Bricks & Torture (Paperback)

Such blatant honesty here. This open diary of events into the purchase of a house, and great endeavours to make it into a home, leaves us breathless. Yet it shouldn't, as we have all been there sometime in our lives. We have suffered the disasters, disappointments and sheer helplessness, but Alan Neale seems to have excelled in his quest to allow us into his own private misery. Told with extremely hilarious off-side comments, he is an obvious master of wit and deep scepticism. This brilliant diary allows us into his personal life - his love of family life is so simplistic as is his endeavour to provide a dream home, but disasters plague him and he shares them with excellent frankness. One moment he has us laughing hysterically at some of the almost unbelievable faux pas and then brings tears to our eyes, as we witness the deep and obvious love of the family to whom he is trying so desperately to give his all. This author obviously doesn't suffer fools gladly; anyone buying a house could learn a lot from this book, especially what NOT to do.