Life’s a Banquet

Interesting autobiography with a lot of simple and smart learning points and advice. Easy to read and easy to follow if own life. Everyone has different situations in life and we all learn from them. I think that smart ideas and learning situations from others can help us to be better and react differently in our own lives. Relaxing and enjoyable book.

** Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review **
No tengo claro lo que me atrajo de este libro, pero me alegro de que lo haya hecho. Es una autobiografía del autor, pero es mucho más. Me sorprendió lo interesante y lo aprovechable de este material. Ademas es fresco, no es difícil de leer y es interesante como esta organizado, a partir de lo que propone y brinda.

This book has such a catchy title and is an interesting read! People are all different and it is interesting to learn about the lives of others that are not like your own. This young man has had quite a ride and yet has kept going through it all! This book serves as both an interesting memoir as well as being motivational.

Interesting and entertaining read. I liked the humour and the writing style and how personal this story is.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Initially this biography seems fairly predictable. Life lessons from the kind of man one frequently sees at the Kingham Plough, wearing bright red cords and braying his way through the sous-vide scotch egg. But no; Mr Bennett is much more interesting than this and infinitely more charming.

Undeniably he’s a bit of a cocky sod but clearly I like those, having married two of them.

There is a strong streak of genuine decency which makes this book very enjoyable and enough interest to keep the reader turning pages.

I was left wanting to know more, the best endorsement.

'It's not really the "guide book 'to negotiating your way through life" promised in the description. Rather it's an unashamed and highly individual autobiography of someone who's enjoyed moderate success in life, and now has an enviable lifestyle. How? Well, it seems luck, some judgement, application and a lot of chutzpah.

It's highly readable and entertaining,. There are reflective life lessons along the way. The author seems very open and honest. I read it over a couple of days.

really enjoyed very special kept me turning pages Made me think would definitely recommd to a friend Very special

I'll be frank and say that this book isn't in my usual genre of books to read but having said that if was intriguing, well written and made a good change from my usual reading list.

Life’s a Banquet by Robin Bennett. What an easy read. This was a great book which blended honest memories of tough experiences through childhood, adolescence and working life with humour and pragmatic, positive attitude. I love how Robin remains positive and embraces the tough stuff as learning and character development. I don’t think the book is a “how to succeed in business” book per se but I love how Robin has managed to avoid becoming bitter about those who treated him badly and absorbed this to inform his strategic goals, and indeed his everyday life and relationships. I knew my husband would love this book - and he’s an avid non-reader! Robin’s writing style just hooks you right in with its honesty and fantastic humour. The humour is used perfectly to highlight (and soften) the hard lessons, making a great impact but it is used appropriately sparingly so that it doesn’t distract from the messages. Loved this book. Read it to help restore or maintain your perspective when life throws you the curveballs- and, of course, for a good laugh.

An entertaining and upbeat memoir. A born entrepreneur, who has built up numerous businesses using his tried and tested method of starting small and growing organically. An inspiring example worth following!

The opening description of this book indicates it's a sort of overt self help guide. It really isn't.

The last para indicates it's a memoir. It is.

But it somehow manages to blend really important, salient life lessons through the story of someone who ordinarily would be considered a bit of a silver spooned upper class buffoon in the mould of Bojo. But that would do this chap a huge injustice. For one, he really can string two meaningful sentences together very, very articulately without the need to grip your thigh under the table to get your attention.

And amongst all the rollicking good fun, trials and tribulations of a larger than life life, there are some very helpful nuggets of life's lessons. And because of the way its written, the lessons have far more impact than the usual way self help books bludgeon you into believing you're actually rubbish. The way the lessons are woven into a story with the eureka moment revealed at just the right time is very clever.

And this rotter had a grown man blubbering during the story of the birth of their child; it's that well written. Heartwarming indeed.

A thoroughly enjoyable book - just don't treat it as a vanilla direct self help manual: it's far more than that.

Very funny biography.
Robin Bennett has a funny take on everything - having a dog with him becoming an icebreaker.
Its funny that Bennett's 2 main rules related to answering restroom calls was not what he followed when he was about six years old.
"We were still allowed to have a deep personal relationship with tarmac"
"liberally creosoted once a year"
Arran sweater
Teasmade and Alarm clock
"our address in conversations was shifted down the road"
In the later part, you learn how the author started the sandwich business, translation business.
Business is compared to writing.
How comic's sense of timing can help in closing the sale.
simmer to boil metaphor of closing the sale.


I dont think no one ever used footnotes so well .. making them so interesting.

Inspirational, emotional and witty. This book is a really enjoyable memoir with lessons as an added extra special ingredient. Recommend!

An enjoyable uplifting read. Easy to read with some laugh out moments. A rags to riches story. Lots of lessons to be learnt..

Although this is a fun read, if you're expecting a 'how to' book the description promises, you'll be disappointed. This is more one man's thoughts and musings on how he got to where he is today without any real concrete guidelines on how to emulate his success, especially since there seems to have been a hefty dose of luck which contributed to getting to where he is today.

Still, it's enjoyable and if you enjoy memoirs, you'll like this.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

If life gives you lemons..... Add Gin!

A colourful book outlining the important of being determined to succeed. The characters are endearing and likable and the underlying story is a good one. Quick, easy read.

Interesting rags to riches memoir. Amusing and quick-witted, although a little slow in places. Easy to read and easy to follow with a few life tips thrown in along the way.

An uplifting autobiography with a 'feel good factor'; fairly interesting, readable and entertaining. Some poignant parts that I'm sure most readers can equate to their own lives or at least learn a solid life lesson. I would recommend this book.

An honest and entertaining memoir that was engaging and funny in turns. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the arc.

The autobiography of a man who refuses to let life bring him down - rags to riches and all that. Some of it was interesting, some of it wasn’t - same for everyone really. Footnotes and Kindles don’t really go together so I ignored them. Written in an entertaining and amusing way.