Humour Books > Tom Sharpe Humour Books

Advantages: Great Story in the best Tom Sharpe tradition
Disadvantages: Can be hard to follow the convolutions of the plot

This forms a sequel to the popular novel 'Porterhouse Blue' which was televised with David Jason as the irascible college porter Skullion. in this sequel Skullion has been appointed as Master of the college, in keeping with the tradition that permits an outgoing Master to name his successor. shortly after the appointment Skullion suffers a 'Porterhouse Blue'. a severe stroke brought on by the excesses of the college dining tradition. The College's ...
...just about anyone who has a chequebook, the Widow of the late Master is determined to prove that he was murdered and that the college is responsible. It helps to have read Porterhouse Blue before embarking on this one, it will help you to understand the references to exploding gas filled condoms, the conflict of tradition against equality and, God forbid, the quest for academia. The style is satirical, off the wall and sometimes downright black. ... Read review

Advantages: Usual tom Sharpe Hilarity
Disadvantages: None

...of fancy, this time concerning the world of publishing. The unlikely premise is that an author has a manuscript that he wants published yet, for reasons that may become clear, cannot allow his own name to be associated with it. The hard-bitten literary agent involved comes up with a solution that pleases everyone. There is a hopeless writer on his books who would do almost anything to get his name on the cover of a book and a deal is soon struck. ...
...Sharpe style, and the real author remains in obscurity whilst the imposter embarks on a book promotion tour of the USA, with about as many misunderstandings, awkward situations and disasters is any sane person could possibly imagine. The core action takes place in the deep south Bible belt where the bizarre and unbelievable is commonplace. It involves religious fanaticism, venomous snakes, corporate greed, lust and a generous sprinkling of naivety ... Read review

Advantages: Hilarious Black comedy, right up there with the best of Sharpe
Disadvantages: Had to put it down and go to work

...when he finds out that the spoon has been pawned. He is accepted with open arms as a Lloyds name and is only brought to heel when he is asked to repay some major sums to that august body. In true Tom Sharpe style there follows a drug fuelled motorbike ride through unfamiliar countryside, ending up in bed with the wrong woman, in the kind of implausible yet highly credible kind of story line that only Tom Sharpe can pull off. As with any book review ...
...I have read all of the Tom Sharpe books. A few, such as Porterhouse Blue, Wilt and Blott on the Landscape have made it onto the small screen, to great acclaim, and including such stars as Griff Reese Jones, David Suchet and Geraldine James. it is a shame that more can't be filmed but the content may not sit well with a family audience. In my experience, the book is always better than a film or TV adaptation so five yourself a treat and read The Midden, ... Read review

Advantages: One of the funniest books I have ever read
Disadvantages: Could cause offence, need to read the prequel first

Indecent Exposure, written by Tom Sharpe and published in 1972, is the sequel to his previous work, Riotous Assembly (see reviews written by myself and others). Set in the fictitious South African town of Piemburg it once again bases itself on the local police station. The hapless station Kommandant, Van Heerden, though keen to uphold the Afrikaner notion of law and order in apartheid South Africa holds a fascination for all things English. Under ...
...absurd humour and silly plots that will have you fighting for breath from laughter look no further. The only note of caution I would make is that it would be advisable to read Riotous Assembly first. Indecent Exposure, however, is possibly the funniest book I have ever read. ... Read review

Advantages: Riotously funny black humour
Disadvantages: soon comes to an end

...browsing in a bookshop. The cover looked a bit different and the cover blurb intrigued me so much that I bought it. I was in London and caught the train home in the evening. I opened the book as the train pulled out of Paddington and was totally immersed in it when the train pulled into Reading. had it not been for my long suffering companion I would have ended up in Penzance, so absorbing was the story. Embarrassingly, I was heard to laugh out loud ...
...in the Cumbrian fells who have not quite made it into the 20th century. Without giving too much away the story involves plagiarism, taxidermy, robotics, special effects and wartime munitions. What makes it so good is that, outrageous as it is, everything in it is could actually happen. Tom Sharpe is possibly Britain's greatest comedy writer. On the strength of reading this one book I went out and bought all his other books. They cover such diverse ... Read review