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 Customer Reviews
This is radio comedy at its best ; a British institution, 14 Sep 2006
I'm probably preaching to the converted, but ISIHAC is intelligent, naughty, fantastic, foolish, sarcastic, and more.
iPod users beware - you simply cannot stop yourself laughing to this.
The radio in my car died and so I dug these out of my cupboard. Haven't enjoyed the commute so much for ages.
Don't miss out.
ISIHAC, 02 Nov 2004
I bought this CD to play in the car. I laughed so much that I missed my turn off.
Never sorry about this., 02 Dec 2003
I loved this. I was stuck in a traffic jam, and have rarely enjoyed an hour-long journey to work so much.
Too young (just!) to have listened to the programme from the start, it was good to hear how it evolved. From the very first episode you can spot all the familiar games, and you cannot imagine anyone other than Humph being allowed to chair it. Oh, and the points system used to work too, although nobody cared!
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Desert Island is also a gem: there I was, listening to the great and good and Neil Kinnock describing their favourite rounds, nodding my head in agreement.
The show has survived the loss of the incredibly funny Willie Rushton. Stephen Fry, Sandy Toksvig and Paul Merton have fitted in well but, for me, Jeremy Hardy will always take a lot of beating, particularly in the music rounds. I do worry for the future though - could they ever manage without Humph? Certainly Samantha would find it tough, sitting on someone else's right hand.
Put this in a box and throw sugar at it if you like. Or better still, buy it and play it again and again until it wears out.
The only trouble with Clue is that now and again you find yourself unable to hum the original words to the original tune. Love me Tender can really only be sung properly to the tune of the Archers...
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Fifty Years of "Carry On"
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Customer Reviews
This is radio comedy at its best ; a British institution, 14 Sep 2006
I'm probably preaching to the converted, but ISIHAC is intelligent, naughty, fantastic, foolish, sarcastic, and more.
iPod users beware - you simply cannot stop yourself laughing to this.
The radio in my car died and so I dug these out of my cupboard. Haven't enjoyed the commute so much for ages.
Don't miss out.
ISIHAC, 02 Nov 2004
I bought this CD to play in the car. I laughed so much that I missed my turn off.
Never sorry about this., 02 Dec 2003
I loved this. I was stuck in a traffic jam, and have rarely enjoyed an hour-long journey to work so much.
Too young (just!) to have listened to the programme from the start, it was good to hear how it evolved. From the very first episode you can spot all the familiar games, and you cannot imagine anyone other than Humph being allowed to chair it. Oh, and the points system used to work too, although nobody cared!
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Desert Island is also a gem: there I was, listening to the great and good and Neil Kinnock describing their favourite rounds, nodding my head in agreement.
The show has survived the loss of the incredibly funny Willie Rushton. Stephen Fry, Sandy Toksvig and Paul Merton have fitted in well but, for me, Jeremy Hardy will always take a lot of beating, particularly in the music rounds. I do worry for the future though - could they ever manage without Humph? Certainly Samantha would find it tough, sitting on someone else's right hand.
Put this in a box and throw sugar at it if you like. Or better still, buy it and play it again and again until it wears out.
The only trouble with Clue is that now and again you find yourself unable to hum the original words to the original tune. Love me Tender can really only be sung properly to the tune of the Archers...
A worthwhile addition to the Carry On library, 09 Sep 2008
I'm not a huge Carry On fan, so therefore I've been waiting for a book by a 'safe pair of hands' such as Richard Webber (author of very sensible and interesting studies of Dad's Army and Hancock) to cover this comic phenomenon with a fair degree of critical insight as well as the usual enthusiasm, and I'm not disappointed. Although, personally, I feel the quality of the Carry Ons dipped a bit earlier than Webber suggests, and I find the acting in the later films quite often pretty dire, this book offers a convincing and engaging celebration of what made these films (at their best) so enduringly popular. In-depth material on the actors thesmselves will demand another book, but what is here focusses on the films themselves, and, if you want just one Carry On volume on your shelf, this could well be the one to choose.
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Customer Reviews
This is radio comedy at its best ; a British institution, 14 Sep 2006
I'm probably preaching to the converted, but ISIHAC is intelligent, naughty, fantastic, foolish, sarcastic, and more.
iPod users beware - you simply cannot stop yourself laughing to this.
The radio in my car died and so I dug these out of my cupboard. Haven't enjoyed the commute so much for ages.
Don't miss out.
ISIHAC, 02 Nov 2004
I bought this CD to play in the car. I laughed so much that I missed my turn off.
Never sorry about this., 02 Dec 2003
I loved this. I was stuck in a traffic jam, and have rarely enjoyed an hour-long journey to work so much.
Too young (just!) to have listened to the programme from the start, it was good to hear how it evolved. From the very first episode you can spot all the familiar games, and you cannot imagine anyone other than Humph being allowed to chair it. Oh, and the points system used to work too, although nobody cared!
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Desert Island is also a gem: there I was, listening to the great and good and Neil Kinnock describing their favourite rounds, nodding my head in agreement.
The show has survived the loss of the incredibly funny Willie Rushton. Stephen Fry, Sandy Toksvig and Paul Merton have fitted in well but, for me, Jeremy Hardy will always take a lot of beating, particularly in the music rounds. I do worry for the future though - could they ever manage without Humph? Certainly Samantha would find it tough, sitting on someone else's right hand.
Put this in a box and throw sugar at it if you like. Or better still, buy it and play it again and again until it wears out.
The only trouble with Clue is that now and again you find yourself unable to hum the original words to the original tune. Love me Tender can really only be sung properly to the tune of the Archers...
A worthwhile addition to the Carry On library, 09 Sep 2008
I'm not a huge Carry On fan, so therefore I've been waiting for a book by a 'safe pair of hands' such as Richard Webber (author of very sensible and interesting studies of Dad's Army and Hancock) to cover this comic phenomenon with a fair degree of critical insight as well as the usual enthusiasm, and I'm not disappointed. Although, personally, I feel the quality of the Carry Ons dipped a bit earlier than Webber suggests, and I find the acting in the later films quite often pretty dire, this book offers a convincing and engaging celebration of what made these films (at their best) so enduringly popular. In-depth material on the actors thesmselves will demand another book, but what is here focusses on the films themselves, and, if you want just one Carry On volume on your shelf, this could well be the one to choose.
And finally- the beginning, 30 Sep 2008
At last the Beeb has reissued series 1 +2 in their entirety to replace the 50% selection they previously served up in "collection one". Consisting of 2 plastic boxes of 3 CDs each in a superfluous cardboard cover, we finally get to revisit the full narrative of this inventive series.
In series one, the Devil, assisted by the demon, Gary, starts to question his reason for being when an amiable Physics professor (who sees only the best in people) is condemned to the infernal regions solely on the basis of his atheism. The person who killed the Professor and died in the same car crash, Thomas Crimp, is a more typically nasty minded human. A water board chairman who really did sell his own grandmother, Satan has no issue with inflicting unpleasant tortures upon him! As a result Thomas goads Gary the demon to insurrection and inadvertently invokes the wrath of the almighty (Nigel) and it's a cold day in hell....
In series two, Satan is interviewing for the post of replacement assistant. Candidates include Chuckles the dolphin, the Emperor Nero and the ever eager to please, Scumspawn the demon. The professor, ever optimistic, tries to redeem Thomas.
Totally delicious, please can we have the full version of series 3+4 quick?
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Customer Reviews
This is radio comedy at its best ; a British institution, 14 Sep 2006
I'm probably preaching to the converted, but ISIHAC is intelligent, naughty, fantastic, foolish, sarcastic, and more.
iPod users beware - you simply cannot stop yourself laughing to this.
The radio in my car died and so I dug these out of my cupboard. Haven't enjoyed the commute so much for ages.
Don't miss out.
ISIHAC, 02 Nov 2004
I bought this CD to play in the car. I laughed so much that I missed my turn off.
Never sorry about this., 02 Dec 2003
I loved this. I was stuck in a traffic jam, and have rarely enjoyed an hour-long journey to work so much.
Too young (just!) to have listened to the programme from the start, it was good to hear how it evolved. From the very first episode you can spot all the familiar games, and you cannot imagine anyone other than Humph being allowed to chair it. Oh, and the points system used to work too, although nobody cared!
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Desert Island is also a gem: there I was, listening to the great and good and Neil Kinnock describing their favourite rounds, nodding my head in agreement.
