Man at the Helm - July book club

I found the book full of humour, the world seen by a 9 year old girl, Lizzie. She and her siblings are trying to find a man for their newly abandoned mother, to cheer her up and make them more socially acceptable. The children are a mixture of precociousness and innocence. The plot is unrealistic, verging on farcical, so we know we are not to take it too seriously.
A question - Will we have a sequel titled Woman at the Helm?
My daughter found she was an abandoned mother, and went through the tears, drink and pills phase quite quickly and moved on to a confident Woman at the Helm, steering her young family through new ventures and experiences! She did have family and friends though, who would not let her deviated from the course of independence!!

Weather: It's not so much the F words I can't get used to, more the use of the C word, which doesn't crop as much in conversation as the F word nowadays, I don't think it did back in the 70s, either. However, I am about half way through the book now and I like it, not in an 'I must not put it down until I finish it way', just a plod on every night before I go to sleep type of way. It has its' amusing moments and is quite readable, it did make me hark back to my youth and growing up in the 70s, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Thank you for my copy of 'Man at the Helm'. I have started it but we are going away for a while and I shall take it with me to finish. As there will be no internet access I need to post a question for Nina now.

Nina, I'm enjoying your book so far but why so much use of brackets? (Like this!) It's taking me a while to get used to your style (of brackets that is) I'm a little confused please enlighten me (if possible) Thank you, Nina.

Just finished reading Man at the Helm what a great book. Laughed out loud at some of the antics they got up to and really enjoyed it. Hope it won't be too long before her next one comes out.

I would be interested to read the same story from the mother's point of view

I would like to ask if she has any other books in the pipeline? Did she find it difficult to start the book and if so what made her "go for it".

As someone else has said - interesting to see so many differing view on the same book. I loved it.

I understand that it is semi autobiographical and having read that Nina has children of her own would like to ask whether he own childhood experiences have shaped the way she has been as a mother?

I love getting free books but must admit I struggled to finish this one. It seemed to me to be set more in the fifties or sixties than in the seventies - surely paid help of any sort was uncommon by then.
Im afraid it didnt make me laugh at all
I would love to know if Nina based her story on people she knew

Enjoyed the book although felt it over did the langage a little it was
a bit of a struggle at the start and am not sure it would encourage me to read anymore by this author.

Thanks for the free copy. I am halfway through it and thoroughly enjoying it. The characters are slightly eccentric, to say the least. I was a bit shocked that the two sisters who are eleven and twelve,,I think are fairly knowledgeable about sex, and men's genitals. Can't wait for the end to find out if their mother is suitably paired up. Very intriguing.

When I started to read, I had to put aside all my knowledge of 11 and 9 year olds - gained from having 4 children, 6 grandchildren, a long career as a Primary teacher and my present frequent contact in the school, where I am a Governor! Some of the vocabulary and thoughts of the storyteller suggest either a very intelligent - or precocious child!
However, having put that aside, I stopped looking for reality and thoroughly enjoyed the story! Given the dysfunctional mother the children coped amazingly well! It made for a highly amusing read!

Finished Man at the Helm today and found it a page turner. I agree with Maggiemaybe's review very much especially the bitter/sweet. Life is hard in many ways for many children, sadly. From my own childhood experiences your way of life is all you know and it is very normal to you. Everyone has different standards and priorities and even with the children's problems they were not horribly mistreated were they? They were loved, going to school regularly, had food if not the best and beds to sleep on and much more. I think Nina Stibbe is a talented writer and I will read 'Love, Nina' and look forward to her future work.

I have received this book and was planning to take it to read it on holiday. However, after the mixed reviews perhaps I had better start it first to see how I get on with it.

I'm always surprised that the same book can produce such diverse comments. Just goes to show how different we all are, thank goodness

I read this book in a few days as I couldn't put it down once I had started reading it.
It does make you smile, but not laugh, at the way it is written, and is amusing, but sadly it has a good sprinkling of "F" words.

I think that Nina has captured the voice of a 9-year old in the 1970s perfectly and she has an excellent ear for the absurd. The jokey style hides some truthful and honest observations which jumped out at me . I enjoyed this book as much as her first one.

I would like to ask Nina if she based Lizzie on herself or her sister or on a mix of them both?

I've enjoyed Man At The Helm, though would agree that the dust jacket reviews are over the top. I found it bitter sweet, and though there was plenty of humour and a few laugh out loud moments, there were desperately sad ones too. The voice of young Lizzie rang true with me, though she is no Adrian Mole. I particularly empathise with her and little Jack's experience at the village fete fancy dress competition - I've definitely been there! Thank you again to GN and to Nina for the entertaining read, and I'd like to ask Nina whether her depiction of village life and the treatment of the incomers was based on experience.

Half way through and enjoying it. The plight of the three children is touching as well as funny. I worry about Jack, although there are indications that he might have hidden depths and abilities. I wonder which of the three children is Nina's favourite?

Only just started it so after a couple of chapters I have to say that I do 'get it'. I think it is because I had an older sister and therefore find both girls attitudes to each other realistic.

I have finally finished this book but it has been a struggle.
Whenever I see the words'Hilariously funny' on the cover of a book, I get a bit worried.In the case of 'Man at the Helm' my worries were justified.I just didn't laugh or even smile.Oh dear! Do I lack a sense of humour? No, I think it was just silly.
I felt a bit uncomfortable and uneasy at the parent's selfish attitude and lack of responsibility.
Sorry, but not my type of novel. (I do try and finish every book that I start).l read many different genres and have found some surprising new authors, such as Jo Jo Moyes, that I probably wouldn't have picked for myself.

I loved Hideous Kinky merlotgran although I hadn't expected to. But I feel that the reviewers quoted in this book must have read very few really funny ones if they found this one hilarious. Mildly amusing but a pretty joyless life for the children.

many thanks for my free book.
I read this book in a few days as I couldn't put it down once I had started reading it.
It does make you smile, but not laugh, at the way it is written, and is amusing, but sadly it has a good sprinkling of "F" words.

I brought my children up in the laid back seventies and I don’t think the mother’s character is all that exaggerated. It was much safer to let children roam free in those days and her attitude of ‘controlled neglect’ was not unusual in those who lacked any real parenting skills because they'd once had the money to pay others to care for their kids. The two girls yearning for something more solid and stable reminded me of Esther Freud’s Hideous Kinky.
I’m glad there was a happy ending (of sorts). It’s a touching moment when the mother is finally shown some sympathy and support by a man.
Do you plan to write a sequel, Nina…..Teenagers in the Thatcher era for example?

Sorry but I can't see any humour in it and am finding it boring. Think I'll give up.

I enjoyed this book, humorous but innocent somehow. it has a great range of characters, especially Lizzie. It was a nice reminder about how life was in the 70s which i do remember, however you get the feeling that it wouldn't take much for things to get completely out of control. The family, although believable, are a bit odd, and what can I say about that mother!!!
I'd like to ask Nina if she is still using characters from her real life 'Love Nina' period as that household also seemed a bit chaotic. I love Alan Bennett, and would love to see him portrayed in a novel.

Some of it is quite amusing, but I couldn't find much funny in the plight of three children stuck with a drunken mother and an uncaring father. I have no idea what some of the reviewers found so "hilarious"