[[Category:Humour|*]]
[[Category:New Reviews|Humour]]==Humour==__NOTOC__ <!-- Remove -->[[Category:History]]{{newreview|authorclass-"wikitable" cellpadding=Simon Garfield"15" <!-- INSERT NEW REVIEWS BELOW HERE--><!-- van LENTE -->|title=Just My Type: A Book About Fonts-|ratingstyle=4.5"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|genre=Humour[[image:1683690346.jpg|summarylink=A quality typeface is a bit like a good referee at a football match in that you only really notice them if something has gone wronghttp://www. A referee is there to facilitate the players on the pitch, not to be the star of the show (though watching Match of the Day these past few weeks you'd often beg to differ)amazon. So it is with typefacesco. A good type helps the reader, enhances the flow and makes the viewing experience easy and simple. Well sort of.|amazonukuk/dp/1683690346/ref=nosim?tag=<amazonuk>1846683017</amazonuk>}}thebookbag-21]]
{{newreview
|author=Bob Servant and Neil Forsyth
|title=Bob Servant: Hero of Dundee
|rating=3.5
|genre=Humour
|summary=After [[Delete This at Your Peril: One Man's Fearless Exchanges with the Internet Spammers by Bob Servant|bursting into public consciousness]] as the scourge of email spammers, Broughty Ferry's resident polymath Bob Servant has returned. This time, he expands upon the colourful life only hinted at in his previous oeuvre, Delete this at Your Peril. And what a life it has been. He steers us from his humble beginnings, his broken family and traumatic schooldays, through the rise and fall of his window cleaning empire, and his role in Dundee's brutal cheeseburger wars. Along the way, we witness his struggles with, respectively, women ('skirt'), his simpleton sidekick Frank, and the demon drink.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1841589209</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview|authorstyle=P K Munroe"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||title=You Can Stick It|rating=3.5|genre=Humour|summary[[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente]]===Literary merit? Absolutely none!
Plot[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|Crime]], characterisation and all that other stuff you usually talk about? Nope – there's none of that, either.[[:Category:Humour|Humour]]
AhComic-Cons are a place of wonder and sanctuary for many people, so itand when Comic book artist Mike Mason arrives at San Diego Comic-Con, he's non-fiction? Welllooking for both that and sanctuary with other fans and creators, plus the chance of maybe, just maybe reuniting with his ex. However, when his rival is found dead, Mike is forced to navigate every dark corner of the con in order to clear his name – from cosplay flash mobs and intrusive fans to zombie obstacle courses – Mike must prove his innocence and, in doing so, calling it ''fact'' would be stretching things may just unravel a dark secret behind a little too far..legendary industry creator.[[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente|Full Review]]
So, come on then. What ''is'' it?
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0007362188</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview<!-- Coulton -->|author=Axel Scheffler-|titlestyle=How to Keep a Pet Squirrel"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|rating=4[[image:1473669588.jpg|genrelink=Humour|summary=So, how do you keep a pet squirrel? Well, the simple answer is that you don'thttp://www. They're wild animals and not at all suitable for keeping in captivity, but accepted thinking didn't always run that wayamazon. It was whilst he was dipping into ''The Children's Encyclopaedia'' of 1910 that Axel Scheffler came across a small but indispensible guide to obtaining and caring for your pet squirrelco. His inventive mind came up with these beautiful illustrations to accompany the text and if you're looking for an amusing gift for an animaluk/dp/1473669588/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-loving adult then this book could well be the answer.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0571255981</amazonuk>}}21]]
{{newreview
|author=PJ Vanston
|title=Crump
|rating=3
|genre=General Fiction
|summary=It's Kevin Crump's first day as a lecturer at Thames Metropolitan University - an ex-polytechnic. It's the happiest day of his life, and he can't wait to see all that it holds, and make a difference to all his students. And then it hits him: the relentless pettiness of authority figures, the students who can't string two sentences together, the lowering of standards in search of higher test scores, so more money from foreign students, and political correctness gone (as I believe the saying goes) mad.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1848762852</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview|authorstyle=John Lennon"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|title=In His Own Write and A Spaniard in the Works|rating=3|genre=Humour|summary=During the height of Beatlemania, John Lennon used to doodle or write short poems or nonsense stories to pass the time (and there must have been a good deal of time to pass away on tour, if only waiting for screaming fans to leave them alone and go back home). Some of them were seen [[Falling Short by Tom Maschler, literary editor at Jonathan Cape, who encouraged him to produce more. The results were published in two very successful short books in 1964 and 1965.|amazonukLex Coulton]]===<amazonuk>0099530422</amazonuk>}}
[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{newreview|author=John Lindsay|title=Emails From An Asshole|rating=4}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:General Fiction|genre=General Fiction]], [[:Category:Humour|summary=Some classified ads are crying out for trolling. John Lindsay replies to themHumour]], spins them a yarn, and strings them along for as long as possible. Sometimes the advert is fairly innocuous and he emails them anyway. These are emails from an asshole, after all.[[:Category:Women's Fiction|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1402778279</amazonuk>}}Women's Fiction]]
