And Away...: The million copy bestselling memoir – 'joyful' Sunday Times
Bob Mortimer
Sep 2021 · Simon and Schuster · Narrated by Bob Mortimer
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205 reviews
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7 hr 59 min
Unabridged
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The number one bestseller and Sunday Times Humour Book of the Year by national treasure Bob Mortimer.
‘The most life-affirming, joyful read of the year’ - Sunday Times
‘Winningly heartfelt’ – The Guardian
‘A triumph’ – Daily Mail
Bob Mortimer’s life was trundling along happily until suddenly in 2015 he was diagnosed with a heart condition that required immediate surgery and forced him to cancel an upcoming tour. The episode unnerved him, but forced him to reflect on his life so far. This is the framework for his hilarious and moving memoir, And Away…
Although his childhood in Middlesbrough was normal on the surface, it was tinged by the loss of his dad, and his own various misadventures (now infamous from his appearances on Would I Lie to You?), from burning down the family home to starting a short-lived punk band called Dog Dirt. As an adult, he trained as a solicitor and moved to London. Though he was doing pretty well (the South London Press once crowned him ‘The Cockroach King’ after a successful verdict), a chance encounter in a pub in the 1980s with a young comedian going by the name Vic Reeves set his life on a different track. And now, six years on, the heart condition that once threatened his career has instead led to new success on BBC2’s Gone Fishing.
Warm, profound, and irrepressibly funny, And Away… is Bob’s full life story (with a few lies thrown in for good measure.)
‘The most life-affirming, joyful read of the year’ - Sunday Times
‘Winningly heartfelt’ – The Guardian
‘A triumph’ – Daily Mail
Bob Mortimer’s life was trundling along happily until suddenly in 2015 he was diagnosed with a heart condition that required immediate surgery and forced him to cancel an upcoming tour. The episode unnerved him, but forced him to reflect on his life so far. This is the framework for his hilarious and moving memoir, And Away…
Although his childhood in Middlesbrough was normal on the surface, it was tinged by the loss of his dad, and his own various misadventures (now infamous from his appearances on Would I Lie to You?), from burning down the family home to starting a short-lived punk band called Dog Dirt. As an adult, he trained as a solicitor and moved to London. Though he was doing pretty well (the South London Press once crowned him ‘The Cockroach King’ after a successful verdict), a chance encounter in a pub in the 1980s with a young comedian going by the name Vic Reeves set his life on a different track. And now, six years on, the heart condition that once threatened his career has instead led to new success on BBC2’s Gone Fishing.
Warm, profound, and irrepressibly funny, And Away… is Bob’s full life story (with a few lies thrown in for good measure.)
The number one bestseller and Sunday Times Humour Book of the Year by national treasure Bob Mortimer.
‘The most life-affirming, joyful read of the year’ - Sunday Times
‘Winningly heartfelt’ – The Guardian
‘A triumph’ – Daily Mail
Bob Mortimer’s life was trundling along happily until suddenly in...
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Ratings and reviews
205 reviews
Stephen McPhail
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February 21, 2026
I loved this audio book. I don't usually go for audiobooks, but in this particular case I think the narration by Bob did add to my experience of it. As a man of similar age and somewhat similar childhood experiences this book really touched me. At times I burst out laughing at other times I teared up. Lots of very funny anecdotes, lots of interesting observations about life. I didn't find a moment boring.
Darren Barber
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February 1, 2022
Relatively new to audio books, but this is just down my street. It’s made me belly laugh at times and then suddenly reflex on the details of some Of the exploits and stores. Thank you Bob Mortimer
Stephen Hill
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April 30, 2023
I could listen to Bob's stories daily. His humour and honesty is truly infectious. I am very jealous of his friendship with Jim. And away....
About the author
Bob Mortimer was born in Middlesbrough in 1959, the youngest of four sons. He trained as a solicitor before a chance encounter with Vic Reeves in the 1980s led to a successful career in comedy as half of duo Reeves and Mortimer. His screen credits include Shooting Stars, Big Night Out, Catterick and most recently BBC2's Gone Fishing. His memoir, And Away…, published in 2021. It became the bestselling memoir of the year and was named Times and Sunday Times Humour Book of the Year. His first novel, The Satsuma Complex, was published in 2022 and won the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse prize for Comic Fiction. The sequel, The Hotel Avocado, was an immediate number one bestseller on release in 2024. His books have now sold over 2 million copies. He's on Twitter and Instagram as @RealBobMortimer.
Bob Mortimer was born in Middlesbrough in 1959, the youngest of four sons. He trained as a solicitor before a chance encounter with Vic Reeves in the 1980s led to a successful career in comedy as half of duo Reeves and Mortimer. His screen credits include Shooting Stars, Big Night Out, Catterick and most recently BBC2's Gone Fishing. His memoir, And Away…, published in 2021. It became the bestselling memoir of the year and was named Times and Sunday Times Humour Book of the Year. His first novel, The Satsuma Complex, was published in 2022 and won the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse prize for Comic Fiction. The sequel, The Hotel Avocado, was an immediate number one bestseller on release in 2024. His books have now sold over 2 million copies. He's on Twitter and Instagram as @RealBobMortimer.
Bob Mortimer was born in Middlesbrough in 1959, the youngest of four sons. He trained as a solicitor before a chance encounter with Vic Reeves in the 1980s led to a successful career in comedy as half of duo Reeves and Mortimer. His screen credits include Shooting Stars, Big Night Out, Catterick and most recently BBC2's Gone Fishing. His memoir, And Away…, published in 2021. It became the bestselling memoir of the year and was named Times and Sunday Times Humour Book of the Year. His first novel, The Satsuma Complex, was published in 2022 and won the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse prize for Comic Fiction. The sequel, The Hotel Avocado, was an immediate number one bestseller on release in 2024. His books have now sold over 2 million copies. He's on Twitter and Instagram as @RealBobMortimer.
Bob Mortimer was born in Middlesbrough in 1959, the youngest of four sons. He trained as a solicitor before a chance encounter with Vic Reeves in the 1980s led to a successful career in comedy as half of duo Reeves and Mortimer. His screen credits include Shooting Stars, Big Night Out, Catterick ...
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