From Life on the Streets to a Global Quizzing Sensation
Jay Flynn
About the book:
Jay Flynn was down on his luck when the Covid pandemic struck. He had just lost the tenancy of the pub he ran in Lancashire – and with it the loyal community of locals who loved his quirky weekly quiz. As the world closed down, he sensed the quiz could now be a lifeline both for him and the locals – so he sent them invites to an online version. But he had forgotten to mark the event ‘private’, and on the night, a disbelieving Jay played quizmaster to half a million teams, from Kenya to Canada, New Zealand to the Ukraine.
This was to be the start of a global online quiz sensation, earning more than £1 million for charity and Jay an MBE, as well as his own slot on Zoe Ball’s BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show.
It was all the more incredible because, as a lost and troubled young man, Jay had spent two years homeless, sleeping on a bench on the Embankment in London, almost taking his own life. Rescued by a homeless charity, he’d learnt how a simple community can save lives. It proved a priceless lesson.
My Thoughts:
I loved this book. It evoked the full range of emotions, making me laugh at times and cry at others. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Jay’s journey and am so thankful he was able to keep moving forward to become the man he is today. The narrative is awesome, yet harrowing at times. It’s difficult to imagine how he persevered during those challenging months, but it’s an amazing story that offers hope for the future.
I learnt of Jay’s story from listening to Zoe Ball’s breakfast radio show on BBC Radio 2 and had been enjoying joining in with the quiz each Thursday morning. It was only when they were discussing this book that I even thought any more about the man behind the quiz. Well done Jay on all your achievements and I hope to hear of more awards coming your way in the future!
and more…
You can join Jay’s virtual quiz on YouTube at 8pm every Thursday and Saturday. Jay can also be found on Facebook
You can find links to purchase your copy of The Quizmaster here: https://lnk.to/QuizmasterHB
Publisher: Hodder & Staughton can be found at hodder.co.uk and on Facebook
Edition: Audible Audiobook (7h 49m) purchased using monthly credit
This review refers to the Audible Audiobook which I purchased on publication day. Listening to Jay tell his own story enhanced the authenticity of the story. All views expressed are strictly my own.
I have joined a few of the Thursday evening and Saturday evening online quizzes but as someone who does not take part in pub quizzes often, I will not be sharing my scores!
All views expressed are my own. This review, or parts thereof, may also be published on my social medial channels – find me everywhere as momobookdiary – and book websites, such as Amazon, Goodreads, LoveReading, StoryGraph, and Waterstones. All links are correct at the time of publication.
Tags: #JayFlynn #TheQuizMaster #HodderAndStaughton #Autobiography #Audible #Audiobook
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