{{newreview|author=L C Tyler|title=The Herring In The Library|rating=4.5|genre=Crime|summary=Tall, elegant Ethelred Lex Coulton's debut novel is a gentlemanstory about mistakes, failures, and a third-rate authorrelationships. ElsieThe main protagonist, his literary agentFrances Pilgrim, is short and dumpya sixth form English teacher who has recently fallen out with her best friend Jackson, a work colleague, and not afraid to speak her mind. It is Elsie, in fact, who constantly assures her client he only occasionally aspires to grappling with the giddy heights increasingly eccentric behaviour of being second-rateher mother. This could be relationship is complicated by the business partnership from hell, but not only do these two seem to get along, they even manage to solve crimes together. In this, the third outing for L C Tylerfact that Frances's eccentric sleuths, we are provided with a locked room mystery, a cast of possible villains of the most stereotypical type, and a fresh, funny tale which will make you laugh so much you'll get a stitchfather disappeared at sea when she was five years old.[[Falling Short by Lex Coulton|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0230714684</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]
{{newreview<!-- van LENTE -->|author=A J Jacobs-|titlestyle=My Experimental Life"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"||rating=3[[image:1683690346.5jpg|genrelink=Humour|summary=A J Jacobs has a reputation for setting himself onerous taskshttp://www. His first book was about reading the entire Encyclopedia Britannica; his second detailed a year spent according to the Biblical preceptsamazon. In My Experimental Life, he recounts nine briefer episodes of living outside his comfort zoneco.|amazonukuk/dp/1683690346/ref=nosim?tag=<amazonuk>0099547422</amazonuk>}}thebookbag-21]]
{{newreview
|author=Seth Grahame-Smith
|title=Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter
|rating=3.5
|genre=Humour
|summary='Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.' That quote, on the Statue of Liberty, was probably not designed with the inclusion of vampires in mind. But by some means or another North America is rife with the things – hiding in plain sight, as the older ones can bear sunlight, with the help of darkened glasses. It might just come down to one eager young man to rid his new country of such things, on his way to something he’s a bit more known for.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1849014086</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview|authorstyle=Jane Austen, Seth Grahame"vertical-Smith and Tony Leealign: top; text-align: left;"||title=Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: ==[[The Graphic Novel|ratingCon Artist by Fred Van Lente]]=3|genre=Graphic Novels|summary=It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie story of any renown will not remain simply a zombie story. Before you can say ''the risen undead'' it will become a series of books, inspiring others, and/or lead to the same story being published in many different guises. Here, then, on its way to Hollywood, is Jane Austen’s story of Lizzie Bennet, the feisty young woman trying to ignore Mr Darcy while fighting off the ''manky unmentionables'' – at least she is until the hidden truths open up to her, just as the soft soils of Hertfordshire do to yield their once-human remains. And this time it’s in graphic novel form.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1848566948</amazonuk>}}
[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{newreview|author=Carl McInerney|title=The Funniest Football Joke Book Ever|rating=3.5|genre=Confident Readers}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|summary=Who scored the most goals in the Greek Mythology League? The centaur forward. Badoom boom tshhhh. It's a football joke book, packed to the gills with all sorts of cheesiness and silliness. Funniest ever? Perhaps notCrime]], but it's not too bad.[[:Category:Humour|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1849391114</amazonuk>}}Humour]]
{{newreview|author=Paul Magrs|title=Hell's Belles|rating=3.5|genre=Humour|summary=The idea behind this series Comic-Cons are a place of novels is quite enchanting wonder and sanctuary for many people, and amusing. Frankensteinwhen Comic book artist Mike Mason arrives at San Diego Comic-Con, he's daughter is living looking for both that and sleuthing in Whitby, ably aided sanctuary with other fans and abetted by her sidekickcreators, plus the enigmatic Effie, and a growing menagerie chance of younger accomplicesmaybe, namely Michael and Pennyjust maybe reuniting with his ex. Whilst the original idea showed huge promiseHowever, when his rival is found dead, I felt that Mike is forced to navigate every dark corner of the author has rather overdone it in terms of output, con in order to clear his desire name – from cosplay flash mobs and intrusive fans to capitalise on zombie obstacle courses – Mike must prove his original success. Book two in the series was quite disappointing, relying on sensationalism rather than adequate plot and character development. Book three was an improvement-innocence and I'm delighted to report that this, the fourth book in the seriesdoing so, shows him returning to form with the promise we saw in the first of the seriesmay just unravel a dark secret behind a legendary industry creator.[[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0755346467</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]
