The Diary of Two Nobodies

by Mary Killen, Giles Wood

Welcome to Giles and Mary reality.Giles is a countryman who relishes solitude. His wife Mary thrives in company and enjoys frequent escapes to London.After thirty years in a marriage of opposites, Giles and Mary have adapted to a life of domestic misunderstandings within comical misadventures.In The Diary of Two Nobodies, you will have the unique opportunity to discover, first hand, what occurs when a man who sees himself as a cross between Mr Bean and Basil Fawlty shares his life with a woman who identifies closely with the Queen.Featuring original illustrations by the artist Giles, himself.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Humor, Biography, Memoir, Autobiography, Sociology

256 pages, Hardcover

Published November 2, 2017

Reviews

[John Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trouble is I can see a little too much of myself in Giles which is slightly worrying

[Sally Whitehead · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Gogglebox" is a guilty pleasure of mine, and one the main reasons I enjoy it is the repartee between Giles and Mary from their Wiltshire Cottage.

I was concerned that this book might be far too focused on the "Gogglebox" element of their lives but far from it; it's a really intriguing insight into the lives of an interesting and intelligent couple balancing their differing social and domestic needs.

The fact that up until very recently I lived in a thatched cottage in a similar village a few miles from theirs probably added to my enjoyment as I recognised and appreciated many of the local references and quirks.

Stylistically this book is an absolute joy - I could read their ponderings every day and probably never bore of them!

[Jane Garner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pure gogglebox indulgence, and they both are good writers.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

A niche book for fans of Giles and Mary from TV show Gogglebox. A modern day version of George and Weedon Grossmith's Diary of a Nobody. Hilarious.

[Hollie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Giles and Mary are an enigma to me. I love watching gogglebox, but I’ve never understood this pair. I thought listening to this audiobook might give me some more insight to who they really are, however it’s just a continuation of their slightly bizarre ramblings we see on screen. The only revelation is the fact that Giles seems to be even more of an old fashioned, bigoted nightmare than I previously thought, and Mary deserves a medal for putting up with him.

[Jill Andrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 lovely suppositions on a variety of events and observations in a year by two people with staggeringly different outlooks. Full of promise, hope and fun for how to get through a year without murdering your other half.

[James Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this but to be honest, towards the end, it did get a little repetitive. What’s funny is that you tend to read it in Giles’ and Mary’s voices and can see him deliberately looking to wind her up throughout. If you like them on Gogglebox then you’ll enjoy this.

[Ricardo Motti · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book version of watching Gogglebox: very fun with the occasional belly laugh.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn’t realise just how much I had in common with Giles…

[DarrenBrennan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very funny. I love Giles and Mary on Gogglebox and would recommend reading this book to anybody who has their sense of humor.

[Elsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Start to finish, this was incredible <3

[Julie Lacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

After enjoying watching Giles and Mary on Gogglebox I knew I’d like this book.
It takes the form of diary like entries and you can just imagine them bickering over the things they’ve written.
A great insight into a quirky couple.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining, easy to read.

[Kittiphon Boonma · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hilarious little read. Their eccentricities are so authentic that you cannot help but laugh out loud as you read them. To be honest, I get frustrated with the husband (Giles) at times. All very charming nonetheless! (I've never watched Gogglebox, so I'm sure I'm not biased)

[Thea | (unapologetic_bibliosmia) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I accidentally read an extract of this on Facebook I think it was, whilst on a road trip in the UK with my husband. We were howling with laughter and so I found the book in a bookshop we visited and began reading chapters aloud to pass our time on the road, and we both loved it! I did different voices for both Mary and Giles, which when their paragraphs directly contradicted each other on the same subject, one immediately after the other, provided much comedy in our car.

We love Mary and Giles from Gogglebox and so we knew what we were getting into reading this. I have to admit, I do flit between love and cringe when watching them as they are so far from our own personalities it seems like a hyperbolic characature of middle classness but as we are from Wiltshire we kind of enjoy it.

The book was much the same, I enjoyed delving deeper into Mary and Giles' personal lives, their characters and their histories. I found some of it very extravagant and definitely hyperbolic - I can't tell if Giles is joking with some of the anecdotes he comes out with they are so obviously made up but I don't know if that's supposed to be part of the charm?

Anyway I feel like I know them both more now, and I commend them for getting through so many years of marriage together, when it's quite clear they hate each other... But then again they're so right for each other!

[Mrs Olga A Danes-Volkov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amusing but...

I did like this book and it was amusing. However, it also infuriated me.

