of the robot suits the aliens used for planetary exploration. Donning the suit he becomes Mr Roberts and finds that the fearsome figure can be used for good or bad. Well, to be honest, it's only really used for greedy and nasty purposes, particularly when his neglectful mother gets her hands on it. Having a great deal of mild fun at the expense of Spanish customs, English ex-pats, theatre and television types, religion and even Scientology, Sayle's entertaining short novel makes for an enjoyable light read. Surreal and satirical, this is everything you would expect from Alexei Sayle and even better if you read it with his sarcastic rapid delivery Scouse accent in mind.

Great Book, 09 May 2007
Most of these short stories were fab. A couple were abit less enjoyable. Love the way Alexi writes, as soon as I'd finshed this book I wanted to read it again as there is so much in it.

A 'celebrity' writer who can actually WRITE!..., 06 Feb 2005
...Monsiuer Sayle being the only example thereof apart from Stephen Fry I can think of. He's especially valuable when you consider the likes of Ben (shudder) Elton and David (ugh!) Baddiel clogging up the genre...
I've read and enjoyed all his stuff but I think this one might be bestest. It's worth it for "The Mau Mau Hat" alone; a beautifully observed character study with a terrible, lonely undertow. It's about ageing, and inevitably, death, yet crams in a motherlode of salty one-liners as well. The other highlight is "The Only Man Stalin Was Afraid Of", which uses a jaunty, almost simplistic style (something Sayle happens to be very good at - light but knowing, and never patronising) to rip apart the absolutely disgusting individual Uncle Joe really was, with none of the slightly histrionic moralising of Martin Amis' otherwise excellent "Koba The Dread".
My only beef is that the construction - the grammar and so forth - is often shoddy. Believe me, I'm the last person to give a s**t about split infinitives and the like normally, but it's noticeable in Sayle's stuff more often than not, and this is a shame when you consider how otherwise talented he is. The impression given is of someone who thinks for months, maybe years, about the content of his stories, but when it comes to writing them, takes a couple of afternoons at most.
Suggested targets for your next collection/novel, Alexei: Ben Elton, Ricky Gervais, Ariel Sharon, and a story about the BNP might be good as well. Cheers!

Brilliant, 03 Mar 2003
Being Dutch and living in Amsterdam, I had no idea Alexei Sayle had two volumes of short stories out. I came upon Barcelona Plates by chance and as I started reading it, I had the same experience as when I first heard his stand-up tapes, many years ago. It's like a slap in the face: where did this come from, how could anyone write like this? After Barcelona Plates I didn't expect The Dog Catcher to be better but it is. Mr Sayle is a genius in being completely unpredictable but he is also able to make you laugh, feel uncomfortable by observations that are almost too real and think about his characters and stories over and over again. His stories are exciting, often fast moving but he is also capable creating of a beautiful stillness. In a few pages or in a few words, he can paint a complete world. He is very brave: he seems to use every good idea that comes to mind and is not held back by any convention. His writing is highly original and very fluent.
I hope he will continue to write: more short stories, a full-length novel or an autobiography. But if he has a volume out of collected shopping lists, I will buy it too. You can't go wrong with this writer.

Thought provoking and clever., 11 Dec 2002
Alexei Sayle is a comic genius with a twisted darkside to his humor. I read this book in a couple of days because I just had to see what the next story delivered. A couple of the stories could be best compared to koans,I had to sit back and just try to put it all together. I would if I could detail each tale and try to pick the best or worst but I can't,for all the stories had there own little vibe and left me with different feelings.

Another great job by Alexei. I would love to se a full length novel in the future.

Story buffet, 15 Aug 2002
It's brilliantly written, better than Dahl, and with a way of sidling up on unexpected phrases that fit perfectly that previously only Douglas Adams had mastered.
This is a lot like Tales of the Unexpected, each story has a twist and each of the twists are more evil than you would expect.
I left this at home when I went on a long 'plane journey because this is not a book where you should read the whole thing in one sitting. So once you've read one story you want to read the next, but each is so dark you'd become numb to the effect. Far better to read one and let it fester for a day before reading the next.
If you've a half hour commute to work then reading this on the way is ideal. Not if you drive of course.

