Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • Going to Sea in a Sieve

  • By: Danny Baker
  • Narrated by: Danny Baker
  • Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (1,307 ratings)
Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Going to Sea in a Sieve cover art

Going to Sea in a Sieve

By: Danny Baker
Narrated by: Danny Baker
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

Going on the Turn cover art
Behind Closed Doors cover art
Grumpy Old Rockstar and Other Wonderous Stories cover art
It's Not What You Think cover art
From the Oasthouse: The Alan Partridge Podcast (Series 1) cover art
Rambling Man cover art
That Close cover art
Call the Midlife cover art
Crossroads cover art
I, Partridge: We Need to Talk About Alan cover art
Life and Laughing cover art
Call Me Mrs. Brown cover art
Cheers, Geoff! cover art
Small Man in a Book cover art
The Life of Lee cover art
Finding My Voice cover art

Summary

Born in 1957 in Deptford, south London, Danny's first job after dropping out of school at the age of 15 was in One Stop Records, a small record shop in London's West End, frequented by Elton John and Mick Jagger, a store rather like the one in High Fidelity. His career in print journalism began in 1976 when he co-founded the fanzine Sniffin' Glue leading to an offer from the New Musical Express, where his first job was as a receptionist. Soon after, Baker was contributing regular astute articles, reviews and later interviews to the publication. Danny then began making 30-minute documentaries at LWT for the cult series 20th Century Box, and appeared in two television commercials: Daz washing powder and Mars bar chocolate. His stellar career on the radio began on BBC GLR in 1989, then moved to BBC Radio 5 where he presented sports shows including the ground-breaking 6-0-6, which still influences the media's approach to criticism of players, managers and referees.

He also worked on BBC Radio 1, back to BBC GLR, Talk Radio and later on Virgin Radio. On his return to BBC last May, Danny won 'Sony Radio Personality of the Year' and appeared on Desert Island Discs last July. Six months earlier he had gone public on his cancer and chemotherapy treatment, and thankfully all seems well.

Danny Baker currently presents a weekday show at BBC London 94.9, which features phone-ins and discussions with his on-air team regarding music and entertainment of the 1960s and 1970s, and a Saturday morning show on BBC Radio 5.This book charts Danny's showbiz career, the highs and lows, and everything in between, including the accusation that he killed Bob Marley...Read by Danny Baker.

©2012 Danny Baker (P)2012 Orion Publishing Group

What listeners say about Going to Sea in a Sieve

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    990
  • 4 Stars
    248
  • 3 Stars
    49
  • 2 Stars
    14
  • 1 Stars
    6
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    880
  • 4 Stars
    150
  • 3 Stars
    35
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    786
  • 4 Stars
    215
  • 3 Stars
    43
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    6

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Laugh a lot book.

Danny Baker is a take it or leave it person. in fact, I am sure he is like that with people he meets. opinionated yes, good writer more so. You don't buy autobiographies without knowing something about the person and having at least some liking for them. Otherwise buy an unauthorised biography and get the dirt and all.



I liked this book and managed to read the second half of the book in just one day. I took longer with the first half as I was reading aloud to my wife, a self-confessed Danny Baker fan, but we missed a few days and I was keen to get on.



I am not sure if there isn't some embellishment in the the tales. In far I am pretty sure that even if Danny had remembered the tales the way he tells them that probably they are a bit off from the true. By the way the first chapter tells of the sitting in a burning car fiasco but unless I missed it we do not know who was the last person to leave the blazing embers/?



I am a similar age to Danny and I think you need to be to get the best from the book. i still call lunch dinner after dinner time and remember the 1970's well. I think that helped me enjoy the book. And how many people who read the book looked at the Youtube video of Ian Dury and the Blockheads playing "hit me with your rhythm stick" to see danny Baker, bottom left at 1 minute 32 seconds in. all of the readers did I bet.



Shame the book does go a bit flat on the last chapter but that didn't mean its any less then a five star read for me.