I am afraid both authors are of a type only too familiar to me in the past. Their house is "tiny", a mere cottage, yet had twelve rooms. They have little money but are always going to parties, house parties and abroad. They had a nanny. They are like very dear relations of mine who used to say "Oh of course poor Nina/George/Cedric hasn't a bean, he/she lives on the smell of an oily rag." This while I knew they lived the Woodian lifestyle.

I suspect they are charming and good company but the book made me cross!

[Lorraine Shorter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Giles and Mary from Gogglebox in their own words; eccentric and entertaining. Their tips and advice for getting through life can't be underestimated. Although quite how Mary puts up with Giles, I don't know, she must have the patience of a saint. Deprived of any further instalments in the Adrian Mole series, following the death of the talented Sue Townsend, I believe Giles is the living embodiment of that character come to life, trying to do his bit but never quite hitting the nail on the head. A lovely, comforting read about real people.

[Paul Snelling · Rating 2 out of 5]

Please: Don't judge me. I need a book for the bath, and what could be better than the gentle wit of the eccentric grouches from gogglebox? Answer: Virtually anything. The slim, large type-faced book is full of Giles' and Mary's deeply inconsequential and repetitive not-very-funny ramblings which thankfully leave the mind almost soon as they have entered it. All I can remember now, minutes after finishing it, is the faint memory of cooling water, mild irritation, and the fact that the wildlife loving Giles thinks that polar bears live in the Antarctic. As, presumably, does their editor.

[Leanne Keenoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first audible book.
So I listened to Giles and Mary from Gogglebox reading their diary entries.
I don’t always watch Gogglebox but when I do this couple are my favourite.
Completely eccentric and I absolutely loved listening to them.
It made me laugh so much. Made so much better that they were actually reading it to me 😀

[Erin Indra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm presently obsessed with Gogglebox.

I'm presently not obsessed with this large print rambling mess. Repetitive, old-fashioned, ranting, judgmental, classist, and not as cute on paper as on screen. Sad that I find them much less likable after reading this.

[Victoria Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic, but I am biased as I love everything that comes out of their mouths.

[Ella Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a funny book. Really easy to get stuck in with the changing narrative. Amusing, I quoted passages frequently with such memorable lines and tales. Highly recommended if you like unique voices!

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave it 4 stars because I love Giles and Mary on Gogglebox. If I were reading this and didn't know who they were it would get a 3 stars. It's a real quick read.

[Phil · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'd not heard of Gogglebox before reading this (other than it was the slang term my grandparents used for the television), so I had to Google to find out what they were talking about (this book is written by two people who appeared 'on Gogglebox'). And I'm still totally mystified. A television programme about...people watching television programmes? Am I missing something here? What is the point?

Anyway, perhaps this book makes more sense to those who have watched 'Gogglebox' or who have the faintest idea who these two people are. But for me, it was just rambling diary entries by two not very interesting and quite unpleasant people. Giles comes across as racist and misogynist while Mary dismisses those who have 18th birthday parties as narcissistic and egocentric and refers to an unmarried, childless woman as a 'saddo spinster'. Giles thinks it's funny to tell lies, especially about his spouse, falsely claiming at one point that Mary is 'doubly incontinent'. Mary talks about spraying household cleaning products around in the hope that it will trigger an asthma attack in her husband. Both complain constantly about each other apart from when they unite in complaining about other people or about the fact that they actually have to work because their staff is now reduced to one part-time person.

The cover blurb describes this book as 'charming, wise, hilarious', 'delightful' and a 'Cult Classic'. I am at a loss to understand how it has achieved any of these labels. I found it totally lacking in charm and I don't think I smiled once during the whole book, except in mild disbelief that anyone would actually publish this. But then I'm also at a loss to understand how anyone can be interested in watching a television programme of people watching a television programme. If you enjoyed the television programme this book relates to, then you might find this interesting. I didn't.

[Anthony]

Giles Wood & Mary Killen (2017) THE DIARY OF TWO NOBODIES (AUDIOBOOK)
Kindle Book - Audible

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 out of 5 stars

Audible write, "What is life for Gogglebox's Giles and Mary outside the willow-patterned cocoon? Giles is a countryman who relishes solitude. His wife, Mary, thrives in company and enjoys frequent escapes to London. After 30 years in a marriage of opposites, Giles and Mary have adapted to a life of domestic misunderstandings within comical misadventures. In The Diary of Two Nobodies, you will have the unique opportunity to discover, first hand, what occurs when a man who sees himself as a cross between Mr Bean and Basil Fawlty shares his life with a woman who identifies closely with the Queen. Accompanying this diary is a candid and amusing Audible Sessions interview with Giles and Mary, in which they discuss how they made it onto Gogglebox, what the most annoying things about each other are, and why 'nutty' is their go-to term of endearment."

