Malapropisms And Mondegreens

I treated myself to a New Book. I rarely do that. But I've made some money on Ziffit recently - and gained some bookshelf space. So I pre-ordered this one by Richard Osman. I do enjoy Pointless, and the banter between RO and Alexander Armstrong. 

It is a clever, funny book - about a group of friends living in "Coopers Chase" - an exclusive Retirement Village, who meet to discuss unsolved crimes, and then a Real One happens on their doorstep. They solve it, both helping and hindering the local police along the way.

Like Alan Bennett, Osman clearly has a good ear for dialogue. I imagine him [in the pre covid19 days when you could sit near enough to eavesdrop] listening to conversations in coffee shops and on buses. Picking up the unusual turns of phrase, the mispronunciations, malapropisms and mondegreens, which make you want to laugh out loud but you know you can't. 

I've spent most of my life around Old People, the majority of them delightful folk - when you're a Rev's wife, it goes with the territory. I can hear these pensioners saying these things ...and hate to admit it, but I am approaching the age when I shall probably be like them! 

Coopers Chase always wakes early...the first kettles whistle, morning joints creak into life. Nobody here is grabbing toast before an early train...Many years ago, everyody here would wake early because there was a lot to do and only so many hours in the day. Now they wake early because there is a lot to do, and only so many days left.

I am not giving away any of the plot - the book is clever, and we both really enjoyed it.The dust jacket describes it as "his first, and so far, best novel" - I am looking forward to the next one.