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 Customer Reviews
Funniest Book Ever, 16 Mar 2008
I have not even finished this book but I agree that it is the best joke book in the world.Whenever I find a really good one, which is all the time, I tell them and they always laugh until they can't breath. Just like that joke from Monty Python And Now For Something Completley Different, the one where when you read it, you die of so much laughter. My favourite one is Page 2 Joke 4.
Wow, 17 Feb 2005
Quite simply, as the title says, wow. This has GOT to be the largest collection of short jokes I have ever seen. The sheer number of them in here is funny in itself! Let's take a random page for example. Page 382 has... fifteen jokes on it, and it's not one of the fuller pages, either! The text is small, too, so they really have crammed in as much as they can. Having so many jokes means there had to be some order to it, and they've accomplished that nicely with sections alphabetically ordered according to subject. That way if you need, say, a golfing joke for when you're on the course, or a relationships joke for a wedding speech, you'll find the part of the book in seconds. You may also think that so many jokes must be of bad quality, but they're not. They're all really good! Bear in mind that this isn't a kid's joke book, but that doesn't change the fact it's a damned good collection, and thoroughly deserves the five-star rating.
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Customer Reviews
Funniest Book Ever, 16 Mar 2008
I have not even finished this book but I agree that it is the best joke book in the world.Whenever I find a really good one, which is all the time, I tell them and they always laugh until they can't breath. Just like that joke from Monty Python And Now For Something Completley Different, the one where when you read it, you die of so much laughter. My favourite one is Page 2 Joke 4.
Wow, 17 Feb 2005
Quite simply, as the title says, wow. This has GOT to be the largest collection of short jokes I have ever seen. The sheer number of them in here is funny in itself! Let's take a random page for example. Page 382 has... fifteen jokes on it, and it's not one of the fuller pages, either! The text is small, too, so they really have crammed in as much as they can. Having so many jokes means there had to be some order to it, and they've accomplished that nicely with sections alphabetically ordered according to subject. That way if you need, say, a golfing joke for when you're on the course, or a relationships joke for a wedding speech, you'll find the part of the book in seconds. You may also think that so many jokes must be of bad quality, but they're not. They're all really good! Bear in mind that this isn't a kid's joke book, but that doesn't change the fact it's a damned good collection, and thoroughly deserves the five-star rating.
Hysterically funny, 24 Sep 2008
This book discusses why we find humor funny. It may sound boring (why take humor apart?), but in fact it is so funny you'll find yourself laughing uncontrollably while reading it.
I highly recommend it!
great reading!, 19 Jul 2008
valuable insight into the structures and history of jokes - and a great jokebook itself!
The only book about jokes you'll ever need, 11 Jun 2008
The quote from The Times on the back of the book is spot on: this book is four-fifths a book about the nature, history, and meaning of comedy, and one-fifth the only joke book you'll ever need.
A lot of the analysis in this book is very straight, and to make up for the fact that the main text, though very interesting, is not necessarily laugh-a-minute, they put a classic and relevant joke at the bottom of very page. Brilliantly thought out, witty, intelligent, and well worth reading.
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Customer Reviews
Funniest Book Ever, 16 Mar 2008
I have not even finished this book but I agree that it is the best joke book in the world.Whenever I find a really good one, which is all the time, I tell them and they always laugh until they can't breath. Just like that joke from Monty Python And Now For Something Completley Different, the one where when you read it, you die of so much laughter. My favourite one is Page 2 Joke 4.
Wow, 17 Feb 2005
Quite simply, as the title says, wow. This has GOT to be the largest collection of short jokes I have ever seen. The sheer number of them in here is funny in itself! Let's take a random page for example. Page 382 has... fifteen jokes on it, and it's not one of the fuller pages, either! The text is small, too, so they really have crammed in as much as they can. Having so many jokes means there had to be some order to it, and they've accomplished that nicely with sections alphabetically ordered according to subject. That way if you need, say, a golfing joke for when you're on the course, or a relationships joke for a wedding speech, you'll find the part of the book in seconds. You may also think that so many jokes must be of bad quality, but they're not. They're all really good! Bear in mind that this isn't a kid's joke book, but that doesn't change the fact it's a damned good collection, and thoroughly deserves the five-star rating.
Hysterically funny, 24 Sep 2008
This book discusses why we find humor funny. It may sound boring (why take humor apart?), but in fact it is so funny you'll find yourself laughing uncontrollably while reading it.
I highly recommend it!
great reading!, 19 Jul 2008
valuable insight into the structures and history of jokes - and a great jokebook itself!
The only book about jokes you'll ever need, 11 Jun 2008
The quote from The Times on the back of the book is spot on: this book is four-fifths a book about the nature, history, and meaning of comedy, and one-fifth the only joke book you'll ever need.
A lot of the analysis in this book is very straight, and to make up for the fact that the main text, though very interesting, is not necessarily laugh-a-minute, they put a classic and relevant joke at the bottom of very page. Brilliantly thought out, witty, intelligent, and well worth reading.
The Silliest Joke book ever., 16 Dec 2005
An absolute must for everyone who enjoys daft jokes. Equally good for 7 to 70 year olds, particularly if you tend to forget jokes pretty quickly.
Will have you laughing (and groaning), 16 Sep 2005
I'm not sure this is really the silliest joke book ever but it certainly contains hundreds of jokes that primary school age children will find very funny (Example: 'What is brown and sticky?' 'A stick'). All royalties from this book go to the very worthy Jeans for Genes Campaign which helps children with genetic diseases, and some of the jokes have been provided by celebrities. But I was disappointed not to see my favourite joke: 'Which popstar has two toilets?' 'Lulu'.
Great for a laugh!, 26 Aug 2005
I am a supply teacher and I use this book when I meet a class for the first time. The jokes relaxes the children and encourages them to contribute to lessons as they know that some point during the day they will hear more jokes. It also encourages the them to tell jokes of their own and I use it as a 'carrot' for good behaviour. The children themselves will tell others to be quiet and they often want to read jokes for themself. It works wonders.
I'm a (Mr) Banana, 25 Feb 2004
I've using this book for years now, constantly telling my pals the same old jokes over and over again - they love it. I can't recommened this work highly enough, buy it now and make new friends.
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Customer Reviews
Funniest Book Ever, 16 Mar 2008
I have not even finished this book but I agree that it is the best joke book in the world.Whenever I find a really good one, which is all the time, I tell them and they always laugh until they can't breath. Just like that joke from Monty Python And Now For Something Completley Different, the one where when you read it, you die of so much laughter. My favourite one is Page 2 Joke 4.
Wow, 17 Feb 2005
Quite simply, as the title says, wow. This has GOT to be the largest collection of short jokes I have ever seen. The sheer number of them in here is funny in itself! Let's take a random page for example. Page 382 has... fifteen jokes on it, and it's not one of the fuller pages, either! The text is small, too, so they really have crammed in as much as they can. Having so many jokes means there had to be some order to it, and they've accomplished that nicely with sections alphabetically ordered according to subject. That way if you need, say, a golfing joke for when you're on the course, or a relationships joke for a wedding speech, you'll find the part of the book in seconds. You may also think that so many jokes must be of bad quality, but they're not. They're all really good! Bear in mind that this isn't a kid's joke book, but that doesn't change the fact it's a damned good collection, and thoroughly deserves the five-star rating.
Hysterically funny, 24 Sep 2008
This book discusses why we find humor funny. It may sound boring (why take humor apart?), but in fact it is so funny you'll find yourself laughing uncontrollably while reading it.
I highly recommend it!
great reading!, 19 Jul 2008
valuable insight into the structures and history of jokes - and a great jokebook itself!
The only book about jokes you'll ever need, 11 Jun 2008
The quote from The Times on the back of the book is spot on: this book is four-fifths a book about the nature, history, and meaning of comedy, and one-fifth the only joke book you'll ever need.
