Humour Books
Everyman Full Moon
Book SynopsisThe thought of being cooped up in Blandings Castle with Clarence, the Earl of Emsworth, the perennially youthful Galahad and with the Earl's younger son, Freddie Threepwood, openly appalled Colonel Wedge. It was, he grimly asserted, like being wrecked on a desert island with the Marx Brothers. But the arrival of Tipton Plimsoll at Blandings Castle considerably brightened the Colonel's horizon. For Tip-ton was a rich young American and rich young Americans were, in the Colonel's opinion, quite the most desirable companions for his daughter, Veronica, the dumbest beauty listed in the pages of Debrett. The stage was set for a great romance, or so the Colonel thought, and so it might have been had the knowledge of Freddie's erstwhile engagement to Veronica been withheld from the jealous Tipton, or if Prudence, the Earl's niece, had not been forcibly parted from her unsuitable lover, Bill Lister. On such incidents do great issues depend. However, Uncle Gaily, who combined the ready resource of a confidence trickster with the zeal of a cheerful crusader, intervened with an ingenious scheme to reunite the young lovers. It was a master-plan. How the plot miscarried at the crucial stage and in doing so caused a social and domestic revolution unparalleled in the history of Blandings Castle, is revealed in this most hilarious of chronicles.Trade ReviewWodehouse's idyllic world can never stale. He will continue to release future generations from captivity that may be more irksome than our own. He has made a world for us to live in and delight in. * Evelyn Waugh *Nothing will ever dim the brilliance of Wodehouse's world or flatten his ever-sprightly and always entertaining prose -- John Mortimer * The Sunday Times *Pure word music * Douglas Adams *The Everyman edition promises to be a splendid celebration of the divine Plum * The Independent *The handsome bindings are only the cherry on top of what is already a cake without compare * Evening Standard *
£12.34
Everyman Money For Nothing
Book SynopsisThe action is mostly set at Rudge Hall, home to the obese miser Lester Carmody, and at Healthward Ho, a health farm run by 'Chimp Twist, along with his cohorts 'Soapy' and 'Dolly' Molloy. who were all previously encountered in Sam The Sudden (1925) and would return in Money in the Bank (1946).Hugo Camody, Lester's nephew, and his friend Ronnie Fish, would appear later in Blandings Castle, home of Ronnie's uncle Lord Emsworth, in Summer Lightening (1929) and Heavy Weather (1933)Trade ReviewThe handsome bindings are only the cherry on top of what is already a cake without compare * Evening Standard *The Everyman edition promises to be a splendid celebration of the divine Plum * The Independent *
£11.69
Everyman Big Money
Book SynopsisLORD BISKERTON, son and heir of the sixth Earl of Hoddesdon, and known to his friends as Biscuit, had red hair, a preliminary scenario for a moustache and a noble determination to escape the disgrace of work. His friend Berry Conway, however, had succumbed to economic pressure and become the secretary to T. Paterson Frisby, a dyspeptic American who had twenty million and loved every cent of it. When Biscuit and Berry pooled ideas for their mutual betterment, and one idea concerned Ann Moon, Frisby's beautiful niece and heiress, they had to lean heavily on Aunt Vera, an old campaigner in the field of love. How Uncle Paterson was caught short and rushed to cover, while Aunt Vera hedged the market with a double play and salted down two money-making engagements for the House of Hoddesdon, is one of the most irresistible tales of the one and only P. G.Trade ReviewThe Everyman edition promises to be a splendid celebration of the divine Plum * The Independent *The handsome bindings are only the cherry on top of what is already a cake without * Evening Standard *
£13.50
Everyman Bill the Conqueror
Book SynopsisSir George was disappointed in his son, he was not a chip off the old block and lacked the aggressive drive required of a business tycoon. So why not marry him off to Felicia she has plenty of spark and could manage any man, all was going well until the arrival from New York of Bill West.Felicia - a sprightly girl calculated to put the stuffing into any man - is about to be married off to the dreary Roderick Pyke when Bill arrives from New York and she suddenly recognizes in him the man for whom she should forsake all others.Trade ReviewWodehouse's idyllic world can never stale. He will continue to release future generations from captivity that may be more irksome than our own. He has made a world for us to live in and delight in. -- Evelyn WaughThe Everyman edition promises to be a splendid celebration of the divine Plum * The Independent *
£11.40
Everyman Doctor Sally
Book SynopsisWhen Bill Bannister meets Dr Sally Smith, love blossoms immediately. Unfortunately there is just the small problem of Lottie Higginbotham, former actress, serial bride and human fireball, with whom Bill is already involved.The well-meaning interference of Bill's old friend, Squiffy Tidmouth, once married to Lottie, only complicates matters further, until everything is straightened out in a series of comic encounters at Bill's ancestral home and everyone lives happily ever after.
