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10th out of 22 books
—
7 voters
Turning Thirty
by
Mike Gayle
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 wit...more
Paperback, 384 pages
Published
November 8th 2005
by Gallery Books
(first published October 1st 2001)
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Aspects of this book were fun for their true-isms, aspects of it were confusing because they didn't follow "the formula" where all other pointers suggested they would.
The most complex thing about it (now, anyway) is the way it reads like a period piece, accidentally emphasising how different the concerns of the pre-university fees, jobs-everywhere generation were from the turning thirty generation of now. The entitlement is so inherent in that generation, it isn't even addressed, it's just part...more
This was the first Mike Gayle book I have read and it will not be my last. I found the story to be full to the brim of nostalgia and reunion. It reminded me of relationships in my own life that have passed me by. I was reminded how we all change, sometimes for the better, as we get older and that my own "turning thirty" brought out a lot of anxiety in myself.
I have to say that my favorite part of this book is the advice that Matt so sagely dispenses:
"1. Don't take anything for granted because wh...more
I have to say that my favorite part of this book is the advice that Matt so sagely dispenses:
"1. Don't take anything for granted because wh...more
I love how Mike Gayle writes. Turning Thirty is the second book he's written that I loved reading. He writes as though he were simply having a conversation and the fact that his characters are just ordinary people trying to live their lives and make meaning of all of it is simply delightful.
I noted three things about Mike's writing: his characters talk about music, they hang out with friends and connect with their families and they email each other. These were common in both Turning Thirty and D...more
I noted three things about Mike's writing: his characters talk about music, they hang out with friends and connect with their families and they email each other. These were common in both Turning Thirty and D...more
Dibeli karena mendadak galau karena keluyuran sendirian di toko buku (oke, kapan sih gw nggak galau?) dan juga terpengaruh obrolan soal rencana hidup bertemakan turning 25 dengan si BlaBla (yang akan berumur 25 tahun ini) sebelumnya. Jadi meskipun gw masih *cough* jauh dari usia 30, maka gw memutuskan untuk membeli buku ini.
Dari segi cerita mungkin mirip chick lit ya, bedanya penulis dan tokoh utamanya pria. Plot utama berkisar pada kegalauan Matthew Beckford dalam menghadapi pergantian usia men...more
Dari segi cerita mungkin mirip chick lit ya, bedanya penulis dan tokoh utamanya pria. Plot utama berkisar pada kegalauan Matthew Beckford dalam menghadapi pergantian usia men...more
1 like · like · see review
Reading Mike Gayle is like viewing the new Twilight films: you know what you're getting into. His writing is fun, light, and quick. I read these types of books when Spring comes around to lighten up my mood, since I tend toward the heavier volumes when it is cold out.
But, just like the Twilight saga (or the Hunger Games or whatever has replaced Twilight), there are a lot of flat characters in here. The dialogue is snappy and sometimes witty, but tends to fall a bit flat also. The conflicts all...more
But, just like the Twilight saga (or the Hunger Games or whatever has replaced Twilight), there are a lot of flat characters in here. The dialogue is snappy and sometimes witty, but tends to fall a bit flat also. The conflicts all...more
The characters were so flat and unrealistic. Every single one talked and acted exactly the same; there was nothing that made each character's dialogue unique from the others. There were too many random supporting characters that did absolutely nothing except fill up a lunch table.
The thing that annoyed me the most was how Gayle left out the important scenes by only 'explaining' them in once sentence, but managed to write 300+ pages of completely pointless character interactions. Matt finding ou...more
The thing that annoyed me the most was how Gayle left out the important scenes by only 'explaining' them in once sentence, but managed to write 300+ pages of completely pointless character interactions. Matt finding ou...more
1 like · like · see review
Kayaknya GPU menerbitkan buku-buku Mike Gayle dalam waktu yang bersamaan ya? Dan rata-rata konsep desain sampulnya mirip. Simple, tanpa banyak warna-warni permen tipikal sampul novel chicklit.