A lot of the analysis in this book is very straight, and to make up for the fact that the main text, though very interesting, is not necessarily laugh-a-minute, they put a classic and relevant joke at the bottom of very page. Brilliantly thought out, witty, intelligent, and well worth reading.
The Silliest Joke book ever., 16 Dec 2005
An absolute must for everyone who enjoys daft jokes. Equally good for 7 to 70 year olds, particularly if you tend to forget jokes pretty quickly.
Will have you laughing (and groaning), 16 Sep 2005
I'm not sure this is really the silliest joke book ever but it certainly contains hundreds of jokes that primary school age children will find very funny (Example: 'What is brown and sticky?' 'A stick'). All royalties from this book go to the very worthy Jeans for Genes Campaign which helps children with genetic diseases, and some of the jokes have been provided by celebrities. But I was disappointed not to see my favourite joke: 'Which popstar has two toilets?' 'Lulu'.
Great for a laugh!, 26 Aug 2005
I am a supply teacher and I use this book when I meet a class for the first time. The jokes relaxes the children and encourages them to contribute to lessons as they know that some point during the day they will hear more jokes. It also encourages the them to tell jokes of their own and I use it as a 'carrot' for good behaviour. The children themselves will tell others to be quiet and they often want to read jokes for themself. It works wonders.
I'm a (Mr) Banana, 25 Feb 2004
I've using this book for years now, constantly telling my pals the same old jokes over and over again - they love it. I can't recommened this work highly enough, buy it now and make new friends.
Utter work of genius, 19 Nov 2007
A cut above every joke book ever released in the history of mankind. Your life will be enriched by racist, sexist, homophobic, and other offensive jokes. Not to be missed.
Just Wrong, 30 Apr 2007
Let's be honest, by looking at this page (let alone contemplating buying it) you must already have a bit of thing against PC-ness, taste and common decency. I am so fazed and generally unaffected by anything, but this book, and some of the "things" within it, well it's hardcore stuff. Fred West would have read this and gone "Ohh, that's wrong that is!" Don't just laugh at the label on the front or the fact that it's wrapped in cellophane so you cant read it in Waterstones, this is geniunely offensive, sick & evil and a bargain at £4.79!
If you like this sort of thing then you won't be dissapointed, ideally suited as a present along with the Viz Profanisaurus if you want a double-dose of purile filth.
Give it to your nan for Xmas if you want some early inheritance!
Utterly utterly brilliant, 11 Feb 2007
As a regular b3ta lurker (with a few posts to my name - mostly with CDCs in them) I'd pre-ordered this as soon as I could.
And proceeded to memorise most of the sickest jokes so I could use them in an after-dinner speech. A little challenge I'd set myself to see how many people I could offend in the shortest possible time frame.
Several people nearly choked on their tongues and I was lucky to get out alive. So all in all a success.
If you hate political correctness and softly-softly then buy this book now. And if you're politically correct and easily offended then buy this book now, so you can write letters of complaint to b3ta - and we can read them and laugh at you.
Dont let your mam read this book., 14 Dec 2006
The jokes in this book are brilliant, you know the type you tell your mate's in the pub but would not tell your mam. Totally un pc. Ofensive, digusting. Buy this book it will have you crying with laughter.
This is the opposite of a knee-capping at the hands of the Taffia..., 11 Nov 2006
One month old and Amazon is already discounting this book - clearly a sign that this is destined to be an all time great.
Do not delay.
You cannot afford not to have this in your life.
Advisory Note: In 35 years time your Grandchildren will find this book in a box in your attic. You will be required to explain to a 7 year old why Aids can turn a fruit into a vegetable. You have been warned.
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Customer Reviews
Funniest Book Ever, 16 Mar 2008
I have not even finished this book but I agree that it is the best joke book in the world.Whenever I find a really good one, which is all the time, I tell them and they always laugh until they can't breath. Just like that joke from Monty Python And Now For Something Completley Different, the one where when you read it, you die of so much laughter. My favourite one is Page 2 Joke 4.
Wow, 17 Feb 2005
Quite simply, as the title says, wow. This has GOT to be the largest collection of short jokes I have ever seen. The sheer number of them in here is funny in itself! Let's take a random page for example. Page 382 has... fifteen jokes on it, and it's not one of the fuller pages, either! The text is small, too, so they really have crammed in as much as they can. Having so many jokes means there had to be some order to it, and they've accomplished that nicely with sections alphabetically ordered according to subject. That way if you need, say, a golfing joke for when you're on the course, or a relationships joke for a wedding speech, you'll find the part of the book in seconds. You may also think that so many jokes must be of bad quality, but they're not. They're all really good! Bear in mind that this isn't a kid's joke book, but that doesn't change the fact it's a damned good collection, and thoroughly deserves the five-star rating.
Hysterically funny, 24 Sep 2008
This book discusses why we find humor funny. It may sound boring (why take humor apart?), but in fact it is so funny you'll find yourself laughing uncontrollably while reading it.
I highly recommend it!
great reading!, 19 Jul 2008
valuable insight into the structures and history of jokes - and a great jokebook itself!
The only book about jokes you'll ever need, 11 Jun 2008
The quote from The Times on the back of the book is spot on: this book is four-fifths a book about the nature, history, and meaning of comedy, and one-fifth the only joke book you'll ever need.
A lot of the analysis in this book is very straight, and to make up for the fact that the main text, though very interesting, is not necessarily laugh-a-minute, they put a classic and relevant joke at the bottom of very page. Brilliantly thought out, witty, intelligent, and well worth reading.
The Silliest Joke book ever., 16 Dec 2005
An absolute must for everyone who enjoys daft jokes. Equally good for 7 to 70 year olds, particularly if you tend to forget jokes pretty quickly.
Will have you laughing (and groaning), 16 Sep 2005
I'm not sure this is really the silliest joke book ever but it certainly contains hundreds of jokes that primary school age children will find very funny (Example: 'What is brown and sticky?' 'A stick'). All royalties from this book go to the very worthy Jeans for Genes Campaign which helps children with genetic diseases, and some of the jokes have been provided by celebrities. But I was disappointed not to see my favourite joke: 'Which popstar has two toilets?' 'Lulu'.
Great for a laugh!, 26 Aug 2005
I am a supply teacher and I use this book when I meet a class for the first time. The jokes relaxes the children and encourages them to contribute to lessons as they know that some point during the day they will hear more jokes. It also encourages the them to tell jokes of their own and I use it as a 'carrot' for good behaviour. The children themselves will tell others to be quiet and they often want to read jokes for themself. It works wonders.
I'm a (Mr) Banana, 25 Feb 2004
I've using this book for years now, constantly telling my pals the same old jokes over and over again - they love it. I can't recommened this work highly enough, buy it now and make new friends.
Utter work of genius, 19 Nov 2007
A cut above every joke book ever released in the history of mankind. Your life will be enriched by racist, sexist, homophobic, and other offensive jokes. Not to be missed.
Just Wrong, 30 Apr 2007
Let's be honest, by looking at this page (let alone contemplating buying it) you must already have a bit of thing against PC-ness, taste and common decency. I am so fazed and generally unaffected by anything, but this book, and some of the "things" within it, well it's hardcore stuff. Fred West would have read this and gone "Ohh, that's wrong that is!" Don't just laugh at the label on the front or the fact that it's wrapped in cellophane so you cant read it in Waterstones, this is geniunely offensive, sick & evil and a bargain at £4.79!
If you like this sort of thing then you won't be dissapointed, ideally suited as a present along with the Viz Profanisaurus if you want a double-dose of purile filth.
Give it to your nan for Xmas if you want some early inheritance!
Utterly utterly brilliant, 11 Feb 2007
As a regular b3ta lurker (with a few posts to my name - mostly with CDCs in them) I'd pre-ordered this as soon as I could.