{{newreview<!-- Curran -->|author=Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul-|titlestyle=Winnie's Jokes"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"||rating=2[[image:1683690133.5jpg|genrelink=Confident Readers|summary=Who turns off the lights at Halloween? The lights witchhttp://www. What does an Australian witch ride on? A broomerangamazon. Yep, it's a joke bookco.|amazonukuk/dp/1683690133/ref=nosim?tag=<amazonuk>0192729063</amazonuk>}}thebookbag-21]]
{{newreview
|author=Nick Wadley
|title=Man + Dog
|rating=4.5
|genre=Humour
|summary=Throughout my life I've lived with dogs or deeply regretted the fact that I lacked a canine companion. Watching a dog – or better still, the interaction between dogs – is infinitely better than anything on television and it's sheer joy to see how man and dog interacts and how, so often, they hold a mirror up to each other.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1564785521</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview|authorstyle=The Harvard Lampoon"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|title=Nightlight: A Parody of Twilight |rating=3.5|genre=Humour|summary=Most people will have heard of the worldwide phenomenon that is [[Twilight My Lady's Choosing by Stephenie Meyer|TwilightKitty Curran and Larissa Zageris]]. The books by Stephenie Meyer and the film have made a legend of the romance between vampire Edward Mullen (Robert Pattinson plays the movie role) and teenage schoolgirl Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart).|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1849013330</amazonuk>}}==
{{newreview[[image:4star.jpg|authorlink=Steven Lowe and Alan McArthur |title=Is it Just Me or Has the Shit Hit the Fan?Category: Your Hilarious New Guide to Unremitting Global Misery|{{{rating=3}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|genre=Humour|summary=''The banks fell over like fat Labradors running over a wet kitchen floor.'' Surely that is the wackiest]], most inappropriate simile for the credit crunch and all it has done for the world. You won't get any such namby-pamby animal likenesses from these authors, instead with quite a potty mouth on them they will lambast the modern world, the entire banking system, all those who failed to see it coming, and those millions just seemingly waiting for us all to revert to high-interest, high-risk, high-lending capitalism, so they can get back on the expenses train, and back up the rich lists.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847443656</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Eoin Colfer|title=And Another Thing ... Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy[[:Category: Part Six of Three (Hitchhikers Guide 6) |rating=3.5Historical Fiction|genre=Science Historical Fiction|summary=Of all the big books announced for this year, this one must have raised more eyebrows than many. Why try and write a new Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy book, when way before the end, its creator Douglas Adams was proving quite hopeless at such a task? And why approach an Irishman, Eoin Colfer, when the originals - tempered with their humour which could only be described as Monty Python doing a sci-fi Terry Pratchett, and with their cups of tea and dressing gowns, could only be described as very English? Well the answer is most evident - Colfer is a world-beater when it comes to knocking up a story.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0718155149</amazonuk>}}]]
{{newreview|author=The Vampire Miles Proctor|title=The New Vampire's Handbook|rating=3You are a lass of twenty eight.5|genre=Humour|summary=I shall start with Plucky, penniless and in Regency era London the race is on to find a predictionsuitable suitor - or else doom yourself to life as an eternal spinster. I will not become Along your journey you'll be accompanied by Lady Evangeline Youngblood - a fiesty noble eager to save you from a vampirelife alone, and fired by a rogueish sense for this imminent Halloweadventure. When it comes to suitors though, you'enll have to make the ultimate decision between witty, any festive fancy dress partiespretty and wealthy Sir Benedict Granville, wholesome, rugged and caring Captain Angus MacTaggart, or indeed for life as the lifeless undead. I will not need tips on filing my fangsmad, or how to divert attention from the fact I cannot eat human food at dinner parties. Me bad and my reflection in mirrors will remain intactterrifyingly sexy Lord Garraway Craven. But for those of you reading this at nightWith orphans, somewherewerewolves, flameproof cape at hand, with your distaste of garlic, publicity long lost lovers and presumably ancient Egyptian artifcats along the anaemicway, it's clear this is the sterling how-isn't going to lifestyle guidebe an easy decision... [[My Lady's Choosing by Kitty Curran and Larissa Zageris|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0224086464</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]
{{newreview<!-- Jester -->|author=David O'Doherty, Claudia O'Doherty and Mike Ahern-|titlestyle=100 Facts About Pandas"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Jester_Forever.jpg|ratingleft|link=3https://www.5|genreamazon.co.uk/gp/product/1510704361?ie=Humour|summaryUTF8&tag=Sometimes the title says it all thebookbag- this is a book with 100 facts about pandas. Sometimes you need to note the author too - David O'Doherty won an Edinburgh Comedy Award, so this is a book of a 100 silly and untrue facts about pandas.|amazonuk21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=<amazonuk>0224086324</amazonuk>}}1510704361]]
{{newreview
|author=Richard Horne
|title=A is for Armageddon
|rating=2.5
|genre=Humour
|summary=The world is definitely going to hell in a handcart. We're only just preventing lethal global warming by having a credit crunch that has prevented a lot of big building, air travel, and consumerism. The population is getting so obese there is no room for any more of us - and add that to the exploding population statistics, and it's never going to look better. And don't get me started on where all the bees have gone...