Like Art Spiegelman in Maus and Stephen Fry in Moab is my wash pot , its only half the story and Danny leaves you in 1982 waiting for more of his hi-jinx and tales.



Will I be getting the next volume. Sure. hopefully it will make me laugh at least half as much as this volume did.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Danny Baker

Simply Brilliant. My favourite audio book to date. Danny's humour shines through but he also shows great affection for a sound up brining. The tales about Spud his old man are brilliant. He has met so many famous people and has so many connections I was amazed. Time for the next installment. Come on Danny get typing....



Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Very interesting and full of surprises!

I like Danny and enjoy his style and delivery both on radio and TV. I had absolutely no idea of his background or where he has come from so everything in this book was an education. I had assumed, wrongly, that he had worked his way through the ranks in various broadcasting arena's, a la Chris Evans (the DJ, not Captain America!).



The truth is somewhat different and quite, quite fascinating.



I found the entire story totally absorbing. His early life is full of East End characters, his teenage years are blessed with luck and good fortune as is his media career. Some would say he has lived a charmed life but I believe he has made the most of his God-given talents, and then some. Along the way he had to make tough decisions that could have gone either way - school and partner are two examples that spring to mind - but he has come out smelling of roses.



The 'book' is littered with colorful language that was part and parcel of his life from a very young age but it is told extremely well by Danny himself.



This is a wonderful book that I would highly recommend to anybody who remembers the 60's, 70's or 80's, especially if you like music.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • B
  • 22-10-14

Unbelievably brilliant!

What made the experience of listening to Going to Sea in a Sieve the most enjoyable?

Listening to Danny tell his incredible story added to the myriad of joyous tales.I had no idea that he had worked with all the greats.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Has to be Danny himself. The man is an absolute treasure.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

I can't narrow it down to just one.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I've revisited this audiobook about 8 times since it was published, & am desperately waiting for the next instalment.

Any additional comments?

If you're at all uncertain as to whether this book is for you, trust me, it's full of juicy information, wit, humility, and charm. Just like the man himself.Quite frankly, a masterpiece.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I never knew that!

Would you consider the audio edition of Going to Sea in a Sieve to be better than the print version?

The audio version gives Danny's personal touches only he can deliver, he provides a fascinating insight into what must (in this volume at least) be one of the luckiest people I've ever heard of - if it were not a true story, someone presented it as fiction - you'd not believe it

What did you like best about this story?

Danny's narration adds colour and you can even forgive the endless (but completely appropriate) F bombs

What about Danny Baker’s performance did you like?

Self deprecating, and while definitely not lacking in confidence I found Danny's performance likeable in the extreme - to paraphrase - he comes across as an interesting fella who you'd like to spend some time with

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Definitely possible, but I listened in 2 hour segments, with the chapters providing useful punctuation

Any additional comments?

Worth listening to - though I fear next volumes will necessary address some tougher topics

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Hilarious

If you cannot laugh at this then you must have had a sense of humour transplant. Danny's wit and wisdom shines through and his portrayal of his dear Dad is truly hilarious.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Keep it coming Danny

Great autobiography - his writing and narration is as lucid and fun as he is on the radio.

This is an early years story that takes us up to the time when he began to become a household name. Danny's outlook on life is refreshingly optimistic which makes this a hugely enjoyable, whimsical listen. I look forward to volume 2.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Best Audiobook this year

If you could sum up Going to Sea in a Sieve in three words, what would they be?

Honest, Hilarious, Engaging

What was one of the most memorable moments of Going to Sea in a Sieve?

When Danny recalled the funeral service for a friend only for his mate to discover the friend was being buried in his mate's best trousers

Which character – as performed by Danny Baker – was your favourite?

Danny's dad - would love to have met him

Any additional comments?

Thank goodness Danny read the book himself - whilst the story was brilliant it would not have been the same listening to someone else.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Laugh out load

What a great book, I'll be downloading the next book straight away, would have loved to have meet his dad, what a character, cheers Danny

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Entertaining Warts and All

Very funny, truthful and well narrated.
Danny's early life and home upbringing is well described.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!