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The Grumpy Old Git's Guide to Life

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From Bob Geldof to Winston Churchill, Jeremy Clarkson to Victor Meldrew, the world has always produced its share of grumpy, moody, pessimistic and world-weary types. We all know one! They like to groan and grumble, offering their own commentary on the shortcomings of modern life. Whether it is queues at the supermarket, the state of the health system, the price of a pint these days, the hairstyles of teenagers, or the number of Maltesers you actually get in a bag, there is always something that will get their goat. 'The Grumpy Old Git's Guide to Life' is a hilarious celebration of all these grumps, how to identify one, what exactly they find so irritating and why we find their rants quite so amusing.

193 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2011

132 people are currently reading
60 people want to read

About the author

Geoff Tibballs

177 books11 followers

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5 stars
96 (29%)
4 stars
86 (26%)
3 stars
84 (25%)
2 stars
42 (12%)
1 star
21 (6%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
Profile Image for Udit Nair.
380 reviews79 followers
July 31, 2022
The book really caught my attention because of the title and the cover picture. The book as a whole was like a prolonged rant as promised in the premise. Some of the portions were quite hilarious and others weren't as witty as I imagined it to be.
Profile Image for Mike.
380 reviews24 followers
November 2, 2023
I have mixed reviews on this book because even though the book is readable a lot of the things mentioned in this book can affect people of all ages not just old people.
Profile Image for Ali Hussein.
114 reviews12 followers
February 9, 2020
Someone gave this book to my dad for his birthday. He didn’t read it but thought it would be a good idea to give it to me??? Idk why.

Anyway so I read this book for the bants and it was stupid.
179 reviews5 followers
November 10, 2019
Not literature but non the worse for that. I had great fun and lots of chuckles indentifying males and females known to me and, alarmingly, even myself as I went through the book.
Profile Image for Peter Marsh.
185 reviews
January 14, 2020
As a card carrying grumpy old man/git/fart of many years standing, I thought that this narrow genre had died a, timely, death many years ago but it would seem that the deceased equine's interment has been disturbed for another, needless, bout of chastisement. If you have never read a book of this ilk or seen a TV programme along similar lines, then there is nothing wrong with this offering. On the other hand, if you have there is nothing new here. Tech, social media, transport, celebrity, travel, TV etc; none of these have moved on sufficiently since the genre's demise to offer new grist to the mill. Kids on planes, operating kitchen utensils, assembly of flat pack furniture; seriously, that's all you've got??

If you promise to put the blameless old nag back in the ground and leave it alone until the heat death of the universe I'll give you a grumpy but generous 3 stars. Deal?
4 reviews
November 9, 2020
We know all this.......

Having been a right grumpy git for several years-I'm 63- this book has very little to offer me. I've been ranting and raving on all these subjects for far too long to learn anything. This book is invaluable if you're within the throes of upper middle age when you've got it all before you, and God help you: I wish you all the best.
However, the book is well written with topics from social media, queuing and surviving loud children. It's a short book and perhaps could been more expansive and far funnier than it is.
Worth a peek if it's free with your Prime Reading.
Profile Image for Jilly.
754 reviews5 followers
February 25, 2021
I chose this as it is supposedly hilarious and I could use a laugh. It isn't hilarious, just mildly amusing but then according to my (grumpy) OH I haven't even got a sense of humour. It was also worrying as I could identify with much of it myself! Maybe I am a grumpy old woman.

From Bob Geldof to Winston Churchill, Jeremy Clarkson to Victor Meldrew, the world has always produced its share of grumpy, moody, pessimistic and world-weary types. We all know one! They like to groan and grumble, offering their own commentary on the shortcomings of modern life. Whether it is queues at the supermarket, the state of the health system, the price of a pint these days, the hairstyles of teenagers, or the number of Maltesers you actually get in a bag, there is always something that will get their goat. 'The Grumpy Old Git's Guide to Life' is a hilarious celebration of all these grumps, how to identify one, what exactly they find so irritating and why we find their rants quite so amusing.
1 review
June 27, 2020
Useful, comical stuff to remember

The heading says it all, if you don’t recognise all the stuff in this book you’re reading it 20 years too soon.

