During a holiday with his wife in Crete, the celebrated diarist and playwright Simon Gray recalls the scans and consultations that had dominated the pDuring a holiday with his wife in Crete, the celebrated diarist and playwright Simon Gray recalls the scans and consultations that had dominated the previous months in this frank, moving and often painfully funny account of what he refers to as 'the beginning of my dying'. Gray's wonderfully comic depictions of the medical team are interrupted by portraits of fellow tourists, digressions on everything from watching football to Stefan Zweig and frequent asides on cigarettes. ...more
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Your Case is Hopeless Bracing Advice from the Boy's Own Paper Karl Sabbagh John Murray 2007 Hardback Illustrated
Where did the Victorian boy go for answers to embarassing problems, advice on caring for his sick parrot, or the recipe for invisible ink? The Boy's OWhere did the Victorian boy go for answers to embarassing problems, advice on caring for his sick parrot, or the recipe for invisible ink? The Boy's Own Paper, first published in 1879 by the Religious Tract Society as an antidote to 'Penny Dreadfuls', received thousands of such enquiries every month. Arranged by topic - sports, pets, health, careers etc - the answers to boys' letters (BOP never printed the letters) provide an entertaining glimpse of late Victorian boys' concerns and how adults dealt with them. ...more
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Death, Destruction and a Packet of Peanuts A Rollicking Pub Crawl through Four Years of the English Civil War Chris Pascoe Portico 2009 Hardback
From the opening cannonades of the Battle of Edgehill, through Newbury and Marston Moor, to the decisive slaughter at Naseby, Chris Pascoe and his driFrom the opening cannonades of the Battle of Edgehill, through Newbury and Marston Moor, to the decisive slaughter at Naseby, Chris Pascoe and his drinking companion Pete revisit all the major battlefields of the English Civil War and, particularly, all the nearby major battlefield pubs. Along the way, Chris tells the story of the war while Pete becomes ever more intoxicated. The result: an hilarious historical travelogue and pub guide with local lore and the odd ghost thrown in. ...more
The Complete Book of Mothers-in-Law A Celebration Luisa Dillner Faber 2008 Hardback
Are mothers-in-law really the nasty, possessive and difficult old battleaxes that stereotyping suggests? Introducing such prime examples as Judy GarlaAre mothers-in-law really the nasty, possessive and difficult old battleaxes that stereotyping suggests? Introducing such prime examples as Judy Garland and Queen Victoria, Luisa Dillner shows that with a measure of understanding and tolerance the in-law relationship can be among the most rewarding of your adult life. ...more
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Rules Britannia The 101 Essential Questions of Britishness Answered Rohan Candappa Ebury 2007 Hardback
With the absurd, self-deprecating humour of the British, Rohan Candappa introduces 101 truly essential questions about this Great Nation, among them: With the absurd, self-deprecating humour of the British, Rohan Candappa introduces 101 truly essential questions about this Great Nation, among them: What is the point of the Boat Race? Who is the 'one' who's been barred from All Bar One? And which is more important: custard or gravy? ...more
What is Britishness? What does it mean? Is it all just a big con? From shooting the breeze with Prince William to enduring the Last Night of the PromsWhat is Britishness? What does it mean? Is it all just a big con? From shooting the breeze with Prince William to enduring the Last Night of the Proms and losing the will to live in Gibraltar, the authors of the best-selling Is It Just Me or is Everything Shit? recount, with sardonic wit, their year-long tour around perfidious Albion in search of the deepest truths about our history, myths and people. ...more
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The Longest Crawl An Account of a Journey through an Intoxicated Landscape Ian Marchant Bloomsbury 2006 Paperback Illustrated
From the Isles of Scilly to the Shetlands, pub singer Ian Marchant and photographer Perry Venus undertake a month-long pub crawl: a journey of discoveFrom the Isles of Scilly to the Shetlands, pub singer Ian Marchant and photographer Perry Venus undertake a month-long pub crawl: a journey of discovery through a culture deeply entwined with the joys and demons of drink. They learn how gin and tonic originated and how pork scratchings are made, visit the Malt Whisky Capital of the World and meet comedians, chavs, hedonists and Europe's foremost pub philosopher. ...more
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The Last Cigarette The Smoking Diaries Simon Gray Granta 2008 Hardback
