New & Selected Potatoes

by John Hegley

A greatest hits, best of golden oldies compilation (with some new stuff) from 'Comedy's poet laureate' (Independent). Poet, comic, singer, songwriter and glasses-wearer, John Hegley has captivated and devastated audiences all over the country, in theatres and festivals, at gigs at the Edinburgh Festival, and with numerous appearances on radio and television. This new compilation shows the breadth of his appeal, with seriously funny, cleverly comic poems on everything from love, family, France, art and the sea to dogs, dads, gods, taxidermy, carrots, spectacles and - of course - potatoes.

Genres: Poetry

160 pages, Paperback

First published November 22, 2013

Reviews

[Sabu Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is a comic poet, though not in the mould of someone like Ogden Nash. His work carries humour, yes, but also a strain of melancholy, layers of complexity, and moments of unexpected depth.

This book is a compilation, gathering poems from his earlier collections.

Here’s a sample. It’s not wholly representative of the range you’ll find in the book, but it offers a taste:

The Halo and the Dozy Dozen

The Lord was born without sin
but not without his thin flat halo.
The wise men they were reverent,
the shepherds they were coarser:
‘That shiny, floating hat,’ said one,
‘it’s like a flying saucer.’

In his last years,
the Lord would regularly cast his halo
into the wilderness
as part of his dog’s exercise regime,
and he once tried to amuse his disciples
by holding it like a steering wheel.
‘What is it, boys, a bus or a car?’
‘But we don’t know what buses or cars are, Lord,’
answered his bewildered team,
and the Lord set his dog unto them.

Roger McGough remains my favourite living poet, but I have to say I quite like John Hegley too.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like McGough or MacMillan (the elder), you really need to have heard the poet in action, to get the rhythm and the style, or else the poems (and bits of prose) can stay inertly on the page. Given the right delivery, every one is a gem.

Hegley inflection can lead to deliberate misdirection and the setting up of the punch line. For many of these are simply good jokes and is there a higher form of literature than the good, well-told, joke?

On a separate point, the good news, for me, is that my brother in law is nothing like his brother in law. The bad news is that my brother is!

Hegley has been one of our most consistent comics of the past 30 odd years and a bloody good poet. And recommended if you want a decent night out...he’s still touring.

[Notmilk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've never really been in to poetry, but my local library had a promotion recently (national poetry week or some such) and I picked this one up from the display, partly because I had a vague recollection of liking John Hegley in my Guardian reading days many years ago...
Anyway - whilst I did enjoy the collection (some of the word play is very clever, and there's some good personal anecdotes about his father etc) I can't really say that it makes me want to seek out more poetry.
Perhaps i'm just not into poetry.
Anybody have a favourite poet that they would like to recommend?

[Timothy Urban · Rating 4 out of 5]

An anthology, and an apology
Is not required.
I was tired
And this was an easy choice,
A familiar voice,
Dogs, potatoes, John as adult
John as a kid
And of course John could probably use the few extra quid.