William Leith
Leith is a well-known columnist and feature writer in the UK and famous for articles that detail his existence in every small detail. Bits of Me Are Falling Apart records Leith’s failing, ageing body and also allows him to take a long hard look at his failing, ageing life.
I’m only a few years younger than Leith and really enjoyed the book. I have a lot of time for people who can be miserable and entertaining at the same time. He’s not everyone’s cup of tea - his downbeat style was too much for this reviewer on the Globe and Mail. The Canadians are a relentless upbeat nation and they don’t seem to take kindly the ‘Grumpy Old Man’ phenomenon, which is relished in the UK. I’m constantly trying to get my Canadian colleagues to look on the black side of everything and realise how bad things really are but they just keep smiling and asking if they get me anything. In the UK, everyone comes to work and starts grumbling about the journey or something terrible in the news. It’s very enjoyable. Here in Canada, the Canadians are cheerful from the word go so I just sit at my computer and keep my dark thoughts to myself.