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0224086197</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview|authorstyle=James May"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|title=Car Fever: Dispatches From Behind The Wheel|rating=4|genre=Lifestyle|summary=Now, way back when I was younger, and watched TV [[Forever After: a lot, I am sure I remember Top Gear as being a consumer programme. How times change. These days I am sure they destroy more cars than they review, and the three main people from the show are approaching superstar status, with their amenable personalities, awkward wardrobe choices and trenchant laddish charms. They've sprung their media entities from out of the studio, into other TV programmes, and the world of journalism, with chatty columns in the broadsheets allowing them free rein to witter to their heart's desire. And here, in one grandiloquent volume, and in time for Christmas, are many of James May's desires.|amazonukdark comedy by David Jester]]===<amazonuk>0340994533</amazonuk>}}
[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{newreview|author=Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith |title=Pride and Prejudice and Zombies|rating=4.5}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Paranormal|genre=HumourParanormal]], [[:Category:Horror|summary=AhHorror]], the benefits to a good book of a classic first line. 'Call me Ishmael.' 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' Who can forget Iain Banks' 'It was the day my grandmother exploded'? Or those timeless words by Jane Austen, 'It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.'[[:Category:Fantasy|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1594743347</amazonuk>}}Fasntasy]]
{{newreview|author=Harry Hill|title=Tim The Tiny Horse At Large|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary=It's been Michael Holland is a while since Tim cocky and brash young man who dies and Fly's [[Tim gets made the Tiny Horse by Harry Hill|last adventures]]offer of his lifetime; immortality. We follow Michael, a grim reaper and changes are afoot in Tim's tiny world: Fly is getting married to his girlfriend. Tim's a little worried because they've only known each other for friends Chip (a week. The marriage goes ahead, stoner tooth fairy) and Tim finds himself kicking his heels, so he gets Naff (a pet. And so the brief episodes stoner in the life of records department) as they grapple with their long lives and finding a horse who lives clean surface to sit on in their flat. [[Forever After: a matchbox continue.dark comedy by David Jester|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0571244157</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]
{{newreview<!-- Stibbe -->|author=Spike Milligan-|titlestyle=The Magical World of Milligan"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"||rating=4[[image:Stibbe_Xmas.5jpg|genre=Confident Readersleft|summarylink=Some people you just have to lovehttps://www. It's the lawamazon. Spike Milligan was always fantastic, and he's much missedco. He's got the perfect mix of nonsense, heart, and surreal humour. He speaks to people of all ages, and he's just plain lovely. |amazonukuk/gp/product/0241309824?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=<amazonuk>1905264844</amazonuk>}}0241309824]]
{{newreview
|author=Sam Savage
|title=The Cry of the Sloth
|rating=3.5
|genre=General Fiction
|summary=Meet Andrew Whittaker. In some untold time of recent American history, he is forced through a failed marriage and an artistic temperament at odds with so many other people, to let properties to tenants he does not like, for $120 a month. The lodgers might not like the state of the buildings - ceilings falling through and so on - but that's another matter. He would much prefer to be left alone in front of his little Olivetti typewriter and create art. He runs a literary journal, of a kind, called "Soap", which no-one likes, no-one reads (and often, with dodgy, cheap printing, no-one could physically read it anyway), and which makes him poorer in time, money and spirit.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0297856499</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview|authorstyle=Christopher Moore"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||title=You Suck|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary[[An Almost Perfect Christmas by Nina Stibbe]]===You know that old adage about books and covers? Well this is a case in point. The title isn't great, but the cover design for the paperback imprint is, like, duh!, the pits. It is so uncool…so unrep-resent-ative of the book. This is not a cocktail thing. Not even a "Bloody Mary" thing.
Well, except for the tiny bit that is, but you'll discover that in due course[[image:4.5star.jpg|amazonuklink=<amazonuk>1841498092</amazonuk>Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]], [[:Category:Short Stories|Short Stories]]
{{newreview|author=Hugh Murr and Sid Nigtures |title=Cyber Sign Offs|rating=2|genre=Humour|summary=I admit I had Christmas – the wrong end time of traditional trauma. You only have to think about the stick when turkey for that – once upon a time it was leaving it came sat on the downstairs loo to this bookdefrost overnight, before I opened and if that failed the hair-dryer shoved inside it at leasttreatment was your next best bet. I had assumed Nowadays it was a collection of real-life on-line signatures - we've s all seen them, those straplines people have on all their forum posts. The obvious response would have been along the lines of having to make sure it'fair enough, s suitably free-range and organic – but why is this a book in this day not too organic that you can go and agevisit it, and not get too friendly with it to want to eat it. Christmas, though, is of course also a website?time of great boons. It'. But no. This is s cash in hand for a collection lot of dialogues between two plump people - shall we call them Sue deNim who can hire red suits and Allie Byebeards, who have it was always a line or two godsend for postmen with all the thank-you letters to say to each other, and aunties you saw twice a decade that your parents madeyou write out in long-up name (sorryhand as a child, make that May Dupp-Name) with which to sign it off. Much jolly nonsense ensues.and as for the makers of Meltis Newberry Fruits – well, did they even try and sell them any other time of the year? [[An Almost Perfect Christmas by Nina Stibbe|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1904312497</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]
