Sykes, Tom 1974(?)-

PERSONAL: Born c. 1974; married; children: one son. Education: Attended Eton College.

ADDRESSES: Home— Ireland.

CAREER: Evening Standard, London, England, former writer;British GQ, London, England, former writer;New York Post, New York, NY, former night-life columnist.

WRITINGS

What Did I Do Last Night? A Drunkard’s Tale (memoir), Rodale (Emmaus, PA), 2006.

Contributor to various periodicals, including Men’s Vogue, British GQ, and the Evening Standard.

SIDELIGHTS: Writer and journalist Tom Sykes got his start living the high life as a student at Eton in England, where his drinking and partying eventually got him expelled. However, coming from an established family—his sisters are Lucy, Plum, and Alice Sykes, all known for their appearances in the society pages and Plum for her own writing efforts, while his grandfather wrote Eveyln Waugh’s biography—Sykes found himself afforded numerous second chances. He went on to write for a series of publications, first in London and then in New York, continuing his active nightlife as the years went on, though his behavior resulted in several lost jobs. However, his glittering personality aided him in continually landing on his feet. Finally, while working as the nightlife columnist for the New York Post, Sykes hit bottom, and was forced to address his growing addiction to alcohol and narcotics. What Did I Do Last Night? A Drunkard’s Tale is Sykes’s account of his experiences, from his childhood encounters with alcohol to his raucous days as a reporter on the town who never needed to pay for his meals or liquor. Ian Chipman, writing for Booklist, remarked: “Sykes’s reflective humor... and his rapid, easy pacing keep this telling crisp, riotous, and not entirely unrepentant.” A contributor for Publishers Weeklycalled the book “a raw, dizzying testimony,” and concluded: “Throughout, Sykes’s voice is candid and the details gritty.” Once out of rehab, Sykes moved to Ireland, where he lives with his wife and son.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES

BOOKS

Sykes, Tom, What Did I Do Last Night? A Drunkard’s Tale, Rodale (Emmaus, PA), 2006.

PERIODICALS

Booklist, September 1, 2006, Ian Chipman, review of What Did I Do Last Night?, p. 32.

People, November 13, 2006, Josh Emmons, review of What Did I Do Last Night?, p. 51.

Publishers Weekly, September 18, 2006, review of What Did I Do Last Night?, p. 51.

ONLINE

Bookseller.com, http://www.thebookseller.com/ (October 27, 2006), “Tom Sykes: Legless in Manhattan.”

Get Underground Web site, http://www.getunderground.com/ (December 1, 2006), Q & A with Tom Sykes.

New York Times Book Review Online, November 19, 2006, Campbell Robertson, “Drinking on the Job.”

PR Web Direct Web site, http://www.prwebdirect.com/ (October 5, 2006), “Eton College: Breeding Ground for Teenage Alcoholics?”*