Why don't really clever people tell stories?, 29 Jul 2008
It's a great puzzle. There are plenty of media luvvies out there who are so clever and witty (like Sayle) and yet whenever they write a book they usually write about nothing but the tedium of middle-class neuroses. And so it is with Weeping Women. Sayle brings his zany, off-the-wall intellect to bear on ... tedious middle-class lives filled with tedious middle-class neuroses like weight loss and things that were so dull my memory has flatly refused to admit them.

Philip Hensher explores similar themes (see his The Fit). Are these authors terrified that if they insert the merest hint of a plot their books will be relegated from the large paperbacks of the literary fiction shelves to the less well proportioned and smaller bricks of the pulp fiction? I have an idea: if you don't have anything to say nor any story to tell, don't write a book!

Sure, I could have finished this book (I reached p.62), but that would have required unnecessarily inflicting boredom on myself. So I just gave up. Which is a shame because I quite like Alexei Sayle. He has a beard which in my opinion is the perfect length, he has an exotic Russian-sounding name and he's usually funny when he appears on television. He should probably stick to that.

P.S. The book itself also smells of stale-sweaty socks. I've no idea why conventional inks were overlooked in favour of such a pungent formula. Perhaps it is "saying something about modern living"?

good, good, good, 18 Jul 2007
One of the best books I've read in 12 months - very funny, especially on the London, charity and gym/body scenes (these probably transpute to other cities and cultures). The weirdness of it was so refreshing; it had a strong narrative; characters were people; philosophy of the ultimate meaningless of life suited me but maybe that was because the story is ultimately warm-hearted. Alexei Sayle is now on my 'must read' list.

Maybe not the worst book I have ever read..., 15 Jul 2007
...but close. On one level, it was readable, in that I didn't struggle to finish it and there were some genuinely funny bits, particularly the Paul Coelho jibes. Other running jokes, notably the whole tiresome 'soup, swoop, loop-de-loop' thing, were just plain silly and repeated ad nauseam.

I felt the book was populated by caricatures, rather than characters with real motivations, and so didn't care a hoot about them. There was also no discernible plot, more a series of vignettes. 'Harriet meets martial arts fanatic, loses weight, ends up getting beaten up and running away' is not a plot, inasmuch as she doesn't appear to learn anything from her experience, and there is no real climax or resolution. And so much else remained unresolved - for instance, there's much hinting that things are going downhill for Helen, the abominable sister, with her sudden bout of gluttony and half-developed relationship with Julio, then the book ends with no conclusion about her whatsoever. Ditto the ridiculous Toby.

Ultimately I could see no justification for hailing Sayle as 'our finest modern satirist', as the backcover blurb pretentiously claims. There is a huge difference between satire and piss-taking. Satire has something significant to say about society and human nature, about what interests and motivates people; piss-taking does not. What, ultimately, does this novel tell us, other than some charities tend to support obscure causes and squander money (and I don't even think that's particularly true) and martial arts aren't always based on sound philosophy? For some really fine modern satire, read Will Self's "The Book of Dave" instead.



Alexei Sayle is genuinely talented, 11 Jun 2007
I don't understand why Alxei Sayle is not more celebrated as a writer. His books are accessible, fun, witty and well-written. He is easily the equal of many more feted authors (Nick Hornby, Tony Parsons and John O' Farrell spring to mind) and yet his work seems to get little recognition. Perhaps he is still equated in the minds of many as the short, fat anarchic comedian that he was in the 80s? If this is the reason, that's a shame! Alexei Sayle is genuinely talented and I hope he continues to grow as a writer.

"Weeping Women Hotel" is written mostly from the points of view of two sisters. When I started reading this I found it difficult to believe that Sayle could pull off getting into the mind of a woman, but he managed it successfully as far as I'm concerned (but then what would I know as a man!). It would be interesting to find out the views of women readers of the book on this! The characterisation of the women, Harriet (fat and unattractive) and her sister Helen (successful and good-looking) is excellent throughout. they are both thoroughly believable characters even though at times Sayle tends to describe things in a whimsical manner and the names and personalities of a few of the minor characters are less believable.

