Munney munney munney

A while ago, I read Sebastian Faulks’ novel A Week in December and surprisingly enjoyed it. When people saw what I was reading the usual comment was ‘oh it’s no way near as good as Birdsong’ and perhaps it’s not as good to some, but it’s kind of in a different league. But that’s not the point of why I’m writing this. The novel deals with various characters and their storylines, all set in London and inevitably all overlapping, all taking place within a December week in 2007. Pretty much 99% of the characters are exceptionally wealthy. While I think it’s fair to say I know a fair share of well-off folk, the lot in this novel are of a whole other league; apparently if you have under £10 million in the bank, you’re not the ‘norm’. Fairs to them I guess, as most of these characters made their millions themselves. No sign of inheritance. 

What’s sad though, is the fact that of these 99% of smug millionaires about 2% are happy. They have all the luxuries of the world at their fingertips and still they’re alcoholics, drug addicts and quite honestly complete freaks. Usually I wouldn’t have thought twice about it and put it down to the whole money can’t buy happiness blah blah cliché. This time however, it was a bit different. As I was reading A Week in December, Eva Rausing’s death was being splattered all over the media. Especially the Daily Mail absolutely LOVED telling us all about how ‘out of control’ and quite simply ‘a state’ she was, and this made me think that here is (was!) a woman, who quite literally had it all and definitely was not a happy bunny. I guess it’s sad isn’t it? Money just doesn’t buy happiness!