The name Sykes and the noun autobiography, seemed incongruous to me but one bit of the book read quite naturally,
'Being far from home, I had to find digs, and ... I found myself ... boarding at Harry Kershaw's farm .... For a townie like me this was an unattainable dream, a purposeful, rangey old house surrounded by fields and meadows ... .'
That idle mention of a country loving trait in his personality put all the buffoonery and backstabbing in place.
I felt as though I had a house guest but now I've finished reading the book - he's gone.
Eric had to stand at table to eat because chairs were scarce in their household. The coal was delivered by horse and cart. There wasn't a car for miles. He only knew which end of a phone was which since a visit to Saturday morning pictures.
By the end of the book though he is famous, computer literate and there are pictures of him being loaded with honours. Despite 502 pages of rambling (written when he was eighty two I think) it is a lovable tale that made me laugh and cry.
Publisher; Fourth Estate London 2005
Author; Eric Sykes
Title; Eric Sykes
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I once saw him play the secretary in 'The Nineteenth Hole' at Southsea Theatre. I'd always quite liked him but that was really good. I loved it when one of the other actors asked if they could go back to the script.