The show has survived the loss of the incredibly funny Willie Rushton. Stephen Fry, Sandy Toksvig and Paul Merton have fitted in well but, for me, Jeremy Hardy will always take a lot of beating, particularly in the music rounds. I do worry for the future though - could they ever manage without Humph? Certainly Samantha would find it tough, sitting on someone else's right hand.
Put this in a box and throw sugar at it if you like. Or better still, buy it and play it again and again until it wears out.
The only trouble with Clue is that now and again you find yourself unable to hum the original words to the original tune. Love me Tender can really only be sung properly to the tune of the Archers...
A worthwhile addition to the Carry On library, 09 Sep 2008
I'm not a huge Carry On fan, so therefore I've been waiting for a book by a 'safe pair of hands' such as Richard Webber (author of very sensible and interesting studies of Dad's Army and Hancock) to cover this comic phenomenon with a fair degree of critical insight as well as the usual enthusiasm, and I'm not disappointed. Although, personally, I feel the quality of the Carry Ons dipped a bit earlier than Webber suggests, and I find the acting in the later films quite often pretty dire, this book offers a convincing and engaging celebration of what made these films (at their best) so enduringly popular. In-depth material on the actors thesmselves will demand another book, but what is here focusses on the films themselves, and, if you want just one Carry On volume on your shelf, this could well be the one to choose.
And finally- the beginning, 30 Sep 2008
At last the Beeb has reissued series 1 +2 in their entirety to replace the 50% selection they previously served up in "collection one". Consisting of 2 plastic boxes of 3 CDs each in a superfluous cardboard cover, we finally get to revisit the full narrative of this inventive series.
In series one, the Devil, assisted by the demon, Gary, starts to question his reason for being when an amiable Physics professor (who sees only the best in people) is condemned to the infernal regions solely on the basis of his atheism. The person who killed the Professor and died in the same car crash, Thomas Crimp, is a more typically nasty minded human. A water board chairman who really did sell his own grandmother, Satan has no issue with inflicting unpleasant tortures upon him! As a result Thomas goads Gary the demon to insurrection and inadvertently invokes the wrath of the almighty (Nigel) and it's a cold day in hell....
In series two, Satan is interviewing for the post of replacement assistant. Candidates include Chuckles the dolphin, the Emperor Nero and the ever eager to please, Scumspawn the demon. The professor, ever optimistic, tries to redeem Thomas.
Totally delicious, please can we have the full version of series 3+4 quick?
I'm sorry I can't recommend it enough, 26 Aug 2008
Believe me you will not regret buying this.
The show starts off fairly slow in the first series but it really comes into its own in the more recent series.
The show works very well with incredibly funny contestants such as Graeme Gardener, Tim Brooke Taylor and Barry Cryer. You cannot forget to mention the superb Humphrey Lyttelton and his dead pan delivery. The show is now and the refreshed by some new faces appearing for a few shows, these include people such as Stephen Fry and Paul Merton.
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Customer Reviews
This is radio comedy at its best ; a British institution, 14 Sep 2006
I'm probably preaching to the converted, but ISIHAC is intelligent, naughty, fantastic, foolish, sarcastic, and more.
iPod users beware - you simply cannot stop yourself laughing to this.
The radio in my car died and so I dug these out of my cupboard. Haven't enjoyed the commute so much for ages.
Don't miss out.
ISIHAC, 02 Nov 2004
I bought this CD to play in the car. I laughed so much that I missed my turn off.
Never sorry about this., 02 Dec 2003
I loved this. I was stuck in a traffic jam, and have rarely enjoyed an hour-long journey to work so much.
Too young (just!) to have listened to the programme from the start, it was good to hear how it evolved. From the very first episode you can spot all the familiar games, and you cannot imagine anyone other than Humph being allowed to chair it. Oh, and the points system used to work too, although nobody cared!
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Desert Island is also a gem: there I was, listening to the great and good and Neil Kinnock describing their favourite rounds, nodding my head in agreement.
The show has survived the loss of the incredibly funny Willie Rushton. Stephen Fry, Sandy Toksvig and Paul Merton have fitted in well but, for me, Jeremy Hardy will always take a lot of beating, particularly in the music rounds. I do worry for the future though - could they ever manage without Humph? Certainly Samantha would find it tough, sitting on someone else's right hand.
Put this in a box and throw sugar at it if you like. Or better still, buy it and play it again and again until it wears out.
The only trouble with Clue is that now and again you find yourself unable to hum the original words to the original tune. Love me Tender can really only be sung properly to the tune of the Archers...
A worthwhile addition to the Carry On library, 09 Sep 2008
I'm not a huge Carry On fan, so therefore I've been waiting for a book by a 'safe pair of hands' such as Richard Webber (author of very sensible and interesting studies of Dad's Army and Hancock) to cover this comic phenomenon with a fair degree of critical insight as well as the usual enthusiasm, and I'm not disappointed. Although, personally, I feel the quality of the Carry Ons dipped a bit earlier than Webber suggests, and I find the acting in the later films quite often pretty dire, this book offers a convincing and engaging celebration of what made these films (at their best) so enduringly popular. In-depth material on the actors thesmselves will demand another book, but what is here focusses on the films themselves, and, if you want just one Carry On volume on your shelf, this could well be the one to choose.
And finally- the beginning, 30 Sep 2008
At last the Beeb has reissued series 1 +2 in their entirety to replace the 50% selection they previously served up in "collection one". Consisting of 2 plastic boxes of 3 CDs each in a superfluous cardboard cover, we finally get to revisit the full narrative of this inventive series.
In series one, the Devil, assisted by the demon, Gary, starts to question his reason for being when an amiable Physics professor (who sees only the best in people) is condemned to the infernal regions solely on the basis of his atheism. The person who killed the Professor and died in the same car crash, Thomas Crimp, is a more typically nasty minded human. A water board chairman who really did sell his own grandmother, Satan has no issue with inflicting unpleasant tortures upon him! As a result Thomas goads Gary the demon to insurrection and inadvertently invokes the wrath of the almighty (Nigel) and it's a cold day in hell....
In series two, Satan is interviewing for the post of replacement assistant. Candidates include Chuckles the dolphin, the Emperor Nero and the ever eager to please, Scumspawn the demon. The professor, ever optimistic, tries to redeem Thomas.
Totally delicious, please can we have the full version of series 3+4 quick?
I'm sorry I can't recommend it enough, 26 Aug 2008
Believe me you will not regret buying this.
The show starts off fairly slow in the first series but it really comes into its own in the more recent series.
The show works very well with incredibly funny contestants such as Graeme Gardener, Tim Brooke Taylor and Barry Cryer. You cannot forget to mention the superb Humphrey Lyttelton and his dead pan delivery. The show is now and the refreshed by some new faces appearing for a few shows, these include people such as Stephen Fry and Paul Merton.
A good book to cheer you up!, 08 Apr 2007
I am unable to read more than two pages at once for fear of crying with laughter.
The best part is to read it out to friends, wait for the five minute delay until they get it and then the sounds of laughter.
Worth the money and an excellent tonic to cheer you up on those long journeys to work.
Essential reading for pundits, 14 Jun 2005
I ordered this book for my son (aged 11½) - we really enjoy ISIHAC on BBC radio 4 and BBC 7. At first, he was confused. It looked like his school dictionary, but he couldn't understand the entries. We've discuss the definitions and his grasp of the English Language and his appreciation of the English sense of humour has led him to produce some excellent ideas for new contributions - it should be compulsory reading for all Key Stage 2 pupils.
I look forward to the 18th-ish edition.
The book enthusiasts have been waiting for, 03 Jun 2005
You no longer have to scribble new definitions on a scrap of paper while listening to I'm Sorry I haven't A Clue because now they appear in this dictionary.I can't read it without crying with laughter. Every enthusiast of 'Clue should keep it at hand.
A truly wonderful book!
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 |
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Customer Reviews
This is radio comedy at its best ; a British institution, 14 Sep 2006
I'm probably preaching to the converted, but ISIHAC is intelligent, naughty, fantastic, foolish, sarcastic, and more.
iPod users beware - you simply cannot stop yourself laughing to this.
The radio in my car died and so I dug these out of my cupboard. Haven't enjoyed the commute so much for ages.
Don't miss out.
ISIHAC, 02 Nov 2004
I bought this CD to play in the car. I laughed so much that I missed my turn off.
