This is so funny. I mean, look how far we have come ... you could never have run this in the TLS back in my day; prolly not in yours neither.

I must send this to David Lodge. It has shades of Philip Swallow in 'Changes Places.'

Do you remember? He trades places with Morris Zapp who ends up staying with Mrs Swallow (long story) and Phil with Desiree Zapp (longer still) and one day Phil is having a crap and he comes across a damning review that the cuttings agency never included and which Philip is convinced was penned by Prof Zapp.

Oh lord, and the reviews I used to do in my idiot show-off youth, really harmful ones that affected how many copies the book trade might have subscribed. Or pseudo witty ones to make my mates laff down t' Groucho. I'm surprised someone didn't top ME.