Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About: A Novel

Maybe it’s me. Maybe I’m humourless. Maybe I don’t understand. Maybe I’m too daft to see the joke. Maybe this book sucks!

I’ve had it for quite a long time, bought it really curious more than 4 years ago and expecting a laugh out loud book, but somehow it got stuck in my huge To Be Read pile. Now I entered an “Unread Authors” challenge and decided it was the best of times to pick it up. I should never have waited 4 years because I should never have bought it!
I really hope that the author’s real life isn’t like that, that the book represents a stupid and horrific “make up”. In the book cover it said: "in this rupturing funny tale of love...", and I’m still thinking where to find in all the 300+ pages, the love and show more the fun. Pel and his girlfriend spend all the time fighting and insulting each other, nothing is ever well done or do they show some kind of affection for each other. In my opinion, that’s not a normal thing in a relationship, yeah, everybody fights once in a while, but come on, everyday, every time, for everything?! And funny? What, all the absurd situations Pel gets involved in, every day? He doesn’t know almost anything about his job and the work he’s supposed to do, and he doesn’t give a damn, he just chooses to pretend to be very good at it and, consequently, ends up always being involved in – have I said it already?? – very stupid situations.
Well, it must be me that doesn’t get the joke….

I only read the book till the end because I was really believing that it HAD to change at some point and compensate me for all the time wasted. It didn’t. show less

This book I read aloud to my husband, and it often had both of us in tears from laughing so much. Partly for the well written humor and commentary on relationships, and partly because we related to a lot of the arguments had by Pel and Ursula.

In the story Pel has to deal with missing colleagues, paying off illegal deals, and stepping into increasingly larger shoes as more and more work is foisted off on him. Ursula and his kids make things at home similarly wacky and stressful as they deal with moving to a new home, renting out their old one and visits to school counselors.

The story was very funny if you like English humor, and is also very sweet with the love between Pel and Ursula expounded upon and strengthened by the arguments, not show more in spite of. Pel keeps getting in trouble and it's a bit like watching a train wreck as you read on and continue rooting for him even as the problems keep mounting and it seems there's no way he can get himself out of the trouble he's in.

That's the only reason it lost a star. The ending, while sweet and almost exactly what one would expect, was not a typical "everything turns out right in the end". Which I suppose makes it more real, as things normally don't. But, you can't help being just a teensy bit disappointed. I hear Mil is working on making this into a screenplay. I look forward to seeing it if it ever comes out. show less

Like many, I came to Mil Millington through his "Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About" website and so rushed to get my hands on his first book. While the novel is a stand alone semi-fictional piece about the narrator, his girl friend and their lives, I did feel that having read the website I understood the dynamics of the novel much better than if I had come to the book cold.

Some hilarious moments littered throughout the book and, as a huge fan of the great English humour tradition of a man copping it in the testicles, I can happily say that I was not disappointed. My only complaint really is that the quality of Millington's later books sadly do not match this one.

This was a surprising and highly entertaining read. I grabbed it on my way to a 16 hour flight from Finland back to the US and didn't see anything else worthwhile in English. First off, this book is HILARIOUS and, though I couldn't relate to any of the situations or characters, it was easy to go from cover to cover in no time. I finished the book on that plane.

Hapless Pel makes his way through many arguments with his girlfriend, promotions (sort of), house-hunting and general chaos. The tone of the book is pretty frothy, so the gradual escalation of arguments is just funny, rather than being yucky.

There are several scenes in this book that were so similar to my own experience that I wondered how Mil Millington got into my head. But he only gets 4 stars for not being able to offer any advice. Just what do you do when you find out where the bodies are buried, as it were?

Note Bene, LC flunkies: Single fathers -- fiction? The book is clearly about Pel and his Girlfriend. i.e. he's NOT SINGLE.

Things My Girlfriend And I Have Argued About is not safe to read in public. It is absolutely hilarious. You will be laughing long and hard and very, very loud. There is no softly chuckling to yourself with this book, believe me. Instead, you will be in stitches from beginning to end. Anybody who has ever been a parent, a spouse or an employee will find something to laugh at in this book.

If you are a fan of the website, or you just feel the need for a good, deep belly-laugh, this is the perfect book for you!

I came across mil millington when he was writing a guardian column and I loved it then so when I found the book I snapped it up and it was embarassingly funny as I chuckled out loud on the tube - although it's their arguments it's endearing and loving.