£12.34
Everyman A Few Quick Ones
Book SynopsisA collection from the master, containing The Fat of the Land (Freddie Widgeon) Scratch Man (The Oldest Member) The Right Approach (Mr Mulliner), Jeeves Makes An Omelette, The Word In Season (Bingo Little), Big Business (Mr Mulliner), Leave It To Algy (Bingo Little), Joy Bells For Walter (Golf story), A Tithe For Charity (Ukridge), Oofy, Freddie and the Beef Trust (Freddie Widgeon)Trade ReviewThe finest and funniest writer the past century ever knew * Stephen Fry *Sublime comic genius * Ben Elton *
£12.34
Everyman Frozen Assets
Book SynopsisThe `Frozen Assets' of the title belong to Edmund Biffen Christopher and they are the legacy of his Godfather which he will receive if he manages to avoid been arrested, something of a previous habit of Biffen's, until after his thirtieth birthday one week hence. Lord Tilbury, proprietor of the Mammoth publish company, whom we met previously in `Bill the Conqueror', `Summer Lightning' and `Heavy Weather', is keen that Biffen does fall foul of the law as he will then receive the legacy himself. Tilbury has therefore engaged his usual henchman, Percy Pilbeam, to ensure that Biffen is lead astray and that it is brought to the attention of the constabulary. Only Wodehouse can scare up a happy ending where everyone gets exactly what is coming to them.Trade ReviewWodehouse's idyllic world can never stale. He will continue to release future generations from captivity that may be more irksome than our own. He has made a world for us to live in and delight in * Evelyn Waugh *The handsome bindings are only the cherry on top of what is already a cake without compare. * Evening Standard *
£12.34
Everyman The Man Upstairs
Book SynopsisWodehouse's well-known gift for satisfying plots and comic surprises is evident on every page, but there are also signs of his debt to earlier writers in the realistic tradition. Set mainly in London or New York, many of the stories concern ordinary people - shopassistants, schoolmasters, secretaries, servants, unsuccessful writers - living the life of rented rooms and cheap cafés Wodehouse knew well from his own experience. Yet there is nothing sad or gloomy about these tales. Far from it: they are brimming with life and energy, beautifully written and invariably delightful. And for Wodehouse addicts there is also a goodly sprinkling of goofy young men about town and their valets to satisfy the strongest appetitesTrade ReviewThe handsome bindings are only the cherry on top of what is already a cake without compare. * Evening Standard *
£12.34
Everyman The Girl in Blue
Book SynopsisThe vintage plot concerns a Gainsborough miniature, a mouldering country house, an overweight solicitor, a fortune-hunter, a butler who isn't a butler, an American corporate lawyer and his kleptomaniac sister; but the heart of the story - in every sense - concerns Jerry West and his determined pursuit of air hostess Jane Hunnicutt, the eponymous Girl in Blue. When Jane unexpectedly becomes a millionairess, Jerry despairs of wooing her, but the sun never goes behind a cloud for long in Wodehouse: Jerry gets his Jane in the end, but only after a series of trials which raise the comic stakes to the author's highest level.Trade ReviewWodehouse's idyllic world can never stale. He will continue to release future generations from captivity that may be more irksome than our own. He has made a world for us to live in and delight in * Evelyn Waugh *A handsome, collectable hardback edition -- Lynne Truss * The Times *
£12.34
Everyman The Gold Bat
Book SynopsisWhen O'Hara and Moriarty, two boys at Wrykyn School, tar and feather the statue of a pompous local MP, O'Hara mislays at the scene of their crime a tiny gold bat borrowed from Trevor, captain of the school cricket team. The plot revolves around the fate of this bat and attempts to retrieve it, but the real focus of the novel is a vivid portrayal of school life. Though the setting is an English public school in the years before World War 1, so sharp is Wodehouse's ear for the way children talk that everyone will recognise familiar characters and situations, whatever their place of education.Trade ReviewThe Everyman edition promises to be a splendid celebration of the divine Plum * The Independent *A handsome, collectable hardback edition -- Lynne Truss * The Times *The incomparable and timeless genius - perfect for readers of all ages, shapes and sizes -- Kate Mosse
£13.50
Everyman Mike at Wrykyn
Book SynopsisThis charming story of the Jackson cricketing dynasty describes the adventures of Mike Jackson at boarding school as he makes his way up the sporting ladder to the first eleven. The young P. G. Wodehouse evokes the peaceful, prosperous world of middle-class England before the Great War, a place where rich men hire private cricket professionals to coach their sons at home, and little seems to matter at school except the publishing of team lists and the taking of tea. But such is the novelist's skill that he can make excitement from the small-scale dramas of teenage life, and interest even the most unsporting reader in the cricket matches he describes so lovingly. A curiosity for those who know only the Wodehouse of Blandings and Piccadilly, but a delightful one.
£12.34
Everyman Tales of St Austin's
Book SynopsisSt Austin's school (as featured in The Pothunters) is the setting for twelve delightful early Wodehouse stories. The familiar ingredients - and some of the same characters - are present: cricket and rugby loom large, school colours are gained, tricks are played, exams avoided, revenge wreaked upon enemies, and the honour of School and House upheld. A nostalgic look at English public-school life at the turn of the twentieth century, made enjoyable today by the young Wodehouse's gentle humour and witty turn of phrase.
£11.69
Everyman The Head Of Kay's
Book SynopsisIt is the general view at Eckleton school that there never was such a house of slackers as Kay's. Fenn, head of house and county cricketer, does his best to impose some discipline but is continually undermined by his house-master, the meddlesome and ineffectual Mr Kay. After the Summer Concert fiasco, Mr Kay resolves to remove Fenn from office and puts his house into special measures, co-opting Kennedy, second prefect of Blackburn's, as reluctant troubleshooter with a brief to turn the place around. But without the backing of Fenn, and the whole house hostile towards him, how can he achieve the impossible ...?Trade ReviewWodehouse's idyllic world can never stale. He will continue to release future generations from captivity that may be more irksome than our own. He has made a world for us to live in and delight in. -- Evelyn WaughThe handsome bindings are only the cherry on top of what is already a cake without compare * Evening Standard *
£10.99
Everyman Over Seventy
Book SynopsisFirst published in 1956, this collection of articles covers Wodehouse's feelings on United States, his adopted homeland all collected into one edition. Features a collection of articles originally from Punch magazine as well as America, I Like You, all with Wodehouse's usual wit and personality.
£11.40
Pallas Athene Publishers Postings
Book SynopsisA collection of absurdities, many online, gleefully collected by the editor and bibliophile Jim McCue, best known for his edition (with Christopher Ricks) of Eliot's poetry. Elegantly presented and an ideal small Christmas present.
