|
August 01, 2008
|
|
Ian
gave  to:
Mr. Laurel and Mr.Hardy (Paperback)
by
John McCabe
|
my rating:
|
| |
Ian said:
"‘Mr Laurel and Mr Hardy’ is billed as an affectionate biography and so it is, it has no detail of the personnel life of the two stars, unsavoury or otherwise, and concentrates on a professional biography of the pairs film work with a brief pre-me...more
‘Mr Laurel and Mr Hardy’ is billed as an affectionate biography and so it is, it has no detail of the personnel life of the two stars, unsavoury or otherwise, and concentrates on a professional biography of the pairs film work with a brief pre-meeting biography. When the book gets going it is merely a summarisation of the films the pair were working on and a bit of background on some of the better known ones.
The book is a success because it brings to mind scenes from the films which then play out in the mind of the reader recapturing a sense of the hilarity when the films first were watched by the reader. In that this book is fantastic for anyone with a familiarity to the films of Laurel and Hardy but would bring nothing to a casual reader with only passing knowledge of there films.
Being fortunate enough to have a great wealth of knowledge of the films of messes Laurel and Hardy I enjoyed reminiscing with McCabe but wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone wishing to discover the delight of these great comedies from new.
(less)
"
|
|
July 30, 2008
|
|
Ian
gave  to:
Barefaced Lies & Boogie Woogie Boasts (Paperback)
by
Jools Holland
|
my rating:
|
| |
Ian said:
"I first came across Jools Holland as the somewhat eccentric pianist with the wonderful Squeeze and later as the somewhat shambling presenter of the Tube. After he left Squeeze for the second time I saw him premiering his little Big Band before they g...more
I first came across Jools Holland as the somewhat eccentric pianist with the wonderful Squeeze and later as the somewhat shambling presenter of the Tube. After he left Squeeze for the second time I saw him premiering his little Big Band before they grew into the Rhythm and Blues orchestra promoting their fist album on Wogan. ‘World of his Own’ was possibly my favourite record of that year and the ‘Full Compliment’ the next year was just that.
The little Big Band played Bradford’s Queens Hall, a fantastic old theatre, that May (badly promoted as Joolz Holland) and I secured a fantastic seat on the balcony. Unfortunately it was next to a couple of Jazz purists whom whooped and cheered throughout the support acts’ set. There brand of trad jazz left me cold and I expecting this couple to become even more animated and annoying during the headliners performance. But as I began to enjoy the set they began to look down on the mix of big band music and what they contemptuously considered ‘pop’ as Jools’ set began to take off. I think it was on ‘Lonesome Joe’ the band mixed the blues with an element of country music when my least favourite couple decided to leave in a huff. It was one of the most enjoyable concerts I’ve ever attended and a couple of years later I enjoyed the full orchestra play the Leeds festival, where they gave a wonderful rendition of Count Bassie’s ‘Shake Rattle and Roll’. I couldn’t decide if it was the intimacy of the Queens or the distain of the jazz purists that made it the better gig.
On reading Jools biography his love of all music forms came across without any of the type of snobbery which stopped this couples enjoyment and as he paraphrases his own line ‘Never look down on anyone unless you’re helping them up’ (from the song ‘I, is all I Ever Hear’) I think I understood Jools’ appeal. A true gentleman and a good book to boot.
(less)
"
|
|
July 28, 2008
|
|
Ian
gave to:
The Salmon of Doubt: Hitchhiking the Galaxy One Last Time (Mass Market Paperback)
by
Douglas Adams
|
my rating:
|
| |
Ian said:
"‘The Salmon of Doubt’ is a posthumously published collection of words put into a fantastic collection of arrays by Douglas Adams whom had previously been assembling words in a very pleasing manner in the various incarnations of ‘The Hitch Hiker...more
‘The Salmon of Doubt’ is a posthumously published collection of words put into a fantastic collection of arrays by Douglas Adams whom had previously been assembling words in a very pleasing manner in the various incarnations of ‘The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy’ and the ‘Dirk Gently’ novels.
The book contains tributes from comic actor and writer Stephen Fry, Nicholas Wroe, scientist and writer Richard Dawkins and the editor of this collection, Peter Guzzardi. All of which give some insight into Douglas but nothing like the insight Douglas gives of himself in the collection of articles, drafts of speeches and letters which have been prised from the hard drive of Douglas’ beloved Apple Mac.
The pieces have been assembled into three sections, Life, The Universe and Everything but the themes don’t really add anything to the writing of a man whom could have paraphrased the phone book in a manner that would leave us weeping with laughter.