And proceeded to memorise most of the sickest jokes so I could use them in an after-dinner speech. A little challenge I'd set myself to see how many people I could offend in the shortest possible time frame.
Several people nearly choked on their tongues and I was lucky to get out alive. So all in all a success.
If you hate political correctness and softly-softly then buy this book now. And if you're politically correct and easily offended then buy this book now, so you can write letters of complaint to b3ta - and we can read them and laugh at you.
Dont let your mam read this book., 14 Dec 2006
The jokes in this book are brilliant, you know the type you tell your mate's in the pub but would not tell your mam. Totally un pc. Ofensive, digusting. Buy this book it will have you crying with laughter.
This is the opposite of a knee-capping at the hands of the Taffia..., 11 Nov 2006
One month old and Amazon is already discounting this book - clearly a sign that this is destined to be an all time great.
Do not delay.
You cannot afford not to have this in your life.
Advisory Note: In 35 years time your Grandchildren will find this book in a box in your attic. You will be required to explain to a 7 year old why Aids can turn a fruit into a vegetable. You have been warned.
Comrades, 01 Sep 2008
v
Hammer and Tickle By Ben Lewis
A review by the Cote d'Azure Men's
Book Club
You can die laughing at Russian jokes, and the millions who died at the hands of Josef Stalin, sped on their way by the likes of Beria and his NKVD acolytes certainly would not have seen the joke had they been asked if they wanted the good news or the bad news first. The good was that Comrade Stalin had taken a personal interest. The bad ? A trip across the Styx.
There must be a good joke waiting to tickle one's fancy lurking in the vast acres of the country that has demanded loyalty at any price from the loyal subjects of the Tsar, and the comrades who thought they had found new hope under Gorbachev and Yeltsin.
The Russian character seems to be an enigma, a paradox within a sort of family puzzle, from which emerges - once the camouflage is removed - the blackest of black humours. Jokes often rely on a penalty, at worst death and there is always a sting in the tail. Hammer and Tickle, by Ben Lewis, got the odd chuckle from the Book Club members but not a lot of laughter, maybe because the Kremlin launched its military might against Georgia, rekindling fears of a new Cold War. as the book was reviewed.
. Russian jokes are delivered deadpan, a reflection of a society where to laugh at the leadership is an invitation to a spell in the Gulags Fear and terror seem to strike the Soviet psyche whenever authority is mocked or challenged. Laughter is an escape valve, it does not make the world go round for these comrades, for whom a smile might be a passport to the posthumous award of Hero of the Putin Platoon. .
A glance at the bibliography of this book tells the reader that Mr Lewis had done very extensive research. It is doubtful that he enjoyed the scholarly effort. .
Perhaps we need to distinguish between jokes and comedy, the froth of entertainment we have been able to enjoy is quite different from the jokes that emerged as an expression of satire following the shutdown of printed avenues of expression. The jokes in this book reflect, in a unique way, the experience of an oppressed people. One is reminded of the poignancy of the humour of our own coal miners and cotton workers in the not so distant past. It seems that only when a threshold of oppression that affects the individual is reached that this kind of joke emerges. How long before gallows humour is aimed at our leaders?
We in the West have been conditioned by years of mistrust about the depressed, vodka swilling comrades and, possibly more than depressed knowing we were targets of their nuclear missiles. Living under the shadow of The Bomb was not a joke, either..
Let us wave a tickling stick and take a look at a Russian joke: Boris is walking his pet sheep in the forest, they fall into a deep pit, joined minutes later by Comrade Wolf. Sheep starts baaing. Boris says," Stop your baaing, Comrade Sheep, Comrade Wolf knows which one of us to eat". Boom, boom, as Basil Brush would say.
We enjoyed reading Hammer and Tickle, which evinced guffaws rather than belly laughs Maybe they do not have ways of making you laugh in the Kremlin. A joke, comrades, honestly, just a joke.
We, as westerners accustomed to years and years of Kremlin inspired gloom and thousands of "Nyets" at the United Nations, passive victims of the Cold War and the Soviet chill against the West. have not yet lost the ability to laugh at ourselves, which, considering the sombre nature of our leaders - particularly in the UK - is an admirable tribute. The comrades laugh when the light at the end of the tunnel goes out.
Maybe their humour, and ours, does not survive translation. Sadly it is hard to enjoy fatalistic joking from a country that has repeatedly crushed the spirit of enterprise and the attempt to gain freedom, as evinced by Hungary, Czechoslovakia and the rest.
Hammer and Tickle is not your normal compendium of happy, side- splitting jokes but a reflection of a society that mocks itself in depressive self - reflection. How can one read a joke book, even an intellectual joke book with Freudian overtones, and become as miserable as Ebenezer Scrooge giving money to the poor? Baa, Humbug? Nyet, comrades, just the reality of daily life beyond the old Iron Curtain; still, it appears, no joke.
.
Rave review for this book in the London 'Spectator' book reviews., 20 Jul 2008
The Spectator said that this was an interesting and entertaining read.
I have not read it yet, but that was good enough for me to put it on my wishlist. Christmas is only 123 days away after all!
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My Very First Joke Book
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Customer Reviews
Funniest Book Ever, 16 Mar 2008
I have not even finished this book but I agree that it is the best joke book in the world.Whenever I find a really good one, which is all the time, I tell them and they always laugh until they can't breath. Just like that joke from Monty Python And Now For Something Completley Different, the one where when you read it, you die of so much laughter. My favourite one is Page 2 Joke 4.
Wow, 17 Feb 2005
Quite simply, as the title says, wow. This has GOT to be the largest collection of short jokes I have ever seen. The sheer number of them in here is funny in itself! Let's take a random page for example. Page 382 has... fifteen jokes on it, and it's not one of the fuller pages, either! The text is small, too, so they really have crammed in as much as they can. Having so many jokes means there had to be some order to it, and they've accomplished that nicely with sections alphabetically ordered according to subject. That way if you need, say, a golfing joke for when you're on the course, or a relationships joke for a wedding speech, you'll find the part of the book in seconds. You may also think that so many jokes must be of bad quality, but they're not. They're all really good! Bear in mind that this isn't a kid's joke book, but that doesn't change the fact it's a damned good collection, and thoroughly deserves the five-star rating.
Hysterically funny, 24 Sep 2008
This book discusses why we find humor funny. It may sound boring (why take humor apart?), but in fact it is so funny you'll find yourself laughing uncontrollably while reading it.
I highly recommend it!
great reading!, 19 Jul 2008
valuable insight into the structures and history of jokes - and a great jokebook itself!
The only book about jokes you'll ever need, 11 Jun 2008
The quote from The Times on the back of the book is spot on: this book is four-fifths a book about the nature, history, and meaning of comedy, and one-fifth the only joke book you'll ever need.
A lot of the analysis in this book is very straight, and to make up for the fact that the main text, though very interesting, is not necessarily laugh-a-minute, they put a classic and relevant joke at the bottom of very page. Brilliantly thought out, witty, intelligent, and well worth reading.
The Silliest Joke book ever., 16 Dec 2005
An absolute must for everyone who enjoys daft jokes. Equally good for 7 to 70 year olds, particularly if you tend to forget jokes pretty quickly.
Will have you laughing (and groaning), 16 Sep 2005
I'm not sure this is really the silliest joke book ever but it certainly contains hundreds of jokes that primary school age children will find very funny (Example: 'What is brown and sticky?' 'A stick'). All royalties from this book go to the very worthy Jeans for Genes Campaign which helps children with genetic diseases, and some of the jokes have been provided by celebrities. But I was disappointed not to see my favourite joke: 'Which popstar has two toilets?' 'Lulu'.
