Game More, Pay Less
£2.99

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Sold by Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.. This price was set by the publisher.
Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will pre-order your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships and Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer – no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Christina Hopkinson
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Pile of Stuff at the Bottom of the Stairs Kindle Edition

by Christina Hopkinson (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.8 out of 5 stars 218 ratings

Mary doesn't know what makes her angrier - the way he doesn't quite reach the laundry basket when he throws his dirty clothes at it (but never walks over and picks them up and puts them in), or the balled-up tissues he leaves on the bedside table when he has a cold, or the way he never completely empties the dishwasher, but leaves the 'difficult' things for her to put away. Is it that because she is 'only working part-time' she is responsible for everything on the domestic front? Or is it, simply, that he puts used teabags in the sink?

Mary is the mother of two young boys - she knows how you're supposed to get the behaviour you want. So now she's designing the spousal equivalent of a star chart. Every little thing her husband does wrong is going on it. And yes, she know you're supposed to reward the good behaviour rather than punish the bad, but obviously the rules for those in middle age are different than the rules for those not even in middle school...

Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    353 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Hodder & Stoughton
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    3 Mar. 2011
  6. File size
    1.3 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
Next slide of product details

Product description

Review

'I read it, I really enjoyed it, I left it on the stairs.' --John O'Farrell

'Christina Hopkinson has wittily and very realistically tapped into the zeitgeist - literally the most relevant novel for a working mother since I Don't Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson.' --Plum Sykes, author of Bergdorf Blondes

About the Author

Christina Hopkinson is an author and journalist whose work has appeared in the Daily Telegraph, the Guardian, the Times, Grazia and Red magazine. Her first novel, IzobelBrannigan.com was published by Piatkus and was described by the Mirror as 'an insightful debut--witty, wise and worth reading'. She lives in London with her husband and three children.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B004O0U570
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hodder & Stoughton
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 3 Mar. 2011
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.3 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 353 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1444710434
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer reviews:
    3.8 out of 5 stars 218 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Christina Hopkinson

Christina Hopkinson

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.

Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
218 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book easy to read and entertaining, with several mentioning they laugh out loud in places. Moreover, the book is thought-provoking, and one customer describes it as a well-written exploration of relationships. However, the character development receives mixed reactions, with several customers finding the characters implausible. Additionally, customers criticize the repetitive storyline and pacing.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

15 customers mention ‘Readability’13 positive2 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and true to life, with one customer noting it's a well-written exploration of relationships.

"...It made me gasp at times as it reads so true to life. A wonderful read for both men and women. If men want to understand women read this!" Read more

"enjoyed this, written in a way that made it an easy read, made me smile and laugh out loud in places, related to many of the scenes and comments made" Read more

"...Well written and at times funny." Read more

"...Very easy to read and entertaining, but thought-provoking at the same time." Read more

11 customers mention ‘Humor’11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book humorous, with several mentioning they laugh out loud in places.

"...Interspersed with happier, fun memories. It made me gasp at times as it reads so true to life. A wonderful read for both men and women...." Read more

"...written in a way that made it an easy read, made me smile and laugh out loud in places, related to many of the scenes and comments made" Read more

"...Well written and at times funny." Read more

"...Very easy to read and entertaining, but thought-provoking at the same time." Read more

6 customers mention ‘Thought provoking’6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking, with one mentioning it keeps them interested and another noting its relevance.

"...Very similar in style to Jane Fallon's, it will keep you interested by actually making you care about the characters." Read more

"...Very easy to read and entertaining, but thought-provoking at the same time." Read more

"...It's thought provoking as well as making for a funny read." Read more

"...a lightweight read and to some extent it is, but it is certainly food for thought in how we perceive our own relationships." Read more

6 customers mention ‘Character development’3 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the characters in the book, with several finding them implausible.

"...It is a searingly honest portrayal of a woman caught up with her tiring, boring day to day life. Interspersed with happier, fun memories...." Read more

"I'd been looking forward to reading this but found the characters unlikeable and all a bit of a cliché - successful, middle class, work in media,..." Read more

"This reads true to life, with realistically drawn characters and settings...." Read more

"...to really make an effort to Finnish it, It was badly written, implausible characters, the so called humour and insights into family life advertised..." Read more

3 customers mention ‘Pacing’0 positive3 negative

Customers find the pacing of the book negative, with one customer describing it as pages of really distasteful content and another noting it's nothing but whinging and criticism.

"One long whinge, would not recommend this book, flat characters, didn't finish it...." Read more

"...doesn't know if it is chick-lit or soft porn (pages of really distasteful, explicit and unnecessary "scenes of a sexual nature", and by about 2/3..." Read more

"Frankly, it bored me. Too many chapters with nothing but whinging and criticism. Pile of stuff? Too right." Read more

3 customers mention ‘Story length’0 positive3 negative

Customers find the story length negative, with several mentioning the repetitive storyline and one noting there are too many chapters.

