Turning Thirty

by Mike Gayle

Book Overview

What's the big deal?
Unlike a lot of people, Matt Beckford is actually looking forward to turning thirty. His twenties really weren't so great...and now he has his love life, his career, his finances -- even his record collection -- pretty much in order, like any good grown-up should. But when, out of the blue, Elaine announces she "can't do this anymore," Matt is left with the prospect of facing the big three-oh alone. Compounding his...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743477650
• ISBN13: 9780743477659
• Release Date: November 2005
• Publisher: Gallery Books
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.78 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Great read for men AND for women...

I picked up this book because (being on the verge of the big three-oh myself) the title caught my attention. Rarely do you find a voice which is present, introspective, and relatable for both men and women. But this book accomplished that. It was a great balance of introspection, taking stock, and hopefulness for the future. My favorite quote is about the difference betweeen what turning thirty means for a guy and what it means for a girl. But I won't ruin it for you. I will tell you that I've already recommended the book to three friends, and that I also wholeheartedly recommend it to you!

Great

Turning Thirty was just the right kind of book for exactly the kind of mood I was in. Perfectly pitched between comedy and pathos I loved every single word. This is the first Mike Gayle I've ever read and I would describe it as somewhere between a Steve Horsfall and a Nick Hornby novel, i.e. British, quirky and so well observed.

Above-Average Reading Experience!

This book was my first experience reading the work of Mike Gayle, and I am please to report that I plan to read more of his books in the future! I enjoyed this book for the most part, which surprised me because I was a bit hesitant to read it since I am still several years from 30 and typically don't read books written from the male point of view. The book did make me think about goals I have set for myself and how life rarely turns out just as you plan it to in high school. I thought the main characters were well-developed and I was surprised by the ending...a nice treat! I cracked up everytime the author mentioned a previous classmate then put in () what he/she was predicted to be in high school and what he/she ended up being. I would certainly recommend this book to any reader around the age of 30. I caught myself thinking of old friends and experiences from my hometown that I hadn't thought of for awhile while reading this one. It's a good book to read if you're starting to feel like life hasn't taken the turns you hoped it would by your 10-year reunion! :) I do recommend this book!

Good book about a painful subject

Mike Gayle makes a point about how our society values perpetual youth, so that when people turn 30, they freak out. I went through it myself in July. Thankfully, the book is written with a lot of humor so that a potentially painful subject becomes entertaining. Our protagonist, Matt Beckford, is a likable guy. A British expat, he's living with his girlfriend in New York. The problem is, his girlfriend doesn't feel the spark anymore, and neither does he, although they're great friends. After an almost unbelievably amicable parting, Matt goes home to England to live with his parents for four months between jobs. (He's getting transferred to the Australia office of his software development company in four months). Once he's in England, Matt catches up with all his old mates from high school, who are all nearing 30 or already turned. He also encounters Ginny Pascoe, a sort-of girlfriend from high school. In the past, they constantly hooked up, but they never had a real relationship. Ginny is dating someone now, but she and Matt start spending a lot of time together. Matt also stays in touch with Elaine via email as he tries to figure out how he feels about turning 30 and his life in general. Mike Gayle has not really caught on in the US, that I can see, and that strikes me as a shame. His books always have likable, funny, immediately relatable characters. They happen to be very funny as well. My one complaint about this book was the ending. It wasn't predictable at all, but it wasn't entirely satisfying. However, he may write a sequel, because this is the book most of his fans have asked him to write a sequel to. I'm looking forward to it!

The Big 3-0

Mike Gayle is big in the UK, but for some reason he hasn't caught on to the same extent over here. I don't quite know why, because Gayle can write some blissfully (and sometimes wistfully) funny stuff. Plus his characters are endearing, sympathetic and human -- even if sometimes they act rude, egotistical or boorish. Turning Thirty is just as humourous and absorbing as Gayle's previous work, which means it's operating at a pretty high standard indeed.