£8.99
Pallas Athene Publishers Postings 2
Book SynopsisFunny and wry, McCue chronicles the little linguistic nonsenses with which the baboons betray themselves - Quentin LettsA sequel to the highly popular first volume, Postings, 2 supplies yet more linguistic and social absurdities by editor and bibliophile Jim McCue, best known for his edition, with Christopher Ricks, of T. S. Eliot's poetry. Elegantly presented and an ideal small gift, this volume complements McCue's wit with even more delightful, historical printers' decorations from over the centuries.Also available: Postings, ISBN 9781843682424
£999.99
Little, Brown Book Group Cooking In A Bedsitter
Book SynopsisThere is one powerful smell closely associated with the making of coffee in bedsitters. It is the smell of burning plastic, and will go away if you move the handle of the pot away from the flame.Legendary journalist Katharine Whitehorn's classic handbook of quick, simple meals - including Swedish Sausage Casserole, Lamb Tomato Quickie and Shrimp Wiggle - became the essential survival manual for the busy single person living in their first rented room.Whitehorn's trademark intelligent, practical and fabulously funny writing shines as brightly as ever, addressing the problems of 'cooking at ground level, in a hurry, with nowhere to put the salad but the washing-up bowl, which is in any case full of socks'. Delightful, entertaining and utterly indispensable.Praise for Katharine Whitehorn:'A meteor: clever, funny, compassionate, insightful, beautiful' RACHEL COOKE'Everyone grabbed the Observer to read her column on a Sunday morning' JILLY COOPER 'Wise, witty, mischievous' JAY RAYNERTrade ReviewKatharine Whitehorn was a meteor: clever, funny, compassionate, insightful, beautiful * Rachel Cooke *Everyone grabbed the Observer to read her column on a Sunday morning * Jilly Cooper *Katharine Whitehorn was wise, witty, mischievous * Jay Rayner *
£10.44
Little, Brown Book Group Love All the People (New Edition)
Book SynopsisBill Hicks was arguably the most influential stand-up comedian of the last 30 years. He was funny, out of hand, impossible to ignore and genuinely disturbing. His work has inspired Michael Moore, Mark Thomas and Robert Newman among others. The trade paperback published in February 2003 was the first collected work and included major stand-up routines, diary, notebook and letters extracts, plus his final writings, most previously unpublished. This smaller format paperback has extra material discovered subsequently.Trade ReviewA fantastic book .... His truth will make your stomach churn - there were times I was laughing at the most horrendous things. * Shazia Mirza, Observer *His words still burn with righteous truth. This book could change your life. * Paul Brannigan, Kerrang *He exhorted his audiences to do more than just laugh - he wanted them to strive to make the world a better place. * Jon Barnes, Times Literary Supplement *The title Love All the People ... isn't remotely ironic ... Hicks was, in his angry, cynical and still unsurpassably funny way, the most hopeless of romantics. * Andrew Mueller, Time Out *
£12.34
Little, Brown Book Group The Mammoth Book of Jokes New edn
Book SynopsisQuite simply, the greatest compendium of humour ever written! Even bigger and better than ever, The Mammoth Book of Jokes is the ultimate joke book - now revised and expanded to over 7500 entries. This endlessly entertaining collection covers everything you could ever think of, from Birthdays and Dogs to Mothers-in- Law and War. Plus epigrams, limericks, misprints and howlers, shaggy dog stories, politically incorrect jokes, toasts, pick-up lines and put-downs ...Extra new material for this bumper edition includes favourite celebrity jokes - specially chosen by the likes of Bill Clinton, Gordon Ramsay, Dustin Hoffman and Tony Blair - as well as no fewer than 2000 brand new jokes.
£14.24
Quiller Publishing Ltd Shooting Types: The Second Barrel
Book SynopsisSome time late in the last century, Giles Catchpole and Bryn Parry began to catalogue the varied characters to be found in the shooting field and the results of their researches have been published monthly in The Shooting Gazette. Now, they have loaded up another game bag's worth of sharply written and wittily observed Shooting Types and unleashed them onto an expectant readership through The Second Barrel. Here is an extended line of assorted Guns, good and not so good. Some shoot like gods, quite a lot don't. Some own dogs that retrieve what they have shot and some have dogs who chase what they haven't. There is a supporting cast of spouses, partners and significant others — some being supportive and others less so. And then there are the keepers, beaters, pickers-up, hosts and hostesses without whom the whole undertaking would be utterly impossible and therefore no fun at all. If you shoot or go shooting you will recognise many of the characters in this book. You may remember them with a sigh of pleasure or a gasp of horror, or something in between. Who knows, you might even see aspects of yourself here, or if you can't, the person who gave this book to you probably does.Trade ReviewA brilliant book observing the eccentricities of sportsmen, dogs, beaters, hosts and supporting characters. Shooting Types is a must-have book for anyone interested in the sport. Bryn Parry's witty yet excellent cartoons of characters which will be recognised by everyone really bring this book to life.In this sequel to Shooting Types, Catchpole once again brilliantly observes the eccentricities of sportsmen, dogs, beaters, hosts and supporting characters, all of which are superbly illustrated by Bryn Parry's perceptive and wickedly humorous cartoons.This book shows the brilliant observations of the eccentricities of the sportsmen, dogs, beaters and hosts. Every shooting enthusiast will recognise many of the characters in this book, all illustrated with Bryn Parry's perceptive and humorous cartoons.All sporting life is here, with wickedly accurate cartoons and laugh-out loud text. A book that should grace every sporting gent's loo. * Shooting & Conservation Magazine *Table of ContentsHard men The Boy's Shoot Gun Errant Wild Men The Celebrity Game Chef Jeremiah The Grouse Shooter Small Packages The Grouse Moor Owner The Reacher The Beatkeeper Less is the New More The Young Dog Son of a Gun The Sporting Divorcee The Hoover All Downhill from Here The Cartridge Cadger Fruit of the Hedge Fair Maiden The Battle Bus The Historian The Cripple Stopper The Partridge Shooter Teal Appeal Beaters' Banter The Gamecart Driver The Trick Shooters Paw By Paw In 4 x 4 The Keeper's Wife The Rural Craftsmen The Grouse Virgin All the Gear The Butcher The Man Who Knows The Curse Driven Shooter The Bad Loader The Apopolectic Owner The Shooting Widow The Wily Cock Stocking Filler What Can You Do? The Percy Sandwich The Hangover Better Safe... Methuselah The Mainstay The Walking Gun The Threadbare Host The Hostess with the Mostest The Landlord The Forgetful Gun The Charity Shot
£17.95
Quiller Publishing Ltd Great Angling Disasters