The plot concerns the introduction of Harriet to a bizarre martial arts cult and her subsequent development. A side plot involves Helen and her semi-imaginary friend, an Argentinian puppeteer. The plots intertwine nicely and by the end are building to what seems like a frightening conclusion. However, the book stops rather suddenly. I was left looking for a missing chapter. hence, 4 stars rather than 5 for what is otherwise a very enjoyable book.

There are some disturbing scenes in the book (you would expect nothing else from Alexei Sayle) but this is a very enjoyable read. It's ideal material for taking on holiday. Not too taxing but thoroughly entertaining. It may not be quite up to the standard of his short stories (read The Dog catcher - that's very good!) but this is another sign that Alexei Sayle the writer is developing.

a very good read, 31 Mar 2007
I picked this up due to the cover (font and style) and then saw it was by Alexi Sayle, who I only know through 'The Young Ones', so was interested to see what on earth this would be like.

And, it was pretty good. It starts off with a battered woman coming to a hotel, then taking you back to a year ago, where we find out how she came to get there, along with a sneery look at the way people live today (in a modern London suburb).

Although the ending wasn't as dramatic as it could be, it was a very good read, and one that made me laugh aloud at points, which is what you'd expect from someone like Alexi Sayle.

Comedians rarely make great fiction writers, the temptation to throw in cheap one-liners distracting them from any substantial narrative--which is why Alexei Sayle's first attempt at proper literature is a nice surprise. Although riddled with dark humour, his short story collection Barcelona Plates is actually best when he's being serious. Sayle has a knack for story-telling and a twisted imagination which creates perverse characters. They're mostly melancholic beings whose lives are in a rut when the smallest twist of fate changes everything--from the call centre employee who spills cream on her suit to the business woman who loses her keys. Especially good is "The Minister For Death", in which a retired pipe fitter from Liverpool discovers, after an incident returning from the chip shop with a steak pie, that old people are invisible in modern society and gains retribution as the "stealth codger".

After 17 years in London, Sayle's representation of his adopted city is powerful--from a nature reserve in Kings Cross to likely lads down Bermondsey, from wealthy Islington squares to Clerkenwell on a Saturday night. He eruditely describes the early evening Soho populace as, "Clerks in raincoats clutching beer bottles by the neck, standing outside bars looking up and down the street as if good times were about to arrive in a taxi."

Barcelona Plates is side-tracked from time to time by rants, such as Disneyland's rancid evil or the "stupidity" of recent comedy, mirroring Sayle's sardonic demeanour and acerbic monologues on TV. However overall, it's an entertaining collection of absurd yarns. --Sarah Champion

Definitely worth getting if you liked his earlier books, 27 Oct 2008
It's quite hard to explain what this book is about without spoiling it. I think I would have been put off by the plot if I had seen it set out [the pitch to the publishers must have been interesting]. And that would be a shame because, as usual, there is a dead-pan, wierdly compelling logic that sort of pulls you in. Eventually I stayed up till 2am to finish it. If you have enjoyed his earlier books you will almost certainly love this one. It's just a pity that it is so short - more of a novella really - and I think there was a lot of scope to take the main idea further. Let's hope that we don't have to wait too long for the next book.

Ello Alexei, got a new alien?, 25 Oct 2008
Another really great book from Alexei Sayle. Short, at 180 pages, but sweet...but with a bitter aftertaste. The characters are fleshed out to a certain extent, in some cases not enough. The most amusing thing about the novel is the detachment with which anything regarding the alien life is presented, it's almost presented as everyday behaviour. I wish the book had been longer, it feels as if there was more to be told. But, overall, recommended.

