Humour Books > I Humour Books > M

Advantages: a few amusing entries that make you think, "hell yeah"
Disadvantages: once read, never again (though I think that about most books)

...year or two ago. It is a classic shelf filler in places like Borders for the Christmas push, given a hefty price for such a book that once the time of January comes around has a sudden price cut to a more a realistic offering. i chose to review this for the benefit of those who think that at first glance; "what a bizarre title, this book MUST be funny", or "my mate jimbob would really like this!. The fact that I have seen it disappear from grace ...
...is another decent obligation. Well, as you can imagine the book is sarcastic to say the least. This isn't a bad thing when looking at the advantages of its existence. When you hear some of the arguements for things like 'Henmania', a reference to the decade of disappointment created by a man who only ever came close at one tournament every year but got a hill named after him. The inclusions of people like George W Bush (I think we all know what the ... Read review

Advantages: Hilarious, varied, cheaply available, even has drawings!
Disadvantages: Too short - but there's a second volume!

...Cooper (real name Robert Popper, the man behind some of Look Around you with Simon Pegg and scripter of Series 3 of Peep Show with Radio 4's Mitchell and Webb) is a man of considerable spare time. To help pass the hours he writes letters to member organizations, rotary clubs, airlines and other venerable organs with bizzarre, nonsensical requests, or just to waste their time with crazed inventions he has made and wishes to share with a rightly disinterested ...
...[End of Correspondence] stamp when the organization simply no longer responds to his absurd and increasingly mental missives. Some of the most outstanding letters include a noise reducing machine known as the Imsimil Berati-Lahn (this made me cackle for a good hour), a machine that harvests mustard from wasps (Waspard!) and an offer to supply Beef Scarecrows (later corrected to 'Beel'!) to a Gardening Centre. And wait til you see the drawings that ... Read review

Advantages: VERY fUNNY.
Disadvantages: None.

Rising Damp. Written by Eric Chappell. You will laugh out loud. Eric Chappell. ~~~~~~~~ Originally working for the gas board, Eric quit his job and took to writing. His first play was 'The Banana Box'. This was a moderate success and coincidentally starred Leonard Rossiter, Frances de la Tour and Don Warrington. Points of interest, in the banana box the landlord was actually called Rooksby. Philip was already a tenant with his own flat. Eric ...
...get away?" Rising Damp Episodes. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Pilot episode was aired on the 2nd Sept 1974. Pilot episode - The New Tenant. Philip arrives and moves in, eventually, with Alan. This was a huge hit and Rising Damp was commissioned instantly. Series one ran from 13th Dec 1974 till 17th Jan 1975. Series one. ~~~~~~~ Episode 1. - Black Magic. Philip bangs on floor with his spear and Ruth magically appears at the door. Episode 2. - A Night ... Read review

Advantages: Funny in places
Disadvantages: Lacks consistency

...aware of Jeremy Clarkson through the excellent TV programme Top Gear, a show that is not just for petrol heads as it is also one of the funniest programmes on TV as well given some of the stunts and challenges they do. In the show he is the arrogant, opinionated alpha male with a hearty dislike of Europe, foxes, anything environmentally friendly and French cars. Oh and political correctness. In addition to his TV work he also writes a newspaper column ...
...Apart from the toilet reading on offer at my sister house this was the first Clarkson book that I have read and I was interested to see if the humour generated on Top Gear could be translated into the written word. The book itself is made up of a series of short, two or three page, rants or observations on a myriad of topics that stretch from the opening page discussion of an additional public holiday to such varied topics as the joys of the circus, ... Read review

Advantages: Funny and an interesting continuation of the Rincewind story.
Disadvantages: Not quite as good as the other Discworld books and a little short.

...is a demon in disguise Eric commands him to grant him three wishes; to be ruler of the world, to meet the most beautiful woman in all of history and to be immortal. Unfortunately for Eric, Rincewind is hardly a wizard let alone a Demon. But under threat of being sent to back to some Dungeon Dimension Rincewind tries his best to grant his new "Master's" wishes... Although things don't quite go according to plans. Like all Pratchett's Discworld books, ...
...(even to the extent that the title of the book actually has the name Faust crossed out above the "new title" of Eric) but also parodies greek epics, mayan culture and even hell itself. I enjoyed this book, although I don't think it is quite up to the standard of the other Discworld books I have read so far but it does provide an answer to what happened to Rincewind after the events of Sourcery. Even though its not as good as the other Discworld ... Read review