Book SynopsisA unique collection of fishing stories from the past 200 years that prove that when it comes to fishing, things can and often do go hilariously wrong. From stories of record breakers that got away to boats that sank, rods that broke and pike and salmon that ran amoke, Great Angling Disasters is the ultimate chronicle of those less than triumphant days on the riverbank. For everyone interested in fishing with rod and line whether they are game, coarse or sea fishermen.Trade Review‘This delightful collection of more than 40 angling stories … is an eclectic mix of quirky tales, set within a bygone era, and sympathetically edited by Tom Quinn. … Some of these fishy tales reference long-lost techniques and equipment, but this does not distract from hooking the reader with its descriptive narrative, making it as accessible and appealing to non-anglers. … Overall, an excellent read for anglers of all ages.’ Land & Business, CLAStraight away from the front cover illustration of a suited gent struggling in some discomfort with a giant fly stuck in a delicate area while his ghillie looks on, I could tell I was going to enjoy this book.I think we all love a good yarn especially if we can identify with either the unfortunate victims in this instance or at least the potential for whatever the misfortune they encountered. The very opening sentence of the introduction says it all – “Fishing, it has been said, is an accident waiting to happen.”This book is a humorous collection of fishing tales gathered from old sources dating from the 1870’s to the 1940’s which adds a whole different flavour to them, with images of Tweeded gents, cane rods and a time of greater difference between the classes, city folk and country folk.With adventures set at home and abroad, there is a wide set of styles and stories. Something for everyone you might say. * Fish and Fly *Table of ContentsIntroduction1: Overwhelmed and UnderplayedCaught in the FliesCaught in a DrainA Fortune LostMystery FishThe End of the Legendary Grayling2: BamboozledFlounderingNo Luck in IrelandRotten LineAmerican EscapadesMonster Mahseer3: Making MischiefConger AttackLost Beneath the LiliesDeath at the TrowsFishing Not MarryingTyne WavePike Escape4: A Little Local DifficultyAbandoned by the Goddess of FishingThat Old Line!Mud in Your EyeThe Road to Hell …Down a HoleVicar on the RunAcrobatic FishDouble TroubleEels and EarsFlying Sea TroutTorn to ShredsSalmon Tied in KnotsThe Weed Not the ManAn Endless Dive, and Then RainInglorious Piking5: Head Over HeelsThe Great Unseen Bass‘I am Afraid it is a Shark’Shark Bait Tarpon Lokoja, West Africa, 19146: Missing the PointBovine BattleJust One Thing After Another …Triumph, Then Tragedy7: Tragic MuseMad About PikeFish Attacks BoyDouble DisasterTackle Dancing BullNight ManoeuvresFit for an EmperorEighty Pounder LostClouded in MythCopyright
£14.20
Quiller Publishing Fun and Games with the Totterings
Book SynopsisA superb collection of more than 100 of Annie Tempest's brilliant and amusing cartoons depicting the aristocratic Tottering family enjoying their favourite pastimes and sporting pursuits.
£15.19
Quiller Publishing Rod Rage
Book SynopsisA superb collection of angling cartoons accompanied by humorous captions, which capture the joy and the frustration of the sport.
£14.24
Birlinn General A Country of Eternal Light
Book SynopsisMargaret Bryce has been having a hard time since dying in 2014. In a place beyond, we join Margaret as she revisits her life, from her Aberdeen prefab childhood to the birth of her twin girls, through Thatcher’s Britain, the Piper Alpha oil rig disaster, Australia’s Black Summer bushfires, the death of Princess Diana and the COVID pandemic. But something isn’t quite right. Margaret is trying to remember, but also fighting to forget. A Country of Eternal Light will take you on a journey like no other. It is an utterly original, bitingly funny and poignant novel about life, death, what we choose to remember - and what we’d do anything to forget. A Waterstones Scottish Book of the Month Shortlisted for the Readings New Australian Fiction Prize Shortlisted for the Age Fiction Book of the YearTrade Review'This thoughtful novel hopscotches through the life of its late heroine, Margaret, a working-class Aberdonian whose posthumous thoughts roam freely over seven decades after she dies of cancer in 2014… A life-crammed mosaic, filled with pain and sadness as well as tenderness and beauty' * Daily Mail *'Inviting the reader on a rollicking, spellbinding journey as Margaret Bryce visits her past from the vantage point of the afterlife, A Country of Eternal Light is a fiercely original exploration of the way a person's life is constructed' * Waterstones Says *'A fearlessly ambitious and profoundly moving exploration of 'complicated grief', it is deftly delivered with an honesty, humour and compassion that make it wholly accessible and relatable. An uncanny and evocative original fiction with a stunning twist' -- Sally McDonald * Sunday Post *'a beautifully poignant record of a life that brought great sorrow but, nonetheless, was one well lived' -- Alastair Mabbott * Herald *'Dalgarno's novel illuminates experiences of loss with humour and tenderness' * The Bookseller *'Inventive, playful, poignant and deeply moving' -- Kerry Fowler * Sainsbury's Magazine *‘A Country of Eternal Light is one of those novels that probes very directly at the meaning of life, memory, and the power of grief.’ -- Damian Barr'Immediately went back and reread it with new knowledge. My god, this is outstanding. Beautiful and humble and totally suffused by the very ordinary joy of loving.' -- Kirstin Innes'Mesmerising, stimulating, and life affirming: Dalgarno delivers something immensely original and astute, without sparing entertainment. Following a deceased woman’s journey through lives lived and, along the way, discovering a question to be answered: 'What’s our purpose?' -- Angie Tsimaras, Judge for The Readings New Australian Fiction Prize'One of the most interesting and inventive novels of the year in terms of style and content' -- Alistair Braidwood * Scots Whay Hae! *
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group The Chain Of Curiosity
Book SynopsisSandi Toksvig - broadcaster, writer, actor, and seeker of all things whimsical, has turned her probing mind to many of the most intriguing questions of our times in the pages of the Sunday Telegraph for many years. Now, for the very first time, these musings have been collected in one hilarious collection. In The Chain of Curiosity, Sandi takes the reader on a side-splitting journey through life's peculiarities in a book packed with wit, wisdom and wonderment. From pondering the joys of World Pencil Day to examining the intricacies of applause etiquette, and from tip-toeing around the delicate art of school report vocabulary to researching the oddest way to meet a sticky end, the tickling tidbits and intriguing revelations contained within the book will delight Sandi's fans, both old and new.Trade ReviewInspires ... wonderment and gentle chortles Independent
£13.49
HarperCollins Publishers Pedigree Mum