Never sorry about this., 02 Dec 2003
I loved this. I was stuck in a traffic jam, and have rarely enjoyed an hour-long journey to work so much.
Too young (just!) to have listened to the programme from the start, it was good to hear how it evolved. From the very first episode you can spot all the familiar games, and you cannot imagine anyone other than Humph being allowed to chair it. Oh, and the points system used to work too, although nobody cared!
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Desert Island is also a gem: there I was, listening to the great and good and Neil Kinnock describing their favourite rounds, nodding my head in agreement.
The show has survived the loss of the incredibly funny Willie Rushton. Stephen Fry, Sandy Toksvig and Paul Merton have fitted in well but, for me, Jeremy Hardy will always take a lot of beating, particularly in the music rounds. I do worry for the future though - could they ever manage without Humph? Certainly Samantha would find it tough, sitting on someone else's right hand.
Put this in a box and throw sugar at it if you like. Or better still, buy it and play it again and again until it wears out.
The only trouble with Clue is that now and again you find yourself unable to hum the original words to the original tune. Love me Tender can really only be sung properly to the tune of the Archers...
A worthwhile addition to the Carry On library, 09 Sep 2008
I'm not a huge Carry On fan, so therefore I've been waiting for a book by a 'safe pair of hands' such as Richard Webber (author of very sensible and interesting studies of Dad's Army and Hancock) to cover this comic phenomenon with a fair degree of critical insight as well as the usual enthusiasm, and I'm not disappointed. Although, personally, I feel the quality of the Carry Ons dipped a bit earlier than Webber suggests, and I find the acting in the later films quite often pretty dire, this book offers a convincing and engaging celebration of what made these films (at their best) so enduringly popular. In-depth material on the actors thesmselves will demand another book, but what is here focusses on the films themselves, and, if you want just one Carry On volume on your shelf, this could well be the one to choose.
And finally- the beginning, 30 Sep 2008
At last the Beeb has reissued series 1 +2 in their entirety to replace the 50% selection they previously served up in "collection one". Consisting of 2 plastic boxes of 3 CDs each in a superfluous cardboard cover, we finally get to revisit the full narrative of this inventive series.
In series one, the Devil, assisted by the demon, Gary, starts to question his reason for being when an amiable Physics professor (who sees only the best in people) is condemned to the infernal regions solely on the basis of his atheism. The person who killed the Professor and died in the same car crash, Thomas Crimp, is a more typically nasty minded human. A water board chairman who really did sell his own grandmother, Satan has no issue with inflicting unpleasant tortures upon him! As a result Thomas goads Gary the demon to insurrection and inadvertently invokes the wrath of the almighty (Nigel) and it's a cold day in hell....
In series two, Satan is interviewing for the post of replacement assistant. Candidates include Chuckles the dolphin, the Emperor Nero and the ever eager to please, Scumspawn the demon. The professor, ever optimistic, tries to redeem Thomas.
Totally delicious, please can we have the full version of series 3+4 quick?
I'm sorry I can't recommend it enough, 26 Aug 2008
Believe me you will not regret buying this.
The show starts off fairly slow in the first series but it really comes into its own in the more recent series.
The show works very well with incredibly funny contestants such as Graeme Gardener, Tim Brooke Taylor and Barry Cryer. You cannot forget to mention the superb Humphrey Lyttelton and his dead pan delivery. The show is now and the refreshed by some new faces appearing for a few shows, these include people such as Stephen Fry and Paul Merton.
A good book to cheer you up!, 08 Apr 2007
I am unable to read more than two pages at once for fear of crying with laughter.
The best part is to read it out to friends, wait for the five minute delay until they get it and then the sounds of laughter.
Worth the money and an excellent tonic to cheer you up on those long journeys to work.
Essential reading for pundits, 14 Jun 2005
I ordered this book for my son (aged 11½) - we really enjoy ISIHAC on BBC radio 4 and BBC 7. At first, he was confused. It looked like his school dictionary, but he couldn't understand the entries. We've discuss the definitions and his grasp of the English Language and his appreciation of the English sense of humour has led him to produce some excellent ideas for new contributions - it should be compulsory reading for all Key Stage 2 pupils.
I look forward to the 18th-ish edition.
The book enthusiasts have been waiting for, 03 Jun 2005
You no longer have to scribble new definitions on a scrap of paper while listening to I'm Sorry I haven't A Clue because now they appear in this dictionary.I can't read it without crying with laughter. Every enthusiast of 'Clue should keep it at hand.
A truly wonderful book!
The bible of Englishness, 26 Jun 2007
This is the most enjoyable Betjeman book I've ever read - a book that's so good, it ought to be part of the English Literature curriculum. More than that: it ought to be read by everyone applying for British citizenship! In the course of 360 pages, Betjeman plunges you into what he regarded as the major issues of English identity - issues of aesthetics, civic duty, relations with authority, and individuality.
I suppose that all these ideas are contained in Betjeman's poetry, but there one tends to get distracted into noticing rhythm and metre and scansion. And Betjeman's poetic ideas are smaller. Here, although the writing is often lyrical, he addresses topics in a much more direct way. He cares that unvalued townscapes are being destroyed, that there might be collusion between commercial interests and public officials, that the recent past and the middle brow are ignored by modern taste-makers. Especially in his earlier essays, he writes about these issues with passion and yet with a lightness of touch that engages the reader completely. Read this, and you cannot fail to agree that Betjeman stands as one of the foremost spokesmen of the twentieth century.
"Trains and Buttered Toast" (with its beautful cover design by Duff Tollemache) also shows that Betjeman was fascinated by individuals and individuality. He is correspondingly cruel about English stereotypes - the lumpen proletariat who, in the late 1940s, listened to popular music on car radios or went on holiday in luxury coaches. His point, however, is to criticise people's failure to open their eyes, ask original questions and discover fresh beauties - something he sees as the public's sheep instinct. The antidote, he suggests, is to look for inspiration at people who didn't go where everyone else went and who weren't damaged by commercial pressures and mass production. He finds his role models in Victoriana, an age that he regards as rich in the culture of individuality. Many of his talks explore this in its most extreme manifestation - in eccentricity and in provincialism. In fact, among the most entertaining talks in the entire book are those that look at individuals who dedicated themselves to the church. Never before Betjeman was there a literary category devoted to "West of England Victorian hymn-writing vicars". Now there is!
Spread a little happiness. Buy this book - and buy it for your friends. They'll love you for it: it's a total joy.
A new landmark in Betjeman studies, 24 Aug 2006
This is the most enjoyable Betjeman book I've ever read - a book that's so good, it ought to be part of the English Literature curriculum. More than that: it ought to be read by everyone applying for British citizenship! In the course of 360 pages, Betjeman plunges you into what he regarded as the major issues of English identity - issues of aesthetics, civic duty, relations with authority, and individuality.
I suppose that all these ideas are contained in Betjeman's poetry, but there one tends to get distracted into noticing rhythm and metre and scansion. And Betjeman's poetic ideas are smaller. Here, although the writing is often lyrical, he addresses topics in a much more direct way. He cares that unvalued townscapes are being destroyed, that there might be collusion between commercial interests and public officials, that the recent past and the middle brow are ignored by modern taste-makers. Especially in his earlier essays, he writes about these issues with passion and yet with a lightness of touch that engages the reader completely. Read this, and you cannot fail to agree that Betjeman stands as one of the foremost spokesmen of the twentieth century.
"Trains and Buttered Toast" (with its beautful cover design by Duff Tollemache) also shows that Betjeman was fascinated by individuals and individuality. He is correspondingly cruel about English stereotypes - the lumpen proletariat who, in the late 1940s, listened to popular music on car radios or went on holiday in luxury coaches. His point, however, is to criticise people's failure to open their eyes, ask original questions and discover fresh beauties - something he sees as the public's sheep instinct. The antidote, he suggests, is to look for inspiration at people who didn't go where everyone else went and who weren't damaged by commercial pressures and mass production. He finds his role models in Victoriana, an age that he regards as rich in the culture of individuality. Many of his talks explore this in its most extreme manifestation - in eccentricity and in provincialism. In fact, among the most entertaining talks in the entire book are those that look at individuals who dedicated themselves to the church. Never before Betjeman was there a literary category devoted to "West of England Victorian hymn-writing vicars". Now there is!
Spread a little happiness. Buy this book - and buy it for your friends. They'll love you for it: it's a total joy.
