House Training is the fourth volume of Roddy’s collected newspaper and magazine columns. Covering the years 1998 – 2018 House Training includes several new columns while others appear for the first time in their virginal form, before they were coerced into fitting a particular shape.
“Like all the best career moves the idea of writing a ‘living autobiography’ happened by accident. The first column was written to fill an unexpected hole in a newspaper. Quite a big hole if I remember correctly, around 1400 words which is almost half a page of a broadsheet so no pressure. The deadline was tight, less than 24 hours so I used what was to hand, namely my family’s move to the country, an event we are still recovering from. Before I knew it one column had turned into over a thousand.
Most writers would have something better to do, but the truth is, when you get paid to air your dirty linen in public, it becomes addictive.”
‘Roddy Phillips never fails to make me, my family and friends laugh with his fantastic columns. And in this fourth collection he once again makes everyday life into a brilliant sitcom. Long may he continue!’
