Things Can Only Get Worse?
Twenty confusing years in the life of a Labour supporter
Published on 3. May 2018
Book
Paperback/Softback
368 pages
978-1-78416-263-4 (ISBN)
Description
'...as the Labour candidate I prepared for every possible question on the local radio Election Phone-In. What I had not prepared for was my mum ringing up to say that she agreed with John O'Farrell. On EVERYTHING.'
Where Did We Go Right? is the personal story of one political activist helping Labour progress from its 1997 landslide to the unassailable position it enjoys today.
Along the way, he stood for Parliament against Theresa May but failed to step into her shoes; he was dropped from Tony and Cherie's Christmas card list after he revealed he always sent their card on to a friend from the SWP; and he campaigned for a new non-selective inner-city state school, then realised this meant he had to send his kids to a non-selective inner-city state school.
The long-awaited sequel to the best-selling Things Can Only Get Better is for everyone who could use a good laugh after Brexit, Boris and Trump. A roller-coaster ride through the last two decades via the very best political jokes (excluding the ones that keep getting elected).
Where Did We Go Right? is the personal story of one political activist helping Labour progress from its 1997 landslide to the unassailable position it enjoys today.
Along the way, he stood for Parliament against Theresa May but failed to step into her shoes; he was dropped from Tony and Cherie's Christmas card list after he revealed he always sent their card on to a friend from the SWP; and he campaigned for a new non-selective inner-city state school, then realised this meant he had to send his kids to a non-selective inner-city state school.
The long-awaited sequel to the best-selling Things Can Only Get Better is for everyone who could use a good laugh after Brexit, Boris and Trump. A roller-coaster ride through the last two decades via the very best political jokes (excluding the ones that keep getting elected).
Reviews / Votes
Hilarious, insightful and has that rare quality of making politics fun. A brilliant book everyone should read, whoever you vote for. -- Owen Jones, author of The Establishment Even Conservatives will like this -- Roland White * The Sunday Times * Reading this book is like reliving the last twenty years as a Labour supporter. John O'Farrell has, in his own unique and hilarious way, captured the highs and lows, pride and embarrassment, joy and frustration of being Labour. -- Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London O'Farrell hasn't lost his touch. There are laughs as well as large doses of common sense. -- Chris Mullin * Guardian * John O'Farrell couldn't be unfunny if he tried but this book is even better than his famous take on Labour's 18 years in opposition. Hilarious and insightful in equal measure this is vintage stuff from Maidenhead's finest political brain. -- Alan Johnson A glimpse at the quirky, inner workings of the British political system written by someone who seems too funny, too kind and too bloody sensible to ever seriously consider a career in politics. -- Jo Brand Hugely enjoyable, timely and funny. Given that it's about politics, this is an impressively sane book. Hooray for John O' Farrell. -- Robert WebbMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Transworld Publishers Ltd
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 126 mm
Thickness: 27 mm
Weight
260 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78416-263-4 (9781784162634)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
09/2017
1st Edition
Transworld Digital
€10.99
Available for download
Person
John O'Farrell's first book Things Can Only Get Better about his years spent helping the Labour Party lose elections at every level was a number one best-seller. Two decades later he published the sequel Things Can Only Get Worse. In between his two comic memoirs, he published five novels, including The Best A Man Can Get, May Contain Nuts and The Man Who Forgot His Wife; two funny history books (An Utterly Impartial History of Britain and its sequel) plus three collections of his satirical columns from The Guardian.
His books have been translated into over thirty languages and adapted for TV and radio. Formerly a comedy scriptwriter for shows such as Spitting Image and Have I Got News For You, he more recently co-wrote the movie Chicken Run 2, the Broadway musicals Something Rotten! and Mrs Doubtfire and the forthcoming Just For One Day - The Story of Live Aid, which opens at the Old Vic in 2024.
His books have been translated into over thirty languages and adapted for TV and radio. Formerly a comedy scriptwriter for shows such as Spitting Image and Have I Got News For You, he more recently co-wrote the movie Chicken Run 2, the Broadway musicals Something Rotten! and Mrs Doubtfire and the forthcoming Just For One Day - The Story of Live Aid, which opens at the Old Vic in 2024.