Book SynopsisThe laugh-out-loud funny book from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Mum Who Got Her Life Back A straying husband. A broken heart. And a crazy rescue dog in a town of posh pooches… When Kerry Tambini upped sticks with her family to a new home on the coast, she couldn’t have been happier. Then husband Rob made the biggest mistake of his life… Stranded with her children in snooty Shorling, Kerry has plenty on her plate. So how can she say no to the kids' pleas for a dog when they're missing their father dreadfully? Will adopting a wayward hound lead Kerry to a new love – or has she bitten off more than she can chew? As she steps back into the dating world Kerry must juggle her family, her neurotic dog and try to fit in with the local pedigree mums, making her a true heroine for our time.Trade Review‘Frivolous fun.’ Grazia ‘Warm, funny and poignant.’ The Daily Mail ’Brilliant…manages to capture family life perfectly.’ Chick Lit Reviews 'This comical but insightful story of motherhood, love and chaotic family life is a real charmer.' Closer
£11.67
Canongate Books Chocolate and Cuckoo Clocks: The Essential Alan
Book SynopsisEdited by his children, Giles and Victoria, Chocolate and Cuckoo Clocks is an anthology of humorous writing from the former editor of Punch and Radio 4 national treasure Alan Coren, who died in October 2007. In a prolific forty-year career Alan Coren wrote for The Times, Observer, Tatler, Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday, Listener, Punch and the New Yorker, and published over 20 books including The Sanity Inspector, Golfing for Cats and The Collected Bulletins of Idi Amin (he turned down an invitation from Amin to visit Uganda saying, 'I'll probably end up as a sandwich'). Even twenty years ago he estimated that he had published six million words, or ten copies of War and Peace.Coren was one of Britain's most prolific and now much-missed humourists, finding the comedy of life all around him and rendering it, hilariously and compellingly, in polished and witty prose which will be eagerly devoured by his loyal fanbase.Trade ReviewA comic genius. * * The Times * *The field is led by Alan Coren. * * Observer * *Coren is our heavyweight champion humorist, over-powering as well as graceful, able to do everything, sometimes in the same short article. * * Guardian * *The funniest writer in Britain today. * * Sunday Times * *Coruscating! A master humorist! * * Daily Telegraph * *He has a comic imagination which can actually render your jaded scribe flabbergasted. -- Clive James * * Observer * *His power of observation knows no bounds. * * Daily Mail * *Coren's extraordinary gift for seeing the funny side of everyday life is in abundant evidence throughout this book, which will have you chuckling out loud. * * Good Book Guide * *This book brings together a well-chosen and quiveringly funny sample of [Coren's] comic writing . . . The humour in these columns isn't about one-liners and the best pieces take a fertile idea and run a mile with it, sparking a shower of bon mots in the process. -- James Purdon * * Observer * *Accomplished. -- Colin Waters * * Sunday Herald * *A fitting testament to a man who gave millions joy. -- Richard Morrison, * * Times * *Anthologies of humorous writing are usually deadly, but this one collates Alan Coren's work into decades, each with an introduction by someone you've heard of, and tries to give it a purpose above that of the pursuit of cheap laughs. The upshot is that Coren's anarchic silliness has something to play against. -- Toby Clements * * Daily Telegraph * *An engaging collection . . . The warmth and wit of these pieces stand the test of time. -- Anita Sethi * * Independent on Sunday * *If you ever wanted to find the Corens' funny bone, this is the best place to start. -- Matt Hussey * * The Shortlist * *This ultimate collection of the writings of the much loved and sadly missed humorist, broadcaster and self styled 'sage of Cricklewood' has been selected by his children Giles and Victoria and contain pieces spanning a career of more than 40 years. * * London Review of Books * *
£10.44
Cornerstone A Sackful of Limericks
Book SynopsisIf you've ever wondered what happened to the young fellow from Malta who bought his grandfather an altar…If you're concerned about the camper called Jack who found a huge snake in his pack…And if you suspect that an eccentric landowner called Grey spent Christmas a very strange way but aren't sure precisely what that entailed…Then a dip into Michael Palin's Sackful of Limericks will provide all the answers – and a lot of fun besides.
£9.49
Cornerstone All At Sea: One man. One bathtub. One very bad
Book SynopsisAll At Sea is a celebration of the epic absurd, an attempt to explain just how out of hand things can become from a very simple starting point. The book follows the author's death-defying 200-mile journey in his antique Thomas Crapper bath - not just across the Channel, but around Kent - right up to the tremendous reception and huge media attention which awaited him under Tower Bridge. Tim met the Queen, and his bath now resides in the National Maritime Museum of Great Britain.Trade ReviewTim FitzHigham is unhinged. He is completely without hinges. -- Eddie IzzardIt is a very, very brave man who takes to the wild seas in a copper bath with only a rubber duck for support ... This is a very difficult challenge, so well done for keeping the art of British eccentricity well and truly alive. -- Sir Ranulph FiennesI think it's fair to say that though I'm fairly well connected in the boating world, I only know one person who has crossed the Channel in a bath! Tim is one of those special people you meet rarely in life ... I respect him very much for being who he is, and not at all afraid of it! -- Ellen MacArthurTim FitzHigham only exists because P. G. Wodehouse didn't invent him first. -- Dave GormanTim FitzHigham, I salute you ... Thank you for making this epic and hilarious voyage. -- Richard Hammond
£9.49
Icon Books So, You Think You're Clever?: Taking on The
Book SynopsisFrom the ever-curious mind that brought you the bestselling Do You Think You're Clever? comes a brand-new trip to the far reaches of the intellectual universe, courtesy of even more notoriously provocative Oxbridge interview questions.How would you poison someone without the police finding out? (Medicine, Cambridge)What makes a strong woman? (Theology, Oxford)Instead of politicians, why don't we let the managers of IKEA run the country? (Social and Political Sciences, Cambridge)How do you organise a successful revolution? (History, Oxford)Whether you're interested in going to Oxbridge or just want to give your brain a workout, join polymath John Farndon on another exhilarating journey through the twists and turns of thought, and explore just what it means to be genuinely clever - rather than just smart.Trade ReviewThe book itself is an enormous contribution to knowledge and so interspersed with compelling narratives [...] that it should shoot to the top of any Oxonian Christmas Book List. -- Richard Lofthouse * Oxford Today *[This makes it] a great gift book [...] and it will certainly be one I'll be giving to a few people. -- Brian Clegg * Now Appearing blog *
£9.49
New Island Books Reggie's Guide to Social Climbing
Book SynopsisCork's most beautifully spoken millionaire is on a mission to help Ireland's nouveau riche: learn to eat, drink, flirt and behave as if you were a member of Cork's One Per Cent.
