Because I Don't Know What You Mean and What You Don't - by Josie Long (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The frank and offbeat debut collection from award-winning comedian and broadcaster Josie Long

From a comic mastermind comes this brilliant collection of stories

Three teenagers believe they are witches.
A woman defaces a local billboard.
A bored landlord tries to influence his son's best friend.
A cul-de-sac WhatsApp group discusses eggs at length.
A heavily pregnant woman finds a way to time travel and a girl discovers joy on a stolen bicycle . . .

Each tale paints a life in miniature and offers an escape chute from the mayhem of modern life.

Review Quotes

"Her writing is miraculous. A dazzling debut"--JOANNA LUMLEY

"I knew this book would be funny and relatable. I didn't know it would also be angry, heartbreaking and knife-sharp. I love these stories"--KIRSTY LOGAN

"I loved this short story collection. Funny, poignant, daft, and occasionally even hilariously cynical"--FRANKIE BOYLE

"Josie Long can REALLY write. Read these stories NOW"--DAWN FRENCH

"Josie Long is my favourite comedian and when reading these stories, all the cynicism I've acquired gets replaced by the enthusiasm I felt the first time I saw her live"--JAMES ACASTER

"Josie Long's first collection reveals a natural gift with a frank and poignant tale; teenage experience, community WhatsApp groups and broken family units are picked apart with a wry cynicism at the weirdness and cruelty of life . . . an approachable debut full of heart and hope"-- "Observer"

"Josie's stories are like her comedy - beautifully observed, strange, good-hearted, unsettling and truly funny. Read them immediately"--A. L. KENNEDY

"Josie's stories are tender, devastating and hilarious, often all at the same time. Opening up this book is like skinny-dipping in the brain of a genius - I never wanted to come up for air"--SOPHIE DUKER

"Josie's writing is everything I love about her stand-up: sharp and smart, hilarious and incisive, infused with love for the world and the complicated people who live in it. A joy to read"--MONICA HEISEY

"No-one manages to mix the profound with the funny quite like Josie Long. She's not just the voice of a generation, she's it's head and heart too. Her writing is exquisite, her performances invigorating and inspirational. I could not love this woman more. She's just the best"--BRIDGET CHRISTIE

About the Author

Josie Long is a writer and a stand-up comedian. She won the Best Newcomer award at Edinburgh Fringe Festival and has been nominated three times for Best Show. She was born in Kent in 1982 and studied English at Oxford University. She currently lives in Glasgow.

josielong.com @josielong