It’s reassuring to realise your not the only ‘Crabby Bugger’ out there. Mind you the author does seem to have had a lot of experiences, you have to feel sorry for him. I suppose we’re lucky really to have lived long enough to be irritated so much - I’m sure there’s more to come.
147 reviews1 follower
December 20, 2021
The very first section made me laugh and the final pages made me chuckle. In between there were a few smiles, but in truth, the great majority of this is old stuff, well rehearsed and heard before, versions of, many, many times.
Doesn't take long to read. Maybe OK to put by your bedside to send you off to sleep. It's written in very small sections, so you can read as much or as little as you wish.
That's perhaps its greatest virtue.
Profile Image for Gav451.
727 reviews5 followers
January 28, 2023
Occasionally funny. This book was not an unpleasant read and is clearly meant to be light and flippant fun but to be honest it fell flat with me a few too many times. It pushed the grumpy trope too far in some instances and then used a load of tropes I have seen all too often before. In particular the shopping trolley rant.

Now I might be doing this book a huge disservice as it may be that Geoff said it first but none the less the fact it is in there and it still left me cold.

There were others that I thought a little mean spirited and excludy.

There were times I laughed as I read this, I finished it quite quickly, so it was not all bad but as I said, it simply did not connect with me.
379 reviews3 followers
September 19, 2019
I will admit, the book did raise a smile or two, maybe a low chuckle, but it didn't get an outright laugh from me. By far the most worry aspect for me was that I recognized myself in some parts- thirty three, and already a Grumpy Old Git. Oh Lord, something else to complain about.
Profile Image for Em.
97 reviews1 follower
January 14, 2024
Omg! The rants in this book is not only just ridiculous and plain stupid, they actually make a lot of sense. I would have loved to have seen a wider range of topics such as sexual experiences, kids and so on. I'd love to see a more updated version 🤣 or a version told by teens.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Mike C.
39 reviews3 followers
June 8, 2019
Very enjoyable

Great collection of common everyday grumbles, all well analyzed. A little out of date here and there and rather too British but a very enjoyable read nevertheless.
8 reviews
Read
September 25, 2019
Laugh out loud

Loved this book. Laugh out loud observational comedy hitting all the right notes. This should be administered as mandatory reading for anybody having an off day!
1 review
November 29, 2019
Entertaining and true

As a grumpy old git, I recognise many of my traits. I would recommend this book to all GOGs and 'soon to be GOGs '.
Profile Image for Sam.
86 reviews22 followers
April 28, 2020
Abandoned at 40%. Yet to find a setting for this. Racist, sexist, xenophobic and more.
1 review
August 12, 2020
True words

You can relate this book to true life. A book you can put down and carry on reading with some light humour.😊
13 reviews
August 13, 2020
A personal perspective

Wonderful last few pages! I can't comment on the beginning of the book as I can't remember any of it!
81 reviews
October 24, 2020
So funny!

I loved this book. I agreed with most of it. Being an old gitess myself, I really emphasised with his examples. It made me and hubby howl with laughter. Really recommend.
18 reviews1 follower
November 2, 2020
Ok

Ok ok funny ok ok worth a read for a laugh. Short and to the point. Ok funny ok done
79 reviews
March 8, 2021
Great book.

Have a great belly laugh, which also contains many truisms. My wife liked it too, despite being married to one!
51 reviews1 follower
June 26, 2021
This is so funny

It is really worth a read! I'm in my thirties and my fiance told me about it. I downloaded it to see what the fuss was about. So many similarities!! Xxx
Profile Image for Emma Minazza.
764 reviews22 followers
May 23, 2022
This is the funniest book I've read in a while, I must be a grumpy git as most of the bits in here remind me of myself and the thoughts are similar. Very good book and would recommend if you'd like a laugh. See if you can spot your own similarities!
Profile Image for Andy Scott.
24 reviews1 follower
January 12, 2023
The more I read it the more grumpy I got at the many stereotypical points of view put forward by the author.
4 reviews
February 14, 2023
From a soon to be GOG.

Wonderful book had me chuckling some good pondering thoughts. Would recommend for any pending GOG or partner of one 😄
Author 1 book3 followers
May 28, 2023
Vaguely amusing. The jokes come thick and fast - some lousy, the odd one very good - but without any sort of variation or build from the beginning to the end, it can only be read in short bursts.
1 review
February 12, 2024
A good chuckle

My go to book for a little chuckle after a crappy day! Very astute look at what could really be my life in black and white.
2 reviews
March 28, 2024
Very interesting

Very interesting and very true, not just about grumpy old gits though just things that we all think but don't say
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews

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