Matt baru saja putus dengan pacarnya. Dia ditawari posisi baru di tempat kerjanya yang mengharuskan dia pindah ke Australia. Akan tetapi, bukannya langsung berangkat, Matt minta cuti selama tiga bulan untuk pulang ke kota kelahirannya. Dia tinggal kembali bersama orang tuanya, dan bertemu dengan teman-teman...more
Matt baru saja putus dengan pacarnya. Dia ditawari posisi baru di tempat kerjanya yang mengharuskan dia pindah ke Australia. Akan tetapi, bukannya langsung berangkat, Matt minta cuti selama tiga bulan untuk pulang ke kota kelahirannya. Dia tinggal kembali bersama orang tuanya, dan bertemu dengan teman-teman...more
This was the third of four back-to-back audiobooks I listened to by Mike Gayle and I enjoyed all four.
I'd actually read this as a paperback at a friend of a friend's apartment back in the summer of 2001 - I flew back the day before my 34th birthday, so almost apt.
Listening to it (again) brought back fond memories of my time as a teenager with friends and then meeting up with them again last year (coincidentally one of our 'gang' had passed away).
I think anyone who has left home thinks about what...more
I'd actually read this as a paperback at a friend of a friend's apartment back in the summer of 2001 - I flew back the day before my 34th birthday, so almost apt.
Listening to it (again) brought back fond memories of my time as a teenager with friends and then meeting up with them again last year (coincidentally one of our 'gang' had passed away).
I think anyone who has left home thinks about what...more
Man about to turn 30 goes home and catches up with old friends and old flames while he decides what to do with himself. Kinda like the film Beautiful Girls. I thought I had the plot all sorted by about page 50, but Gayle gently veered it in a different (and rather satisfying) direction. Really nice writing, a central character I could identify with rather well and many little cultural details I recognised instantly ("he spends hours trying to prove to me just why the last three episodes of Babyl...more
Really like this novel... Hmmm, baca 3 buku novel karya Mike Gayle, langsung klik "become a fan" doi di GR ini...
Ceritanya tentang Matt Beckford yang bakal berulang tahun ke 30 tanggal 31 Maret. Udah mapan, kerja di New York dan punya pacar Elaine, umur 22. Ehhh, entah kenapa, pas bulan Januari, si Elaine mutusin Matt. Gara gara ini, si Matt jadi minta pindah kerja dan balik ke Birmingham sono buat ngisi cuti 3 bulannya...
Di Birmingham, Matt terpaksa tinggal di rumah ortunya. Udah gitu, Matt men...more
Ceritanya tentang Matt Beckford yang bakal berulang tahun ke 30 tanggal 31 Maret. Udah mapan, kerja di New York dan punya pacar Elaine, umur 22. Ehhh, entah kenapa, pas bulan Januari, si Elaine mutusin Matt. Gara gara ini, si Matt jadi minta pindah kerja dan balik ke Birmingham sono buat ngisi cuti 3 bulannya...
Di Birmingham, Matt terpaksa tinggal di rumah ortunya. Udah gitu, Matt men...more
Sep 16, 2009
Jaclyn
added it
Recommends it for:
people approaching or who have recently entered their 30's
This book was alright. I originally planned to read this book a few months ago in "preparation" for my own 30th birthday, but didn't end up getting to it until the day after. This was a fast read and sometimes an entire page (and chapter) consisted of a one paragraph email. I liked the writing style of this book for a nice change of pace though. I found the short chapters to be very accommodating when I was trying to squeeze a chapter or two in around other things.
The story itself was pretty su...more
The story itself was pretty su...more
Jul 25, 2008
Aonja
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Aonja by:
aneca
Shelves:
2007
Gostei bastante do livro. Apesar de não ter trinta anos e de ainda me faltarem 4 para lá chegar achei-o...reconfortante. Eu própria passei por uma mini-crise de idade o mês passado quando fiz os 26. Não queria sair dos 25 altura em que ainda somos jovens (pelo menos é o que o Estado diz já que só temos cartão jovem até aos 25 e só pagamos bilhete jovem nos teatros e exposições até aos 25). Aos 26 somos considerados adultos... e ainda não estava preparada para ser adulta.