Great for a laugh!, 26 Aug 2005
I am a supply teacher and I use this book when I meet a class for the first time. The jokes relaxes the children and encourages them to contribute to lessons as they know that some point during the day they will hear more jokes. It also encourages the them to tell jokes of their own and I use it as a 'carrot' for good behaviour. The children themselves will tell others to be quiet and they often want to read jokes for themself. It works wonders.
I'm a (Mr) Banana, 25 Feb 2004
I've using this book for years now, constantly telling my pals the same old jokes over and over again - they love it. I can't recommened this work highly enough, buy it now and make new friends.
Utter work of genius, 19 Nov 2007
A cut above every joke book ever released in the history of mankind. Your life will be enriched by racist, sexist, homophobic, and other offensive jokes. Not to be missed.
Just Wrong, 30 Apr 2007
Let's be honest, by looking at this page (let alone contemplating buying it) you must already have a bit of thing against PC-ness, taste and common decency. I am so fazed and generally unaffected by anything, but this book, and some of the "things" within it, well it's hardcore stuff. Fred West would have read this and gone "Ohh, that's wrong that is!" Don't just laugh at the label on the front or the fact that it's wrapped in cellophane so you cant read it in Waterstones, this is geniunely offensive, sick & evil and a bargain at £4.79!
If you like this sort of thing then you won't be dissapointed, ideally suited as a present along with the Viz Profanisaurus if you want a double-dose of purile filth.
Give it to your nan for Xmas if you want some early inheritance!
Utterly utterly brilliant, 11 Feb 2007
As a regular b3ta lurker (with a few posts to my name - mostly with CDCs in them) I'd pre-ordered this as soon as I could.
And proceeded to memorise most of the sickest jokes so I could use them in an after-dinner speech. A little challenge I'd set myself to see how many people I could offend in the shortest possible time frame.
Several people nearly choked on their tongues and I was lucky to get out alive. So all in all a success.
If you hate political correctness and softly-softly then buy this book now. And if you're politically correct and easily offended then buy this book now, so you can write letters of complaint to b3ta - and we can read them and laugh at you.
Dont let your mam read this book., 14 Dec 2006
The jokes in this book are brilliant, you know the type you tell your mate's in the pub but would not tell your mam. Totally un pc. Ofensive, digusting. Buy this book it will have you crying with laughter.
This is the opposite of a knee-capping at the hands of the Taffia..., 11 Nov 2006
One month old and Amazon is already discounting this book - clearly a sign that this is destined to be an all time great.
Do not delay.
You cannot afford not to have this in your life.
Advisory Note: In 35 years time your Grandchildren will find this book in a box in your attic. You will be required to explain to a 7 year old why Aids can turn a fruit into a vegetable. You have been warned.
Comrades, 01 Sep 2008
v
Hammer and Tickle By Ben Lewis
A review by the Cote d'Azure Men's
Book Club
You can die laughing at Russian jokes, and the millions who died at the hands of Josef Stalin, sped on their way by the likes of Beria and his NKVD acolytes certainly would not have seen the joke had they been asked if they wanted the good news or the bad news first. The good was that Comrade Stalin had taken a personal interest. The bad ? A trip across the Styx.
There must be a good joke waiting to tickle one's fancy lurking in the vast acres of the country that has demanded loyalty at any price from the loyal subjects of the Tsar, and the comrades who thought they had found new hope under Gorbachev and Yeltsin.
The Russian character seems to be an enigma, a paradox within a sort of family puzzle, from which emerges - once the camouflage is removed - the blackest of black humours. Jokes often rely on a penalty, at worst death and there is always a sting in the tail. Hammer and Tickle, by Ben Lewis, got the odd chuckle from the Book Club members but not a lot of laughter, maybe because the Kremlin launched its military might against Georgia, rekindling fears of a new Cold War. as the book was reviewed.
. Russian jokes are delivered deadpan, a reflection of a society where to laugh at the leadership is an invitation to a spell in the Gulags Fear and terror seem to strike the Soviet psyche whenever authority is mocked or challenged. Laughter is an escape valve, it does not make the world go round for these comrades, for whom a smile might be a passport to the posthumous award of Hero of the Putin Platoon. .
A glance at the bibliography of this book tells the reader that Mr Lewis had done very extensive research. It is doubtful that he enjoyed the scholarly effort. .
Perhaps we need to distinguish between jokes and comedy, the froth of entertainment we have been able to enjoy is quite different from the jokes that emerged as an expression of satire following the shutdown of printed avenues of expression. The jokes in this book reflect, in a unique way, the experience of an oppressed people. One is reminded of the poignancy of the humour of our own coal miners and cotton workers in the not so distant past. It seems that only when a threshold of oppression that affects the individual is reached that this kind of joke emerges. How long before gallows humour is aimed at our leaders?
We in the West have been conditioned by years of mistrust about the depressed, vodka swilling comrades and, possibly more than depressed knowing we were targets of their nuclear missiles. Living under the shadow of The Bomb was not a joke, either..
Let us wave a tickling stick and take a look at a Russian joke: Boris is walking his pet sheep in the forest, they fall into a deep pit, joined minutes later by Comrade Wolf. Sheep starts baaing. Boris says," Stop your baaing, Comrade Sheep, Comrade Wolf knows which one of us to eat". Boom, boom, as Basil Brush would say.
We enjoyed reading Hammer and Tickle, which evinced guffaws rather than belly laughs Maybe they do not have ways of making you laugh in the Kremlin. A joke, comrades, honestly, just a joke.
We, as westerners accustomed to years and years of Kremlin inspired gloom and thousands of "Nyets" at the United Nations, passive victims of the Cold War and the Soviet chill against the West. have not yet lost the ability to laugh at ourselves, which, considering the sombre nature of our leaders - particularly in the UK - is an admirable tribute. The comrades laugh when the light at the end of the tunnel goes out.
Maybe their humour, and ours, does not survive translation. Sadly it is hard to enjoy fatalistic joking from a country that has repeatedly crushed the spirit of enterprise and the attempt to gain freedom, as evinced by Hungary, Czechoslovakia and the rest.
Hammer and Tickle is not your normal compendium of happy, side- splitting jokes but a reflection of a society that mocks itself in depressive self - reflection. How can one read a joke book, even an intellectual joke book with Freudian overtones, and become as miserable as Ebenezer Scrooge giving money to the poor? Baa, Humbug? Nyet, comrades, just the reality of daily life beyond the old Iron Curtain; still, it appears, no joke.
.
Rave review for this book in the London 'Spectator' book reviews., 20 Jul 2008
The Spectator said that this was an interesting and entertaining read.
I have not read it yet, but that was good enough for me to put it on my wishlist. Christmas is only 123 days away after all!
Philosophy is Phunny, 11 Dec 2007
I found this book to be informative and fun. I had always thought of formal philosphy as being, well, dry. However, within the confines of this brief book, philosophy comes alive, surprisingly with....humour.
The concepts and various philosophies are easily explained away with wit and charm. Quite a number of times, I found myself laughing out loud, and desirous of sharing many of the jokes.....thus, best not to read it outside your house (unless you want to entertain perfect strangers).
The format is punchy and straight. There is no time for boredom, or too much reverence.
A very enlightening, light and jaunty read.
Jokes Illustrate Philosophical Questions and Points of View, 24 Aug 2007
Philosophical discussions can be pretty hypothetical and abstract (what is the sound of two hands clapping if both hands stop short of touching one another?). Instead of scanning your brain madly for some point of reference (you often won't find one), you can read a joke from this book instead . . . that captures the essence of the point. The short jokes often explain more than the material that precede them, but in very few words.
I took philosophy in college and loved it. I even considered becoming a philosophy major. But I thought this book was so much more fun than when I studied philosophy formally.
