JOIN ME

In between jobs as a comedy producer for the BBC, 20-something Wallace would "sit around for hours in my pants" in his London apartment. After a great-uncle's funeral, he was struck by a story about his relative's failed effort to start a 100-member commune. Inspired to start his own group, but not sure what he wanted to do with it, he set up an ambiguous Web site requesting others to "join me." As the chapter headings maintain a running tally of his confused but mostly eager followers, Wallace recounts his misadventures scurrying across Europe while trying to keep the project hidden from his girlfriend, who he knows will think the idea is crazy. As he gradually elects to have his collective devote itself to making others happy, a certain degree of cliché creeps in, but never without a weird undercurrent (e.g., advice about "following the little voice inside" comes from Wallace's e-mail buddy, the "President of the Galactic Government"). The story's pretty silly, and Wallace's plan is strongly reminiscent of the theme of Pay It Forward (which he acknowledges), so he lets readers in on the joke right away, dragging them into his confidence. As Wallace recounts awkward encounters with "Joinees," his bemused tone won't completely distract readers from wondering why he doesn't just ditch his girlfriend if he can't even remember what food she likes, but his mission is entertaining nonetheless. Wallace's decidedly British sensibility might be a barrier to some, but fans of BBC America programming or other Britcoms will probably follow up by rushing to Wallace's site, aimed at recruiting more U.S. members to his offbeat cause. Photos. (Mar.)

Forecast: Wallace's book was published in the U.K. earlier this year, after the author gained a fair amount of media coverage for his campaign. Whether his crusade will gain momentum in the U.S. remains to be seen.