Humour Books

Advantages: Funny, Silly, Absurd, Surreal, Bizarre
Disadvantages: If you don't like Harry Hill you won't like this

Many of you will know that Harry Hill is a stand-up comedian and a brilliant one at that. Many of you may not know that he has written a fictional novel and that it is probably the most surreal and humorous book in the whole world!! I’ve been a huge fan of Harry Hill for ages, he leaves my stitches whenever I go and see his impressive live shows or whenever I re-watch one of his videos. You may have seen his programme on ITV1 ‘Harry Hills TV Burp’ ...
...The surreal and absurd nature of the book begins on the front cover which shows a picture of a stunt motorcyclist jumping over 6 people, however, the motorcyclist is Harry Hill as are the six people on the floor. Each Harry Hill face is making an odd expression! But onto the contents in the book itself. Just before the start the first chapter you’ll find a page which says ‘Please note’ this explains the typographical error on the front cover of ... Read review

Advantages: good characters, interesting plot with lots happening
Disadvantages: men aren't going to want to read it, but they should give it a try

If you’re about my age, you’ll probably remember a band called Sleeper. They had a bit of success in the early 1990s, their biggest hit being ‘Inbetweener’. I personally liked their first album, and not much else, and will freely admit to finding their singer, Louise Wener, an annoying, skinny tart. Fast forward a few years later, and I spot a review of a book called ‘Goodnight, Steve McQueen’ by the erstwhile Ms Wener. Touted as a ‘Nick Hornby’ ...
...by his girlfriend, I was intrigued. Wener obviously had the inside knowledge needed to make a book about a musician believable (in much the same way as Hornby wrote believably about a music fan), and yet her feminine touch would no doubt make it a light, bedtime read on nights when I might have otherwise chosen something by Louise Rennison. **First shock** When I eventually got my filthy mitts on it, I realised this is no light read. It weighs ... Read review

Advantages: Accurate evocation of 80's student life
Disadvantages: He makes it all seem too easy for his story to be a compelling read

This book is named after a song by The Smiths. I hope Andrew Collins chose it with a sense of irony. If he were honest, the Smiths title that'd sum up his published life to date is 'You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby'. That's because Collins is one of the fortunate few to whom everything seems to come easily. His first book 'Where Did It All Go Right' was subtitled 'Growing Up Normal in the 70s'. It detailed his comfortable middle-class childhood. ...
...student years in the following decade. But nothing's really changed; despite his subtitle ('My Difficult 80s'), Andrew Collins is still getting everything on a plate - including the 'veg laz' in the subsidised hall of residence canteen. We follow his progression from teenage sexual fumbling in his Mini Metro whilst on an art foundation course in his home town of Northampton, through to the end of his three years at Chelsea School of Art. You can't ... Read review

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: Very funny, easy to read
Disadvantages: leaves you wanting more

Little Sod’s next step, subtitled - How to be a little Sod, book 2 is author Simon Brett’s second volume in this series of three comical books about the baby from hell. The baby in question is supposedly the author of this regular diary and so everything is recorded from the baby’s point of view. That is not only part of the joke but adds immensely to the appeal and novelty of the idea of the book. The books are written in a diary entry format having ...
...series, How to be a Little Sod (subtitled How to be a Little Sod Book 1) has already been excellently reviewed by Ciao member JoJammy, a review I would definitely recommend reading. This first volume covers the baby’s first year. Book 2 is a natural progression through the next year of the tot’s life. No names are ever mentioned, even for the Baby and the parents are simply called Him and Her. This might seem an odd approach but it works. Other ... Read review