Discovering Englishness, 20 Jul 2006
This is a most enjoyable read for anyone interested in John Betjman or indeed anyone longing to go back to the times when trains had windows that would open! Stephen Games has skilfully edited talks given out on the BBC during a period of 40+ years. The range of topics, clearly indicating the diversity of the broadcaster, poet and architectual buff (self-taught) range from the wit of Tennyson to the lament of modernism encroaching on metropolitan and rural life, with many interesting talks covered in between. Anyone interest in "how we lived then" should buy this book now.
Betjeman Revisited, 21 Jun 2006
This is a really warm and fond look at British life, taken from Betjeman's radio broadcasts. My favourite was the Eccentrics section, which made me laugh out loud. It reminded me of Bill Bryson's travel guides: Warm, funny and you always learn something new!
Essence of Betjeman, 26 May 2006
This is a terrific selection of Betjeman's radio broadcasts. And it seems to be get to heart of the man's passions, prejudices and, of course, humour. The talk on Tennyson made me laugh out loud. But it's Betj's love of English architecture and way of life that come through so strongly in this collection. Reading the pieces you can almost hear that familiar voice one minute quietly serious and passionate, the next gently poking fun. What a remarkable man he was.
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Customer Reviews
This is radio comedy at its best ; a British institution, 14 Sep 2006
I'm probably preaching to the converted, but ISIHAC is intelligent, naughty, fantastic, foolish, sarcastic, and more.
iPod users beware - you simply cannot stop yourself laughing to this.
The radio in my car died and so I dug these out of my cupboard. Haven't enjoyed the commute so much for ages.
Don't miss out.
ISIHAC, 02 Nov 2004
I bought this CD to play in the car. I laughed so much that I missed my turn off.
Never sorry about this., 02 Dec 2003
I loved this. I was stuck in a traffic jam, and have rarely enjoyed an hour-long journey to work so much.
Too young (just!) to have listened to the programme from the start, it was good to hear how it evolved. From the very first episode you can spot all the familiar games, and you cannot imagine anyone other than Humph being allowed to chair it. Oh, and the points system used to work too, although nobody cared!
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Desert Island is also a gem: there I was, listening to the great and good and Neil Kinnock describing their favourite rounds, nodding my head in agreement.
The show has survived the loss of the incredibly funny Willie Rushton. Stephen Fry, Sandy Toksvig and Paul Merton have fitted in well but, for me, Jeremy Hardy will always take a lot of beating, particularly in the music rounds. I do worry for the future though - could they ever manage without Humph? Certainly Samantha would find it tough, sitting on someone else's right hand.
Put this in a box and throw sugar at it if you like. Or better still, buy it and play it again and again until it wears out.
The only trouble with Clue is that now and again you find yourself unable to hum the original words to the original tune. Love me Tender can really only be sung properly to the tune of the Archers...
A worthwhile addition to the Carry On library, 09 Sep 2008
I'm not a huge Carry On fan, so therefore I've been waiting for a book by a 'safe pair of hands' such as Richard Webber (author of very sensible and interesting studies of Dad's Army and Hancock) to cover this comic phenomenon with a fair degree of critical insight as well as the usual enthusiasm, and I'm not disappointed. Although, personally, I feel the quality of the Carry Ons dipped a bit earlier than Webber suggests, and I find the acting in the later films quite often pretty dire, this book offers a convincing and engaging celebration of what made these films (at their best) so enduringly popular. In-depth material on the actors thesmselves will demand another book, but what is here focusses on the films themselves, and, if you want just one Carry On volume on your shelf, this could well be the one to choose.
And finally- the beginning, 30 Sep 2008
At last the Beeb has reissued series 1 +2 in their entirety to replace the 50% selection they previously served up in "collection one". Consisting of 2 plastic boxes of 3 CDs each in a superfluous cardboard cover, we finally get to revisit the full narrative of this inventive series.
In series one, the Devil, assisted by the demon, Gary, starts to question his reason for being when an amiable Physics professor (who sees only the best in people) is condemned to the infernal regions solely on the basis of his atheism. The person who killed the Professor and died in the same car crash, Thomas Crimp, is a more typically nasty minded human. A water board chairman who really did sell his own grandmother, Satan has no issue with inflicting unpleasant tortures upon him! As a result Thomas goads Gary the demon to insurrection and inadvertently invokes the wrath of the almighty (Nigel) and it's a cold day in hell....
In series two, Satan is interviewing for the post of replacement assistant. Candidates include Chuckles the dolphin, the Emperor Nero and the ever eager to please, Scumspawn the demon. The professor, ever optimistic, tries to redeem Thomas.
Totally delicious, please can we have the full version of series 3+4 quick?
I'm sorry I can't recommend it enough, 26 Aug 2008
Believe me you will not regret buying this.
The show starts off fairly slow in the first series but it really comes into its own in the more recent series.
The show works very well with incredibly funny contestants such as Graeme Gardener, Tim Brooke Taylor and Barry Cryer. You cannot forget to mention the superb Humphrey Lyttelton and his dead pan delivery. The show is now and the refreshed by some new faces appearing for a few shows, these include people such as Stephen Fry and Paul Merton.
A good book to cheer you up!, 08 Apr 2007
I am unable to read more than two pages at once for fear of crying with laughter.
The best part is to read it out to friends, wait for the five minute delay until they get it and then the sounds of laughter.
Worth the money and an excellent tonic to cheer you up on those long journeys to work.
Essential reading for pundits, 14 Jun 2005
I ordered this book for my son (aged 11½) - we really enjoy ISIHAC on BBC radio 4 and BBC 7. At first, he was confused. It looked like his school dictionary, but he couldn't understand the entries. We've discuss the definitions and his grasp of the English Language and his appreciation of the English sense of humour has led him to produce some excellent ideas for new contributions - it should be compulsory reading for all Key Stage 2 pupils.
I look forward to the 18th-ish edition.
The book enthusiasts have been waiting for, 03 Jun 2005
You no longer have to scribble new definitions on a scrap of paper while listening to I'm Sorry I haven't A Clue because now they appear in this dictionary.I can't read it without crying with laughter. Every enthusiast of 'Clue should keep it at hand.
A truly wonderful book!
The bible of Englishness, 26 Jun 2007
This is the most enjoyable Betjeman book I've ever read - a book that's so good, it ought to be part of the English Literature curriculum. More than that: it ought to be read by everyone applying for British citizenship! In the course of 360 pages, Betjeman plunges you into what he regarded as the major issues of English identity - issues of aesthetics, civic duty, relations with authority, and individuality.
I suppose that all these ideas are contained in Betjeman's poetry, but there one tends to get distracted into noticing rhythm and metre and scansion. And Betjeman's poetic ideas are smaller. Here, although the writing is often lyrical, he addresses topics in a much more direct way. He cares that unvalued townscapes are being destroyed, that there might be collusion between commercial interests and public officials, that the recent past and the middle brow are ignored by modern taste-makers. Especially in his earlier essays, he writes about these issues with passion and yet with a lightness of touch that engages the reader completely. Read this, and you cannot fail to agree that Betjeman stands as one of the foremost spokesmen of the twentieth century.
"Trains and Buttered Toast" (with its beautful cover design by Duff Tollemache) also shows that Betjeman was fascinated by individuals and individuality. He is correspondingly cruel about English stereotypes - the lumpen proletariat who, in the late 1940s, listened to popular music on car radios or went on holiday in luxury coaches. His point, however, is to criticise people's failure to open their eyes, ask original questions and discover fresh beauties - something he sees as the public's sheep instinct. The antidote, he suggests, is to look for inspiration at people who didn't go where everyone else went and who weren't damaged by commercial pressures and mass production. He finds his role models in Victoriana, an age that he regards as rich in the culture of individuality. Many of his talks explore this in its most extreme manifestation - in eccentricity and in provincialism. In fact, among the most entertaining talks in the entire book are those that look at individuals who dedicated themselves to the church. Never before Betjeman was there a literary category devoted to "West of England Victorian hymn-writing vicars". Now there is!
Spread a little happiness. Buy this book - and buy it for your friends. They'll love you for it: it's a total joy.
A new landmark in Betjeman studies, 24 Aug 2006
This is the most enjoyable Betjeman book I've ever read - a book that's so good, it ought to be part of the English Literature curriculum. More than that: it ought to be read by everyone applying for British citizenship! In the course of 360 pages, Betjeman plunges you into what he regarded as the major issues of English identity - issues of aesthetics, civic duty, relations with authority, and individuality.
