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The Man I Think I Know

A feel-good, uplifting story of the most unlikely friendship

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The Man I Think I Know

By: Mike Gayle
Narrated by: Ben Addis, Chris Nayak
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About this listen

 Some people just look destined for great things. And sometimes, life has other ideas.

Ever since The Incident, James DeWitt has stayed on the safe side.

He likes to know what happens next.

Danny Allen is not on the safe side. He is more past the point of no return.

But it's funny the way life is sometimes. Just when you think you know how everything is, it surprises you.

And redemption can come in the most unlikely forms . . .

Warm, witty and wise, Mike Gayle's new novel is a powerful story of male friendship and what we mean by success, reminding us of the simple courage at the heart of every human life.

(P)2018 Hodder & Stoughton Limited©2018 Pizza FTD Ltd Fiction Friendship Genre Fiction Literature & Fiction Women's Fiction Feel-Good Inspiring Witty Comedy

Critic reviews

That rarest of things; a moving, beautifully written novel about male friendship. The Man I Think I Know is a truthful, wise and wonderfully redemptive story about men stripped bare of the traditional ideals of masculinity - success, strength, power - learning to face up to the real world. I absolutely loved it. (Lisa Jewell)
The Man I Think I Know by Mike Gayle is amazing! Really uplifting and a jolly good read to boot (Katie Fforde)
Beautifully written, thought-provoking and completely charming. Mike does a wonderful job of tackling a tricky subject (ABI) with sensitivity, wit and humour. His story reminds us that the everyday things we take for granted without realising how precious they are, can be snatched away in an instant with catastrophic consequences. But I think the thing that struck me most about this book were the voices of Danny Allen and James DeWitt. They were pitch-perfect and helped to create a pair of characters I was rooting for from the start and cheering for by the end. (Ruth Hogan)
Loved this novel - insightful, moving and funny. Read it (Freya North)
Mike is always wise and wonderful, but this is a whole new departure for him - read it! (Jenny Colgan)
A very special book. A moving, thought-provoking storyline told with humour and insight. I loved the distinctive voices of James and Danny and really missed them when I finished it! (Tracy Rees)
The Man I Think I Know is gloriously good. Touching, uplifting, brave and funny, it's a story of life, second chances and daring to believe in better things. James and Danny's friendship is beautifully portrayed: I was rooting for them from the start and cheering them to the finish. I defy anyone not to fall in love with this book. Downright wonderful! (Miranda Dickinson)
Mike Gayle is the king of touching, human stories, and this big-hearted book is his best yet. 5*
Powerful
You'll be both laughing and on the edge of tears with this brilliant read
All stars
Most relevant
To start I wasn’t,t sure, but as I listened on the story became more involved and was thought provoking. It became unput down able

Excellently written and read

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I absolutely loved this book. It’s the tale of how 2 school acquaintances lives come together years later, both under less than ideal circumstances. Danny left school full of high aspirations but is now jobless and James, with the same aspirations had his world ripped apart by ‘the incident’. The 2 narrators of this story are perfect for the roles and make you want to listen to more to find out the past stories and how the 2 come together with their lives now intertwined. I wanted to listen to this book to find out what happened next each time I put it down. Great book, easy to listen to and well recommended.

Excellent, heart warming read

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Loved this story from start to finish. Couldn’t wait to finish it and then dad it is over! The story of Danny and James is sad, happy, funny and a lesson for us all in determination and positivity.

Captivating story

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Nice enough story but feels as though it's been written in a weekend. The language is not very ambitious and the narrative and characters lack depth somehow.

Nice but a bit simplistic

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This story about two men who the only thing they have in common is that they attended the same school is brilliant. The narration is very well done and I found it quite thought provoking. I’m off to listen to some more Mike Gayle books!

Heartwarming story

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