Do you make lunch plans with your colleagues via instant messaging/email, when they are actually just seated next to you? Welcome to the 21st Century.

Meet Martin Lukes then - a middle-aged corporate rat, who's obsessed with his Blackberry, striving to break into the top ranks of management. Who Moved My Blackberry? tells the story of an irksome lead through his emails with his colleagues, wife, son, mistress and a shrink (Martin insists it's a Life Coach). Anyone whose amibition lies beyond the butt seated in the cushy armchair and UV-radiation-emitting squarebox, and constantly being told to 'think out of the box' can definitely relate to the (mis)adventures Martin Lukes is going through.

Author Lucy Kellaway, a columnist for Financial Times London, holds no reservations poking fun at corporate rats. Martin Lukes is the perfect example of someone 'who works for a company that's very busy making nothing in particular'. I had numerous occasions of sniggering and rolling-on-the-floor-laughing-out-loud moments while reading this book. Smart content. True to the bone. Bold reflection of what many corporate victims face. Bosses should pick this up to better understand what employees don't tell them in the face. Lower management, keep this to yourself (away from your bosses) and have a good laugh when you thought you see yourself in Martin Lukes. Those who haven't mastered the art of internet lingo, this one's for you too.

An excerpt:

From: Martin Lukes
To: Jenny Lukes
Darling—
Guess what?? I've been approached to be director of marketing and strategy at a major retailer!! All very hush hush . . . the headhunter wouldn't say which one over the phone, but I'm going to meet him tomorrow.
I know you're really up against it this pm but wld be v grateful if you'd pick up my gray Hugo Boss suit from the cleaners.
Love you M xx

From: Martin Lukes
To: Jenny Lukes
Darling—FANTASTIC meeting with Sebastian just now. The job is marketing director of Sainsburys!! The role's heaven made for yours truly—I'd be in charge of 350 people globally, $1bn annual budget. Very high profile.
Sebastian didn't mention the package at this stage, but said it wouldn't be an obstacle to finding the right person. I assume at least twice what I'm on now . . . It's got my name all over it—what they want are unrivaled communications skills, out of the box thinking, results driven mentality and an outstanding track record in driving performance . . . I've got ticks in all the boxes. Coming straight home now.
Love you M xx
Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld

December 7
From: Martin Lukes
To: Sebastian Fforbes Hever
Hi Sebastian
Great to meet with you yesterday—I felt we were very much singing from the same hymn sheet. I just wanted to reiterate how positive I am about this position, and how much I have to bring to the party.
Just to recap: I'm very can-do, very get-up-go—I operate very well within a large company—but have a pronounced entrepreneurial streak that keeps me thinking outside the box.
Look forward to hearing from you.
All my very bestest
Martin

From: Martin Lukes
To: Jenny Lukes
Darling—
I'm on the short list!!! I'm going to meet all the top bods at Sainsburys on Monday. I've got to prepare a presentation on how I would transition the marketing strategy onto a higher plane. Should be no problem, though I'm a bit out of the loop on food shopping—you've deskilled me on that one. As a shopper, have you got any pointers on supermarkets—from the consumer's perspective? Debrief tonite?
Love you, M xx
PS I'll be working flat out all weekend . . . so don't think I'll be able to make it to yr parents on Sunday.

From: Martin Lukes
To: Jenny Lukes
Darling—don't think you understand this is the biggest inflexion point in my career to date. I'm sure your parents won't mind—they don't like me anyway . . . .

From: Martin Lukes
To: Sebastian Fforbes Hever
Hi Sebastian
Just wanted to touch base to find out how you think that went? Have you had any feedback from your client? From my point of view it was very positive indeed . . .
Bestest
Martin

December 13
From: Martin Lukes
To: Graham Wallace
Hi Graham
Did you notice that I wasn't firing on all cylinders in the board meeting just now? Between you and me and the gatepost, that could be the last one I'm ever going to attend. I'm up for a big job. It's as good as in the bag, though can't tell you what at this juncture. But put it this way. Think supermarket. Think Jamie Oliver. Think Chief Marketing Officer . . .
Mart

From: Martin Lukes
To: Jenny Lukes
I don't f***ing believe it. They've gone and f***ing given it to someone f***ing else. Sebastian is a f***ing lying sod. He said they LOVED my presentation—practically said the job was in the bag. And now he's saying I didn't have the right skillsets, fit not quite right, better qualified candidates . . . blah blah. I think the guy who got it is head of marketing at Tesco or Asda, so I suppose that means the idiots have gone for the safe candidate rather than the best candidate. I still just can't f***ing believe it. It's so unfair. My dream job.
M

December 15
From: Martin Lukes
To: Graham Wallace
Just to check—you haven't told anyone about that job, have you? As it happens I've decided against.
Basically, I've always believed that work is all about the people. And although it was very flattering to be offered such a mega job at Sainsburys, at the end of the day I didn't want to work with them. Apart from anything else fun wasn't part of their DNA at all.
Feeling a bit rough this am. Hair of the dog later?
M