The Not Terribly Good Book of Heroic Failures: An intrepid selection from the original volumes

by Stephen Pile

Stephen Pile, who has spent much of his life 'collecting stories of comic catastrophe', presents the best of the worst from his three books of Heroic Failures. Among the topics featured are 'New World Records', including the fastest knock-out in a boxing debut (the fighter knocked himself out after 47 seconds) and 'Law and Order' (here we meet the bank robbers who got stuck in the bank's revolving doors).

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor

512 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2012

Reviews

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun little book. A good thing to have in the bathroom or elsewhere that one might pick up and read for a few minutes then put down, just as the introduction suggests. Most of all, though, I enjoyed the author's remarks at the end concerning his reasons for writing the book and his commentary on the need for us to accept and embrace failure and wrongness. I like his statement that all successes are the same, but every failure is unique.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some lovely stuff!
Something you can read straight through, and/or dip into as you like

[Suzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A reliable laugh. Lovely to see the worst ever poem gets a mention...

[Stanley Goldyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume, the author's fourth in a series on the subject, is a recycled compilation of facts revealing myriad instances of human error, failure, bad judgement and/or bad luck.

It is best read in small doses, perhaps in tandem with another book.

The anecdotes are mildly interesting, some tragically comic, others verging on individual stupidity.
Not necessarily for everyone.

[David Provan]

Un-Heroic

Text is fine. But what idiot could even think of publishing it without Bill Tidy's absolutely perfect illustrations? Shame on you, Mr Pile.

[Rhett · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope, nope and nope.

[MSL · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book to dip in and out of and leave on your coffee table to entertain guests; very funny and doesn't take itself too seriously.

[Wyktor Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title says it all, apart from the "Not Terribly Good" part.
I found it extremely entertaining and really funny in places, Kiwis even got mentioned a few times as well.
Highly recommended.

[Ida · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't read as intendend so felt dry information overload. Stories could be more expanded for better telling.