Wry, humorous and self-deprecating, the playwright Simon Gray was one of the most gifted and engaging memoirists of modern times. In the third volume Wry, humorous and self-deprecating, the playwright Simon Gray was one of the most gifted and engaging memoirists of modern times. In the third volume of his Smoking Diaries, he reflects on a life lived to the full, his long career in the theatre, turning 70, Tony Blair, the 2005 London bombings, his friendship with Harold Pinter, and the absurdities of modern life. Ruefully, he attempts to give up smoking, and finds himself wondering, 'Do I belong on the Sex Offenders' Register?' ...more
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Scorn The Anthology Matthew Parris Little Books 2008 Hardback
A tour de force of discourtesy, derision and contempt, the quotations in this anthology range from Nicolas Sarkozy's decisive instruction to a voter, A tour de force of discourtesy, derision and contempt, the quotations in this anthology range from Nicolas Sarkozy's decisive instruction to a voter, 'Drop dead, you little cretin', to Harrison Ford's inspired response to the Star Wars script, 'You can type this shit, George, but you can't say it.' Slightly off-mint....more
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The Hamster that Loved Puccini The Seven Modern Sins of Christmas Round Robin Letters Simon Hoggart Atlantic 2005 Hardback
What possesses people to write their Christmas newsletters as if from their dead cat; or to tell friends and family that the septic tank was emptied iWhat possesses people to write their Christmas newsletters as if from their dead cat; or to tell friends and family that the septic tank was emptied in June? Simon Hoggart, the Guardian's aficionado of Christmas round robins, continues his wickedly funny investigation into the sins of the circular letter writer, drawing on hundreds of examples sent to him by outraged recipients. ...more
This Septic Isle A Revised Dictionary for Modern Britain Mike Barfield Ebury 2008 Hardback Illustrated
From 'acupuncture' (the ancient Chinese practice of owning a real Christmas tree) to 'zebra' (a bar-coded horse), Mike Barfield presents a satirical dFrom 'acupuncture' (the ancient Chinese practice of owning a real Christmas tree) to 'zebra' (a bar-coded horse), Mike Barfield presents a satirical dictionary of a 21st century Britain in which 'Thermos' has become the god of trainspotting and 'quadrangle' a minor scuffle between rival academics. Barfield's take on 'our irascible era' shows that there is still one area in which Britons can proudly claim to lead the world: ridiculing themselves. ...more
Chocolate and Cuckoo Clocks The Essential Alan Coren Giles Coren; Victoria Coren (Edited by) Canongate 2008 Hardback Illustrated
Erstwhile Punch editor, Radio 4 legend, journalist and Call My Bluff team captain, Alan Coren (1938-2007) reckoned to have published some six million Erstwhile Punch editor, Radio 4 legend, journalist and Call My Bluff team captain, Alan Coren (1938-2007) reckoned to have published some six million words in his lifetime - 10 copies of War and Peace - and tackled everything from being English in America to crop circles (lack of) in Cricklewood. Edited by his children and arranged by decade, with introductions by Melvyn Bragg, Victoria Wood, Clive James, AA Gill and Stephen Fry, this anthology represents the best work of a great humorist. Off-mint....more
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Emus Can't Walk Backwards Another Round of Dubious Pub Facts Robert Anwood Ebury 2007 Hardback
There are 'facts', and then there are 'pub facts'. In this follow-up volume to Bears Can't Run Downhill, Robert Anwood addresses in detail an array ofThere are 'facts', and then there are 'pub facts'. In this follow-up volume to Bears Can't Run Downhill, Robert Anwood addresses in detail an array of dubious 'pub knowledge', confirming truths (Jerry Springer was born in East Finchley station, Brian Eno did write the Windows 95 start-up music), refuting falsehoods (the average chocolate bar does not contain eight insect legs) and occasionally meeting halfway (the police do deploy extra staff during a full moon, but only in East Sussex). ...more
When playwright Simon Gray turned 65 he began recording his frank and entertaining thoughts in this diary, described by Craig Brown as 'the great hiddWhen playwright Simon Gray turned 65 he began recording his frank and entertaining thoughts in this diary, described by Craig Brown as 'the great hidden treasure of English comedy'. Gray records details of his daily life but also reminisces about his younger years and ranges across topics as various as air travel, famous piles sufferers and giving up smoking. Off-mint....more
Scouts in Bondage and Other Violations of Literary Propriety Michael Bell (Edited by) Simon & Schuster 2006 Hardback
A Book of Blank Maps, with Instructions, Cookery for the Middle Classes, or Pamela Pounce: A Tale of Tempestuous Petticoats... Passers-by would stop iA Book of Blank Maps, with Instructions, Cookery for the Middle Classes, or Pamela Pounce: A Tale of Tempestuous Petticoats... Passers-by would stop in wonder at the bibliographic oddities on display in Michael Bell's bookshop window in Lewes. Here he presents a selection of weird, wonderful and often hilarious book jackets, reproduced along with details of their authors and publishers. ...more
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