If you have never studied philosophy but would like to learn a little, this book is an excellent choice. Most major philosophical perspectives are represented (except the purely mathematical ones) so you can look up a brief explanation and example anytime you want to understand a reference to a certain kind of philosophy. The approach is much briefer than a book on philosophy for unphilosophical people might be, but a lot more relevant and fun.
If you have studied philosophy, you owe it to yourself to see what jokes the authors have picked to represent various philosophies. I promise you'll be fascinated.
Does the book have a drawback? Sure. If you know a lot of jokes, you'll find many old chestnuts in the book. In fact, you may well anticipate the selection of some of these jokes (such as the one chosen for exemplifying relativism). The jokes are a lot more fun if the joke is new to you. I'm glad that the joke reflected in the book's title was saved to the end: It was a nice surprise.
For those who are new to philosophy, you may not get a few of the jokes. Some of the jokes refer back to elements of the philosophy or philosophy that you may not be familiar enough with after reading the brief sections in this book.
I strongly urge scholars and writers to use the same joke-example method to explain other disciplines. It's a winner!
Okay, so here's an example from the book's beginning which addresses teleology (do things have an innate purpose?):
"Mrs. Goldstein was walking down the street with her two grandchildren. A friend stopped to ask her how old they were.
"She replied, 'The doctor is five and the lawyer is seven.'"
As you can see the joke doesn't exactly fit the philosophy, but the joke does make a nice transition into a discussion of whether human life as a purpose.
Topics covered include metaphysics, logic, epistemology, ethics, philosophy of religion, existentialism, philosophy of language, social and political philosophy, relativity, and metaphilosophy.
The humor also extends to cartoons and a hilarious timeline at the book's end called "Great Moments in the History of Philosophy." Even the glossary has lighthearted references in it.
If being philosophical can be this much fun, we should all turn into philosophers!
Funny and down to Earth introduction to philosophy, 30 Jun 2007
Cathcart and Klein call it philogagging and I have to say it is a very approachable way to introduce philosophy. Short and precise and most importantly a far cry from the usual pagelong sentences of genius philosophers. For a reader like myself who doesn't have the obtion to brag about knowledge of philosophy - Plato and a Platypus is a humorous introduction full of one-liners. For a reader with a philosophical background Plato and a Platypus is a great little curiosum, that will bring out a smile and a laugh. The jokes really are funny!!
Plato and a Platypus is interesting the other way around as well. Who would have thought that jokes, including lawyer-jokes and the occasional knock-knock-jokes are so deep as to examplify philosophy.
Plato and a Platypus is divided in chapters according to philosophical disciplin and within each chapter are the different theories.
I would recommend Plato and a Platypus for a newcomer in the field of philosophy and the philosophical genius, who needs to lighten up and realize that philosophy can be funny, laughable and very down to Earth.
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Customer Reviews
Funniest Book Ever, 16 Mar 2008
I have not even finished this book but I agree that it is the best joke book in the world.Whenever I find a really good one, which is all the time, I tell them and they always laugh until they can't breath. Just like that joke from Monty Python And Now For Something Completley Different, the one where when you read it, you die of so much laughter. My favourite one is Page 2 Joke 4.
Wow, 17 Feb 2005
Quite simply, as the title says, wow. This has GOT to be the largest collection of short jokes I have ever seen. The sheer number of them in here is funny in itself! Let's take a random page for example. Page 382 has... fifteen jokes on it, and it's not one of the fuller pages, either! The text is small, too, so they really have crammed in as much as they can. Having so many jokes means there had to be some order to it, and they've accomplished that nicely with sections alphabetically ordered according to subject. That way if you need, say, a golfing joke for when you're on the course, or a relationships joke for a wedding speech, you'll find the part of the book in seconds. You may also think that so many jokes must be of bad quality, but they're not. They're all really good! Bear in mind that this isn't a kid's joke book, but that doesn't change the fact it's a damned good collection, and thoroughly deserves the five-star rating.
Hysterically funny, 24 Sep 2008
This book discusses why we find humor funny. It may sound boring (why take humor apart?), but in fact it is so funny you'll find yourself laughing uncontrollably while reading it.
I highly recommend it!
great reading!, 19 Jul 2008
valuable insight into the structures and history of jokes - and a great jokebook itself!
The only book about jokes you'll ever need, 11 Jun 2008
The quote from The Times on the back of the book is spot on: this book is four-fifths a book about the nature, history, and meaning of comedy, and one-fifth the only joke book you'll ever need.
A lot of the analysis in this book is very straight, and to make up for the fact that the main text, though very interesting, is not necessarily laugh-a-minute, they put a classic and relevant joke at the bottom of very page. Brilliantly thought out, witty, intelligent, and well worth reading.
The Silliest Joke book ever., 16 Dec 2005
An absolute must for everyone who enjoys daft jokes. Equally good for 7 to 70 year olds, particularly if you tend to forget jokes pretty quickly.
Will have you laughing (and groaning), 16 Sep 2005
I'm not sure this is really the silliest joke book ever but it certainly contains hundreds of jokes that primary school age children will find very funny (Example: 'What is brown and sticky?' 'A stick'). All royalties from this book go to the very worthy Jeans for Genes Campaign which helps children with genetic diseases, and some of the jokes have been provided by celebrities. But I was disappointed not to see my favourite joke: 'Which popstar has two toilets?' 'Lulu'.
Great for a laugh!, 26 Aug 2005
I am a supply teacher and I use this book when I meet a class for the first time. The jokes relaxes the children and encourages them to contribute to lessons as they know that some point during the day they will hear more jokes. It also encourages the them to tell jokes of their own and I use it as a 'carrot' for good behaviour. The children themselves will tell others to be quiet and they often want to read jokes for themself. It works wonders.
I'm a (Mr) Banana, 25 Feb 2004
I've using this book for years now, constantly telling my pals the same old jokes over and over again - they love it. I can't recommened this work highly enough, buy it now and make new friends.
Utter work of genius, 19 Nov 2007
A cut above every joke book ever released in the history of mankind. Your life will be enriched by racist, sexist, homophobic, and other offensive jokes. Not to be missed.
Just Wrong, 30 Apr 2007
Let's be honest, by looking at this page (let alone contemplating buying it) you must already have a bit of thing against PC-ness, taste and common decency. I am so fazed and generally unaffected by anything, but this book, and some of the "things" within it, well it's hardcore stuff. Fred West would have read this and gone "Ohh, that's wrong that is!" Don't just laugh at the label on the front or the fact that it's wrapped in cellophane so you cant read it in Waterstones, this is geniunely offensive, sick & evil and a bargain at £4.79!
If you like this sort of thing then you won't be dissapointed, ideally suited as a present along with the Viz Profanisaurus if you want a double-dose of purile filth.
Give it to your nan for Xmas if you want some early inheritance!
Utterly utterly brilliant, 11 Feb 2007
As a regular b3ta lurker (with a few posts to my name - mostly with CDCs in them) I'd pre-ordered this as soon as I could.
And proceeded to memorise most of the sickest jokes so I could use them in an after-dinner speech. A little challenge I'd set myself to see how many people I could offend in the shortest possible time frame.
Several people nearly choked on their tongues and I was lucky to get out alive. So all in all a success.
If you hate political correctness and softly-softly then buy this book now. And if you're politically correct and easily offended then buy this book now, so you can write letters of complaint to b3ta - and we can read them and laugh at you.
Dont let your mam read this book., 14 Dec 2006
The jokes in this book are brilliant, you know the type you tell your mate's in the pub but would not tell your mam. Totally un pc. Ofensive, digusting. Buy this book it will have you crying with laughter.
This is the opposite of a knee-capping at the hands of the Taffia..., 11 Nov 2006
One month old and Amazon is already discounting this book - clearly a sign that this is destined to be an all time great.
Do not delay.
You cannot afford not to have this in your life.
