What do you think?
Rate this book
The Diaries of a Fleet Street Fox
SEX, DRUGS, HEARTBREAK AND SCANDAL - THE INNER WORKINGS OF A TABLOID NEWSROOM
Fleet Street Fox's anonymity allows her to delve deep into the dark corners of that most guilty of pleasures - the tabloid exposé. Acerbic, funny, and revelatory, her diaries show the heart within the hack as she tries to recover from a betrayal as devastating as any newspaper scandal.
Fleet Street Fox's anonymity allows her to delve deep into the dark corners of that most guilty of pleasures - the tabloid exposé. Acerbic, funny, and revelatory, her diaries show the heart within the hack as she tries to recover from a betrayal as devastating as any newspaper scandal.
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2013
5 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Fleet Street Fox
1 book1 followerMY name is unimportant. I am in my 30s, I am divorced, and for the past decade I have been a national newspaper reporter.
I've worked in most places in Fleet Street as both staff and freelance - news agencies, broadsheets, tabloids, daily and Sunday papers. So far I have never been successfully sued, although many have tried.
I love this industry and my job, because it's full of fascinating people and I get to travel the world on someone else's dime. But it's also hard, it's not that well-paid, and a lot of people hate you before you even open your mouth. The fun bit happens when - and if - they change their minds.
I've worked in most places in Fleet Street as both staff and freelance - news agencies, broadsheets, tabloids, daily and Sunday papers. So far I have never been successfully sued, although many have tried.
I love this industry and my job, because it's full of fascinating people and I get to travel the world on someone else's dime. But it's also hard, it's not that well-paid, and a lot of people hate you before you even open your mouth. The fun bit happens when - and if - they change their minds.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
August 26, 2013
Like many others I bought this book because I follow Fleet Street Fox on twitter and I find her funny and interesting there. Sadly this book was a big disappointment on so many levels.
The book is largely the diary of Foxy's divorce. At the beginning she says that the book is a blend of fact and fiction; well if this is the fictionalised version of the divorce I hate to think how boring the real version must be. The highlight comes in the first chapter when Foxy gets arrested, and the story spirals rapidly downhill into being a very normal, everyday story of what happens when a married couple split up. I'm sure to Foxy it was the most all-consuming event of her life, but for a casual reader it simply isn't an interesting yarn. It's an entirely predictable narrative.
Even with a boring subject, I was expecting this book to be well-written because the author writes for a living. But I found the prose plodding and amateurish. Each chapter felt formulaic; there was an anecdote, a bit of relationship drama, a meltdown and then an epiphany (usually along the lines of her being better off without him, well duh) - they came along regular as clockwork. This really surprised me as I quite like Foxy's style in articles, but none of that style came through in this novel.
The best thing about the book was her characterisation of some of her Fleet Street colleagues, which really did jump out of the page. On the other hand, I thought Foxy came off pretty badly in her depiction of herself. She comes across as shallow, spiteful and that classic blend of arrogant and insecure, revealed in repeated offensive comments about women who are fatter than her coupled with constantly reminding the reader of how thin she is after the trauma of divorce, and obsessing about why her husband didn't fancy her any more. I guess she is a product of the media bubble she lives in, but it makes both her and that industry seem totally unappealing - so much so that even her twitter persona is spoiled for me now.
On the whole, a badly written and boring book. Had she not been a twitter celeb I have no doubt it would never have been published.
The book is largely the diary of Foxy's divorce. At the beginning she says that the book is a blend of fact and fiction; well if this is the fictionalised version of the divorce I hate to think how boring the real version must be. The highlight comes in the first chapter when Foxy gets arrested, and the story spirals rapidly downhill into being a very normal, everyday story of what happens when a married couple split up. I'm sure to Foxy it was the most all-consuming event of her life, but for a casual reader it simply isn't an interesting yarn. It's an entirely predictable narrative.
Even with a boring subject, I was expecting this book to be well-written because the author writes for a living. But I found the prose plodding and amateurish. Each chapter felt formulaic; there was an anecdote, a bit of relationship drama, a meltdown and then an epiphany (usually along the lines of her being better off without him, well duh) - they came along regular as clockwork. This really surprised me as I quite like Foxy's style in articles, but none of that style came through in this novel.
The best thing about the book was her characterisation of some of her Fleet Street colleagues, which really did jump out of the page. On the other hand, I thought Foxy came off pretty badly in her depiction of herself. She comes across as shallow, spiteful and that classic blend of arrogant and insecure, revealed in repeated offensive comments about women who are fatter than her coupled with constantly reminding the reader of how thin she is after the trauma of divorce, and obsessing about why her husband didn't fancy her any more. I guess she is a product of the media bubble she lives in, but it makes both her and that industry seem totally unappealing - so much so that even her twitter persona is spoiled for me now.
On the whole, a badly written and boring book. Had she not been a twitter celeb I have no doubt it would never have been published.
