Rather like the Talking Head’s song, you might find yourself wondering ‘well, how did I get here?’ You reach a certain age and start to wonder how it is that your actions have led to this point. If only you’d done this, if only you hadn’t said that… Isn’t it time to start taking stock, time to live a little more thoughtfully? If you recognise yourself in this statement, then A Listening Thing is almost certainly a book for you.

The book first came my way when my life was in a state of upheaval. The job that I’d been employed to do suddenly came to an end after nearly five years. I had no real idea as to what to do, or how I could continue to support my family. Or whether I would find sustainable employment again in these times of economic austerity. I was a scared man, and I had some serious re-assessing to do. I had to slow things down and consider what things really mattered. William Michaelian’s novel was often by my side throughout this difficult time.

The main protagonist, Stephen Monroe, is a very likeable character. He struggles to get satisfaction out of his day job, and is also reflecting on his failed marriage to a woman, he realises, he still loves. So, a serious book for serious times.

The plot, without giving any of it away, drives the novel along. You deeply care about the characters in the story and want things to go well for them. There are many scenes that are, as you might expect, very moving. But there’s lot of humour too. Dry humour. Quips and jokes, observations of daily life that we have all seen but maybe haven’t been able to put into words. Certainly not in the way that a wordsmith like William Michaelian does.

Aside from the novel, there is the bonus of an additional and insightful interview with the author. I heartily recommend this book. ( )