£8.54
Nick Hern Books Sunrise (NHB Modern Plays)
Book Synopsis`Okay I'm sorry but I don't want to have a meal. I want to talk and find out a bit more about you and ideally have sex. Or maybe not full sex but - I need to be home by 11 p.m.' Dating again after a complex break-up, Jessie is trying to get her personal life in order - before her kids wake up. From actress, comedian, writer and doodler Jessie Cave, Sunrise is an honest, tender-hearted and uproariously funny story about crying in the woods, sexual misadventures at Harry Potter conventions and Instagram espionage - but also about motherhood and trying to get stuff done. This published edition also includes dozens of never-before-seen doodles by Jessie. She's very happy to (over)share it with you. Sunrise was performed as a critically acclaimed live show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, at Soho Theatre, London, and on tour around the UK.Trade Review'Devastatingly honest, wickedly funny… Sunrise pitches us right into Cave's life, and her head' Guardian; 'An exquisite show from one of the more creative minds in comedy today… It is painfully funny, hilariously sad and makes oversharing a thing of comic genius. There is no corner of Jessie's life into which her blindingly honest comic light does not shine' Scotsman 'Confessional comedy that is unstoppably amusing as well as compellingly complex… crammed full of telling details that are amusing, or painful, or more likely both at once, this is comic storytelling of the highest order' The Times: 'Not everyone can make heartbreak this entertaining… it's the little details that make this so special – revealing all the things she's secretly thinking, while we either empathise or wince in recognition. So open, so honest, so inspirational' ThreeWeeks; 'Emotional, occasionally filthy, and frequently very funny… it adds up to a rich tapestry which, while laying Cave bare, also has much to say about the double bind of being a modern woman – from balancing career and being a role model with having children, to dating, rejection and abuse. It's all done with the lightest of touches and enormous charm, and it confirms Cave as one of comedy's most compellingly unique voices' i
£9.49
John Murray Press Kenneth Williams: Born Brilliant: The Life of
Book SynopsisKenneth Williams was the stand-out comic actor of his generation. Beloved as the manic star of Carry On films and as a peerless raconteur on TV chat shows, he was also acclaimed for serious stage roles. Born Brilliant will include much previously unseen material from Williams's candid daily journal and also draw on rare in-depth interviews with friends and colleagues. Since the publication of edited extracts from his diaries, much controversy has surrounded Williams's personal and professional lives. This biography traces the complex contradictions that characterised an extraordinary life and presents the first full portrait of a star who was born brilliant.Trade ReviewChristopher Stevens's diligent biography offers illuminating insights into Kenneth Williams's work and inner life. Underpinned by a warm sympathy, Born Brilliant is often revealing and . . . well-written * Sunday Telegraph *The book does something interesting and necessary. There is a danger with any book on Williams of just further nailing down the received wisdom: that he was entirely morbid, socially inadequate and consumed by guilt. What Stevens manages to do, even as he throws out all the examples of The Fear, is retune the accepted facts a little and tell the story not just of the melancholia but also of the happiness * Herald *Christopher Stevens has written a solid, workmanlike, authorised biography of this least solid or workmanlike or authorised of figures * Mail on Sunday *Stevens adeptly captures the mercurial temperament and frequent malice. For all his flaws, however, Williams remains lovable, to his devoted friends and fans, as well as to Stevens' readers * Metro *Stevens has done a grand job of reconciling the public and private Williamses * Daily Telegraph *Williams gets the biography he deserves: impeccably researched, compelling and, despite everything, sympathetic * Scotsman *a portrait far more sympathetic than the ascerbic one conjured by Williams' edited diary extracts in l993 * Independent *Excellent biography * Choice *Stevens has unearthed a great deal of new material * TLS *
£12.34
Quercus Publishing The List: the bestselling laugh-out-loud romcom
Book Synopsis''SEXY, SMART AND SCANDALOUS' Victoria FoxOne list, ten wishes, and absolutely no chance of actually falling in love . . . Reluctantly single Phoebe Henderson has spent twelve months trying to get over her cheating ex, but no amount of wine or extensive relationship analysis with best friend Lucy has seemed to help. Faced with a new year but no new love, Phoebe concocts a different kind of resolution: The List. Ten things she's always wanted to do in bed but has never had the chance (or the courage) to try. One year of no-strings-attached adventure. What could possibly go wrong?Between meddlesome colleagues, friends with benefits, getting frisky al fresco and maybe, possibly, true love, Phoebe's bucket list with a difference might be more than she bargained for . . .'FEARLESS' List'RAUNCHY AND HILARIOUS' Scottish Sun'A CRACKER OF A DEBUT' SunTrade ReviewScotland's answer to Bridget Jones's Diary * Daily Record *A fearless approach to sex and romance * List Magazine *Raunchy and hilarious...you'll be laughing all the way to the beach! * Scottish Sun *Very very naughty and lots of fun - it's a cracker of a debut * Sun *A very naughty but nice read that will have you gasping one minute and laughing out loud the next * Abby Clements, author of Vivien's Heavenly Ice Cream Shop *Hilariously funny, and very sexy (you may blush!), it's a fantastic feel-good read * No. 1 Magazine *An absolutely hysterical main character that you can relate to and page after page of pant-wettingly hilarious scenes ... Without a doubt this is the best and funniest book I have read so far this year. I can't wait to