Advisory Note: In 35 years time your Grandchildren will find this book in a box in your attic. You will be required to explain to a 7 year old why Aids can turn a fruit into a vegetable. You have been warned.
Comrades, 01 Sep 2008
v
Hammer and Tickle By Ben Lewis
A review by the Cote d'Azure Men's
Book Club
You can die laughing at Russian jokes, and the millions who died at the hands of Josef Stalin, sped on their way by the likes of Beria and his NKVD acolytes certainly would not have seen the joke had they been asked if they wanted the good news or the bad news first. The good was that Comrade Stalin had taken a personal interest. The bad ? A trip across the Styx.
There must be a good joke waiting to tickle one's fancy lurking in the vast acres of the country that has demanded loyalty at any price from the loyal subjects of the Tsar, and the comrades who thought they had found new hope under Gorbachev and Yeltsin.
The Russian character seems to be an enigma, a paradox within a sort of family puzzle, from which emerges - once the camouflage is removed - the blackest of black humours. Jokes often rely on a penalty, at worst death and there is always a sting in the tail. Hammer and Tickle, by Ben Lewis, got the odd chuckle from the Book Club members but not a lot of laughter, maybe because the Kremlin launched its military might against Georgia, rekindling fears of a new Cold War. as the book was reviewed.
. Russian jokes are delivered deadpan, a reflection of a society where to laugh at the leadership is an invitation to a spell in the Gulags Fear and terror seem to strike the Soviet psyche whenever authority is mocked or challenged. Laughter is an escape valve, it does not make the world go round for these comrades, for whom a smile might be a passport to the posthumous award of Hero of the Putin Platoon. .
A glance at the bibliography of this book tells the reader that Mr Lewis had done very extensive research. It is doubtful that he enjoyed the scholarly effort. .
Perhaps we need to distinguish between jokes and comedy, the froth of entertainment we have been able to enjoy is quite different from the jokes that emerged as an expression of satire following the shutdown of printed avenues of expression. The jokes in this book reflect, in a unique way, the experience of an oppressed people. One is reminded of the poignancy of the humour of our own coal miners and cotton workers in the not so distant past. It seems that only when a threshold of oppression that affects the individual is reached that this kind of joke emerges. How long before gallows humour is aimed at our leaders?
We in the West have been conditioned by years of mistrust about the depressed, vodka swilling comrades and, possibly more than depressed knowing we were targets of their nuclear missiles. Living under the shadow of The Bomb was not a joke, either..
Let us wave a tickling stick and take a look at a Russian joke: Boris is walking his pet sheep in the forest, they fall into a deep pit, joined minutes later by Comrade Wolf. Sheep starts baaing. Boris says," Stop your baaing, Comrade Sheep, Comrade Wolf knows which one of us to eat". Boom, boom, as Basil Brush would say.
We enjoyed reading Hammer and Tickle, which evinced guffaws rather than belly laughs Maybe they do not have ways of making you laugh in the Kremlin. A joke, comrades, honestly, just a joke.
We, as westerners accustomed to years and years of Kremlin inspired gloom and thousands of "Nyets" at the United Nations, passive victims of the Cold War and the Soviet chill against the West. have not yet lost the ability to laugh at ourselves, which, considering the sombre nature of our leaders - particularly in the UK - is an admirable tribute. The comrades laugh when the light at the end of the tunnel goes out.
Maybe their humour, and ours, does not survive translation. Sadly it is hard to enjoy fatalistic joking from a country that has repeatedly crushed the spirit of enterprise and the attempt to gain freedom, as evinced by Hungary, Czechoslovakia and the rest.
Hammer and Tickle is not your normal compendium of happy, side- splitting jokes but a reflection of a society that mocks itself in depressive self - reflection. How can one read a joke book, even an intellectual joke book with Freudian overtones, and become as miserable as Ebenezer Scrooge giving money to the poor? Baa, Humbug? Nyet, comrades, just the reality of daily life beyond the old Iron Curtain; still, it appears, no joke.
.
Rave review for this book in the London 'Spectator' book reviews., 20 Jul 2008
The Spectator said that this was an interesting and entertaining read.
I have not read it yet, but that was good enough for me to put it on my wishlist. Christmas is only 123 days away after all!
Philosophy is Phunny, 11 Dec 2007
I found this book to be informative and fun. I had always thought of formal philosphy as being, well, dry. However, within the confines of this brief book, philosophy comes alive, surprisingly with....humour.
The concepts and various philosophies are easily explained away with wit and charm. Quite a number of times, I found myself laughing out loud, and desirous of sharing many of the jokes.....thus, best not to read it outside your house (unless you want to entertain perfect strangers).
The format is punchy and straight. There is no time for boredom, or too much reverence.
A very enlightening, light and jaunty read.
Jokes Illustrate Philosophical Questions and Points of View, 24 Aug 2007
Philosophical discussions can be pretty hypothetical and abstract (what is the sound of two hands clapping if both hands stop short of touching one another?). Instead of scanning your brain madly for some point of reference (you often won't find one), you can read a joke from this book instead . . . that captures the essence of the point. The short jokes often explain more than the material that precede them, but in very few words.
I took philosophy in college and loved it. I even considered becoming a philosophy major. But I thought this book was so much more fun than when I studied philosophy formally.
If you have never studied philosophy but would like to learn a little, this book is an excellent choice. Most major philosophical perspectives are represented (except the purely mathematical ones) so you can look up a brief explanation and example anytime you want to understand a reference to a certain kind of philosophy. The approach is much briefer than a book on philosophy for unphilosophical people might be, but a lot more relevant and fun.
If you have studied philosophy, you owe it to yourself to see what jokes the authors have picked to represent various philosophies. I promise you'll be fascinated.
Does the book have a drawback? Sure. If you know a lot of jokes, you'll find many old chestnuts in the book. In fact, you may well anticipate the selection of some of these jokes (such as the one chosen for exemplifying relativism). The jokes are a lot more fun if the joke is new to you. I'm glad that the joke reflected in the book's title was saved to the end: It was a nice surprise.
For those who are new to philosophy, you may not get a few of the jokes. Some of the jokes refer back to elements of the philosophy or philosophy that you may not be familiar enough with after reading the brief sections in this book.
I strongly urge scholars and writers to use the same joke-example method to explain other disciplines. It's a winner!
Okay, so here's an example from the book's beginning which addresses teleology (do things have an innate purpose?):
"Mrs. Goldstein was walking down the street with her two grandchildren. A friend stopped to ask her how old they were.
"She replied, 'The doctor is five and the lawyer is seven.'"
As you can see the joke doesn't exactly fit the philosophy, but the joke does make a nice transition into a discussion of whether human life as a purpose.
Topics covered include metaphysics, logic, epistemology, ethics, philosophy of religion, existentialism, philosophy of language, social and political philosophy, relativity, and metaphilosophy.
The humor also extends to cartoons and a hilarious timeline at the book's end called "Great Moments in the History of Philosophy." Even the glossary has lighthearted references in it.
If being philosophical can be this much fun, we should all turn into philosophers!
Funny and down to Earth introduction to philosophy, 30 Jun 2007
Cathcart and Klein call it philogagging and I have to say it is a very approachable way to introduce philosophy. Short and precise and most importantly a far cry from the usual pagelong sentences of genius philosophers. For a reader like myself who doesn't have the obtion to brag about knowledge of philosophy - Plato and a Platypus is a humorous introduction full of one-liners. For a reader with a philosophical background Plato and a Platypus is a great little curiosum, that will bring out a smile and a laugh. The jokes really are funny!!
Plato and a Platypus is interesting the other way around as well. Who would have thought that jokes, including lawyer-jokes and the occasional knock-knock-jokes are so deep as to examplify philosophy.
Plato and a Platypus is divided in chapters according to philosophical disciplin and within each chapter are the different theories.
