The Tent, The Bucket And Me (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
I loved this book. I'm not a person who is usually found giggling out loud at stories but Emma Kennedys retelling of the trauma of her family summer holidays struck a chord with me. Perhaps it was because it reminded me of my own childhood forays into camping but I found myself laughing uncontrollably. I have nothing bad to say about this book. It was beautifully written with a rhythm and warmth that I enjoyed immensely. Excellent. 9/10 I'd wanted to read this for ages. Written by Emma Kennedy of TMWRNJ fame, (sorry, that reference is pretty obscure - but it had to be done.) Emma comes from the comedy stable that houses the likes of Lee & Herring, Mel and Sue, having written for both double acts in the past. She brings the same amount of comedy affect to her book. Having spent my childhood holidays in a caravan with my family, pootling round North Wales and the Lancashire coast, I thought I would be able to recognise some of the experiences or feelings. It turns out she has a far more traumatic holiday experiences than I could ever imagine. She also gets to go to France more than once. Something we definitely never did. And it was pretty much all in a tent. At least we had solid walls when it rained buckets in Wales. And then there is her bucket... you need to read the book to find out why no holiday you have ever had is as bad as hers.Set in the 70's, there's lots of star wars and Abba references, a proper nostalgic read, which I wasn't expecting. My only small gripe with the book, which did initially mar my reading of it, was her insistence at the beginning on how accurate the book was. That any conversations from 1976 can be remembered word for word is pretty unlikely. All autobiographies, however good the intentions, have to have, to some extent, some element of fiction, filling in or editing to them. It's just how it is, and part of the craft of writing. Unless of course there is a Dictaphone handy at all times to record all conversations you have, ever. Anyway once I got over her statement of fact, I concluded she was a pretty good story-teller.
What do You think about The Tent, The Bucket And Me (2009)?
Absolutely hilarious! Can't believe they kept going back on holiday!!!
—Sabeen
This was hilarious, had me crying with laughter.
—mira123
