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And Then God Created the Middle East and Said ‘Let There Be Breaking News’
‘You may wonder why the Middle East gets so much airtime. Well, regions of the world were competing to host the apocalypse and the Middle East won.’
Online sensation Karl reMarks disagreed with the idea that reality had become too strange to satirise. Then he read that bin Laden was radicalised by Shakespeare. Since then, Karl has been bringing the best of the Middle East news and views to his followers around the world.
Now Karl’s wildly wry observations and sketches are available in one handy collection. With sections on ‘Geography for Dummies’, ‘Democracy for Realists’ and ‘Extremism: A Study’, alongside the best of Karl reMarks’s infamous ‘Bar Jokes’, this hilarious book proudly presents views you’re guaranteed not to hear on the news …
We’re actually very proud of God in the Middle East. He’s the local guy who went on to acquire international fame.
Wahahahahabism: A fundamentalist Middle Eastern comedy movement.
Twelve people just started to follow me. Jesus.
Online sensation Karl reMarks disagreed with the idea that reality had become too strange to satirise. Then he read that bin Laden was radicalised by Shakespeare. Since then, Karl has been bringing the best of the Middle East news and views to his followers around the world.
Now Karl’s wildly wry observations and sketches are available in one handy collection. With sections on ‘Geography for Dummies’, ‘Democracy for Realists’ and ‘Extremism: A Study’, alongside the best of Karl reMarks’s infamous ‘Bar Jokes’, this hilarious book proudly presents views you’re guaranteed not to hear on the news …
We’re actually very proud of God in the Middle East. He’s the local guy who went on to acquire international fame.
Wahahahahabism: A fundamentalist Middle Eastern comedy movement.
Twelve people just started to follow me. Jesus.
128 pages, Paperback
Published June 9, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
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July 12, 2018 Spot-on satire, but I wanted more [it's too short]!
December 9, 2024
“I like to think that there's an alternative internet where Arab taxi drivers write about their amusing encounters with foreign reporters and their simple worldview.”
July 23, 2018
Funny and smart.
I wish if there were more.
I wish if there were more.
March 28, 2019
An Arab dictator is like a matryoshka doll in reverse.
This is satire at its very best. This is one of those books which you can read again and again.
This is satire at its very best. This is one of those books which you can read again and again.
March 13, 2026
Brilliant!!!
August 31, 2018
Hilarious! An one hour read - or less. My favs are the monopoly figures! Yes, It’s a booklet not a ‘real big book’. Yet, there is so much in these short lines! The sarcasm makes you laugh loud ... pause ... then sigh <\3
Thanks Karl .. as your ‘tweets’ always do: Your booklet made my day!
Thanks Karl .. as your ‘tweets’ always do: Your booklet made my day!
June 23, 2018
Disclaimer: While I aim to be unbiased, I received a copy of this for free to review.
This book was fun, but it wasn’t as good as Don’t Panic, I’m Islamic, the first book that I received from publisher Saqi Press. Still, what’s cool about this is that you actually do learn a little bit about the situation in the Middle East, even though the author is mainly making fun of it. It’s own voices, too. I enjoyed it.
This book was fun, but it wasn’t as good as Don’t Panic, I’m Islamic, the first book that I received from publisher Saqi Press. Still, what’s cool about this is that you actually do learn a little bit about the situation in the Middle East, even though the author is mainly making fun of it. It’s own voices, too. I enjoyed it.
July 16, 2018
not quite a book, this, but monumental nonetheless
what I like most about this compilation of tweets is Karl Sharro's capacity to love and criticise his kind in equal measure
been following him on Twitter for some time, so I'd seen most of these tweets before!
---> that did not stop me from rolling on the floor laughing, again
if I was limited to following one account on Twitter, it would most certainly be @KarlreMarks
what I like most about this compilation of tweets is Karl Sharro's capacity to love and criticise his kind in equal measure
been following him on Twitter for some time, so I'd seen most of these tweets before!
---> that did not stop me from rolling on the floor laughing, again
if I was limited to following one account on Twitter, it would most certainly be @KarlreMarks
August 12, 2018
Having lived in the Middle-East for a good 21 years, I can tell you this- Arabs are among the coolest people on the planet. They are heavily misrepresented in Western media but I think you already knew that. This mini book was written by Lebanese satirist, Karl ReMarks (puntentional eh?) who goes by the real name of Karl Sharro. It takes you hardly 10 minutes to read but it was completely worth it. Humorous and bold.
September 2, 2018
Witty. Biting. Intelligent.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! The cultural references got me thinking about Nigeria. Karl sure knows how to make you laugh and think simultaneously.
This book is highly recommended.
The only drawback is it is too short; it left me wanting more!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! The cultural references got me thinking about Nigeria. Karl sure knows how to make you laugh and think simultaneously.
This book is highly recommended.
The only drawback is it is too short; it left me wanting more!
