Rising To Obscurity and How To Remain Anonymous by AAA Aarbon (Bitterne Books) Reviewed By Nick Quantrill

Published by Hull-based Bitterne Books, the first two titles in this humorous series offer a different take on the modern world that we live in. Part satire, part social comment, they follow the story of AAA Aarbon, a self-confessed seeker of anonymity. AAA Aarbon is described by his editor as being best forgotten for many reasons. Rising To Obscurity charts the absurd and touching life of AAA from his upbringing in East Yorkshire, through to his graduation from the University of East Yorkshire, from where he now teaches Irrelevant Studies.

AAA's displays his wicked sense of humour that characterises these books when describing the university as being groundbreaking because, it opened the world's first virtual degree supermarket...enabling punters to buy qualifications on line... raffle tickets contained prizes such as MA in Travel and Tourism.

How To Remain Anonymous continues his adventures. For AAA, pointlessness is the point... anonymity is our goal. Having finally achieved mediocrity, AAA explains, in his unique style, the steps that we need to take to achieve such a state. For example, in a style reminiscent of Ricky Gervais's, David Brent, AAA urges the reader to ignore the power of the metaphor, and instead says let the iron go cold while observing that a leader is not a leader without a follower.

Although these books are intentionally humorous, they contain serious points about the kind of society that we live in. AAA stumbles upon an essential truth of modern life in his quest to achieve anonymity when he claims that the pressures and temptations of modern life are everywhere. Our mass media worship celebrity.

AAA shows how anonymity can be transformed from being something that is perceived as a negative quality into a more a positive character trait. Moving beyond the humorous surface, the paradox of AAA becomes clear. If he is celebrating anonymity and dignified failure, this contrasts with his position as the undoubted star of this series of books. Maybe what AAA is ultimately attempting to offer is a slightly unconventional insight into the absurdity of the celebrity culture.

What is clear is that AAA Aarbon has carved out a slightly surreal world in this part of East Yorkshire. AAA's world is both unusual and highly entertaining, and well worth losing yourself in. The AAA Aarbon books are available direct from the publisher priced at £6.00 (£6.95 from bookshops). www.bitternebooks.com

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