With thanks to Grandi for this book.
This is an utterly fantastic book, it is written as a series of emails and text messages mostly from Martin, the marketing director of a global conglomerate, to his colleagues and family, but, where pertinant, mails he receives too. It follows his life for a year, during what appear to be particularly stressful times for him (but I suspect any time you chose would appear to be).
Of course, being a marketing director, he is quite an evil person, while he talks about the value of ‘integrity’ with a public face he is off playing games with his PA behind his wifes back, cheating on his expense claims and stabbing his colleagues in the back all the time he thinks it will get him further up the management chain.
One of the most interesting insights into his character is his relationship with his coach, Pandora, he seems to mostly be lying to himself about the current state of affairs, but you can tell when he’s admitting things to himself because he’ll tell her about it.
A wonderfully written book, a very easy read, an interesting insight into how ‘the other half’ live and interact with the world. An immorality tale.
Who should read this book? Everyone. Wholeheartedly recommended. At some level a light hearted read, but also very dark satire on the state of marketing and/or capitalism.
(2007: book 3, week 4)
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