Life’s a bag of laughs; and it certainly is when Alli Rogers talks about hers. Alli (nee Garnett) is a former University of Nottingham student who graduated in 1985. After finishing her degree in American Studies, Alli gained a place on a graduate scheme at a well-known bank, and it was there she stayed for ten years until her three children were born. Her career has been rather varied, ranging from professional gardener, to running a bed and breakfast, to being a cleaner. Now, Alli is a full time published writer and, by her own admission, an all-round domestic goddess! She really is testament to the phrase “life is what you make of it”.
The semi-autobiographical “Life’s a Bag of Laughs” is Alli’s first published novel. The book is a journey through her eventful and incredibly colourful life, and touches on how she overcame the many pitfalls that life throws at us. Having laughed out loud at least three times within the first two chapters, “Life’s a Bag of Laughs” is written with great irony and a strong sense of humour. Through her vivid and highly relatable anecdotes, Alli explores her childhood as the daughter of a diplomat, her university times and her subsequent years in the banking industry.
Despite being her debut novel, “Life’s a Bag of Laughs” shot to Pegasus Book of the Month in July and subsequently became its best seller. It’s not hard to see why. Her warm hearted witty observations and relatable self-deprecating humour make this book an excellent light-hearted read for all. Testament to this is Alli’s recent nomination for The People’s Book Prize, which is voted for by members of the public.
“Life’s a Bag of Laughs” is on sale now in Blackwells bookshop, Portland and can be found on Amazon. It is definitely worth a read.
Emma Lawton
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