The best part of the book is the quarter given over to ‘The Salmon of Doubt’ an abandoned rather than incomplete Dirk Gently novel. Adams had apparently decided that the ideas he was exploring did not suit Dirk Gently and was considering rewriting the piece as a Hitch Hikers novel. Although it would have possibly being a great novel as Adams then saw it I have to say that I enjoyed reading what he had actually written and am only disappointed that I will never get to marvel at the clever conclusion that not only tied up all the loose ends I’d noticed but ten or twelve others I wouldn’t have noticed until rereading the book for the nth time. The beauty of Douglas Adams’ Dirk Gently books was that every time you reread them you found something new which you hadn’t noticed before.
(less)
"
|
|
July 27, 2008
|
|
Ian
gave to:
Last Chance to See (Paperback)
by
Douglas Adams
|
my rating:
|
| |
Ian said:
"Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine show us ‘more exotic wildlife than you’d be wise to shake a stick at’ highlighting many of the species of animals on the verge of extinction in this excellent book which is as relevant now as it was when first ...more
Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine show us ‘more exotic wildlife than you’d be wise to shake a stick at’ highlighting many of the species of animals on the verge of extinction in this excellent book which is as relevant now as it was when first published in 1990.
Originally commissioned to write an article for the Observer newspaper on the virtually extinct Aye-Aye Lemur in 1985 Douglas and Mark teamed up four years later to make ‘Last Chance to See...’ initially as a Radio programme and then written up as this highly entertaining and informative book. We go on a trip to see Komodo Dragons, Mountain Gorillas, White Rhinos, Kakapo Parrots, Baiji Dolphins before arriving at a bird sanctuary on Mauritius. This is the perfect ending of the book as Mauritius is where the Do-do became extinct and the parallel is drawn that if we don’t want history to repeat then we must learn the lessons it teaches.
I read this book after enjoying Adam’s Hitch Hiker and Dirk Gently books and although this is very different to them the brilliance of his writing shines through and we are entertained whilst the message is hammered home. So long and thanks for all the facts...
(less)
"
|
|
July 26, 2008
|
|
Ian
gave to:
The Long Dark Tea-time of the Soul (Dirk Gently, #2)
by
Douglas Adams
|
my rating:
|
| |
Ian said:
"I first feel in love with Douglas Adams on watching the TV version of ‘The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy’ and then discovering the then Hitch Hiker novels. When Adams published ‘Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency’ I was half expecti...more
I first feel in love with Douglas Adams on watching the TV version of ‘The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy’ and then discovering the then Hitch Hiker novels. When Adams published ‘Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency’ I was half expecting to be disappointed assuming that it could never hold a candle up to the brilliance of the Hitch Hiker books. I was proven gravely wrong and the first Dirk Gently novel was, and indeed still is, my favourite novel of all time and so I was anticipating greatness from ‘The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul’ when I took the day off school to buy and read it on the day of publication.
And, as before, I was totally disappointed. Where before I was disappointed by the book being fantastic here I was only disappointed. It’s still a great book putting most comic writing into a cocked hat however it fails to reach the heights of its predecessor or the Hitch Hiker books.
And so Dirk Gently investigates a possibly broken contract between the Nordic Gods of Valhalla and various media moguls in our own world and although this may sound like a typical Adams scenario it pans out like someone trying to write as Adams rather than Adams writing it himself. A great book just not a great Douglas Adams book.
(less)
"
|
|
July 25, 2008
|
|
Ian
gave to:
Utterly Utterly Merry Comic Relief Christmas Book (Paperback)
by
Douglas Adams
|
my rating:
|
| |
Ian said:
"‘The Utterly Utterly Merry Comic Relief Christmas Book’ was published to raise money for the famine in Ethiopia Christmas 1986 following on the work started by Band Aid and continued by Comic relief whom had taken The Young Ones version of ‘Liv...more
‘The Utterly Utterly Merry Comic Relief Christmas Book’ was published to raise money for the famine in Ethiopia Christmas 1986 following on the work started by Band Aid and continued by Comic relief whom had taken The Young Ones version of ‘Living Doll’ to number one and staged a live revue.
Edited in part by Douglas Adams he also contributed the largest part to the book with ‘A Christmas Fairy Story’ with Terry Jones, ‘Young Zaphod Plays it Safe’ a Hitch Hiker short story, ‘The Private Life of Genghis Khan’ based on a sketch Douglas wrote with Graham Chapman for the pilot of his post-python pilot ‘Out of the Tree’s’ which now ends with Wowbagger from ‘Life, the Universe and Everything’ making a wholly unexpected appearance, and finally a supplement to his worst hour, ‘The Meaning of Liff’.
Other notable inclusions are Michael Palin’s ‘Biggles and the Groupies’, ‘Adrian Mole’s Christmas’ and ‘The Young Ones Nativity’.