July 4, 2019
Too hilarious to not be true, about that area 'between Egypt, Iran, Yemen, Turkey and the British Museum'. You need to know a little bit about what is going on in the Middle East - which means a lot in historical and political terms - in order to really taste some of the jokes, but it is a funny take of a never-ending drama. So bad it is so short...(PS. It includes some drawings too)
October 21, 2018
Immensely Enjoyable. Felt like I am watching a stand up. After reading many jokes, actually felt sorry for the arab world. Writer is a satirist but seems like he has quite a grip over middle eastern politics & events.
May 23, 2021
A quick and really fun read, although I needed context for some of the comics. Might read it again with some of my more politically astute friends for better understanding and update the rating accordingly.
July 9, 2018
Jokes are as solid as inner Middle Eastern relations, bar the inconsistency.
July 9, 2018
Hilarious - but wish there were more!
July 30, 2018
يمكن مافهمته بس بالكاد ابتسمت في بعض النقاط توقعته أفضل
September 27, 2018
Hilarious. Too short though
September 29, 2018
Very funny. Enjoyed it
Very fun to read. Great satirical work on the good ol' Middle East by Karrrrrrrrrrrl. Intrigued to know more about him.
Very fun to read. Great satirical work on the good ol' Middle East by Karrrrrrrrrrrl. Intrigued to know more about him.
October 11, 2018
I follow the Facebook page and when ordering the book I was sure I was going to love It.
November 6, 2018
Great but too short.
December 20, 2018
A book that I'll definitely reread.
January 3, 2019
"The ancient had gods for love, war, fertility, healing, prosperity, rain and sun, truth and wisdom. We have apps for those now"
March 6, 2020
Hilarious
March 16, 2023
Penceritaan yang sinis berkaitan situasi politik di Timur Tengah.. Ada di Libby
May 17, 2025
The jokes are good, but this isn't a book. It's a few (very few) pages with one tweet per page and occasionally a cartoon.
December 4, 2020
that should've stayed on your Twitter acc boo😢
August 25, 2026
Lag niet op de grond, maar wel scherp soms.
2e keer wel anders qua context
2e keer wel anders qua context
October 29, 2018
Don't get me wrong, I've read other books of tweets and loved them. Dril's Official Mr Ten Years Anniversary Collection for example is outrageously funny. It was much bigger than I thought it would be and had something like a dozen tweets per page. I think when you put in the work and have enough content to actually fill in more than one line a page you should consider publishing a book of tweets, and maybe actually be funny while doing it. I really am disappointed with how much paper was wasted on this thing and how little I enjoyed it.
Karl's twitter account is pretty good but he should not have called this a "book" or built it up to be anything beyond what it is (even as a joke). I think you should really differentiate when a book is a serious work and when it's a mostly empty collection of tweets but alas, I went in expecting a book and what I got was more empty page than text. This is basically the twitter version of Rupi Kaur's Milk and Honey.
By all accounts it's a completely below average collection of one liners and tweets. Two stars for the content, which made me think 'this is humorous' perhaps three times in total. Minus one star because he called it a book and built up my expectations that it might actually be semi-interesting to read. I had preordered a second copy to gift a coworker I had introduced to his account and I felt embarassed giving it to her. She seemed to like it more than I did but all I can say is I regret buying this book (twice).
Karl's twitter account is pretty good but he should not have called this a "book" or built it up to be anything beyond what it is (even as a joke). I think you should really differentiate when a book is a serious work and when it's a mostly empty collection of tweets but alas, I went in expecting a book and what I got was more empty page than text. This is basically the twitter version of Rupi Kaur's Milk and Honey.
By all accounts it's a completely below average collection of one liners and tweets. Two stars for the content, which made me think 'this is humorous' perhaps three times in total. Minus one star because he called it a book and built up my expectations that it might actually be semi-interesting to read. I had preordered a second copy to gift a coworker I had introduced to his account and I felt embarassed giving it to her. She seemed to like it more than I did but all I can say is I regret buying this book (twice).
November 19, 2021
As a Middle Eastern person, when you visit a museum in Europe, it feels like when you visit friends and see a book you lent them years ago proudly displayed in their bookcase.
I love how they call them ‘World War’ I and II. It’s the Europeans’ idea of being inclusive and allowing us to share the credit for their wars.
The only real difference between political systems is that under communism you buy everything from a single state outlet, whereas under fully-mature capitalism you buy everything from Amazon
We have slightly different attitudes to the passing of time in the East and West. In the West, listening to ‘oldies’ means a song from the 1980s. In the Middle East, it would be a song from Andalusia from a millennium ago.
I love how they call them ‘World War’ I and II. It’s the Europeans’ idea of being inclusive and allowing us to share the credit for their wars.
The only real difference between political systems is that under communism you buy everything from a single state outlet, whereas under fully-mature capitalism you buy everything from Amazon
We have slightly different attitudes to the passing of time in the East and West. In the West, listening to ‘oldies’ means a song from the 1980s. In the Middle East, it would be a song from Andalusia from a millennium ago.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews