Alan Partridge: Big Beacon

The hilarious memoir from the nation's favourite broadcaster

By: Alan Partridge

Narrated by: Alan Partridge

'It may be the funniest thing ever committed to sound' DAVID BADDIEL
'The audiobook is an absolute dream' RICHARD OSMAN
'Not only has Alan Partridge created an entirely new storytelling structure, it's very funny indeed' JON RONSON
'Partridge... has become the man our time deserves. Aha!' THE TIMES
'This is a deeply silly book. It's also glorious...[with] proper belly laughs on pretty much every page' i NEWS
'Every sentence screams pure Partridge...a spoof that comes close to comic genius' DAILY EXPRESS
'Expect plenty of laughs' HEAT

In Big Beacon, Norwich's favourite son and best broadcaster, Alan Partridge, triumphs against the odds. TWICE.

Using an innovative 'dual narrative' structure you sometimes see in films, Big Beacon tells the story of how Partridge heroically rebuilt his TV career, rising like a phoenix from the desolate wasteland of local radio to climb to the summit of Mount Primetime and regain the nationwide prominence his talent merits.

But then something quite unexpected and moving, because Big Beacon also tells the story of a selfless man, driven to restore an old lighthouse to its former glory, motivated by nothing more than respect for a quietly heroic old building that many take for granted, which some people think is a metaphor for Alan himself even though it's not really for them to say.*

Leaving his old life behind and relocating to a small coastal village in Kent, Alan battles through adversity, wins the hearts and minds of a suspicious community, and ultimately shows himself to be a quite wonderful man.

* The two strands will run in tandem, their narrative arcs mirroring each other to make the parallels between the two stories abundantly clear to the less able reader.

Classic Alan

As good as it gets really.. Worryingly I admire Alan.. Five more words required. Thanks

Perfection

I didn’t think something so long could feel so short.
More words vigorously as i need to.

Rhinocerene

Like a man who consumed too much Viagra and cornflower.....
I want the amount of caffeine Jason Statham would order... a very strong black coffee, with milk

So many laugh out loud moments, you know why you are here, reading these aren't going to stop you enjoying Partridge's peerless production.

Another Oasthouse coming next year too, I can listen to Partridge now pretty much all day and never get bored!

Bombast; tempered by the absurd

This book renews and expands on the tempered bombast of Alan Partridge. His character is slightly unaware of his weaknesses but the memory of his failures build a creeping maturation and change.
Is he learning and hugging his way to enlightenment? Nah. But he is moving and aging. Bravo Steve Coogan.

More of the same... still quite good

If this were my first Alan Partridge experience, I might likely be more effusive in praise for this book. Steve Coogan is a brilliantly clever writer and performer, and those skills are on full display here. But after numerous iterations of the character, the familiarity of the formula begins to tax the audience's attention. As mentioned in the headline, it's still funny, but Alan over-explaining double entendres, or saying something inappropriate, then being told by an assistant that it's inappropriate, and him responding with something more inappropriate, have become well-worn tropes. If only we all could have such reliable revenue streams. Still, it's a comfortable pair of shoes before moving on to the next book.