Charlotte Street is the first novel from BBC presenter and journalist Danny Wallace.
I discovered Danny's hilarious books when I was in England and his second book Join Me was released. In it, he decides to post adverts asking people to send in a passport photo and "join him". He just hadn't figured out what they were going to do yet. He just wanted to see who would respond. Many people did, more every day, and they decided their purpose would be among other things, to do good deeds and then meet to talk about them. It grew and spread all over Europe, and as far as I know the 'Karma Army' is still going.
His next book was the amazing Yes Man. He was in a slump and someone told him to say 'yes' more, so for the next few months he says 'yes' where he would otherwise have said no. The adventures get more crazy until he is tracking down the headquarters of the prince from Timbukto who asked for his help on the internet. They made a movie of the book with Jim Carrey - I never saw it. It looked like they changed the story from the book, and it should have starred Danny Wallace!
His first book, which I have yet to read, was written with his then flatmate Dave Gorman and is called Are You Dave Gorman?, where they track down and meet 54 people named Dave Gorman.
As you can see, I am a fan of his antics and was happy to see he has written a comic novel called Charlotte Street. It's bright, funny, breezy, hip, and very much like his other books in tone.
Jason Priestly is working at a free paper in London, half-heartedly writing restaurant reviews and living with his mate above a retro gaming shop. One day he helps a beautiful woman with her parcels on Charlotte Street and when she leaves, he finds she has left behind a disposable camera. Of course, he develops it, and uses the pictures as clues to her life, tracking her down to meet once again. There are several road trips and many days off work to scrounge the city and discover the places she had recorded on film, meeting event promoters, rock bands from Brighton, and even people she knows along the way. They might even meet once again at the end!
It's the kind of road trip/adventure story he lived in his other books, and written in the same hip goofball voice. Sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, but mostly, I found myself smiling through the whole book.
When I read Join Me, I was in London and enjoyed reading about the city, as I could then go to the same areas myself. I never made it to the fabled Tandoori Palace for a dansak, but it was fun to follow in his footsteps. Charlotte Street was like a visit from a friend, and it was great to hear what was happening in London...even though it was fictional...
2012 / Tradeback / 416 pages
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