O livro mostrou-me que em...more
O livro mostrou-me que em...more
I accidently stayed up all night reading this male alternative to chick lit, dick lit,(I think I made that genre up but it exsists we just call it fiction)anyway, I read it in one go not cuz it was so good but because in 6 months I too, will be turning thirty and my anxiety about this milestone in life kept me up and kept me reading.
Have you ever been out with your boyfriend/girlfriend and their old school friends? And all they talk about is remember so and so? And whatever happened to...? And...more
Have you ever been out with your boyfriend/girlfriend and their old school friends? And all they talk about is remember so and so? And whatever happened to...? And...more
I am reading the Spanish translation of this book, Al Borde del los Treinta, which is the only reason I'm giving it all of those damn stars. It is a good learning tool for me in Spanish so it deserves the stars. As far as the book goes, I have some problems.
I think that it is total bullshit that people make these age milestones out to be anything at all. All age means is how many times you have been around the sun. If the earth's orbit somehow changed or slowed down, would you be any different?...more
I think that it is total bullshit that people make these age milestones out to be anything at all. All age means is how many times you have been around the sun. If the earth's orbit somehow changed or slowed down, would you be any different?...more
Light reading and funny. Might as well fall into "chick-lit" category.
Read it a bit too early when I was 25 which is five years ago. I am trying to remember why I was interested in this book:
- the main character was a computer programmer who was contemplating his life when the turned thirty. I was, kind of, doing it when I turned 25 :-)
- although not set as a "serious, philosophical" novel, it might as well evoke philosophicalish thoughts in me regarding time and age. I was then reading popular...more
Read it a bit too early when I was 25 which is five years ago. I am trying to remember why I was interested in this book:
- the main character was a computer programmer who was contemplating his life when the turned thirty. I was, kind of, doing it when I turned 25 :-)
- although not set as a "serious, philosophical" novel, it might as well evoke philosophicalish thoughts in me regarding time and age. I was then reading popular...more
As a matter of fact, I'm still in early 20. I found this book so inspiring in some ways. Some advices which Matt gives to Elaine in the end part of the story, some like: never take anything easy before it's too late, take care of your friends because they're the ones who will take care of you, and others.
For me, it's kind of a enlightment for me to go through my twenty-something with purposes. If we have dreams, fight for them. Even in the end, the destiny will show the truth upon us.
For me, it's kind of a enlightment for me to go through my twenty-something with purposes. If we have dreams, fight for them. Even in the end, the destiny will show the truth upon us.
Given this book by a friend when, surprisingly enough, I turned 30. Was not sure as not normally a fan of this kind of book.
I was surprisingly impressed. Mike Gayle writes in a simplistic, but endearing way. I found myself drawn into his characters and their lives. There is a sense of knowing within the book and identification of real lives. I thoroughly recommend it, but don't wait until you are 30.
I was surprisingly impressed. Mike Gayle writes in a simplistic, but endearing way. I found myself drawn into his characters and their lives. There is a sense of knowing within the book and identification of real lives. I thoroughly recommend it, but don't wait until you are 30.
Read it a few years before turning thirty myself, and although that was many, many years ago, I still have very fond memories of this book.
While the are no major conflicts to overcome, no major drama, no major primary or secondary characters, I believe that this is one of the book's strong suits. It's about life. And sometimes life just happens.
Now that I reemember, I need to find more of Gayle's books
While the are no major conflicts to overcome, no major drama, no major primary or secondary characters, I believe that this is one of the book's strong suits. It's about life. And sometimes life just happens.
Now that I reemember, I need to find more of Gayle's books
I've been in a reading funk since "Little Bee." I've started a few things but couldn't get into anything. This was driving me nuts. Finally, I picked up this book hoping it would be the frothy little thing that would get me going again. This books seems to have worked his magic. Now I just have to read/finish three more books in the next two weeks to meet my "Read 50 books in 2010" goal.