{{newreview<!-- Doescher -->|author=Tim Fitzhigham -|titlestyle=All at Sea"width: One Man. One Bathtub. One Very Bad Idea10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: Conquering the Channel in a Piece of Plumbingcenter;"|[[image:Doescher_Will.jpg|ratingleft|link=4https://www.5|genreamazon.co.uk/gp/product/159474985X?ie=Travel|summaryUTF8&tag=Once more my life is made easy by saying this book does just what it claims on the cover thebookbag- takes a narrator of zesty, wacky humour, throws him into an unlikely situation (a bath) and gets him to do something unusual (row it across the Channel - and then beyond). This despite the fact he was the world's worst sculler at University.|amazonuk21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=<amazonuk>1848090269</amazonuk>}}159474985X]]
{{newreview
|author=Simon Brett
|title=Blotto, Twinks and the Ex-King's Daughter
|rating=4
|genre=Humour
|summary=There can be few people who have written eighty books without me even having picked up one of them. At least, and at last, I have redressed that fault in the case of Simon Brett, and have come to the conclusion there are 79 more that will be worth investigating. Here we meet for the first time Blotto (posh idiotic son of a dowager duchess) and Twinks (posh brilliant genius sister to Blotto), their family, their surroundings, and the corpse inconveniently disturbing a dinner party.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1845299353</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview|authorstyle=Karl Pilkington"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|title=Karlology|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary=The Radio Five film critic Mark Kermode has a rule when reviewing comedies. If he laughs more than five times then the film deserves its billing as a comedy. If that rule was applied to Karl Pilkington[[William Shakespeare's new book Karlology then it would easily fit into the category for there are laugh aplenty in this strange, amusing and charming little book.|amazonukForce Doth Awaken: Star Wars Part the Seventh by Ian Doescher]]===<amazonuk>140533746X</amazonuk>}}
[[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{newreview|author=Joe Stretch|title=Wildlife|rating=3|genre=Humour}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Science Fiction|summary=The word ''Twitter'' doesn't occur in Joe Stretch's vocabularyScience Fiction]], but that's what his book is about. Life in the blogosphere, massively exaggerated, where people don't leave their desks but nevertheless come together (but never literally) in satisfying their deepest, darkest desires. If I've made it sound even faintly exciting, believe me, Joe Stretch is a fantasist with realist tendencies. What he is after is laughter; what he produces is a virtual simulacrum. Sniggery-pokery, jiggery-jokery, he tinkers with the twilight zone of a future-scenario where, for reasons beyond all understanding, some robotic and literal Dickhead (i.e. a man with a dick fixed to his forehead – I kid you not) decides to target a few selected humans for a make-over in his own image. Given that virtual worlds exist to pull in punters who don't like themselves in the real one, and their main purpose is to make money, one's only question must be[[:Category: why?Humour|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099532077</amazonuk>}}Humour]]
{{newreview|author=Michael Marr|title=Three Jumpers|rating=5|genre=Literary Fiction|summary=When Bardolph Middle placed an ad A long time ago, in the paper proclaiming he a galaxy far away, there was a writerman called William Shakespeare, he thought he might get the odd request who was able to write create a speech series of dramatic histories full of machinations most foul, rulers most evil and rebellious heroes and heroines most sturdy. You may or two. Maybemay not have noticed the cinematic version of his original stage play for ''The Force Doth Awaken'', if he was very luckybut here at last we get the actual script, a company might ask him complete with annoying-in-different-ways-to conceive an entire marketing plan -before droids anew, returning heroes from elsewhere in his oeuvre, and advertising campaignpeople keeping it in the family til it hurts. What he never expected was And if you need further encouragement, don't forget his audience only demanded three parts of Henry VI – here the series is so popular we're on to part seven – surely making this job offer…over twice as good… [[William Shakespeare's the Force Doth Awaken: Star Wars Part the Seventh by Ian Doescher|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1906558485</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]
{{newreview<!-- Goss -->|author=Rosy Barnes-|titlestyle=Sadomasochism for Accountants"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|rating=3[[image:Goss_600.jpg|genre=Women's Fictionleft|summarylink=Humour's very personal, isn't it? If you dig films like ''Shaun of the Dead'' and ''Hot Fuzz'', I predict you'll love this chick lit parodyhttps://www. It's anarchic and very British comedy traditionamazon. If you're into the conventions of good writing, you may find it a little painfulco. Nevertheless, I enjoyed plenty of moments in Rosy Barnes' first novel.|amazonukuk/gp/product/1785942719?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=<amazonuk>0714531812</amazonuk>}}1785942719]]
{{newreview
|author=Lady Annabel Goldsmith
|title=Copper: A Dog's Life
|rating=4
|genre=Humour
|summary=Copper was one of a litter of dogs born to a stray bitch and who was 'adopted' by Lady Annabel Goldsmith - or might it be the other way round?. Here he tells his story in his own words as transcribed for him by his owner. He's got his own priorities – and obedience is not one of them – along with a roving spirit. It's perhaps fortunate that he's a dog as this allows you to call him 'cheeky' and 'charming'. If he was a human being 'randy' and 'arrogant' would be two of the first words which came to mind.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0751538205</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview|authorstyle=Tim Moore"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|title=I Believe in Yesterday: My Adventures in Living History|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary=Common opinion has it that the television programme ''[[Doctor Who: Now We Are Six Hundred: A Collection of Time Team'' did a lot for the public image of archaeologists – bringing them out of their holes in the ground, Lord Verse (Dr Who) by James Goss and making them seem like exciting, interesting people with a good way of putting their knowledge across. However it was clearly a much harder task when it came to those background artistes they have sometimes, walking up and down in Roman centurion gear, or living the historical lifestyle as a re-enactment.|amazonukRussell T Davies]]===<amazonuk>0224077813</amazonuk>}}