I, Roberts, 16 Oct 2008
When an alien spaceship crashes in the south of Spain after an intergalactic battle, a young English boy living in the valley's English community discovers one of the robot suits the aliens used for planetary exploration. Donning the suit he becomes Mr Roberts and finds that the fearsome figure can be used for good or bad. Well, to be honest, it's only really used for greedy and nasty purposes, particularly when his neglectful mother gets her hands on it. Having a great deal of mild fun at the expense of Spanish customs, English ex-pats, theatre and television types, religion and even Scientology, Sayle's entertaining short novel makes for an enjoyable light read. Surreal and satirical, this is everything you would expect from Alexei Sayle and even better if you read it with his sarcastic rapid delivery Scouse accent in mind.

Great Book, 09 May 2007
Most of these short stories were fab. A couple were abit less enjoyable. Love the way Alexi writes, as soon as I'd finshed this book I wanted to read it again as there is so much in it.

A 'celebrity' writer who can actually WRITE!..., 06 Feb 2005
...Monsiuer Sayle being the only example thereof apart from Stephen Fry I can think of. He's especially valuable when you consider the likes of Ben (shudder) Elton and David (ugh!) Baddiel clogging up the genre...
I've read and enjoyed all his stuff but I think this one might be bestest. It's worth it for "The Mau Mau Hat" alone; a beautifully observed character study with a terrible, lonely undertow. It's about ageing, and inevitably, death, yet crams in a motherlode of salty one-liners as well. The other highlight is "The Only Man Stalin Was Afraid Of", which uses a jaunty, almost simplistic style (something Sayle happens to be very good at - light but knowing, and never patronising) to rip apart the absolutely disgusting individual Uncle Joe really was, with none of the slightly histrionic moralising of Martin Amis' otherwise excellent "Koba The Dread".
My only beef is that the construction - the grammar and so forth - is often shoddy. Believe me, I'm the last person to give a s**t about split infinitives and the like normally, but it's noticeable in Sayle's stuff more often than not, and this is a shame when you consider how otherwise talented he is. The impression given is of someone who thinks for months, maybe years, about the content of his stories, but when it comes to writing them, takes a couple of afternoons at most.
Suggested targets for your next collection/novel, Alexei: Ben Elton, Ricky Gervais, Ariel Sharon, and a story about the BNP might be good as well. Cheers!

Brilliant, 03 Mar 2003
Being Dutch and living in Amsterdam, I had no idea Alexei Sayle had two volumes of short stories out. I came upon Barcelona Plates by chance and as I started reading it, I had the same experience as when I first heard his stand-up tapes, many years ago. It's like a slap in the face: where did this come from, how could anyone write like this? After Barcelona Plates I didn't expect The Dog Catcher to be better but it is. Mr Sayle is a genius in being completely unpredictable but he is also able to make you laugh, feel uncomfortable by observations that are almost too real and think about his characters and stories over and over again. His stories are exciting, often fast moving but he is also capable creating of a beautiful stillness. In a few pages or in a few words, he can paint a complete world. He is very brave: he seems to use every good idea that comes to mind and is not held back by any convention. His writing is highly original and very fluent.
I hope he will continue to write: more short stories, a full-length novel or an autobiography. But if he has a volume out of collected shopping lists, I will buy it too. You can't go wrong with this writer.

Thought provoking and clever., 11 Dec 2002
Alexei Sayle is a comic genius with a twisted darkside to his humor. I read this book in a couple of days because I just had to see what the next story delivered. A couple of the stories could be best compared to koans,I had to sit back and just try to put it all together. I would if I could detail each tale and try to pick the best or worst but I can't,for all the stories had there own little vibe and left me with different feelings.

Another great job by Alexei. I would love to se a full length novel in the future.

Story buffet, 15 Aug 2002
It's brilliantly written, better than Dahl, and with a way of sidling up on unexpected phrases that fit perfectly that previously only Douglas Adams had mastered.
This is a lot like Tales of the Unexpected, each story has a twist and each of the twists are more evil than you would expect.
I left this at home when I went on a long 'plane journey because this is not a book where you should read the whole thing in one sitting. So once you've read one story you want to read the next, but each is so dark you'd become numb to the effect. Far better to read one and let it fester for a day before reading the next.
If you've a half hour commute to work then reading this on the way is ideal. Not if you drive of course.