Generally charities publish sub-standard material because no-one will question it as it’s for charity, here, however, on the main the material is first rate and the fact that a contribution is given to charity is a bonus.
(less)
"
|
|
July 24, 2008
|
|
Ian
gave  to:
The Deeper Meaning of Liff (Paperback)
by
Douglas Adams
|
my rating:
|
| |
Ian said:
"In ‘The Meaning of Liff’ Douglas Adams and John Lloyd have expanded the English language by noting down the meaningless names that lie underused on signpost and attribute new purpose to them covering the common experiences we have yet to assign a...more
In ‘The Meaning of Liff’ Douglas Adams and John Lloyd have expanded the English language by noting down the meaningless names that lie underused on signpost and attribute new purpose to them covering the common experiences we have yet to assign a word to.
Depford(n).
The Disappointment one feels when our favourite author puts out a book not worthy of their name.
Twinning(n).
The nagging sensation the reader feels that he has been swindled out of five pounds that would have been better served giving to a barmaid in return for a couple of pints of beer or indeed burning.
Lepton(n).
The disconcerting feeling that some people will love the said book and Leap-Upon any critic daring to say it’s rubbish.
(less)
"
|
|
July 22, 2008
|
|
Ian
gave to:
The Hitchhikers Guide Radio Scripts (Adams D & Perkins G (Ed))
by
Douglas Adams
|
my rating:
|
| |
Ian said:
"I have tried to get into radio comedy at various times. I spent many an hour trying to discover what was funny about the Goon Show as to me it just sounded like allot of man talking in silly voices. I had discovered Hitch Hikers through the TV show a...more
I have tried to get into radio comedy at various times. I spent many an hour trying to discover what was funny about the Goon Show as to me it just sounded like allot of man talking in silly voices. I had discovered Hitch Hikers through the TV show and had subsequently read all the Hitch Hiker novels and thought Douglas Adams the greatest writer I’d ever read.
And then, one Christmas, nearly two thousand years after one man had been nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be to be nice to people for a change, BBC Radio 4 played the Hitch Hikers radio series on consecutive nights and I tuned in my portable hoping to change my opinion of Radio comedy by what was universally considered a ground breaking show.
Well I never got my epiphany, and still can’t do Radio comedy, so buying this book is a difficult circle to square. I think I’d buy directions in the use of tooth picks if Douglas Adams had written them. Anyway it’s got a nice cover.
(less)
"
|
|
July 21, 2008
|
|
Ian
gave  to:
Mostly Harmless (Hitchhiker's Guide, #5)
by
Douglas Adams
|
my rating:
|
| |
Ian said:
"Some eight years after writing the fourth Hitch Hiker book Douglas Adams returns to his most famous creation after composing two Dirk Gently novels and travelling to Madagascar to write amusing lines about Limas with Mostly Harmless, the fifth book i...more
Some eight years after writing the fourth Hitch Hiker book Douglas Adams returns to his most famous creation after composing two Dirk Gently novels and travelling to Madagascar to write amusing lines about Limas with Mostly Harmless, the fifth book in the increasing misrepresented Hitch Hiker trilogy.
Arthur was travelling through all the possible, if improbable, dimensions to find an Earth to settle on since Fenny disappeared in hyperspace before crash landing on the world of Bog where he found happiness as a sandwich maker. His travels through space had been funded by deposits at a sperm bank and yet Arthur was still shocked to have his happiness blighted by the teenager Random Frequent Flyer who turned out to be his daughter by Trillian. Trillian was further shocked to meet herself in a further dimension and just when no-one thought they could become any more unhappy when then they were all shocked when Ford turns up with some slightly evolved Vogons. The problem is, mostly, the dangerous Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy Mark II which Ford has posted to Arthur for safety, ‘Oh yes, Whose?’.
Many critics of the book, including its author, decided this book was a bit downbeat but I enjoyed it no-end and still do some sixteen years later. The back story of the lounge singer in The King’s Bar and Grill makes this book worth reading alone.
(less)
"
|
Wodehouse cracks me up
— 55 members
— last activity 18 days ago, 07:24AM
Bitter Reality
— 64 members
— last activity Oct 08, 2007 01:51PM
Humor is My Genre
— 92 members
— last activity Dec 16, 2009 07:43AM
The Canongate Books Advance Review Club
— 70 members
— last activity Jun 24, 2009 08:28AM
Quirky humour
— 127 members
— last activity Jan 20, 2010 04:55AM
Christopher Paolini (INHERITANCE CYCLE series)
— 340 members
— last activity 58 minutes ago
Authors Society
— 560 members
— last activity 1 day ago, 06:43AM