I suppose that all these ideas are contained in Betjeman's poetry, but there one tends to get distracted into noticing rhythm and metre and scansion. And Betjeman's poetic ideas are smaller. Here, although the writing is often lyrical, he addresses topics in a much more direct way. He cares that unvalued townscapes are being destroyed, that there might be collusion between commercial interests and public officials, that the recent past and the middle brow are ignored by modern taste-makers. Especially in his earlier essays, he writes about these issues with passion and yet with a lightness of touch that engages the reader completely. Read this, and you cannot fail to agree that Betjeman stands as one of the foremost spokesmen of the twentieth century.
"Trains and Buttered Toast" (with its beautful cover design by Duff Tollemache) also shows that Betjeman was fascinated by individuals and individuality. He is correspondingly cruel about English stereotypes - the lumpen proletariat who, in the late 1940s, listened to popular music on car radios or went on holiday in luxury coaches. His point, however, is to criticise people's failure to open their eyes, ask original questions and discover fresh beauties - something he sees as the public's sheep instinct. The antidote, he suggests, is to look for inspiration at people who didn't go where everyone else went and who weren't damaged by commercial pressures and mass production. He finds his role models in Victoriana, an age that he regards as rich in the culture of individuality. Many of his talks explore this in its most extreme manifestation - in eccentricity and in provincialism. In fact, among the most entertaining talks in the entire book are those that look at individuals who dedicated themselves to the church. Never before Betjeman was there a literary category devoted to "West of England Victorian hymn-writing vicars". Now there is!
Spread a little happiness. Buy this book - and buy it for your friends. They'll love you for it: it's a total joy.
Discovering Englishness, 20 Jul 2006
This is a most enjoyable read for anyone interested in John Betjman or indeed anyone longing to go back to the times when trains had windows that would open! Stephen Games has skilfully edited talks given out on the BBC during a period of 40+ years. The range of topics, clearly indicating the diversity of the broadcaster, poet and architectual buff (self-taught) range from the wit of Tennyson to the lament of modernism encroaching on metropolitan and rural life, with many interesting talks covered in between. Anyone interest in "how we lived then" should buy this book now.
Betjeman Revisited, 21 Jun 2006
This is a really warm and fond look at British life, taken from Betjeman's radio broadcasts. My favourite was the Eccentrics section, which made me laugh out loud. It reminded me of Bill Bryson's travel guides: Warm, funny and you always learn something new!
Essence of Betjeman, 26 May 2006
This is a terrific selection of Betjeman's radio broadcasts. And it seems to be get to heart of the man's passions, prejudices and, of course, humour. The talk on Tennyson made me laugh out loud. But it's Betj's love of English architecture and way of life that come through so strongly in this collection. Reading the pieces you can almost hear that familiar voice one minute quietly serious and passionate, the next gently poking fun. What a remarkable man he was.
Yes, but, no but, 06 May 2008
Sorry to voice a note of slight discontent..but.... although this is a very vibrant, well acted, fast firing parody of Dickensian childhood tales (mostly Great Expectations and David Copperfield)... I felt it lacked a little in staying power. Yes, when I first heard it, driving to B+Q, I actually stayed listening to it in the carpark until it had finished (mostly with jaw dramatically dropped). Then I promptly missed most of the following weeks so I was really looking forward to catching up.
There isn't much actual story. I mislabled it on itunes in my haste to listen to it while gardening. The first time through I didn't actually notice that it was out of order until 5 episodes in! The plot was that loose.
Yes, the totally self absorbed Miss Flora Dies-Early and the ravaging underwater squirrels are very delightful creations. However compared to the other great Radio 4 historical pastiches such as The Wordsmiths of Gorsemere and the Christopher Marlowe Mysteries, there seemed to be little background research to the enterprise. Once you get past the jokes, there is very little to keep you amused the second time through.
Inspired and Hilarious Lunacy, 11 Mar 2008
FINALLY - a comedy series with intelligence, wit, and an inspired sense of the surreal. I listened to every episode and every repeat. Superbly acted, utterly brilliant. Writer Mark Evans is one to watch.
Pip Pip Horray, 10 Mar 2008
Aboslutely superb show that I listened to both times it has been on the radio and I went to see recorded!
Beware of the underwater squirrels, the fatal cold, jealous father in laws, wooden sea dog/pirates....oh yes and the Heartthrasher brothers and sister.
I wouldnt have gone to see it if I wasnt such a huge Celia fan, but I am EVER so glad I have followed it through! It is brilliant!
*clicks buy*
Genius, 07 Mar 2008
This is the funniest thing I have ever heard on radio. It is in the mould of classic British humour with lunacy, learning and just plain silliness. It's brilliant and I would put money on it following the path that Hitchhiker's Guide travelled from radio. Can't recommend it more highly and would make a great present.
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Customer Reviews
This is radio comedy at its best ; a British institution, 14 Sep 2006
I'm probably preaching to the converted, but ISIHAC is intelligent, naughty, fantastic, foolish, sarcastic, and more.
iPod users beware - you simply cannot stop yourself laughing to this.
The radio in my car died and so I dug these out of my cupboard. Haven't enjoyed the commute so much for ages.
Don't miss out.
ISIHAC, 02 Nov 2004
I bought this CD to play in the car. I laughed so much that I missed my turn off.
Never sorry about this., 02 Dec 2003
I loved this. I was stuck in a traffic jam, and have rarely enjoyed an hour-long journey to work so much.
Too young (just!) to have listened to the programme from the start, it was good to hear how it evolved. From the very first episode you can spot all the familiar games, and you cannot imagine anyone other than Humph being allowed to chair it. Oh, and the points system used to work too, although nobody cared!
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Desert Island is also a gem: there I was, listening to the great and good and Neil Kinnock describing their favourite rounds, nodding my head in agreement.
The show has survived the loss of the incredibly funny Willie Rushton. Stephen Fry, Sandy Toksvig and Paul Merton have fitted in well but, for me, Jeremy Hardy will always take a lot of beating, particularly in the music rounds. I do worry for the future though - could they ever manage without Humph? Certainly Samantha would find it tough, sitting on someone else's right hand.
Put this in a box and throw sugar at it if you like. Or better still, buy it and play it again and again until it wears out.
The only trouble with Clue is that now and again you find yourself unable to hum the original words to the original tune. Love me Tender can really only be sung properly to the tune of the Archers...
A worthwhile addition to the Carry On library, 09 Sep 2008
I'm not a huge Carry On fan, so therefore I've been waiting for a book by a 'safe pair of hands' such as Richard Webber (author of very sensible and interesting studies of Dad's Army and Hancock) to cover this comic phenomenon with a fair degree of critical insight as well as the usual enthusiasm, and I'm not disappointed. Although, personally, I feel the quality of the Carry Ons dipped a bit earlier than Webber suggests, and I find the acting in the later films quite often pretty dire, this book offers a convincing and engaging celebration of what made these films (at their best) so enduringly popular. In-depth material on the actors thesmselves will demand another book, but what is here focusses on the films themselves, and, if you want just one Carry On volume on your shelf, this could well be the one to choose.
And finally- the beginning, 30 Sep 2008
At last the Beeb has reissued series 1 +2 in their entirety to replace the 50% selection they previously served up in "collection one". Consisting of 2 plastic boxes of 3 CDs each in a superfluous cardboard cover, we finally get to revisit the full narrative of this inventive series.
In series one, the Devil, assisted by the demon, Gary, starts to question his reason for being when an amiable Physics professor (who sees only the best in people) is condemned to the infernal regions solely on the basis of his atheism. The person who killed the Professor and died in the same car crash, Thomas Crimp, is a more typically nasty minded human. A water board chairman who really did sell his own grandmother, Satan has no issue with inflicting unpleasant tortures upon him! As a result Thomas goads Gary the demon to insurrection and inadvertently invokes the wrath of the almighty (Nigel) and it's a cold day in hell....
In series two, Satan is interviewing for the post of replacement assistant. Candidates include Chuckles the dolphin, the Emperor Nero and the ever eager to please, Scumspawn the demon. The professor, ever optimistic, tries to redeem Thomas.
Totally delicious, please can we have the full version of series 3+4 quick?
I'm sorry I can't recommend it enough, 26 Aug 2008
Believe me you will not regret buying this.
The show starts off fairly slow in the first series but it really comes into its own in the more recent series.