[[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{newreviewrating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Children's Rhymes and Verse|author=L Vaughan Spencer|title=DonChildren't Be Needy Be Succeedys Rhymes and Verse]], [[:Category:Science Fiction|rating=4Science Fiction]], [[:Category:Humour|genre=Humour|summary=Are you underperforming in your business and personal lives? Do you underestimate the importance of good hair and moisturised skin in achieving your life goals? Are you stumbling through life in a Fast-Moving Business Environment (FMBE) without a motivational mantra to guide you? Then you need this book. As ''The A to Zee of Motivitality'', this is a dictionary of achievement from a man who can teach you how to succeed like a toothless budgie.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846681634</amazonuk>}}]]
{{newreview|author=Mark Crick |title=Sartre's Sink: The Great Writers' Complete Book Consider the Doctor. Just how many birthday and Christmas gifts must he have to hand out each year, were he to keep in touch with even half of DIY|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary=''Sartre's Sink'' comprises fourteen short story parodies his companions? He would certainly need a few novelty gifts for some of some them, say, for example, whimsical books of verse that pithily encapsulate the world's best known writers – the twist being life of a Time Lord and that the stories are all about undertaking of some mundane DIY task such as tiling a bathroom (Dostoevsky) or reglazing a window (Milan Kundera)of his friends and enemies. So far As luck would have it sounds a bit like some pretentious Oxbridge student twaddle. You can just imagine how , he has the idea came space in his TARDIS to stock up over an overin advance, so my advice to him – sorry, her – would be to pop along to his local Earth-ripe Brie based book emporium and an underrated bottle of 1963 Taylor's portget himself ready. It also rather smacks of that Radio 4 programme which I detest with an absolute passion - I can't even stand writing its name, ugh - ''Quote Unquote'', in which parodies do feature, read out by smug self-congratulatory writer darlings (And if you can tell I don't like itre working on a shorter timescale, can't you?). Howeverwith a shorter lifespan, dear readersand thinking perhaps just one gift season ahead, this book is rather enjoyable and I speak as someone who well my advice is rather less versed in pretty much the writings same. [[Doctor Who: Now We Are Six Hundred: A Collection of this famous lot than I care to admit.Time Lord Verse (Dr Who) by James Goss and Russell T Davies|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847080472</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]
{{newreview<!-- Ingram -->|author=Eric Nakagawa-|titlestyle=I Can Has Cheezburger "width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|rating=4[[image:Ingram_Kammie.jpg|genre=Petsleft|summarylink=''I Can Has Cheezburger'', is a clever and witty anthology of some of the best pictures and captions from the fantastic [httphttps://icanhascheezburgerwww.com/ lolcats website] of the same nameamazon. The site has been growing in popularity in recent months, and so it was inevitable that a book would soon hit the shelvesco. Choosing which pics to include in the book could not have been an easy task, and some of the old favourites are there, alongside some less well known ones.|amazonukuk/gp/product/1785451995?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=<amazonuk>0340977574</amazonuk>}}1785451995]]
{{newreview
|author=Ian Crofton
|title=History Without the Boring Bits
|rating=5
|genre=History
|summary=I was never one for history, and in fact left the dregs of a history teacher in tatters when I scraped through with a D. Still, history is an odd thing – written by the winners of course, and annoyingly biased in my mind towards the plain. There's no real reason to remember the order of Henry VIII's six wives, but we can only relish the one credited with polydactylism, a third nipple and whatnot (the second one, in fact – whoever that was).
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847243746</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview|authorstyle=Jim Holt"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||title=Stop Me If You've Heard This|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary[[Conversations with Kammie by Annie Ingram]]==As far as I can remember, my first time in print was when I submitted some jokes to a charity's themed joke collection. Before then, some of my first actions as a child might have been laughing, and what is cuter in a baby than that? But why was that infant laughing – he didn't have a joke he could get, surely?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184668109X</amazonuk>}}
[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{newreview|author=P G Wodehouse |title=Joy in the Morning|rating=4.5}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Pets|genre=Pets]], [[:Category:Humour|summary=''Joy in the Morning'' is another novel from P.G. Wodehouse's wonderful series of books about Bertram Wooster and Jeeves. Bertie is a young gentleman of inherited means and no present occupation. He is a good humoured and well-meant chap, however clearly not the smartest tool in the shed. Bertie seems to have a talent of getting himself into trouble but that is where Jeeves, his loyal, educated and painfully clever butler comes to his rescue. Jeeves is irreplaceable when it comes to saving Bertie from whatever creative, complicated and incredibly funny situations Wodehouse puts his characters through.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099513765</amazonuk>}}Humour]]
{{newreview|author=P G Wodehouse|title=Thank It was something of a relief when I encountered Annie Ingram and her cocker spaniel Kammie. Yousee, Jeeves|rating=4|genre=General Fiction|summary=Bertie Wooster was once engaged Annie knows something which has been self-evident to Pauline Stoker. It didn't last very me for a long – about forty eight hours, most time: dogs are perfectly capable of which Bertie spent in bed communicating with humans and not just on a bad coldlevel of food!, if his memory serves him correctlywalk! or play!. It's still embarrassing when he meets Pauline You do require extensive training to become fluent, but most dogs will be perfectly willing to give their time to teach you and all you have to do is listen. Annie has studied hard: Kammie has trained her father, particularly as it was well and the father who was responsible for breaking off the engagement. Rather than eat at the Savoy Grill where he spotted the Stokers, he goes home pair have allowed us to his only consolationshare some of their conversations. Bertie plays the banjo. Unfortunately, he doesn't play it very well.[[Conversations with Kammie by Annie Ingram|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099513730</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]
