Humour Books > T Humour Books > B > Craig Brown

Advantages: Compact - some sensible advice to pick the bones out of
Disadvantages: Avoiding alien abduction?

When the original Worst Case Scenario Survival handbook was published, it covered emergencies many of which were only the kind experienced by Ray Mears and that ilk. The issue of a Travel version or sub-section makes all kind of sense, since most of the scrapes that the Man On The Clapham Omnibus will get into are more likely to occur whilst travelling to, or actually being in , foreign climes. I think someone gave me this book as a stocking ...
...such it's lain around in the bed-side table just waiting to come to the top of the pile as a bit of 'loo-time' reading. Any book thus designated must know that if found wanting, its pages may get used for something else. In fact, since this is the Travel edition of the "W-C S S H*", it even suggests doing this in the section on lavatorial emergencies. *(If you think I'm going to type out 'Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook' every time, think ... Read review

Advantages: Brilliant read!
Disadvantages: None!

...really does include everything that IS shit and takes the mickey out of it until you're blue in the face laughing. I absolutely love this book and the second edition - Is It Just Me or Is Everything Shit, Vol II. for which I waited in anticipation until the day of its release. I received this book for Christmas, from my mum who thought it was right up my street. It was and within days I'd read it cover to cover, laughing so hard that it became annoying ...
...reading material. The humour is sophisticated, with obvious signs that these guys are pros...this isn't just a book written by two blokes who've just come back from the pub. This is satire, wit, a little sarcasm and a lot of intelligence, even the arrangement and formation of sentences and language used becomes funny. It's just funny through and through. It's not that easy to make me laugh out loud with books, especially the kind of books released ... Read review

Advantages: It attracted a cult following and inspired an immensely popular tv show
Disadvantages: Trying to make a column into a book, and failing

...designed to be a novel, Sex and the City was Candace Bushnell's newspaper column, and unfortunately I got a very clear sense of this when reading it. The premise of the book was a good one, and when it was originally written, it seemed to represent a whole generation of young, single and attractive girls-about-town, but, unlike with the series, I felt little or no connection to the characters and the stories left me feeling cold. In fact this was ...
...I have seriously considered not bothering to finish a book. However, I powered on, the idea that a book had defeated me was too much to bear, but I have to admit that the only feeling I had on turning the final page was not one of pleasure or joy, but relief at finally being able to put it down for good. Perhaps my expectations were too high. Maybe the series' genius mix of amusing storylines combined with realistic characters with whom one could ... Read review

Advantages: Very funny, huge variety of subject matter, lots of book for your money, informative, passionate
Disadvantages: Doesn't suit being read in one go, topics recycled and stale towards end

Born To Be Riled is good. It's probably not Jeremy Clarkson's best book, but it certainly makes for great reading, either as a bedtime book, where the short columns are ideal for a quick spell, on the commute or on holiday. It will certainly make you laugh, and the variety is great. It's just missing that little something. The best, and in some cases worst, thing about Born To Be Riled is the fantastic scope of subject matter. Clarkson writes about ...
...connects you to the book. Born To Be Riled is humorous and interesting to read, and is very easy to pick up and get into, perhaps making it best read in short spells, allowing more attention to each individual column. Born To Be Riled certainly has the wit and charm of Clarkson's other books, and the only thing that really lets it down is perhaps it is so long, that by the end, you've read about everything two or three times. However, it is definitely ... Read review

Advantages: hilarious
Disadvantages: not enough of it!

...hilarious! He doesn't just do cows though; chickens, bears, ants, ducks, scientists, and many more feature! There are some of his non-cow sketches included, along with sketches that make sense, sketches that don't and sketches that are just plain absurd! If you're new to Larson you have to take a few minutes to appreciate each picture and the message it may (or not) be hinting at. Don't dismiss the caption, it usual helps the understanding, and ...
...then don't worry about it! The best book of Larsons is the 10th Anniversary Edition (not featured on here but should be!) which includes a bit of biography, original sketches, development of some of the more notable cartoons and plenty of his own thoughts about his work. It makes a very interesting read and enhanced by his natural narrative which gives you a sense of his natural wit and humour. Indulge your grown up childish nature, get a cup of ... Read review