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The Timewaster Letters
by
Robin Cooper
A uniquely British twist on the goofy letters-to-strangers genre, this brilliant compilation chronicles one man's outrageous and bizarre lettersand reaching for their pens.
Paperback, 192 pages
Published
May 1st 2008
by Chicago Review Press
(first published 2004)
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I wish i could give a minus star for wasting paper.
first a history lesson: back in 1980, satirist, writer, rake and playboy, Willie Donaldson came out with 'The Henry Root Letters', a genuinely funny lampooning of the rich famous and pretentious by a true wit. look up willie in wikipedia, he lived quite a life.
Now comes a new generation of 'wits' and standards have clearly fallen. Robin cooper has also had the idea of writing provocative, obviously spoof letters to various people an...more
first a history lesson: back in 1980, satirist, writer, rake and playboy, Willie Donaldson came out with 'The Henry Root Letters', a genuinely funny lampooning of the rich famous and pretentious by a true wit. look up willie in wikipedia, he lived quite a life.
Now comes a new generation of 'wits' and standards have clearly fallen. Robin cooper has also had the idea of writing provocative, obviously spoof letters to various people an...more
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I just spent an enjoyable quiet afternoon reading this whole book! I laughed aloud several times. My 3 year old came over to see what was so funny and wanted me to read it to him. Fortunately, since I think this may not be particularly funny for him yet, there were several pages with funny drawings that he found quite funny as well. Perhaps he thinks his mom is a little nutty to be laughing at a ping pong paddle named Parmaynu!
Anyhow, this book is moving to the honored place in the l...more
Anyhow, this book is moving to the honored place in the l...more
I bought this as it was recommended as being hilariously side splittingly funny.It is a series of letters which this character has supposedly written to various ordinary people who deal with the general public as part of their daily life.
A small proportion of the letters are genuinely very funny, but many of them just say that the man is a tool and resulted in a quick turn of the page. I wouldn't bother to be honest. If you insist then don't read them all in one sitting. Maybe that's...more
A small proportion of the letters are genuinely very funny, but many of them just say that the man is a tool and resulted in a quick turn of the page. I wouldn't bother to be honest. If you insist then don't read them all in one sitting. Maybe that's...more
A wonderful import, this book is a throwback to the fun Letters From A Nut, but strangely a great deal more entertaining at times since the jokes in this text are a great deal more quirky and fun coming from a society where humor is valued as an intellectual pursuit rather than a mindless numbing activity. The satire contained in this volume at times evoked hearty spasmodic laughter, but at times the joke seems a little played out. That is not to say that there is not a great deal of value in ...more
It is funny to see how victims (companies, associations or state institutions) behave to the author's seriously written but totally goofy letters. Most try to politely shrug the author's plights off but, some play along very well such as the cases of the letter to the Society of Existential Analysis or the London Mayors' Association.
The book provides some very good laughable moments.
The book provides some very good laughable moments.
A book of daft letters actually sent by the author to various companies, organisations, charities, etc....some of which were very funny, as indeed were many of the replies (mainly unintentionally.) However, I don't think I would bother with a second volume, since the joke was in danger of getting a bit tired towards the end of this.
A present from the brilliant Ms E Ramsden (non -PhD). Utterly hilarious...and more of this anon.
Finished. Very Funny, and utterly pointless. Robin Cooper's series of letters top random, and often obscure NGOs and associations. Best of all is his series of children's book ideas for a small publisher. Usually, the correspondence ends when he tells them a time he'll be arriving at their office. Brilliant.
Finished. Very Funny, and utterly pointless. Robin Cooper's series of letters top random, and often obscure NGOs and associations. Best of all is his series of children's book ideas for a small publisher. Usually, the correspondence ends when he tells them a time he'll be arriving at their office. Brilliant.
The Timewaster Letters is a collection of correspondence between Robert Popper's creation, Robin Cooper, and the poor recipients - nearly every association you've ever heard of and many you haven't.
Some of the letters are genuinely laugh out loud funny but some of them just felt like a complete waste of time - for Robin, for the recipient and for the reader. Some reminded me of the time it would take to write a letter in my last job and had the result been funny it would have been w...more
Some of the letters are genuinely laugh out loud funny but some of them just felt like a complete waste of time - for Robin, for the recipient and for the reader. Some reminded me of the time it would take to write a letter in my last job and had the result been funny it would have been w...more
This book made me laugh til I hurt at times. You have to be in the right mood - if you are, beware of the aching sides to come!
The author sends bogus letters to organisations and then publishes their frantics replies.
The author sends bogus letters to organisations and then publishes their frantics replies.
Hilarious. After a while it gets a little old. I even just loved reading all the stationery headings of strange associations and organizations Cooper was able to dig up and harass.
This is hilarious, I have read this a few times and it never get's boring! Highly recommended, but get a friend to read it too so you can laugh together and talk about it!
Although I love Robert Popper's letter's I much prefer his phone calls. I laughed a lot in this book, but find I almost can't breathe for laughing listening to his phone calls.
I want to read this book because I just saw a photo of Daniel Radcliffe reading it between takes on the set of Harry Potter. Is that wrong? :)
The little quotes of recommendation on books covers are slightly misleading. No this book is not so funny that you will hurt yourself and no its not as original as Teenwolf.
Its not perfect by any means and it descends into predictability once you get used to Robins cheerful demeanor but it will raise smiles and make you laugh. You won't be laughing at every page and you probably won't have much of a desire to read it again, but it will at the very most cost 2 hours of your time so I'...more
Its not perfect by any means and it descends into predictability once you get used to Robins cheerful demeanor but it will raise smiles and make you laugh. You won't be laughing at every page and you probably won't have much of a desire to read it again, but it will at the very most cost 2 hours of your time so I'...more
Obviously not amazing literature, but it is not trying to be. Quite entertaining and great for what it is.
Very, very silly. I love this man's sense of humor. You must watch Look Around You--even better.
Definitely absurd and pointless, but I kept waiting for the letters to get funnier.
Read in one night of isomnia, I love the scarecrow designs
very funny meditations on the absurd and illogical.
One of the absolute funniest books I have ever read.
A fun read when you want to waste some time.
Bizarre and laugh-out-loud funny.
Ridiculous, and ridiculously funny.
Funny funny funny!
Laugh out-loud funny
Marsha
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I found it in a charity shop in the UK
This book is hilarious. The author writes these cheeky, time wasting letters to all sorts of high officials and charities and businesses. He requests some of the most bizarre things of people and the funny bit is - they actually take him serious and send correspondence back, not once but several times. I found it outrageous.
This book is a collection of Cooper's absurd letters written to various, obscure British organizations, and (usually) the responses to these letters. Cooper is extremely silly and creative. If you "get" Cooper's style of humor, you'll no doubt laugh out-loud all the way through this book.
Absolutely loved this book and so did my boyfriend, he even laughed out loud at times! Very well written yet daft letters written to companies complete with their responses. Great for a light read and easy to dip into every now and again.
As the title suggests, the author has written time wasting and ridiculous letters of inquiry to organization and companies in Britain. I laughed 'til I cried (literally)as have my brother, my brother-in-law, and my two sons.
A fun little collection of weird and wonderful letters sent to various organisations, with their replies. Could have been more substantial, and funnier, but since the letters are real I guess this had to do.
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Robert Popper is a BAFTA winning comedy producer, writer and actor, best known as co-creator of the mock BBC documentary Look Around You, in which he also plays the part of Jack Morgan. He also wrote the books, The Timewaster Letters, The Return of The Timewaster Letters and The Timewaster Diaries under the pseudonym of Robin Cooper.
More about Robin Cooper...
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