I read the book E by Matt Beaumont a few years ago. Over the last couple weeks, I reread it. It reminded me just how great this book was. You can pick this book up here at Amazon. This book is very similar to those books that are a series of letters except this book is a series of emails. The story follows the inter-workings of an ad agency named Miller Shanks in London as they prepare for their biggest pitch yet. One for Coke.

The book revolves around one week, as employees work, think, have sex, betray, accomplish nothing, back stab, and suck up. The writing is “bril” as they say in England. It’s fast paced and clever. You wouldn’t think that reading a bunch of emails could be fun, but it absolutely is. You learn so much about each character through the words he types into his computer.

The reason I liked this book so much was for its comedy. If you’ve worked in any office or had any conversations with secretaries, you know exactly how much comedy and hysteria there is in an office. Beaumont taps this Y2K era computer illiteracy with old-school office drama to form the funniest “Web 1.0″ book there is.

Just look at all these characters. The Head of Client Services who constantly says “You know I don’t throw my title around, but I am the head of Client Services.” The pestering time sheet keeper who sends tons of all-staff mailers about his for-sale waffle iron or the like. The hot secretary who finds a way to stop the elevator between floors and shag with another employee. This book has it all, and it’s just chock full of laughs.

I’ve got to say that if you have ever spent time in an office this book will get you to chuckle and a lot more. It might be a bit old, but it’s still a great read. I give it 4 stars out of 5.