see what Joanna Bolouri does next! * Novelicious *Sexy, smart and scandalous, I'd recommend to anyone with a taste for adventure * Victoria Fox, author of The Santiago Sisters *If you hear someone snorting beside the pool this summer, they'll be reading this * Grazia on I Followed the Rules *'Scotland's answer to Bridget Jones's Diary' Daily Record. * Daily Record *'A fearless approach to sex and romance' List Magazine. * List Magazine *'Raunchy and hilarious ... you'll be laughing all the way to the beach!' Scottish Sun. * Scottish Sun *'Very very naughty and lots of fun - it's a cracker of a debut' Sun. * Sun *'A very naughty but nice read that will have you gasping one minute and laughing out loud the next' Abby Clements, author of Vivien's Heavenly Ice Cream Shop. * Abby Clements *'Hilariously funny, and very sexy (you may blush!), it's a fantastic feel-good read' No. 1 Magazine. * No 1 Magazine *'An absolutely hysterical main character that you can relate to and page after page of pant-wettingly hilarious scenes ... Without a doubt this is the best and funniest book I have read so far this year. I can't wait to see what Joanna Bolouri does next!' Novelicious. * Novelicious *'Sexy, smart and scandalous, I'd recommend to anyone with a taste for adventure' Victoria Fox, author of Temptation Island. * Victoria Fox *
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group The Mammoth Book of Tasteless Jokes
Book SynopsisThe ultimate collection of tasteless and sick jokes that just shouldn't be told. More than 3,000 off-colour jokes, covering every taboo from sex and death to race and disability, this book leaves no stone unturned in its search for the most dubious jokes known to humanity. Why exactly do we like to laugh at jokes that are cruel, heartless and downright wrong? And more to the point, who cares so long as they make us laugh? Twice as funny, twice as outrageous, twice as shocking. From Anne Frank's drum kit to the correct use of wheelchairs, this is a fantastic new collection of bad taste and political incorrectness. If you even think about reading it you're a monster; if you buy it you're going straight to hell. Includes gems such as these: My father is in a coma. He's just living the dream. Why don't cannibals eat divorced women? Because they're very bitter. What do you do if a pit bull mounts your leg? Fake an orgasm. How do you stop a politician from drowning? Shoot him before he hits the water. The Beatles have reformed and have brought out a new album. It's mostly drum and bass. I went to see my friend's new baby. They asked me if I wanted to wind him. I thought that was a bit harsh so I just gave him a dead leg instead. Remember, a doggy is not just for Christmas. It's a great position all year round.
£12.34
Little, Brown Book Group 50 People Who Buggered Up Britain
Book SynopsisFrom the Sunday Times bestselling authorWhich fifty people made Britain the wreck she is? From ludicrous propagandist Alastair Campbell to the Luftwaffe's allies, the modernist architects, it's time to name the guilty.Quentin Letts sharpens his nib and stabs them where they deserve it, from TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh, the dumbed-down buffoon who put the 'h' in Aspidistra, to the perpetrators of the 'Credit Crunch'. Margaret Thatcher ruptured our national unity. The creators of EastEnders trashed our brand over high tea. Thus, he argues, are the people who made our country the ugly, scheming, cheating, beer-ridden bum of the Western world. Here are the fools and knaves and vulgarians who ripped down our British glories and imposed the tawdry and the trite. In a half century we have gone from end-of-Empire to descent-into-Hell.Trade ReviewRivetting * Now and Then magazine *[Letts] discharges his duty with flair and tracer precision...an angry book, beautifully written. * The Spectator *
£11.39
Bodleian Library Heath Robinson: How to be a Motorist
Book SynopsisW. Heath Robinson is best known for his hilarious drawings of zany contraptions, though his work ranged across a wide variety of topics covering many aspects of British life in the decades following the First World War. Starting out as a watercolour artist, he quickly turned to the more lucrative field of book illustration and developed his forte in satirical drawings and cartoons. He was regularly commissioned by the editors of Tatler and The Sketch and in great demand from advertising companies. Collections of his drawings were subsequently published in many different editions and became so successful as to transform Heath Robinson into a household name, celebrated for his eccentric brand of British humour. Presenting such innovations as the ‘Zip-Opening Bonnet’, the ‘Duo-car for the Incompatible’ and the handy ‘New Rear Wheel Gear for Turning the Car in One Movement’, this volume of Heath Robinson illustrations with commentary by K.R.G. Browne will appeal to ‘everybody who is ever likely to drive, be driven in, or get run over by a mechanically propelled vehicle’.Trade Review'A fantastic read that's well worth the price...This reprinted masterpiece is W Heath Robinson at his best, and even today it's both funny and pertinent. ... You could almost call this educational, but its real appeal lies in the sarcastic, deadpan text and the brilliant line illustrations.' * Auto Express *Table of ContentsContents: Dedication; Introduction; How a Car Works; How to Choose a Car; How to Drive a Car; Maintenance and Simple Repairs; Road Sense and Etiquette; Special Bodies; Accessories; Foreign Touring and Caravan Life; Tailpiece.
£9.49
Bodleian Library Heath Robinson's Second World War: The Satirical
Book SynopsisSoldiers disguised as a herd of cows, cork bath mats for troops crossing streams and a tank with a piano attachment for camp concerts are just some of the absurd inventions to be found in this book of cartoons designed to keep spirits up during the Second World War. These intricate comic drawings poke gentle fun at both the instruments of war and the indignity of the air-raid shelter in Heath Robinson’s inimitable style.