{{newreview<!-- Harris -->|author=Tom Holt -|titlestyle=The Better Mousetrap"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|rating=4 [[image:Harris_Glass.jpg|genrelink=Humour|summary=I approached this book with a fair degree of trepidation, as I had never heard of the author, and wondered if, when reading the synopsis, I was about to embark on a Terry Pratchett type novel (and I have to say, much though I admire his achievements, I'm not a fan of Discworld!) However, my fears were unfounded, and from page one I found myself drawn into this clever and erudite novelhttp://www.amazon. Not having read the preceding novels in the series did put me at a slight disadvantage, but didn't detract from my enjoyment, and has certainly ensured that I'll read the others in the near futureco. |amazonukuk/dp/1908943823/ref=nosim?tag=<amazonuk>1841495034</amazonuk>}}thebookbag-21]]
{{newreview
|author=Philip Moore
|title=Utterly Ridiculous
|rating=3
|genre=Humour
|summary=If I learned nothing else from this book, I now know of a new profession: aircraft cleaner. For that is the trade of Dave, the hero of ''Utterly Ridiculous''. With little but a van and his torpid terrier Biggles, Dave roves the airstrips of southern England, titivating light aircraft.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1906221685</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview|authorstyle=John Mole "vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||title=I Was a Potato Oligarch: Travels and Travails in the New Russia|rating=1 |genre=Travel|summary[[The Breaking of Liam Glass by Charles Harris]]==I remember getting this book in post, reading the title and thinking no, even though I am Russian, I will try to be unbiased and judge it like I would judge any other book about a foreign country experience. I now have to regretfully admit I failed. In my defence, John Mole's focus on mocking the nation and country made that all too easy.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1857885090</amazonuk>}}
{{newreview|author=Clive Gifford[[image:3star.jpg|titlelink=Teenage KicksCategory: 101 Things to Do Before You're 16|{{{rating=3.5}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|genre=Crime]], [[:Category:Humour|summary=Kids. They're bored all the time, aren't they? Nothing you buy seems to have any longevity. I think they live in alternative dimension in which time passes much more slowly that it does for harassed parents. It's the only explanation. I think Clive Gifford must sympathise, because his latest book, Teenage Kicks, has a whopping 101 ideas to alleviate boredom and a clever challenge too - your bored child has to complete them all before they reach 16. At a measly £5.99, this book could represent the most wonderful value for money any parent could ever wish for.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340950617</amazonuk>}}Humour]]
{{newreview|author=Jon Canter |title=A Short Gentleman|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary=The narrator of this spoof biography Teenager Liam Glass is a civil law barrister. Robert Purcell has been educated at Winchester mugged and Oxfordstabbed yards from his Camden flat. He has modelled himself on his polite and restrained fatherAs the boy lies comatose, a High Court judge anddesperate journalist Jason Worthington scrabbles for the inside scoop, as tired police officer Andy Rockham searches for a childmissing tape, Robert maps out the components his own expected adult life – wifeharried politician Jamila Hasan fights for re-election, two childrendistraught mother Katrina Glass waits by her son, career – and gym-owner Royland simply finds himself in the respect which he will gain from wrong place at the wrong time. We follow this, together with his undoubted intellectual superiority. At the age host of eight, he writes ensemble characters in a future Who's Who entry for himselfbleak, with all the academic and professional accolades he expects to garnerkaleidoscopic satire of modern media.[[The Breaking of Liam Glass by Charles Harris|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0224077740</amazonuk>}}Full Review]]
{{newreview<!-- LENTE -->|author=George Saunders -|titlestyle=The Brain"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-dead Megaphonealign: center;"|[[image:Lente_10.jpg|ratinglink=4http://www.5|genreamazon.co.uk/dp/1683690222/ref=Humour|summarynosim?tag=American author George Saunders is known for his short stories and fiction, but he is also a journalist for publications such as ''The Guardian'', ''The New Yorker Magazine'' and ''GQ''. ''The Brainthebookbag-Dead Megaphone'' is his first collection of essays and it's an interesting proposition: sixteen pieces ranging from travel writing, literary appreciation, political essays, to surrealist short fiction.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0747594260</amazonuk>}}21]]
| style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Ten Dead Comedians: A Murder Mystery by Fred Van Lente]]=== [[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{newreview {rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Nine comedians are invited to a remote Caribbean island under the guise of working with Dustin Walker, a comedic legend. Each fits neatly into one of the archetypal comic stereotypes: Steve, the washed-up has-been who has fallen far from his early days; Zoe, the rising female star with a new stand-up special coming soon; Dante, who went from being a kid on the streets to the hardest working road comic in the business; Oliver, the child-like prop comic who can't get any respect from his peers; Janet, the insult comic who is past her prime; TJ, the nightly variety show host with a reputation for harassing his female colleagues and guest acts; Ruby, the ultra-feminist YouTuber and Blogger with a chip on her shoulder; and William, whose redneck character ''Billy the Contractor'' is a far cry from his real personality as a posh millionaire. Of course, all nine agree because ''when God almighty walks down on a beam of light and asks for your help, what the hell else are you going to say?'' [[Ten Dead Comedians: A Murder Mystery by Fred Van Lente|Full Review]] <!-- Scott -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Scott_Eliz.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1788037006/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]] | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Elizabeth, William... and Me by S Lynn Scott]]=== [[image:4.5star.jpg|titlelink=Tim Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Ally is an ordinary woman with teenage children, a husband and a job. Then comes the day when ordinariness flies out of the window. It's not a coincidence that it's the same day she finds Queen Elizabeth I in the pantry and the Tiny HorseBard of Avon in her bath. What's she going to do? Well, Elizabeth and Will have their own ideas about that! [[Elizabeth, William... and Me by S Lynn Scott|Full Review]] <!