Guy Bellamy (1935–2015)

Guy Bellamy's first comic novel from 1977. It struck me as a peculiarly British male thing, probably because the principal setting is the pub and the humour comes by way of semi-drunken commentary on past and current events which are relentlessly bleak with poor prognoses for all. It veers from casual Carry-On crudity to pseudo-profundity, and it's eye-wateringly sexist, but I suspect that's largely deliberate: the main male characters' personality flaws are what drive the plot forward. In fact, the title comes in a rare moment of self-awareness when our hero realises he has a hidden, self-destructive personality defect, like a secret whisky drinker, but not quite as bad as that. A secret lemonade drinker, perhaps. It's funny and quotable (no less than six quotes make it into the Penguin Dictionary of Modern Quotations, apparently) and short enough to enjoy on a sunny afternoon with a whisky or two. But don't be tempted to read the funny bits out loud to your wife.… (more)