Why don't really clever people tell stories?, 29 Jul 2008
It's a great puzzle. There are plenty of media luvvies out there who are so clever and witty (like Sayle) and yet whenever they write a book they usually write about nothing but the tedium of middle-class neuroses. And so it is with Weeping Women. Sayle brings his zany, off-the-wall intellect to bear on ... tedious middle-class lives filled with tedious middle-class neuroses like weight loss and things that were so dull my memory has flatly refused to admit them.

Philip Hensher explores similar themes (see his The Fit). Are these authors terrified that if they insert the merest hint of a plot their books will be relegated from the large paperbacks of the literary fiction shelves to the less well proportioned and smaller bricks of the pulp fiction? I have an idea: if you don't have anything to say nor any story to tell, don't write a book!

Sure, I could have finished this book (I reached p.62), but that would have required unnecessarily inflicting boredom on myself. So I just gave up. Which is a shame because I quite like Alexei Sayle. He has a beard which in my opinion is the perfect length, he has an exotic Russian-sounding name and he's usually funny when he appears on television. He should probably stick to that.

P.S. The book itself also smells of stale-sweaty socks. I've no idea why conventional inks were overlooked in favour of such a pungent formula. Perhaps it is "saying something about modern living"?

good, good, good, 18 Jul 2007
One of the best books I've read in 12 months - very funny, especially on the London, charity and gym/body scenes (these probably transpute to other cities and cultures). The weirdness of it was so refreshing; it had a strong narrative; characters were people; philosophy of the ultimate meaningless of life suited me but maybe that was because the story is ultimately warm-hearted. Alexei Sayle is now on my 'must read' list.

Maybe not the worst book I have ever read..., 15 Jul 2007
...but close. On one level, it was readable, in that I didn't struggle to finish it and there were some genuinely funny bits, particularly the Paul Coelho jibes. Other running jokes, notably the whole tiresome 'soup, swoop, loop-de-loop' thing, were just plain silly and repeated ad nauseam.

I felt the book was populated by caricatures, rather than characters with real motivations, and so didn't care a hoot about them. There was also no discernible plot, more a series of vignettes. 'Harriet meets martial arts fanatic, loses weight, ends up getting beaten up and running away' is not a plot, inasmuch as she doesn't appear to learn anything from her experience, and there is no real climax or resolution. And so much else remained unresolved - for instance, there's much hinting that things are going downhill for Helen, the abominable sister, with her sudden bout of gluttony and half-developed relationship with Julio, then the book ends with no conclusion about her whatsoever. Ditto the ridiculous Toby.

Ultimately I could see no justification for hailing Sayle as 'our finest modern satirist', as the backcover blurb pretentiously claims. There is a huge difference between satire and piss-taking. Satire has something significant to say about society and human nature, about what interests and motivates people; piss-taking does not. What, ultimately, does this novel tell us, other than some charities tend to support obscure causes and squander money (and I don't even think that's particularly true) and martial arts aren't always based on sound philosophy? For some really fine modern satire, read Will Self's "The Book of Dave" instead.



Alexei Sayle is genuinely talented, 11 Jun 2007
I don't understand why Alxei Sayle is not more celebrated as a writer. His books are accessible, fun, witty and well-written. He is easily the equal of many more feted authors (Nick Hornby, Tony Parsons and John O' Farrell spring to mind) and yet his work seems to get little recognition. Perhaps he is still equated in the minds of many as the short, fat anarchic comedian that he was in the 80s? If this is the reason, that's a shame! Alexei Sayle is genuinely talented and I hope he continues to grow as a writer.

"Weeping Women Hotel" is written mostly from the points of view of two sisters. When I started reading this I found it difficult to believe that Sayle could pull off getting into the mind of a woman, but he managed it successfully as far as I'm concerned (but then what would I know as a man!). It would be interesting to find out the views of women readers of the book on this! The characterisation of the women, Harriet (fat and unattractive) and her sister Helen (successful and good-looking) is excellent throughout. they are both thoroughly believable characters even though at times Sayle tends to describe things in a whimsical manner and the names and personalities of a few of the minor characters are less believable.