Though I'm on the other side of 30, I really enjoyed this book and the writing style. Matt is a nice guy trying to find himself. With mere months before his 30th birthday, Matt laments that he is not where he thought he would be at this age as he reconnects with his past.
Blog review: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2007/01...
Blog review: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2007/01...
mmm..gimana ya rasanya mendekati usia tiga puluh? ini yang menjadi pertanyaan besar matt, tokoh novel ini.
perubahan fisik, itu jelas, perubahan prioritas hidup...yeaaah...kalau sadar sih...
buat saya yang sdh lewat 30 sih biasa aja baca buku ini tapi membantu berpikir beberapa hal yang perlu dibereskan karena justru sudah berusia 30 tahun!
perubahan fisik, itu jelas, perubahan prioritas hidup...yeaaah...kalau sadar sih...
buat saya yang sdh lewat 30 sih biasa aja baca buku ini tapi membantu berpikir beberapa hal yang perlu dibereskan karena justru sudah berusia 30 tahun!
How cold I resist picking this up when I have a child ready to reach this milestone birthday? Whatever the male version of chick lit is, Turning Thirty is it. Although I found his relationship with his (former) girlfried wildly implausible (surely) other relationships were a joy to read abou.
"- O que é que os trinta significam para mim? Ter trinta significa sentir uma certa presunção em relação ao facto da minha mãe, quando tinha a minha idade, já ter tido uma criança e, por um curto espaço de tempo, um marido. também significa que, pela primeira vez na minha vida, me posso sentir como uma mulher e agir como uma miúda."
Love love love love LOVE this book!! Mike Gayle takes you straight into the mind of a man struggling with commitment. I think most any man would be able to relate and even us girls find ourselves laughing and nodding our heads at it. READ THIS BOOK!!!
This was an undemanding, reasonably amusing read. The relationship between the narrator and his sort-of-ex-girlfriend was interesting, as were the amusing asides about his former classmates. The whole end-of-twenties trauma seemed a bit overblown, probably because I'm past forty so I'd swop any day!
Didera kegelisahan, judul buku ini menarik perhatianku. Narasi tentang kegamangan tokoh utama selalu membuatku tertarik.
Ternyata tidak sebagus yang kupikir bakal kudapatkan. Beberapa bagian memang lucu but that's it. Untuk sekedar masa senggang dan tak ada hal lain yang bisa dilakukan, bolehlah.
Matthew, tokoh utama di buku ini, tidak terlalu "keren". Heh.
Ternyata tidak sebagus yang kupikir bakal kudapatkan. Beberapa bagian memang lucu but that's it. Untuk sekedar masa senggang dan tak ada hal lain yang bisa dilakukan, bolehlah.
Matthew, tokoh utama di buku ini, tidak terlalu "keren". Heh.
What I liked about this book is that where the main character was in life and his thoughts on turning thirty are similar to mine, so I found him somewhat easy to relate to. However, overall this book was blah. None of the characters were fully developed, and there was nothing dramatic about the story. There was basically no plot, nothing really to overcome, no climatic coming-of-age moment. Just a lot of meeting undeveloped characters.
Got it for my thirtieth birthday (which else?) and being, like many, worried what's to come once I grow that old, is the youth ending, or am I starting the second, more boring and worrying part of life, it showed me, no big deal is going to happen.
I appreciated the author's unique writing style. Unfortunately, I thought that the characters were not very interesting (with the exceptions of Matt and Elaine), there were too many unimportant details included, and I didn't care for the ending.
I took this book out bc I am turning 30 in 9 months. I feel a lot like he did and think dome of the same things. Esp ab wine racks and finding a seat in a pub. However it wasn't the best book I ever read and just sort of abruptly ended. Good for anyone about to turn 30.
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“I'm telling you this for one reason and one reason only: No matter how sure you are of someone's love, it's always nice to hear it.”
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Apr 13, 2010 12:55am