Brilliant. Excellent. Could listen to the conflab between Giles and Mary all day. Brilliant back-and-forth. They're funny without even having to try.

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[Thomas Goddard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn't a read so much as an audiobook listen. I'm reading a few books at the same time at the moment, because I can. I have loads of time off from work for the first time in a long time. So, I'm back up to my usual tricks.

And yet, who wouldn't listen to the audiobook when it is two delightful souls like Giles and Mary. From a show called Gogglebox, which I have seen on television about six times in total. But a show that I can remember enjoying. A good digest of broadcast popular culture.

I'd say this one is definitely an audiobook for a commute to work. It's calm and they exude this gentle love for one another that is borne of the long entrenched stalemate of shared years.

Hashtag goals.

Then again, I've been in much healthier relationships. Ones where both sides have almost nothing to complain about. They do exist. They often end due to foreign job opportunities and not because of a lack of love. They are the most painful partings. You have to grieve for the loss of all that could have been, as well as for what you had.

I think that relationships are entirely the business of the people in them, so there's no judgement from me. I'll just enjoy the odd audiobook where their minor conflicts are laid bare. Aware that there were far more serious disagreements that went unrecorded. Damn, I wish I could be a fly on the wall.

[Claire (c.isfor.claire_reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the books I was gifted at Christmas, so I thought I'd make it my first read for 2021.

'Gogglebox' is one of my guilty pleasures, and with Giles and Mary one of my favourite couples from the programme this book really appealed to me.

Written in diarised format over a year, Giles and Mary give an insight in to their domesticity and how they have navigated thirty years of marriage together in their eccentric, polar opposite entertaining way. The same situations seen in two totally separate ways. They realise they are so very different but have somehow managed to make it work for them both. I loved their dry sense of humour throughout the book. I found the book entertaining and gave me some giggles along the way. I could see my parents marriage at times in entries, and being that I have been with my other half as long as Giles and Mary have been together, I'm sure there are bits of us in their domestic misunderstandings too. It's almost a book about nothing in particular, but it is actually about everything a partnership can bring.
Possibily not a read for everyone, but a great one to start my 2021.

[Tracy Larner-Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are one of my favourite couples on Gogglebox and the diary was exactly what I was expecting from them. I had many moments of bursting into laughter and reading bits out loud to hubby. It was great to get a better insight into their lives and relationship. Long live the cottagers!

I think my favourite bit was Mary saying if she came to power she would bring back the village shop as we have had similar conversations about our own. She says "when you ask residents if they shop there they say no, because it's too expensive. For example teabags are £2.49 in Waitrose but £2.70 in the village shop. And so, in order to get that one item, they spend at least £3 on petrol to make a saving of 21 pence" Funnily enough we had this situation arise in our own cottage regarding icing sugar! I've been caught out twice during baking...I walked to the village shop and paid £1 but hubby drove to the Aldi in town to pay 70p!

If you enjoy watching Giles and Mary on Gogglebox I'm sure you will devour this like I did.

[Lisa Bentley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anyone who watches Gogglebox will be aware of the delightful couple from Wiltshire – Giles and Mary.

I won’t lie to you, they are my favourite couple on the show and I won’t be lying when I say that I kind of want me and my fiancé to have a relationship like they do when we are in our 60s. They are just too damn cute.

Their delightful book Diary of Two Nobodies gives us a glimpse into the domestic life of Giles and Mary through one year. Seeing the same situations from two different perspectives, you become aware how they often fall foul of mixed communication. However, you see how much they truly love each other and how their marriage has lasted.

Diary of Two Nobodies is utterly charming much like Giles and Mary. It is a brilliant gift for fans of Gogglebox.

Diary of Two Nobodies by Giles Wood and Mary Killen is available now.

[Clarissa Brincat · Rating 5 out of 5]

A light read. In their alternating diary entries, Giles and Mary share the same kind of dialogue I remember them having on Gogglebox, only longer (therefore better!)

Some of my favorite excerpts:

“As a woman from Northern Ireland, Mary is fully capable of adopting the ways of violence that characterised the Troubles.”

“I am not one of those people who memorises number plates and nor can I differentiate between types of cars, unless they are Minis or Volkswagen Beetles.”

“Neither Giles nor I had eighteenth or twenty-first parties. People were simply not so egomaniacal and narcissistic as they are today – a trend propelled by social media.”

“whereas rows in his own family result in the participants often sulking for days at a time, only thirty seconds after Mary and my rows have reached their noisy climaxes we are amiably discussing what we are going to have for supper that night or laughing over a ‘lookalike’ in one of that day’s newspapers.”