-- Rodford -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Rodford_Surgeon.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/178565005X/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]] |authorstyle="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[The Surgeon's Case: George Kocharyan Mystery 2 by E G Rodford]]===Harry Hill [[image:4star.jpg|genrelink=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|Crime]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] In the second instalment of this series, Private Investigator George Kocharyan has been hired by a well-known local man to track down some missing valuables. Bill Galbraith, a world-famous surgeon at Cambridge's Addenbrooke's Hospital who hosts a popular medical television programme, has had his briefcase stolen by his live-in domestic servant, Aurora. According to Galbraith, this briefcase contains confidential notes concerning an important patient of his at the hospital. George agrees to look into the theft, assuming it will be a relatively easy and straightforward case – little does he know, he's about to enter a world of deceit and dysfunction. [[The Surgeon's Case: George Kocharyan Mystery 2 by E G Rodford|Full Review]] <!-- Jordan -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Jordan_Tiny.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1760293814/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]] | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Our Tiny, Useless Hearts by Toni Jordan]]=== [[image:5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Women's Fiction|Women's Fiction]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] As predicted by Caroline and Janice's mother on Caroline and Henry's wedding day, their marriage is over, albeit 15 years and two daughters further along than predicted. Indeed, this is definitely not a good weekend for Janice to be babysitting at Caroline's house. There's the split and the awkwardness of the girls' schoolteacher being the other woman for a start. Then there's that mistaken identity moment involving the neighbours. At least Janice is well adjusted and over her ex-husband Alec. She still dreams of him, yes, but it's so over! Just as well really… guess who's at the door? [[Our Tiny, Useless Hearts by Toni Jordan|Full Review]] <!-- Taylor -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Taylor_Scilly.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/178475515X/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]] | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[The Life of a Scilly Sergeant by Colin Taylor]]=== [[image:4.5star.jpg|summarylink=After doing even tiny bit Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Travel|Travel]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Meet the Isles of research Scilly. (I realised know they should be called that I must be – the author provides a handy guide to the only person etiquette of their name, their nature and location, etc.) For our more distant readers, they're several chunks of granite rock out in the Atlantic, where Cornwall is pointing, with just 2,200 permanent residents. They're big on tourism, and big on growing flowers in the tropical climate the Gulf Stream bequeaths them – although the weather is bad enough to turn any car to a rust bucket within years. They're so wee, and so idyllic-seeming, especially at night, you can be mistaken for thinking there would be no need for a police presence. But there is – at least two working at any one time. And one of them in recent years has been Colin Taylor, who ever read Tim has done his official duty – alongside maintaining a well-known online existence, which has brought to life all the whimsical comedy of his work. [[The Life of a Scilly Sergeant by Colin Taylor|Full Review]] <!-- Lloyd -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Lloyd_Twas.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1472125118/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]] | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[['Twas the Fight Before Christmas: A Parody by Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees]]=== [[image:3.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] It's Christmas Eve and Mum has arranged everything. All she now has to do is await the Tiny Horse having never heard arrival of the authorrelatives and the food shopping delivery. Thus, I Little does Mum know that those two elements alone have the potential to take another reviewerruin everything. [['Twas the Fight Before Christmas: A Parody by Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees|Full Review]] <!-- Phinn -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Phinn_Virgin.jpg|left|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1444779400/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]] | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[The Virgin Mary's word Got Nits by Gervase Phinn]]=== [[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]], [[:Category:Anthologies|Anthologies]] Christmas in our house is the time we tend to get on a plane and head to either sun or snow, anywhere that is far, far away from the madness at home, last minute dashes to the shops on Christmas Eve, and food cupboard stockpiles that would imply supermarkets are shutting for a month, nor a mere 36 hours. But I do remember the feeling of Christmas when I was younger, back when it was magical, and back when you knew exactly what the season would bring with carol concerts and school nativities and Christmas parties. This book is an anthology of those moments, and ittook me right back to the wonder of Christmas as a child. [[The Virgin Mary's Got Nits by Gervase Phinn|Full Review]] <!-- North -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:North_Romeo.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0356508536/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]] | style="typical Harry Hillvertical-align: top; text-align: left;" |===[[Romeo and /or Juliet by Ryan North]]=== [[image:3.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] For all those who think tragedy plots are too restricted and prescribed, read on. In these pages you too will make see that Romeo had lots of options en route to hitting the bottle. Likewise, she could have turned away from her predestined path at no end of junctures. And to what result? Well, happy marriage and a kid called Ben, because the leads have just banged people's heads together and stopped the quarrelling, or Death by Tybalt (him) or a long life running an attempt at reviewing Tim establishment curing murderous women, such as a stand-aloneLady M (her). [[Romeo and/or Juliet by Ryan North|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0571229565</amazonuk!-- DO NOT REMOVE ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE -->}|}
