3. Unreliable Memoirs by Clive James

James, Clive. Unreliable Memoirs, London : Picador, 1979.

This book concerns the misadventures the young Clive James from his birth in 1939 to his departure from Sydney for London in the early 60s.The first lines set the tone: “Most first novels are disguised autobiographies, this autobiography is a disguised first novel”. Now widely regarded as an Australian classic, the central joke behind the book is somewhat unappreciated these days. When James wrote and published the book in 1979, he was a successful TV critic and occasional TV host, but was not quite famous. His idea was to write an autobiography without having achieved much of note, with the resulting story being just a string of amusing failures. Unlike so many of the imitators, however, James’ book endures because it is funny, elegant and learned. 

Four more books in the series have since been published:

• The second, Falling Towards England, details his misadventures in London. 
• The third, May Week Was in June, his misadventures at Cambridge University. 
• The fourth, North Face of Soho, his misadventures in journalism. 
• The fifth, The Blaze of Obscurity, his misadventures as a TV host.

Sources:

• http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/events/book_stack/Unreliable_Memoirs_by_Clive_James_Chapter_1.pdf
• http://www.clivejames.com/current-books
• http://www.panmacmillan.com.au/cover2/9780330264631.jpg