September 2, 2013
I really wanted to like this. I really did. The insight into Fleet Street was great and the characters were all very well written but it all just took a backseat to the rather tedious divorce. Yes its heartbreaking and I know he was a shit but this really was the most self indulgent book I've read for a long time. I did find myself skipping over pages towards the end and I rarelt do that. Like the marriage I just wanted it to end. Sorry.
May 20, 2013
Disappointed - thought this would be more along the lines of an actual day to day diary with juicy showbiz and newspaper gossip - more like 'The Insider' and 'Wicked Whispers'. Instead its a one sided view of the authors divorce with occasional references to her work as a tabloid journo.
June 24, 2017
Sometimes he will leave you for a fat girl. aka another divorce novel. yawn.
Neither full of salacious secrets about Fleet Street, being a "Fox" (though the character's surname is Fox - geddit?!) or any breakthrough advice on life; this is just another book about a late 20's early 30's year old woman getting divorced.
Things she learns:
Her husband is a twat,
Property is expensive & mortgages are scary,
Lawyers charge a lot,
Alcohol gets you drunk AND causes hangovers,
The traditional media landscape is changing;
And my fave bit - sometimes he will leave you for a FAT GIRL *gasp*
I wouldn't bother if l was you.
Neither full of salacious secrets about Fleet Street, being a "Fox" (though the character's surname is Fox - geddit?!) or any breakthrough advice on life; this is just another book about a late 20's early 30's year old woman getting divorced.
Things she learns:
Her husband is a twat,
Property is expensive & mortgages are scary,
Lawyers charge a lot,
Alcohol gets you drunk AND causes hangovers,
The traditional media landscape is changing;
And my fave bit - sometimes he will leave you for a FAT GIRL *gasp*
I wouldn't bother if l was you.
November 8, 2018
I only got to 58% just couldn't cope with the rubbish storyline any more.
November 12, 2020
I had expected it to be in the vein of Nick Davies and some investigative journalism but it was more about her divorce.
May 4, 2013
Foxy is a Fleet Street journo who cut her teeth writing on local and national tabloids. She writes a punchy column in the Mirror and blogs about the state of the nation. Originally she wrote anonymously but these days most people know her name is Susie Boniface. When I saw she had a book out I figured it was worth a read; someone whose that good with language would be interesting over three hundred pages. The resulting memoir is a mixed bag. In part this is my fault - whilst I knew Foxy had gone through a divorce I didn't realise it was the main story of her book. What results is essentially a divorce diary. It's interesting in part, an incite into an alternating state of mind in emotional turmoil, and in that respect deeply honest; but it's also writing as therapy, and not sure how much use that is to the general reader. The best bits of the book are actually where she portrays life and the workings of tabloid newspapers - the hierarchies of power, the mortuary humour , the insanity of hack competitiveness. OK, but I suspect she has a better book in her.
November 1, 2013
I really should pay attention to book reviews. I read film and music reviews but rarely for books. If I had I would have avoided this like the plague.
It's not a bad book, certainly well written and tells a reasonably interesting story. The problem is, it's almost nothing to do with life in a Fleet Street newsroom which was the main reason I wanted to read it.
This details, at enormous length, the protracted and venomous divorce of the author and her husband. He sounds like a complete git but then this is only one side of the story so that is pretty much a given. The prose is full of long rants and ponderous musing which I found hard to wade through.
There are some insights into the life of a Fleet Street hack but for those who follow Foxy on Twitter and read her blog you are better sticking with them. This is a divorce story and a divorce story only. It's occasionally witty but not enough for me to recommend.
I can only hope that writing this has proven cathartic for the Fox and that her next book delivers what is promised on the cover.
It's not a bad book, certainly well written and tells a reasonably interesting story. The problem is, it's almost nothing to do with life in a Fleet Street newsroom which was the main reason I wanted to read it.
This details, at enormous length, the protracted and venomous divorce of the author and her husband. He sounds like a complete git but then this is only one side of the story so that is pretty much a given. The prose is full of long rants and ponderous musing which I found hard to wade through.
There are some insights into the life of a Fleet Street hack but for those who follow Foxy on Twitter and read her blog you are better sticking with them. This is a divorce story and a divorce story only. It's occasionally witty but not enough for me to recommend.
I can only hope that writing this has proven cathartic for the Fox and that her next book delivers what is promised on the cover.
February 15, 2013
Very well written and frequently amusing -
I read it because I have followed Foxy on Twitter and found her to be entertaining & informative. By half way through the first chapter I was hooked and looking forward to a rollicking good read. It actually gets more serious/philosophical as the book progresses, but is still well worth a read, even if, like me, you don't have any experience of or interest in, divorce (which is main plot source for the book).
Actually one of the things that kept me interested was how Foxy's experiences of divorce correlated some of my own (non-divorce) life crises. I especially empathised with the feeling of suffering raw & deep pain about something else the rest of the world obviously thinks you should have moved on from.
And of course the stories from Fleet Street are HILARIOUS.
Only available in eBook at the moment (Kindle Edition now on Amazon.com) but I will be ordering the real book as soon as it is available.