The show works very well with incredibly funny contestants such as Graeme Gardener, Tim Brooke Taylor and Barry Cryer. You cannot forget to mention the superb Humphrey Lyttelton and his dead pan delivery. The show is now and the refreshed by some new faces appearing for a few shows, these include people such as Stephen Fry and Paul Merton.
A good book to cheer you up!, 08 Apr 2007
I am unable to read more than two pages at once for fear of crying with laughter.
The best part is to read it out to friends, wait for the five minute delay until they get it and then the sounds of laughter.
Worth the money and an excellent tonic to cheer you up on those long journeys to work.
Essential reading for pundits, 14 Jun 2005
I ordered this book for my son (aged 11½) - we really enjoy ISIHAC on BBC radio 4 and BBC 7. At first, he was confused. It looked like his school dictionary, but he couldn't understand the entries. We've discuss the definitions and his grasp of the English Language and his appreciation of the English sense of humour has led him to produce some excellent ideas for new contributions - it should be compulsory reading for all Key Stage 2 pupils.
I look forward to the 18th-ish edition.
The book enthusiasts have been waiting for, 03 Jun 2005
You no longer have to scribble new definitions on a scrap of paper while listening to I'm Sorry I haven't A Clue because now they appear in this dictionary.I can't read it without crying with laughter. Every enthusiast of 'Clue should keep it at hand.
A truly wonderful book!
The bible of Englishness, 26 Jun 2007
This is the most enjoyable Betjeman book I've ever read - a book that's so good, it ought to be part of the English Literature curriculum. More than that: it ought to be read by everyone applying for British citizenship! In the course of 360 pages, Betjeman plunges you into what he regarded as the major issues of English identity - issues of aesthetics, civic duty, relations with authority, and individuality.
I suppose that all these ideas are contained in Betjeman's poetry, but there one tends to get distracted into noticing rhythm and metre and scansion. And Betjeman's poetic ideas are smaller. Here, although the writing is often lyrical, he addresses topics in a much more direct way. He cares that unvalued townscapes are being destroyed, that there might be collusion between commercial interests and public officials, that the recent past and the middle brow are ignored by modern taste-makers. Especially in his earlier essays, he writes about these issues with passion and yet with a lightness of touch that engages the reader completely. Read this, and you cannot fail to agree that Betjeman stands as one of the foremost spokesmen of the twentieth century.
"Trains and Buttered Toast" (with its beautful cover design by Duff Tollemache) also shows that Betjeman was fascinated by individuals and individuality. He is correspondingly cruel about English stereotypes - the lumpen proletariat who, in the late 1940s, listened to popular music on car radios or went on holiday in luxury coaches. His point, however, is to criticise people's failure to open their eyes, ask original questions and discover fresh beauties - something he sees as the public's sheep instinct. The antidote, he suggests, is to look for inspiration at people who didn't go where everyone else went and who weren't damaged by commercial pressures and mass production. He finds his role models in Victoriana, an age that he regards as rich in the culture of individuality. Many of his talks explore this in its most extreme manifestation - in eccentricity and in provincialism. In fact, among the most entertaining talks in the entire book are those that look at individuals who dedicated themselves to the church. Never before Betjeman was there a literary category devoted to "West of England Victorian hymn-writing vicars". Now there is!
Spread a little happiness. Buy this book - and buy it for your friends. They'll love you for it: it's a total joy.
A new landmark in Betjeman studies, 24 Aug 2006
This is the most enjoyable Betjeman book I've ever read - a book that's so good, it ought to be part of the English Literature curriculum. More than that: it ought to be read by everyone applying for British citizenship! In the course of 360 pages, Betjeman plunges you into what he regarded as the major issues of English identity - issues of aesthetics, civic duty, relations with authority, and individuality.
I suppose that all these ideas are contained in Betjeman's poetry, but there one tends to get distracted into noticing rhythm and metre and scansion. And Betjeman's poetic ideas are smaller. Here, although the writing is often lyrical, he addresses topics in a much more direct way. He cares that unvalued townscapes are being destroyed, that there might be collusion between commercial interests and public officials, that the recent past and the middle brow are ignored by modern taste-makers. Especially in his earlier essays, he writes about these issues with passion and yet with a lightness of touch that engages the reader completely. Read this, and you cannot fail to agree that Betjeman stands as one of the foremost spokesmen of the twentieth century.
"Trains and Buttered Toast" (with its beautful cover design by Duff Tollemache) also shows that Betjeman was fascinated by individuals and individuality. He is correspondingly cruel about English stereotypes - the lumpen proletariat who, in the late 1940s, listened to popular music on car radios or went on holiday in luxury coaches. His point, however, is to criticise people's failure to open their eyes, ask original questions and discover fresh beauties - something he sees as the public's sheep instinct. The antidote, he suggests, is to look for inspiration at people who didn't go where everyone else went and who weren't damaged by commercial pressures and mass production. He finds his role models in Victoriana, an age that he regards as rich in the culture of individuality. Many of his talks explore this in its most extreme manifestation - in eccentricity and in provincialism. In fact, among the most entertaining talks in the entire book are those that look at individuals who dedicated themselves to the church. Never before Betjeman was there a literary category devoted to "West of England Victorian hymn-writing vicars". Now there is!
Spread a little happiness. Buy this book - and buy it for your friends. They'll love you for it: it's a total joy.
Discovering Englishness, 20 Jul 2006
This is a most enjoyable read for anyone interested in John Betjman or indeed anyone longing to go back to the times when trains had windows that would open! Stephen Games has skilfully edited talks given out on the BBC during a period of 40+ years. The range of topics, clearly indicating the diversity of the broadcaster, poet and architectual buff (self-taught) range from the wit of Tennyson to the lament of modernism encroaching on metropolitan and rural life, with many interesting talks covered in between. Anyone interest in "how we lived then" should buy this book now.
Betjeman Revisited, 21 Jun 2006
This is a really warm and fond look at British life, taken from Betjeman's radio broadcasts. My favourite was the Eccentrics section, which made me laugh out loud. It reminded me of Bill Bryson's travel guides: Warm, funny and you always learn something new!
Essence of Betjeman, 26 May 2006
This is a terrific selection of Betjeman's radio broadcasts. And it seems to be get to heart of the man's passions, prejudices and, of course, humour. The talk on Tennyson made me laugh out loud. But it's Betj's love of English architecture and way of life that come through so strongly in this collection. Reading the pieces you can almost hear that familiar voice one minute quietly serious and passionate, the next gently poking fun. What a remarkable man he was.
Yes, but, no but, 06 May 2008
Sorry to voice a note of slight discontent..but.... although this is a very vibrant, well acted, fast firing parody of Dickensian childhood tales (mostly Great Expectations and David Copperfield)... I felt it lacked a little in staying power. Yes, when I first heard it, driving to B+Q, I actually stayed listening to it in the carpark until it had finished (mostly with jaw dramatically dropped). Then I promptly missed most of the following weeks so I was really looking forward to catching up.
There isn't much actual story. I mislabled it on itunes in my haste to listen to it while gardening. The first time through I didn't actually notice that it was out of order until 5 episodes in! The plot was that loose.
Yes, the totally self absorbed Miss Flora Dies-Early and the ravaging underwater squirrels are very delightful creations. However compared to the other great Radio 4 historical pastiches such as The Wordsmiths of Gorsemere and the Christopher Marlowe Mysteries, there seemed to be little background research to the enterprise. Once you get past the jokes, there is very little to keep you amused the second time through.
Inspired and Hilarious Lunacy, 11 Mar 2008
FINALLY - a comedy series with intelligence, wit, and an inspired sense of the surreal. I listened to every episode and every repeat. Superbly acted, utterly brilliant. Writer Mark Evans is one to watch.
Pip Pip Horray, 10 Mar 2008
Aboslutely superb show that I listened to both times it has been on the radio and I went to see recorded!
Beware of the underwater squirrels, the fatal cold, jealous father in laws, wooden sea dog/pirates....oh yes and the Heartthrasher brothers and sister.
I wouldnt have gone to see it if I wasnt such a huge Celia fan, but I am EVER so glad I have followed it through! It is brilliant!
*clicks buy*
Genius, 07 Mar 2008
This is the funniest thing I have ever heard on radio. It is in the mould of classic British humour with lunacy, learning and just plain silliness. It's brilliant and I would put money on it following the path that Hitchhiker's Guide travelled from radio. Can't recommend it more highly and would make a great present.
