Submarine was a recommended read at the end of a Penguin book that I had just finished. I was a bit dubious when a reviewer described it as 'Brilliant, laugh out-loud, funniest etc': it is rarely if ever that I have laughed out-loud when reading a book. Ever the optimist I purchased Submarine along with 'The Catcher in the Rye which was also recommended but I still have to read. I was so unimpressed with the first 50% of submarine that I bailed.