I would recommend Plato and a Platypus for a newcomer in the field of philosophy and the philosophical genius, who needs to lighten up and realize that philosophy can be funny, laughable and very down to Earth.
usable joke book., 08 Feb 2005
This book has a lot of jokes in it, given the quantity it is possible to find ones that are funny, however the ratio of good to groan is not very high.
The funniest book I've ever read!, 10 Jan 2004
It doesn't just contain one line jokes, it mostly has half paged sized stories. The quotes are great, and some things are really clever in it and I haven't recieved through email or found on the web since. It's a clever book, and well thought out. I must admit it's taken me about 6 months to get through it at work - but if I just open up any page I'm certain to laugh at one of the jokes on any page. There were about 3 jokes I didn't understand in total, and that annoyed me, but I haven't found a better joke book since. Great to read on the toilet too - not saying I spend all my time at work on the toilet!
A Joke for all occasions, 11 Dec 2001
In only a few days, we have had hours of fun with this book. There is a joke for all occasions - highly recommended
Covers Everything!, 24 Jun 2001
I concur with what the user below says, it is a brilliant joke book covering virtually everything. Its has the jokes lined up in subjects, so you can get whatever you joke you need. I like the way it gives you the author of the particular joke too. You get to see a lot of familiar names appearing, Joan Rivers, Les Dawson, Woody Allen etc. It has a lot of depth and isn't just about jokes. It has general put-downs, and famous put-downs too. Overall its just well worth the money, it'll have you in stitches!
Excellent comprehensive joke book, 15 Mar 2001
The best joke book I have ever seen. After looking through loads of joke books with boring one liners or long drawn out stories, this is a really interesting book. It covers every subject and is a really interesting read. The only problem is that it is so good you can never remember all the jokes you have read recently to tell to your friends. The majority of the jokes are reasonably new and hilarious. My friends kept asking me which ones I had read the night before. There are some older more established jokes but a lot of these are put slightly differently so giving the joke a new lease of life. Brilliant book - highly recommended. I am even buying more for presents.
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Customer Reviews
Funniest Book Ever, 16 Mar 2008
I have not even finished this book but I agree that it is the best joke book in the world.Whenever I find a really good one, which is all the time, I tell them and they always laugh until they can't breath. Just like that joke from Monty Python And Now For Something Completley Different, the one where when you read it, you die of so much laughter. My favourite one is Page 2 Joke 4.
Wow, 17 Feb 2005
Quite simply, as the title says, wow. This has GOT to be the largest collection of short jokes I have ever seen. The sheer number of them in here is funny in itself! Let's take a random page for example. Page 382 has... fifteen jokes on it, and it's not one of the fuller pages, either! The text is small, too, so they really have crammed in as much as they can. Having so many jokes means there had to be some order to it, and they've accomplished that nicely with sections alphabetically ordered according to subject. That way if you need, say, a golfing joke for when you're on the course, or a relationships joke for a wedding speech, you'll find the part of the book in seconds. You may also think that so many jokes must be of bad quality, but they're not. They're all really good! Bear in mind that this isn't a kid's joke book, but that doesn't change the fact it's a damned good collection, and thoroughly deserves the five-star rating.
Hysterically funny, 24 Sep 2008
This book discusses why we find humor funny. It may sound boring (why take humor apart?), but in fact it is so funny you'll find yourself laughing uncontrollably while reading it.
I highly recommend it!
great reading!, 19 Jul 2008
valuable insight into the structures and history of jokes - and a great jokebook itself!
The only book about jokes you'll ever need, 11 Jun 2008
The quote from The Times on the back of the book is spot on: this book is four-fifths a book about the nature, history, and meaning of comedy, and one-fifth the only joke book you'll ever need.
A lot of the analysis in this book is very straight, and to make up for the fact that the main text, though very interesting, is not necessarily laugh-a-minute, they put a classic and relevant joke at the bottom of very page. Brilliantly thought out, witty, intelligent, and well worth reading.
The Silliest Joke book ever., 16 Dec 2005
An absolute must for everyone who enjoys daft jokes. Equally good for 7 to 70 year olds, particularly if you tend to forget jokes pretty quickly.
Will have you laughing (and groaning), 16 Sep 2005
I'm not sure this is really the silliest joke book ever but it certainly contains hundreds of jokes that primary school age children will find very funny (Example: 'What is brown and sticky?' 'A stick'). All royalties from this book go to the very worthy Jeans for Genes Campaign which helps children with genetic diseases, and some of the jokes have been provided by celebrities. But I was disappointed not to see my favourite joke: 'Which popstar has two toilets?' 'Lulu'.
Great for a laugh!, 26 Aug 2005
I am a supply teacher and I use this book when I meet a class for the first time. The jokes relaxes the children and encourages them to contribute to lessons as they know that some point during the day they will hear more jokes. It also encourages the them to tell jokes of their own and I use it as a 'carrot' for good behaviour. The children themselves will tell others to be quiet and they often want to read jokes for themself. It works wonders.
I'm a (Mr) Banana, 25 Feb 2004
I've using this book for years now, constantly telling my pals the same old jokes over and over again - they love it. I can't recommened this work highly enough, buy it now and make new friends.
Utter work of genius, 19 Nov 2007
A cut above every joke book ever released in the history of mankind. Your life will be enriched by racist, sexist, homophobic, and other offensive jokes. Not to be missed.
Just Wrong, 30 Apr 2007
Let's be honest, by looking at this page (let alone contemplating buying it) you must already have a bit of thing against PC-ness, taste and common decency. I am so fazed and generally unaffected by anything, but this book, and some of the "things" within it, well it's hardcore stuff. Fred West would have read this and gone "Ohh, that's wrong that is!" Don't just laugh at the label on the front or the fact that it's wrapped in cellophane so you cant read it in Waterstones, this is geniunely offensive, sick & evil and a bargain at £4.79!
If you like this sort of thing then you won't be dissapointed, ideally suited as a present along with the Viz Profanisaurus if you want a double-dose of purile filth.
Give it to your nan for Xmas if you want some early inheritance!
Utterly utterly brilliant, 11 Feb 2007
As a regular b3ta lurker (with a few posts to my name - mostly with CDCs in them) I'd pre-ordered this as soon as I could.
And proceeded to memorise most of the sickest jokes so I could use them in an after-dinner speech. A little challenge I'd set myself to see how many people I could offend in the shortest possible time frame.
Several people nearly choked on their tongues and I was lucky to get out alive. So all in all a success.
If you hate political correctness and softly-softly then buy this book now. And if you're politically correct and easily offended then buy this book now, so you can write letters of complaint to b3ta - and we can read them and laugh at you.
Dont let your mam read this book., 14 Dec 2006
The jokes in this book are brilliant, you know the type you tell your mate's in the pub but would not tell your mam. Totally un pc. Ofensive, digusting. Buy this book it will have you crying with laughter.
This is the opposite of a knee-capping at the hands of the Taffia..., 11 Nov 2006
One month old and Amazon is already discounting this book - clearly a sign that this is destined to be an all time great.
Do not delay.
You cannot afford not to have this in your life.
Advisory Note: In 35 years time your Grandchildren will find this book in a box in your attic. You will be required to explain to a 7 year old why Aids can turn a fruit into a vegetable. You have been warned.
Comrades, 01 Sep 2008
v
Hammer and Tickle By Ben Lewis
A review by the Cote d'Azure Men's
Book Club
You can die laughing at Russian jokes, and the millions who died at the hands of Josef Stalin, sped on their way by the likes of Beria and his NKVD acolytes certainly would not have seen the joke had they been asked if they wanted the good news or the bad news first. The good was that Comrade Stalin had taken a personal interest. The bad ? A trip across the Styx.
There must be a good joke waiting to tickle one's fancy lurking in the vast acres of the country that has demanded loyalty at any price from the loyal subjects of the Tsar, and the comrades who thought they had found new hope under Gorbachev and Yeltsin.
