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The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin

Reginald Perrin Series, Book 1

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The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin

By: David Nobbs
Narrated by: David Nobbs
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About this listen

Reginald Iolanthe Perrin, the creation of comedy genius David Nobbs, is surely one of the best-loved comedy heroes of our time - in both literature and television. So it is with great pride that Audible presents Reggie's escapades in digital audio for the very first time: we invite you to join him, and the memorable supporting characters who help him along the way, on one man's quest to avoid an everyday existence.

Reginald Perrin is sick to death with selling exotic ices at Sunshine Desserts. He's fed up with his boss C.J. who delights in making his life hell. And he's had enough of his eager young assistants who think everything is 'super'. So begins Reggie's battle against consumerism. Driven to desperation by the rat race and the unpunctuality of Britain's trains, Reggie's small eccentricities escalate to the extreme. Until, finally, he leaves behind the unacceptable face of capitalism altogether. Driven off in a motorised jelly, and creating the world's biggest loganberry slick on his way, he dumps his clothes on a Dorset beach and sets off for new adventures....

Having graduated from Cambridge University, David Nobbs entered the army, then tried his hand at journalism and advertising before becoming a writer. A distinguished novelist and comedy writer, Nobbs has written for hit TV comedy shows including The Two Ronnies and created the TV sitcom The Rise and Fall of Reginald Perrin, adapted from his own Reginald Perrin comedy novels. He lives near Harrogate with his wife Susan.

©1975 David Nobbs (P)2013 Audible Ltd Literature & Fiction Comedy Funny

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Most relevant  
I read this book (and later the sequel) way back in the 1970s, before - if I remember correctly - seeing the television series. It has really stayed with me over the years, so much so that I have always recalled many passages and phrases, and welcomed them as old friends when listening to these audiobooks. I found the stories just as amusing and insightful now as then, and while much of the detail of everyday life is necessarily dated, the way in which Nobbs gets under the skin of the British psyche holds true. The mild mannered yet oddly anarchic character of the books still comes through.
Some readers questioned having David Nobbs reading the books himself. I was a bit dubious at first but soon forgot that and thoroughly enjoyed his narration.

Still crazy after all these years...

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At least as good as the TV version. Pure joy from start to finish. The late David Nobbs narrating his (probably) finest work added to the poignancy of his subject, the everyman who sees the absurdity of life, commuting, meeting targets - the World in general. As relevant now as it was in the 70s. Don't read this review, listen to the book!

So good

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Can't listen to this book without having the late great Leonard Rossiter in your mind. Its an old book so is dated but don't let that put you off its still a great listen.

Still a good read if a little dated

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I remember watching repeats of this when I was younger, so I was already familiar with the story. It feels a bit slow at times and the writing isn't always stellar, still it's entertaining, comical and well worth a listen. If I'm honest, I won't get the others in the series because it didn't quite grab me enough. I did enjoy this though.

Still great!

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I remember repeats of Perrin from childhood, and always enjoyed Leonard’s Rossiter’s performance. The novel is a different proposition. You’ll find the jokes from the telly series, but really it’s the poignant story of a midlife crisis. Perrin, a long-serving executive at Sunshine Desserts, fears he’s losing his mind. The daily commute is driving him mad. He hits upon a plan to escape his humdrum existence ... this is smart comedy, with poetic moments. The best one-liner is Perrin’s observation that he has a good marriage — and he isn’t going to let his wife spoil it. Nobbs manages to poke fun, without dehumanising his characters. The suburbia he satirises is also lovingly depicted... yes, it’s stifling, and full of crushed dreams and simmering frustrations. But Nobbs doesn’t look down on any of the people he writes about (well, maybe CJ, Perrin’s insufferable boss...) The narration, by Nobbs himself, takes some getting used to. Nobbs isn’t a natural narrator: he’s too quick, and doesn’t make much effort to differentiate between voices. But eventually I ‘tuned in’, and within a couple of hours I was hooked.

I didn’t get to where I am today listening to Audible

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The successful author Jonathan Coe, argues this is one of the most under-rated novels of the 1970s. He suggests that it was and is overlooked because of the extremely successful TV series of the time. (I was around at that time, but never watched it. From snippets I have seen since the novel is better.) This novel and audio-book is pure listening pleasure. So then you may ask, why listen or read a novel from the 1970s? Very simply because it is as relevant today as it was then. More than this it is hugely funny, satirical and questioning about what really matters in a human being’s life. There are few listeners or readers who will not find identification or sympathies with the main character, Reginald Perrin. He is a joyous creation. There is a raft of other characters who will also amuse, delight and sometimes sadden. This is fiction and therefore not fully divorced from reality. Poor Joan. The audio-book is expertly read by the author and can therefore be seen as authoritative. In terms of fun, and laughter, it abounds and acts as a spoonful of sugar to the proverbial medicine as it goes down. No listener need hesitate in selecting this audio-book; they will be hugely rewarded.

One of the Most Under-rated Novels of the 1970s

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Would you listen to The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin again? Why?

A compelling tale of an executive's slide into a mental breakdown and his subsequent realisation that he still loves his wife, there are several insights into Reggie's decent into madness, the storey lines are strong and the comedy is subtle and the situations believable well worth visiting again.

What did you like best about this story?

It follows the television series closely but adds a great deal of incidental detail to the characters.

Which character – as performed by David Nobbs – was your favourite?

Reggie, David brings a warmth and depth to his characterisation of the lead in this book

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It was a wonderful easy listen and next time I will do it in one go.

Poiniant witty and thought provoking

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I really enjoyed this book for all the reasons in the title. Also probably because I work in an equally soul-devoid dessert factory and can relate to the character's feeling of emptiness and his endurance of stifling management tactics. It made me LOL too. Thank you David Nobbs.

Poignant, funny, characterful, charming

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Having recently rewatched the 1976 first series of the Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin starring the genius, Leonard Rossiter, I felt I owed to myself to reread the first novel in the series written by David Nobbs that I first read several decades ago. It was great, super in fact. The book is perhaps more of a steady recognition of Reggie's midlife crisis than the manic and funnier depiction by Rossiter. However, as Nobbs adapted his book for TV it is write that he tweaked, condensed, pruned and honed his creation. Even so, the book still stands up, more so now that I am ten years older than the protagonist, rather than being twenty years his junior when I first read it.

Great, Super

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I don't like to be negative in my reviews but this was a desperately disappointing letdown for me, and as such I feel duty bound to warn others. The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin is one of my all-time favourite books, and you would expect the person most qualified to do any great novel justice in its narration would be the author himself. Sadly this is not the case. I have learned that reading a story out loud is a skill that requires a sense of the dramatic and a degree of acting ability, and this is why my favourite purchases from Audible all involve professional actors. Unfortunately David Nobbs reads this as if he's pitching a script for the sitcom to a committee. It's as if he's expecting to be interrupted at any point by someone saying 'Thank you Mr Nobbs, we'll be in touch.' I must confess I've only just passed the safari park scene at the time of writing, and maybe if I persist with it his narration will either improve or grow on me, but I rather suspect this is destined to become one of those audiobooks that remains forever unfinished.
Sorry David, I have been in awe of your writing brilliance for more than thirty years, but you really should have got somebody else in to create the audiobook. I can think of several actors who would have performed this superbly (although my ultimate choice of Leonard Rossiter would of course have sadly been impossible). This should have made it into my top five but instead it will go down as money wasted.

An opportunity spurned

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