The plot concerns the introduction of Harriet to a bizarre martial arts cult and her subsequent development. A side plot involves Helen and her semi-imaginary friend, an Argentinian puppeteer. The plots intertwine nicely and by the end are building to what seems like a frightening conclusion. However, the book stops rather suddenly. I was left looking for a missing chapter. hence, 4 stars rather than 5 for what is otherwise a very enjoyable book.

There are some disturbing scenes in the book (you would expect nothing else from Alexei Sayle) but this is a very enjoyable read. It's ideal material for taking on holiday. Not too taxing but thoroughly entertaining. It may not be quite up to the standard of his short stories (read The Dog catcher - that's very good!) but this is another sign that Alexei Sayle the writer is developing.

a very good read, 31 Mar 2007
I picked this up due to the cover (font and style) and then saw it was by Alexi Sayle, who I only know through 'The Young Ones', so was interested to see what on earth this would be like.

And, it was pretty good. It starts off with a battered woman coming to a hotel, then taking you back to a year ago, where we find out how she came to get there, along with a sneery look at the way people live today (in a modern London suburb).

Although the ending wasn't as dramatic as it could be, it was a very good read, and one that made me laugh aloud at points, which is what you'd expect from someone like Alexi Sayle.

Funny and edgy, 20 May 2007
This is a vivid and deeply funny collection of often nihilistic stories from a man with a razor-sharp wit and an intelligent mind. The stories are always very edgy and risque, with a heavy helping of satire thrown in for good measure.

Nor does Sayle shy away from sex and violence, but for the most part, these stories are just very, very funny, dealing with ordinary people and extraordinary events. The dialogue and the scenarios written about are often comically nihilistic, and many of these stories have a sadistic streak running through them which will not be to everyone's taste.

There are stories about homicidal pensioners, bitter short people, cannibalistic maniacs and various other weirdos. Always though, the writing is captivating and rich, full of a vibrancy and authenticity which is missing from literature. Alexei Sayle has an extremely vivid imagination.

I cant give 5 stars to anything..., 13 Jan 2004
..apart from David Sedaris I s'pose. Alexie Sayle has been around for awhile & lets be honest here, his live & TV output has been rotten & bloated for a decade. His recent TV appearances has been embarrasing, appalling & thankfully the BBC have decided not to make any more . This does not however detract from this delightful collection of short stories, all with a sprinkling of bad language, but excellent reading.read the Book , but dont watch his shows. What more needs to be said?

Long Car journeys made easier by the original Fat B*****d!, 25 Jul 2001
Barcelona Plates is probably the best talking book I have bought. Sayle's Tales of everyday folk in bizzare situations, and bizzare folk in everday situations is absolutely brimming with quirky humour, which is made all the more entertaining by Sayle's fast-paced and passionate delivery. From Barnaby's brush with a doomed royal couple, to the old-age hit man, these stories show the dark under-belly of the human soul, stripped down to it's rawest emotions. The M6 will never seem the same again!!

Simply excellent short story telling, 20 Jan 2001
The good short story is the hardest form of writing to master. Sayle produces enjoyable reading throughout this collection. He weaves threads which meander amusingly to their unpredictable conclusions. Some are more effective than others but all have impact. I loved it. Read it!

I Knew It..!, 03 Jan 2001
Alexei Sayle has been a hero of mine for years, from his stand-up, album, singles, series and now this! Everything he has done before seems to be as substantial as his cameo performances in Hollywodd movies. This is not to detract from his past work, but rather to mark the very real birth of a comic artist. He displays all the range of a contemporary writer, all the precision of attention of a stand-up artiste, and all the satirical malice of the truly English - but more than this, he does it so well it makes you want to write along with him, to get in on the game! I know that there have been critics of his apparent selling-out to the advertising world, but who can say that they would not do so to earn a living. It is one thing to have values, it is quite another to cripple one's self with them forever. And if it is the remuneration from television advertising that has been his mainstay while creating this masterpiece, then I hope to hear more of him on the page and in the advert breaks in future!