"...A tedious and repetitive storyline, whingeing about what appears to be a normal, pretty good life...." Read more

"Frankly, it bored me. Too many chapters with nothing but whinging and criticism. Pile of stuff? Too right." Read more

"Found this story a bit monotonous. Felt the main character limp." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 March 2011
    Verified Purchase
    I started reading this and dind't know what to expect. It is a searingly honest portrayal of a woman caught up with her tiring, boring day to day life. Interspersed with happier, fun memories. It made me gasp at times as it reads so true to life. A wonderful read for both men and women. If men want to understand women read this!
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • claire e lawrence
    4.0 out of 5 stars funny and enjoyable
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 January 2016
    Verified Purchase
    enjoyed this, written in a way that made it an easy read, made me smile and laugh out loud in places, related to many of the scenes and comments made
    Helpful
     Report
  • JoMc
    3.0 out of 5 stars Okay if you can find anything likeable about the characters...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 March 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I'd been looking forward to reading this but found the characters unlikeable and all a bit of a cliché - successful, middle class, work in media, house in North London blah blah blah.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Mum of the animals
    5.0 out of 5 stars Funny and relevant
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 November 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Every now and then an author captures the struggles motherhood with wit and panache and I felt Hopkinson has done so. The plot is urban chick lit and the ending is a bit contrived and unbelievable but I think the dilemmas-of-motherhood theme will strike a cord of all mums with toddlers.
    Helpful
     Report
  • EC
    4.0 out of 5 stars Really enjoyable read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 February 2016
    Verified Purchase
    If you are a f an of domestic drama with a dash of humour, you will love this book.
    Very similar in style to Jane Fallon's, it will keep you interested by actually making you care about the characters.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Well read
    1.0 out of 5 stars Would not even pass this book on to a charity shop. it's going in the bin
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 August 2014
    Verified Purchase
    One long whinge, would not recommend this book, flat characters, didn't finish it. Who ever wrote the blurb on the cover and the reviews want their heads feeling.Makes me wonder if people get paid for these, or they write positive reviews
    In order to have positive reviews written on their books.As this was a book club choice I felt obliged to really make an effort to Finnish it, It was badly written, implausible characters, the so called humour and insights into family life advertised on the cover was just not there
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • shadower
    2.0 out of 5 stars Tedious and repetitive
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 September 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I hardly ever put a book away without finishing it, but this one has beaten me. A tedious and repetitive storyline, whingeing about what appears to be a normal, pretty good life. Maybe it gets better if you get further in but I just can't bear to read any more. Not funny.
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • suzymac
    5.0 out of 5 stars funny look at domestic hum drum
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 June 2012
    Verified Purchase
    the book title "the pile of stuff at the bottom of the stairs" appealed because i have a pile of stuff at the bottom of the stairs! the principle is that the wife and mother , mary, decides to invent a reward chart for her husband, but he doesn't know about it. the book looks at all those little irritating things that our partners can do, like leaving wet towels on the bed, not putting the milk back in the fridge, and of course, ignoring the pile of stuff at the bottom of the stairs instead of taking it upstairs. it becomes very sad at one point, but also looks at other couples and the strange ways they maintain thier relationships. really enjoyed it and reccommend it.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Janet Wallace
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in Australia on 21 May 2015
    Verified Purchase
    very realistic about family life and marraige
    Report
  • Delphine
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great read!!
    Reviewed in the United States on 17 June 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I just finished reading it and I really loved it. The characters are extremely realistic and yet very touching. Most women will find similarities with their situation and their daily struggle to reach some balance between family and profesionnal's life, while maintaining also some kind of magic in the couple, despite all the very annoying habits of the partner.

    To be recommended absolutely !!
    Report
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Relevant Reading for Today's Women
    Reviewed in the United States on 3 February 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Entertaining and relevant reading!! I felt like the author was reading my mind! I would recommend this book to any woman in a longterm relationship or marriage.
    Report
  • SCOTUS fan
    2.0 out of 5 stars Only hits one note
    Reviewed in the United States on 13 June 2011
    Verified Purchase
    I wanted to like this book - I completely relate to the working mother's dilemma of how to do it all. But the author made the protagonist, Mary (a name that made little sense in the context of the book), almost seem like she had OCD. Mary talks on EVERY SINGLE PAGE about how annoying it is to her that her husband is a slob. Yes, that's annoying - I get it. But Mary is so consumed by it that the book starts to read like a conversation you've had with a friend a million times, the one that you manufacture a kid crisis to get off the phone to avoid. And the details - the tea bag on the counter, the socks on the floor, the multiple toys out at one time (believe me, I'm just getting started) - make this book a yawn at many points.

    I wish there had been more depth here.
    One person found this helpful
     Report
  • FG
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
    Reviewed in the United States on 2 July 2013
    Verified Purchase
    A very witty and intelligent take on daily grind and being a working mother and the dynamics of a couple with children. Highly recommended.
    Report

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report