Well I thought it was good!, 24 Sep 2008
Ok, you either love him or you hate him, and I fall into the former category so I may be biased, but I thought this book was fantastic. It was a humorous and informative account of how Moylesy came to be the 'Saviour of Radio One'. I'm not quite sure what other readers were expecting - but this book just perfectly summed up the Chris Moyles we hear on the radio 5 days a week; funny, sarcastic and VERY honest. It was so 'him' I could almost hear his voice coming off the pages as I read.
There's a brief account of his childhood, where it becomes apparent that he's grown up within a very warm and close family, then the book moves on to relay his journey to Radio One, and interspersed with this are anecdotes and memories of celebrities he's met along the way. Through reading this book I got a glimpse of the man behind the mouth, who I have to say, I like more than ever now.
I know he evokes strong opinions, so if you don't like him don't read this book. If you do then I can't recommend it highly enough.
use as solid fuel, 30 Aug 2008
i generally buy or borrow a book as soon i've finished reading one (thank the lord i borrowed this one)it is utter self promotion,the mans ego is bigger than his wallet (and that is saying something thank you BBC)
this is all self promotion on a huge scale and throughout just screams ME ME ME ME ME I SAVED THE BBC (FFS)
there is a lot of banging on throughout about breasts (don't ask)and thats it really,i'm 42 and i borrowed the book off my step daughter who is 16 so maybe it's a generation thing but i doubt it.........in light of the recent fuel bill hikes i recommend you wait while your local shop has this drivel in its bargain bin buy the lot and burn them to keep warm.....
Below expectation, 11 Jun 2008
An decent autobiography should be insightful and offer a view in to the writer's life. This particular Gospel is rather light on both. I feel that if the style of writing contained more depth then the book may have held my attention more. However, this is definitely aimed at the lowest common denominator and as a result misses the mark. There are some small moments that cause a wry smile, but the essence of what makes Moyles great is lost in translation. Unfortunately it feels like a cash cow.
POOR, 13 May 2008
More copy and paste tripe from the man that talks more about less than anyone else on the planet.
It will probably appeal to middle aged men who drive white vans and don't get much attention from members of the opposite sex...
My main dislike of Moyles is that he has possibly the best job in the country, is paid hansomely for it and yet chooses to fill his show (and Books) with a stream of constant drivel. Virtually everything that comes out of his mouth is educationally insulting, irrellevant, immature, uninformed, dull or just downright offensive.
The diary of an ego maniac, 20 Mar 2008
I expected this book to be so much more - foolish of me to believe the Moyles self generated hype. From the first page to the last this is purely and simply a declaration by Moyles that he is fantastic and we should all thank god he is alive to bring joy into our lives.
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The Autobiography
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Customer Reviews
This is radio comedy at its best ; a British institution, 14 Sep 2006
I'm probably preaching to the converted, but ISIHAC is intelligent, naughty, fantastic, foolish, sarcastic, and more.
iPod users beware - you simply cannot stop yourself laughing to this.
The radio in my car died and so I dug these out of my cupboard. Haven't enjoyed the commute so much for ages.
Don't miss out.
ISIHAC, 02 Nov 2004
I bought this CD to play in the car. I laughed so much that I missed my turn off.
Never sorry about this., 02 Dec 2003
I loved this. I was stuck in a traffic jam, and have rarely enjoyed an hour-long journey to work so much.
Too young (just!) to have listened to the programme from the start, it was good to hear how it evolved. From the very first episode you can spot all the familiar games, and you cannot imagine anyone other than Humph being allowed to chair it. Oh, and the points system used to work too, although nobody cared!
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Desert Island is also a gem: there I was, listening to the great and good and Neil Kinnock describing their favourite rounds, nodding my head in agreement.
The show has survived the loss of the incredibly funny Willie Rushton. Stephen Fry, Sandy Toksvig and Paul Merton have fitted in well but, for me, Jeremy Hardy will always take a lot of beating, particularly in the music rounds. I do worry for the future though - could they ever manage without Humph? Certainly Samantha would find it tough, sitting on someone else's right hand.
Put this in a box and throw sugar at it if you like. Or better still, buy it and play it again and again until it wears out.
The only trouble with Clue is that now and again you find yourself unable to hum the original words to the original tune. Love me Tender can really only be sung properly to the tune of the Archers...
A worthwhile addition to the Carry On library, 09 Sep 2008
I'm not a huge Carry On fan, so therefore I've been waiting for a book by a 'safe pair of hands' such as Richard Webber (author of very sensible and interesting studies of Dad's Army and Hancock) to cover this comic phenomenon with a fair degree of critical insight as well as the usual enthusiasm, and I'm not disappointed. Although, personally, I feel the quality of the Carry Ons dipped a bit earlier than Webber suggests, and I find the acting in the later films quite often pretty dire, this book offers a convincing and engaging celebration of what made these films (at their best) so enduringly popular. In-depth material on the actors thesmselves will demand another book, but what is here focusses on the films themselves, and, if you want just one Carry On volume on your shelf, this could well be the one to choose.
And finally- the beginning, 30 Sep 2008
At last the Beeb has reissued series 1 +2 in their entirety to replace the 50% selection they previously served up in "collection one". Consisting of 2 plastic boxes of 3 CDs each in a superfluous cardboard cover, we finally get to revisit the full narrative of this inventive series.
In series one, the Devil, assisted by the demon, Gary, starts to question his reason for being when an amiable Physics professor (who sees only the best in people) is condemned to the infernal regions solely on the basis of his atheism. The person who killed the Professor and died in the same car crash, Thomas Crimp, is a more typically nasty minded human. A water board chairman who really did sell his own grandmother, Satan has no issue with inflicting unpleasant tortures upon him! As a result Thomas goads Gary the demon to insurrection and inadvertently invokes the wrath of the almighty (Nigel) and it's a cold day in hell....
In series two, Satan is interviewing for the post of replacement assistant. Candidates include Chuckles the dolphin, the Emperor Nero and the ever eager to please, Scumspawn the demon. The professor, ever optimistic, tries to redeem Thomas.
Totally delicious, please can we have the full version of series 3+4 quick?
I'm sorry I can't recommend it enough, 26 Aug 2008
Believe me you will not regret buying this.
The show starts off fairly slow in the first series but it really comes into its own in the more recent series.
The show works very well with incredibly funny contestants such as Graeme Gardener, Tim Brooke Taylor and Barry Cryer. You cannot forget to mention the superb Humphrey Lyttelton and his dead pan delivery. The show is now and the refreshed by some new faces appearing for a few shows, these include people such as Stephen Fry and Paul Merton.
A good book to cheer you up!, 08 Apr 2007
I am unable to read more than two pages at once for fear of crying with laughter.
The best part is to read it out to friends, wait for the five minute delay until they get it and then the sounds of laughter.
Worth the money and an excellent tonic to cheer you up on those long journeys to work.
Essential reading for pundits, 14 Jun 2005
I ordered this book for my son (aged 11½) - we really enjoy ISIHAC on BBC radio 4 and BBC 7. At first, he was confused. It looked like his school dictionary, but he couldn't understand the entries. We've discuss the definitions and his grasp of the English Language and his appreciation of the English sense of humour has led him to produce some excellent ideas for new contributions - it should be compulsory reading for all Key Stage 2 pupils.
I look forward to the 18th-ish edition.
The book enthusiasts have been waiting for, 03 Jun 2005
You no longer have to scribble new definitions on a scrap of paper while listening to I'm Sorry I haven't A Clue because now they appear in this dictionary.I can't read it without crying with laughter. Every enthusiast of 'Clue should keep it at hand.
A truly wonderful book!
The bible of Englishness, 26 Jun 2007
This is the most enjoyable Betjeman book I've ever read - a book that's so good, it ought to be part of the English Literature curriculum. More than that: it ought to be read by everyone applying for British citizenship! In the course of 360 pages, Betjeman plunges you into what he regarded as the major issues of English identity - issues of aesthetics, civic duty, relations with authority, and individuality.
I suppose that all these ideas are contained in Betjeman's poetry, but there one tends to get distracted into noticing rhythm and metre and scansion. And Betjeman's poetic ideas are smaller. Here, although the writing is often lyrical, he addresses topics in a much more direct way. He cares that unvalued townscapes are being destroyed, that there might be collusion between commercial interests and public officials, that the recent past and the middle brow are ignored by modern taste-makers. Especially in his earlier essays, he writes about these issues with passion and yet with a lightness of touch that engages the reader completely. Read this, and you cannot fail to agree that Betjeman stands as one of the foremost spokesmen of the twentieth century.
