Going to Sea in a Sieve

The Autobiography

By: Danny Baker

Narrated by: Danny Baker

The first hilarious volume of comedy writer, journalist, radio DJ and screenwriter Danny Baker's memoir, and now the inspiration for the major BBC series CRADLE TO GRAVE, starring Peter Kay.

'And what was our life like in this noisy, dangerous and polluted industrial pock-mark wedged into one of the capital's toughest neighbourhoods? It was, of course, utterly magnificent and I'd give anything to climb inside it again for just one day.'

In the first volume of his memoirs, Danny Baker brings his early years to life as only he knows how. With his trademark humour and eye for a killer anecdote, he takes us all the way from the council house in south-east London that he shared with his mum Betty and dad 'Spud' (played by Peter Kay) to the music-biz excesses of Los Angeles, where he famously interviewed Michael Jackson for the NME. Laugh-out-loud funny, it is also an affectionate but unsentimental hymn to a bygone era.

Read by Danny Baker

(p) 2012 Orion Publishing Group©2012 Danny Baker

Critic reviews

Full of warmth and laughter (Ian Hyland)

Mouth of a docker life of a rocker

Would you consider the audio edition of Going to Sea in a Sieve to be better than the print version?

This is definitely better than the print version as hearing Danny Baker read it adds the full force of his personality to the book.

What other book might you compare Going to Sea in a Sieve to and why?

This is similar to 'Cider with Roadies' by Stuart Maconie. Not sure how either of these will play with a US audience as these are both UK-centric personalities but I would give both a go.

What about Danny Baker’s performance did you like?

I like the way he managed to evoke growing up in London without rose-tinted spectacles or a Vaseline covered lens. This is no misery memoir just a celebration of a time when there were few TV channels and journalists used typewriters.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Mouth of a docker life of a rocker

Any additional comments?

Highlights include Danny Baker's recollections of working in One-Stop records and dealing with celebrities like Mark Bolan and Elton John and tales of owning the most intelligent dog in the world. Can't wait for the next volume

Best storyteller!

Would you consider the audio edition of Going to Sea in a Sieve to be better than the print version?

Yes

What did you like best about this story?

Danny Baker is such an engaging storyteller. If he read the phone book, he could it interesting.

Which scene was your favorite?

The story about the shirt that Mark Bolan gave to him was priceless. And any time he quote his father.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Both laughed and cried...but mainly laughted, a lot!!

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed this audio book and I can only hope that he will do one for his second book "Going Off Alarming".