Book Review – One Midlife Crisis And A Speedo

by Darrel Bristow-Bovey (Zebra Press) ISBN 9781770227460

I believe Darrel Bristow-Bovey is the best writer we have in South Africa. I am so glad that he is writing books again.

I loved this truly funny memoir about getting older and the strange things we do while it happens to us. I really did laugh out loud in places and I enjoyed the literary references throughout the book.

For his midlife crisis, Darrel decides that he has to accomplish something that is difficult, but as he says, ‘There’s no point setting out to seduce Sophia Loren or read the collected works of Nadine Gordimer. It must be something humanly possible.’ He settles on following in the footsteps of Lord Byron who swam across the Dardanelles in Turkey. He only has minor things to overcome like not being able to swim very well. His inner journey as he tries to make this happen is witty and well-observed.

Does he achieve his goal? Read the book and find out.

PS. I would have given this book 5/5, but the cover is terrible. What were you thinking?