"Trains and Buttered Toast" (with its beautful cover design by Duff Tollemache) also shows that Betjeman was fascinated by individuals and individuality. He is correspondingly cruel about English stereotypes - the lumpen proletariat who, in the late 1940s, listened to popular music on car radios or went on holiday in luxury coaches. His point, however, is to criticise people's failure to open their eyes, ask original questions and discover fresh beauties - something he sees as the public's sheep instinct. The antidote, he suggests, is to look for inspiration at people who didn't go where everyone else went and who weren't damaged by commercial pressures and mass production. He finds his role models in Victoriana, an age that he regards as rich in the culture of individuality. Many of his talks explore this in its most extreme manifestation - in eccentricity and in provincialism. In fact, among the most entertaining talks in the entire book are those that look at individuals who dedicated themselves to the church. Never before Betjeman was there a literary category devoted to "West of England Victorian hymn-writing vicars". Now there is!
Spread a little happiness. Buy this book - and buy it for your friends. They'll love you for it: it's a total joy.
A new landmark in Betjeman studies, 24 Aug 2006
This is the most enjoyable Betjeman book I've ever read - a book that's so good, it ought to be part of the English Literature curriculum. More than that: it ought to be read by everyone applying for British citizenship! In the course of 360 pages, Betjeman plunges you into what he regarded as the major issues of English identity - issues of aesthetics, civic duty, relations with authority, and individuality.
I suppose that all these ideas are contained in Betjeman's poetry, but there one tends to get distracted into noticing rhythm and metre and scansion. And Betjeman's poetic ideas are smaller. Here, although the writing is often lyrical, he addresses topics in a much more direct way. He cares that unvalued townscapes are being destroyed, that there might be collusion between commercial interests and public officials, that the recent past and the middle brow are ignored by modern taste-makers. Especially in his earlier essays, he writes about these issues with passion and yet with a lightness of touch that engages the reader completely. Read this, and you cannot fail to agree that Betjeman stands as one of the foremost spokesmen of the twentieth century.
"Trains and Buttered Toast" (with its beautful cover design by Duff Tollemache) also shows that Betjeman was fascinated by individuals and individuality. He is correspondingly cruel about English stereotypes - the lumpen proletariat who, in the late 1940s, listened to popular music on car radios or went on holiday in luxury coaches. His point, however, is to criticise people's failure to open their eyes, ask original questions and discover fresh beauties - something he sees as the public's sheep instinct. The antidote, he suggests, is to look for inspiration at people who didn't go where everyone else went and who weren't damaged by commercial pressures and mass production. He finds his role models in Victoriana, an age that he regards as rich in the culture of individuality. Many of his talks explore this in its most extreme manifestation - in eccentricity and in provincialism. In fact, among the most entertaining talks in the entire book are those that look at individuals who dedicated themselves to the church. Never before Betjeman was there a literary category devoted to "West of England Victorian hymn-writing vicars". Now there is!
Spread a little happiness. Buy this book - and buy it for your friends. They'll love you for it: it's a total joy.
Discovering Englishness, 20 Jul 2006
This is a most enjoyable read for anyone interested in John Betjman or indeed anyone longing to go back to the times when trains had windows that would open! Stephen Games has skilfully edited talks given out on the BBC during a period of 40+ years. The range of topics, clearly indicating the diversity of the broadcaster, poet and architectual buff (self-taught) range from the wit of Tennyson to the lament of modernism encroaching on metropolitan and rural life, with many interesting talks covered in between. Anyone interest in "how we lived then" should buy this book now.
Betjeman Revisited, 21 Jun 2006
This is a really warm and fond look at British life, taken from Betjeman's radio broadcasts. My favourite was the Eccentrics section, which made me laugh out loud. It reminded me of Bill Bryson's travel guides: Warm, funny and you always learn something new!
Essence of Betjeman, 26 May 2006
This is a terrific selection of Betjeman's radio broadcasts. And it seems to be get to heart of the man's passions, prejudices and, of course, humour. The talk on Tennyson made me laugh out loud. But it's Betj's love of English architecture and way of life that come through so strongly in this collection. Reading the pieces you can almost hear that familiar voice one minute quietly serious and passionate, the next gently poking fun. What a remarkable man he was.
Yes, but, no but, 06 May 2008
Sorry to voice a note of slight discontent..but.... although this is a very vibrant, well acted, fast firing parody of Dickensian childhood tales (mostly Great Expectations and David Copperfield)... I felt it lacked a little in staying power. Yes, when I first heard it, driving to B+Q, I actually stayed listening to it in the carpark until it had finished (mostly with jaw dramatically dropped). Then I promptly missed most of the following weeks so I was really looking forward to catching up.
There isn't much actual story. I mislabled it on itunes in my haste to listen to it while gardening. The first time through I didn't actually notice that it was out of order until 5 episodes in! The plot was that loose.
Yes, the totally self absorbed Miss Flora Dies-Early and the ravaging underwater squirrels are very delightful creations. However compared to the other great Radio 4 historical pastiches such as The Wordsmiths of Gorsemere and the Christopher Marlowe Mysteries, there seemed to be little background research to the enterprise. Once you get past the jokes, there is very little to keep you amused the second time through.
Inspired and Hilarious Lunacy, 11 Mar 2008
FINALLY - a comedy series with intelligence, wit, and an inspired sense of the surreal. I listened to every episode and every repeat. Superbly acted, utterly brilliant. Writer Mark Evans is one to watch.
Pip Pip Horray, 10 Mar 2008
Aboslutely superb show that I listened to both times it has been on the radio and I went to see recorded!
Beware of the underwater squirrels, the fatal cold, jealous father in laws, wooden sea dog/pirates....oh yes and the Heartthrasher brothers and sister.
I wouldnt have gone to see it if I wasnt such a huge Celia fan, but I am EVER so glad I have followed it through! It is brilliant!
*clicks buy*
Genius, 07 Mar 2008
This is the funniest thing I have ever heard on radio. It is in the mould of classic British humour with lunacy, learning and just plain silliness. It's brilliant and I would put money on it following the path that Hitchhiker's Guide travelled from radio. Can't recommend it more highly and would make a great present.
Well I thought it was good!, 24 Sep 2008
Ok, you either love him or you hate him, and I fall into the former category so I may be biased, but I thought this book was fantastic. It was a humorous and informative account of how Moylesy came to be the 'Saviour of Radio One'. I'm not quite sure what other readers were expecting - but this book just perfectly summed up the Chris Moyles we hear on the radio 5 days a week; funny, sarcastic and VERY honest. It was so 'him' I could almost hear his voice coming off the pages as I read.
There's a brief account of his childhood, where it becomes apparent that he's grown up within a very warm and close family, then the book moves on to relay his journey to Radio One, and interspersed with this are anecdotes and memories of celebrities he's met along the way. Through reading this book I got a glimpse of the man behind the mouth, who I have to say, I like more than ever now.
I know he evokes strong opinions, so if you don't like him don't read this book. If you do then I can't recommend it highly enough.
use as solid fuel, 30 Aug 2008
i generally buy or borrow a book as soon i've finished reading one (thank the lord i borrowed this one)it is utter self promotion,the mans ego is bigger than his wallet (and that is saying something thank you BBC)
this is all self promotion on a huge scale and throughout just screams ME ME ME ME ME I SAVED THE BBC (FFS)
there is a lot of banging on throughout about breasts (don't ask)and thats it really,i'm 42 and i borrowed the book off my step daughter who is 16 so maybe it's a generation thing but i doubt it.........in light of the recent fuel bill hikes i recommend you wait while your local shop has this drivel in its bargain bin buy the lot and burn them to keep warm.....
Below expectation, 11 Jun 2008
An decent autobiography should be insightful and offer a view in to the writer's life. This particular Gospel is rather light on both. I feel that if the style of writing contained more depth then the book may have held my attention more. However, this is definitely aimed at the lowest common denominator and as a result misses the mark. There are some small moments that cause a wry smile, but the essence of what makes Moyles great is lost in translation. Unfortunately it feels like a cash cow.
POOR, 13 May 2008
More copy and paste tripe from the man that talks more about less than anyone else on the planet.
It will probably appeal to middle aged men who drive white vans and don't | | |