£9.50
Bodleian Library Heath Robinson: How to Make a Garden Grow
Book SynopsisEver wondered how to make a garden attractive in December? Or what to do with that corner by the dustbin? Answers to these questions can be found in this compact and charming book of tips for the green-fingered, accompanied by Heath Robinson’s highly inventive and humorous cartoons. First published in 1938, the book gives an insight into gardening trends on the eve of the Second World War while also addressing common concerns faced by gardeners. It features many typically elaborate contraptions such as the Combined Telescopic Spaderake for digging and raking at the same time, the Inebriate Roller for making wobbly garden paths and the Osoeezi Slugsticker. While some are patently ridiculous – a lawn is de-thistled and resown with the help of a barrel of grass seed strapped onto a small donkey – others are before their time, such as a special pump that can divert your bathwater into your garden hose, a contraption that is not wildly dissimilar to gadgets on the market today. Finally, the growing of vegetables inspires some sage advice: ‘with the right kind of upbringing, a marrow will attain astonishing dimensions, and can be used for boasting purposes.’ Poking gentle fun at a British obsession with a detailed illustration on almost every page, this book will delight both aspiring and experienced gardeners alike.Trade Review‘If I had come across this invaluable guidebook years ago it would have transformed my gardening life. Essential reading for all sons and daughters of the soil.’ -- Alan TitchmarshTable of ContentsCONTENTS DEDICATION I DEDICATION II INTRODUCTION CHAPTER I. LAYING OUT THE GARDEN II. PLANTS AND FLOWERS III. CARE OF THE GARDEN IV. THE SEASONS V. THE KITCHEN-GARDEN VI. ROCK-GARDENS, ROOF-GARDENS ETC. VII. THE GARDEN BEAUTIFUL VIII. GARDEN ENTERTAINMENTS TAILPIECE
£9.49
Countryside Books Ey Up Mi Duck!: Dialect of Derbyshire and the
Book SynopsisThis work is a celebration of the dialect spoken in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and South Staffordshire. The amazing text and cartoon-like illustrations capture the warmth and humour of the East Midlands.
£6.95
Headline Publishing Group How to Poo Your Way to the Top: Get ahead by
Book SynopsisMats & Enzo are the toilet etiquette experts who brought you the bestselling, prize-winning How to Poo at Work. Not content with this outstanding contribution to the development of the human race, they bring you How to Poo Your Way to the Top. This new book develops the themes of the original, and makes sure you maximize your advance knowledge of pooing in the workplace not just to get by, but to enhance and advance your career! With this book you will gain all the knowledge you need to advance through the ranks and stand out from all the others in the cubicle! Filled with essential advice, handy diagrams and fill-in charts, How to Poo Your Way to the Top will help you float to the top of the pile! Table of ContentsIntroduction • Don't Let Poo Problems Stall Your Career • Moving On Up: Rising through the ranks • Big Boys & Girls: How to deal with your boss • Dropping off in the Company Pool: Romance in the workplace • Poo & Prosper: Getting a payrise • Wiping Up: Getting a new job • Buzz Off: Social media and how to deal with it • Go with the Flow: Pooing for progress and how to optimize your timetable.
£6.99
Headline Publishing Group Wrinklies Joke Book: Jokes, Quotes and Funny
Book SynopsisThis sparkling collection of golden age wit and wisdom is proof-positive that the stereotypes of knitting grannies and doddering granddads just aren't true anymore – if, indeed, they ever were. Senior citizens are not going gentle into that good night. They're still out there, living life to the full, taking selfies, 'silver surfing' the net and showing the rest of us how to grow up and grow old disgracefully. Because as Maurice Chevalier said, 'Old age isn't so bad when you consider the alternative.' This is a joke book specifically designed for oldies, so look out you young whippersnappers – you probably won't get half of them! Table of ContentsIt's all in here: funny jokes, gags and one-liners about life, love, the universe, and Viagra. Coffin-dodgers will find lots of laughs, inspiration and 'Yes, that's me!' moments as they chuckle their false teeth out!
£9.49
Dalesman Publishing Co Ltd A Likely Tale, Lad: Laughs & Larks Growing Up in
Book Synopsis
£8.54
Dalesman Publishing Co Ltd Schooldays: Best Days of Our Lives: Volume 1
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£7.59
Country Publications Ltd Flat Caps & Mufflers
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£9.49
Country Publications Ltd Yorkshire from A to Z: Facts and Trivia from
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£6.23
Pilot Productions Ltd Don Camillo of la Bassa
Book SynopsisVintage Don Camillo stories, all but one in English for the first time.La Bassa is the home of Don Camillo and Peppone, the lowland plain on the banks of Italy’s Po River where their hilarious goings-on are set. Their creator was born there and returned to live in 1952. The following years were among the happiest in his life: it was a time when he was wholly in tune with the spirit of the place and when most of the present stories were written.Many of these stories were published in Italy under the equivocal title, 'People Like Us'. There is a strong affinity between the fictional characters and the real people of la Bassa. And we like them not least because their stories espouse the instinctive humanity and fundamental compassion which it is their creator’s purpose to reveal.‘So shrewd a glimpse into the minds of the people…’ London Evening News'Absolutely delightful in their satirical swipes at human weakness.' - Paul MertonTrade Review‘Written with such warmth and simplicity, so concerned with the trivialities of everyday life and giving us so shrewd a glimpse into the minds of the people . . .’ London Evening News;'Giovanni Guareschi's tales of Don Camillo, the Italian priest with a hefty left hook, are absolutely delightful in their satirical swipes at human weakness.' Paul Merton;'Instinctive humanity and compassion.' Guardian;‘Charming and enchanting . . . Witty and wise.’ Edinburgh Evening NewsTable of ContentsTwo Paths (1950) A Chronicle Continued (1950) Il Crik (1953) Ceratom (1953) Incognito (1953) Nembo (1953) Comrade Bramble (1953) Giannona (1953) Care Home (1953) A Night in the Kremlin (1953) Faith (1953) Sister Philomena (1953) Festival (1953) Two Mid-Season Saints (1953) A Colossus with Feet of Cloth (1953) The Lottery (1953) The Pale Spumarino (1953) The Passagatto (1953) An Old Teacher of Nature (1953) Common Sense (1954) National Unity (1954) Poetic Justice (1954) Royal Reserve (1954) The Attack (1954) The Science of Life (1954) The Chest of Drawers (1956)
£10.44
The Gresham Publishing Co. Ltd Scottish Jokes
Book SynopsisA collection of jokes that combines favourite, classic Scottish oldies with fresh jokes about our favorite stereotypes that make you laugh. It presents an irreverent view of Scotland and the Scots. Gentle, vintage humour. If you're looking for answers to questions like: 'How do you get a Highlander onto the roof? Tell him the drinks are on the house' and 'what clothes should I take for a trip to Scotland? All of them.' then look no further than this book.Table of ContentsJokes about stinginess, the Scottish weather, bagpipes, the Scots, marriage, dating in Scotland, whisky, midges, puns.
£6.23
