I, Partridge: We Need to Talk About Alan

By: Alan Partridge

Narrated by: Alan Partridge

Length: 6 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

Journalist, presenter, broadcaster, husband, father, vigorous all-rounder – Alan Partridge – a man with a fascinating past and an amazing future. Gregarious and popular, yet Alan’s never happier than when relaxing in his own five-bedroom, south-built house with three acres of land and access to a private stream. But who is this mysterious enigma?

Alan Gordon Partridge is the best – and best-loved – radio presenter in the region. Born into a changing world of rationing, Teddy Boys, apes in space and the launch of ITV, Alan’s broadcasting career began as chief DJ of Radio Smile at St. Luke’s Hospital in Norwich. After replacing Peter Flint as the presenter of Scout About, he entered the top 8 of BBC sports presenters.

But Alan’s big break came with his primetime BBC chat show Knowing Me, Knowing You. Sadly, the show battled against poor scheduling, having been put up against News at Ten, then in its heyday. Due to declining ratings, a single catastrophic hitch (the killing of a guest on air) and the dumbing down of network TV, Alan’s show was cancelled. Not to be dissuaded, he embraced this opportunity to wind up his production company, leave London and fulfil a lifelong ambition to return to his roots in local radio.

Now single, Alan is an intensely private man but he opens up, for the second time, in this candid, entertaining, often deeply emotional – and of course compelling – memoir, written entirely in his own words. (Alan quickly dispelled the idea of using a ghost writer. With a grade B English Language O-Level, he knew he was up to the task.)

He speaks touchingly about his tragic Toblerone addiction, and the painful moment when unsold copies of his first autobiography, Bouncing Back, were pulped like ‘word porridge’. He reveals all about his relationship with his ex-Ukrainian girlfriend, Sonja, with whom he had sex at least twice a day, and the truth about the thick people who make key decisions at the BBC.

A literary tour de force, I, Partridge: We Need to Talk About Alan charts the incredible journey of one of our greatest broadcasters.

©2011 Alan Partridge (P)2011 HarperCollins

Critic reviews

‘The funniest book of the year and possibly all time.’ *****Heat

‘This book is a genuinely hilarious read’ Shortlist

‘A rare treat… painfully funny in that inimitable Alan way.’ **** Sunday Express

‘As a parody of celebrity autobiography, it’s sound; but as a sustained piece of comic writing, it’s outstanding.’ **** Time Out

‘Brilliantly witty’ The Times

‘This should be nominated for the Booker prize…it’s a really funny book but it’s actually more than that…it blows my post-modern mind’ David Baddiel

'I, Partridge might just be the funniest book I've ever read. Proper laugh out load moment on every page.' Richard Bacon

‘This fictional memoir … could be the antidote to the celeb biographies that clog the Christmas book market. It's as acute a spoof of the publishing sub-genre as the Alan Partridge character is of a whole tranche of crassly opinionated lowbrow broadcasters…brilliantly sustained wit.’ Evening Standard

‘I, Partridge is an indispensable guide to what it’s like to be an all-round media personality in the 21st Century. In this, it compares very well with the finest in the genre.’ **** Mail on Sunday

***** The Telegraph

‘Extremely funny’ Word Magazine

‘Pure comic genius’ The Independent

‘The best book of the year… without peer… I urge people to go out and buy it.’ Danny Baker

‘An acutely observed mock-memoir, touching on the great man's highs (receiving a Burton's Gold Card) and lows (Toblerone addiction) in equally self-regarding manner.’ Independent on Sunday

‘A magnificent comedy creation’; ‘The significant celebrity book this year.’ The Guardian

For Partridge Fans

This book is a must. Alan takes you through the backstory of his two series (which you really must watch prior to listening), and onwards explaining what happened after series two.

If you love Brand Partridge, you will love this book.

Partridge is amazing!!!

What made the experience of listening to I, Partridge: We Need to Talk About Alan the most enjoyable?

It made me laugh so much my drink came out my nose.

What did you like best about this story?

Learning about his childhood.

This is Alan, written by Alan, read by Alan

I am writing this review not as an impartial reader, but as a fan of AP. Those who have not had the full Partridge - spanning the Toblerone addiction, the years in the Travel Tavern, and the continuing efforts at Bouncing Back - will not appreciate the references and wit encompassing this volume. But for those of us thoroughly engulfed in the World of Partridge, this book was "full of joy," albeit sometimes at the expense of others. I noticed that he used the phrase, "needless to say I had the last laugh..." many times. (a wink to AP fans everywhere.) A must-read for AP fans, and maybe a giggle or two for AP newbies.

Back of the net!

What can you say about this? It's classic Partridge.
It's very funny.
You'll love it.

Brilliantly Funny

An absolute gem that had me laughing (or really stifling my laughter, given how much I listened at work) from start to finish. Some of the best comedy I’ve heard in a long time.

Full of jokes at the expense of gay people

This book definitely had some laughs. But the author seems OBSESSED with talking negatively about gay people. What the hell? As if decades of discrimination and violence against the LGBTQ+ community wasn't enough, these folks are now the butt of several "jokes" through out this book.

Best on TV I think...Sorry Steve

What did you like best about I, Partridge: We Need to Talk About Alan? What did you like least?

Steve Cougan can do no wrong in my eyes...From the Calf twins to AP, The Trip to his astonishing work on the Leveson enquiry, his comic genius is assured its place in British comedy history. I read I, Partridge and found it a little dry and was therefore drawn to the audio book read by the great man in order to get a real sense of the Partri-nesque quality that we admire so much. The listen was better than the read but I was still left with an empty feeling without seeing those quintessential AP mannerisms. I subsequently watched the AP BBC series again and realised that you really do need to see the man perform in order to give it true meaning.

Would you recommend I, Partridge: We Need to Talk About Alan to your friends? Why or why not?

No, watch it instead

Which scene was your favorite?

His university tales are very funny

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Yes

unbearable

typically love Partridge because the character is witty and funny. this one just depresses me.