I read it because I have followed Foxy on Twitter and found her to be entertaining & informative. By half way through the first chapter I was hooked and looking forward to a rollicking good read. It actually gets more serious/philosophical as the book progresses, but is still well worth a read, even if, like me, you don't have any experience of or interest in, divorce (which is main plot source for the book).
Actually one of the things that kept me interested was how Foxy's experiences of divorce correlated some of my own (non-divorce) life crises. I especially empathised with the feeling of suffering raw & deep pain about something else the rest of the world obviously thinks you should have moved on from.
And of course the stories from Fleet Street are HILARIOUS.
Only available in eBook at the moment (Kindle Edition now on Amazon.com) but I will be ordering the real book as soon as it is available.
March 18, 2014
By turns funny and poignant, this is the story of a marriage breakup written by a newspaper journalist. Fleet Street Fox is the pseudonym of a tabloid journalist in the UK, and her story charts the aftermath of her discovery that her husband of a few years has been cheating on her. In the course of the story she also describes her life as a journalist on one of Fleet Street's tabloids. It's an insiders look at how the press works in the UK, warts and all. It's very funny at times, but the wounds inflicted by her husband's cheating are visible to all and her description of her feelings and behaviour in the time following the break up are often painful to read. The anger she feels at what has happened displays in some self destructive behaviour which are written with great openness. Her toughness as a journalist acts as a counterpoint to her vulnerability as someone going through a messy break up and divorce.
November 15, 2014
This is a brilliant book from the point of view of showing how Fleet Street works - the fox writes beautifully and amusingly. But I couldn't be bothered with the central story of the breakdown of a marriage - wasn't interested in the dreary ex and couldn't see why the fab fox had got together with him in the first place. I'd love to read more by the fox on life among the red-tops - plots aplenty for her there - and ditch the pseudo-chicklit nonsense.
May 15, 2013
Really a game of two halves. Loved all the parts about tabloid journalism, which really rang true to life at least as far as my brief experience of that game goes. Unfortunately more than half the book is filled with the tale of the writer's divorce, which was to be very well described but much less interesting.
September 30, 2013
Was expecting it to read more like an exposé of the world of tabloid journalism and less like a sequel to Bridget Jones's Diary.
Not a bad book and I can see how it might have been therapeutic for the author and anyone else going through a divorce, but for everyone else it's probably a little wallowing and samey.
Not a bad book and I can see how it might have been therapeutic for the author and anyone else going through a divorce, but for everyone else it's probably a little wallowing and samey.
May 24, 2013
Torn between 3 and 4 stars here. The insights on journalism and how a newspaper works were fascinating, however there wasn't as much as I'd have liked included. I've never been through a divorce, so I can't say I took too great an interest in the specifics of that, but it's not my book and I'm sure plenty enjoyed it.
September 19, 2013
This is actually a novel about a divorce and about a woman trying to come to terms with a personal crisis that to her seems like the end of the world and yet she knows is just another everyday heartbreak in the great scheme of things.
It's also very funny and the Fleet Street background is possibly the most accurate dipiction of a modern tabloid that your going to read this decade.
It's also very funny and the Fleet Street background is possibly the most accurate dipiction of a modern tabloid that your going to read this decade.
February 26, 2014
Goes off the boil in its final quarter, as the story of Foxy's divorce meanders towards the decree absolute in a chick lit stylee. But up to that its lively portrait of life as a hack and the anguish of a broken marriage are compelling.
January 16, 2014
Bloody awful. I'm sure there are better books if you want the inner story of a newspaper. Only buy this book if you want a detailed account of divorce by a very bitter woman. Its only redeeming feature is its mercifully short length.
April 1, 2013
a great read, dark in places also lol moments a plenty
March 30, 2013
Great read. Funny how her divorce absolute arrived on the day mine turned up in the post. My ex has been renamed to tw@tface in my phone.
March 21, 2013
If only she did not refer to him as twat face I would have enjoyed it much more
March 29, 2013
Read because I follow her on twitter and enjoy her writting. The book did not disappoint being a thorouhly good read with a number of lol moments.
June 7, 2013
Good story, lot of information given on the divorce, slightly hilarious. A very funny look at the world, from a journalists point of view
June 6, 2013
Read on a sun lounger and laughed all the way through. Bored husband by reading out entire paragraphs. Great holiday read. Reminded me of boozy lunches when I used to dress in a suit for work!
July 3, 2013
Really enjoyed it as a good light holiday read
August 12, 2013
Really enjoyed a good mix of emotion gossip scandal and humour. More here http://themelican.blogspot.co.uk/2013...
February 10, 2014
A fine little read. Engaging, thought provoking, funny, and in the end a charming book. You do really end up engaged in the saga and truly rooting for the fox. I'd very much recommend it.
May 29, 2013
When you have nothing good to say, it is best to say nothing at all.
Nothing at all.
Nothing at all.
July 27, 2015
total rubbish
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews