Letters used to be a common mode of one-sided parent-child communication, painstakingly and dutifully composed on the parental side, unresponsively taken in by the grownup offspring, as is their unreciprocal birthright. The wayward Charlie Mortimer somehow managed to hold on to these letters from his father, who happily throws in some performative humour and other mild amusements within his world-weary griping. There’s no particular purpose to this collection, so one can pick it up and read at any point, but the pithy style and frivolous spirit mean it’s never a drag. ( )

My parents just gave me this for Christmas. I was a bit taken aback when I saw the title. Message, Jim?

Anyway, it's hilarious, and I'm not given to overstatement. I really mean it. A brilliant comic eye and superb understatement. All terribly English. ( )

The letters from the father are funny but there is certainly hints of despair at the son's behaviour. If you hate the politically correct world there's lots to laugh at. ( )

This is my month for epistolary books. I've just finished [b:Lady Susan|91582|Lady Susan|Jane Austen|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328864949s/91582.jpg|2424548] and I'm reading this memoir told through letters from the father to the son, the author. I'm also reading[b:Philip Larkin: Letters to Monica|9625753|Philip Larkin Letters to Monica|Philip Larkin|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348968838s/9625753.jpg|14513023], another memoir told through letters.

This is hilarious. The father writes very dead-pan letters to his from the time he goes to Eton through all his years of not settling down to anything. An example of the humour:

This is from a lawyer (before he became a QC) and a judge:

Judge: "Mr. Smith, you are being extremely offensive."
Mr. Smith: "As a matter of fact we both are. The difference being that I am trying to be and you can't help it."

I read that out loud to my son and he said, "Someone ought to tell that to Judge Judy." They should too.

Tony britton