The Russian character seems to be an enigma, a paradox within a sort of family puzzle, from which emerges - once the camouflage is removed - the blackest of black humours. Jokes often rely on a penalty, at worst death and there is always a sting in the tail. Hammer and Tickle, by Ben Lewis, got the odd chuckle from the Book Club members but not a lot of laughter, maybe because the Kremlin launched its military might against Georgia, rekindling fears of a new Cold War. as the book was reviewed.
. Russian jokes are delivered deadpan, a reflection of a society where to laugh at the leadership is an invitation to a spell in the Gulags Fear and terror seem to strike the Soviet psyche whenever authority is mocked or challenged. Laughter is an escape valve, it does not make the world go round for these comrades, for whom a smile might be a passport to the posthumous award of Hero of the Putin Platoon. .
A glance at the bibliography of this book tells the reader that Mr Lewis had done very extensive research. It is doubtful that he enjoyed the scholarly effort. .
Perhaps we need to distinguish between jokes and comedy, the froth of entertainment we have been able to enjoy is quite different from the jokes that emerged as an expression of satire following the shutdown of printed avenues of expression. The jokes in this book reflect, in a unique way, the experience of an oppressed people. One is reminded of the poignancy of the humour of our own coal miners and cotton workers in the not so distant past. It seems that only when a threshold of oppression that affects the individual is reached that this kind of joke emerges. How long before gallows humour is aimed at our leaders?
We in the West have been conditioned by years of mistrust about the depressed, vodka swilling comrades and, possibly more than depressed knowing we were targets of their nuclear missiles. Living under the shadow of The Bomb was not a joke, either..
Let us wave a tickling stick and take a look at a Russian joke: Boris is walking his pet sheep in the forest, they fall into a deep pit, joined minutes later by Comrade Wolf. Sheep starts baaing. Boris says," Stop your baaing, Comrade Sheep, Comrade Wolf knows which one of us to eat". Boom, boom, as Basil Brush would say.
We enjoyed reading Hammer and Tickle, which evinced guffaws rather than belly laughs Maybe they do not have ways of making you laugh in the Kremlin. A joke, comrades, honestly, just a joke.
We, as westerners accustomed to years and years of Kremlin inspired gloom and thousands of "Nyets" at the United Nations, passive victims of the Cold War and the Soviet chill against the West. have not yet lost the ability to laugh at ourselves, which, considering the sombre nature of our leaders - particularly in the UK - is an admirable tribute. The comrades laugh when the light at the end of the tunnel goes out.
Maybe their humour, and ours, does not survive translation. Sadly it is hard to enjoy fatalistic joking from a country that has repeatedly crushed the spirit of enterprise and the attempt to gain freedom, as evinced by Hungary, Czechoslovakia and the rest.
Hammer and Tickle is not your normal compendium of happy, side- splitting jokes but a reflection of a society that mocks itself in depressive self - reflection. How can one read a joke book, even an intellectual joke book with Freudian overtones, and become as miserable as Ebenezer Scrooge giving money to the poor? Baa, Humbug? Nyet, comrades, just the reality of daily life beyond the old Iron Curtain; still, it appears, no joke.
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Rave review for this book in the London 'Spectator' book reviews., 20 Jul 2008
The Spectator said that this was an interesting and entertaining read.
I have not read it yet, but that was good enough for me to put it on my wishlist. Christmas is only 123 days away after all!
Philosophy is Phunny, 11 Dec 2007
I found this book to be informative and fun. I had always thought of formal philosphy as being, well, dry. However, within the confines of this brief book, philosophy comes alive, surprisingly with....humour.
The concepts and various philosophies are easily explained away with wit and charm. Quite a number of times, I found myself laughing out loud, and desirous of sharing many of the jokes.....thus, best not to read it outside your house (unless you want to entertain perfect strangers).
The format is punchy and straight. There is no time for boredom, or too much reverence.
A very enlightening, light and jaunty read.
Jokes Illustrate Philosophical Questions and Points of View, 24 Aug 2007
Philosophical discussions can be pretty hypothetical and abstract (what is the sound of two hands clapping if both hands stop short of touching one another?). Instead of scanning your brain madly for some point of reference (you often won't find one), you can read a joke from this book instead . . . that captures the essence of the point. The short jokes often explain more than the material that precede them, but in very few words.
I took philosophy in college and loved it. I even considered becoming a philosophy major. But I thought this book was so much more fun than when I studied philosophy formally.
If you have never studied philosophy but would like to learn a little, this book is an excellent choice. Most major philosophical perspectives are represented (except the purely mathematical ones) so you can look up a brief explanation and example anytime you want to understand a reference to a certain kind of philosophy. The approach is much briefer than a book on philosophy for unphilosophical people might be, but a lot more relevant and fun.
If you have studied philosophy, you owe it to yourself to see what jokes the authors have picked to represent various philosophies. I promise you'll be fascinated.
Does the book have a drawback? Sure. If you know a lot of jokes, you'll find many old chestnuts in the book. In fact, you may well anticipate the selection of some of these jokes (such as the one chosen for exemplifying relativism). The jokes are a lot more fun if the joke is new to you. I'm glad that the joke reflected in the book's title was saved to the end: It was a nice surprise.
For those who are new to philosophy, you may not get a few of the jokes. Some of the jokes refer back to elements of the philosophy or philosophy that you may not be familiar enough with after reading the brief sections in this book.
I strongly urge scholars and writers to use the same joke-example method to explain other disciplines. It's a winner!
Okay, so here's an example from the book's beginning which addresses teleology (do things have an innate purpose?):
"Mrs. Goldstein was walking down the street with her two grandchildren. A friend stopped to ask her how old they were.
"She replied, 'The doctor is five and the lawyer is seven.'"
As you can see the joke doesn't exactly fit the philosophy, but the joke does make a nice transition into a discussion of whether human life as a purpose.
Topics covered include metaphysics, logic, epistemology, ethics, philosophy of religion, existentialism, philosophy of language, social and political philosophy, relativity, and metaphilosophy.
The humor also extends to cartoons and a hilarious timeline at the book's end called "Great Moments in the History of Philosophy." Even the glossary has lighthearted references in it.
If being philosophical can be this much fun, we should all turn into philosophers!
Funny and down to Earth introduction to philosophy, 30 Jun 2007
Cathcart and Klein call it philogagging and I have to say it is a very approachable way to introduce philosophy. Short and precise and most importantly a far cry from the usual pagelong sentences of genius philosophers. For a reader like myself who doesn't have the obtion to brag about knowledge of philosophy - Plato and a Platypus is a humorous introduction full of one-liners. For a reader with a philosophical background Plato and a Platypus is a great little curiosum, that will bring out a smile and a laugh. The jokes really are funny!!
Plato and a Platypus is interesting the other way around as well. Who would have thought that jokes, including lawyer-jokes and the occasional knock-knock-jokes are so deep as to examplify philosophy.
Plato and a Platypus is divided in chapters according to philosophical disciplin and within each chapter are the different theories.
I would recommend Plato and a Platypus for a newcomer in the field of philosophy and the philosophical genius, who needs to lighten up and realize that philosophy can be funny, laughable and very down to Earth.
usable joke book., 08 Feb 2005
This book has a lot of jokes in it, given the quantity it is possible to find ones that are funny, however the ratio of good to groan is not very high.
The funniest book I've ever read!, 10 Jan 2004
It doesn't just contain one line jokes, it mostly has half paged sized stories. The quotes are great, and some things are really clever in it and I haven't recieved through email or found on the web since. It's a clever book, and well thought out. I must admit it's taken me about 6 months to get through it at work - but if I just open up any page I'm certain to laugh at one of the jokes on any page. There were about 3 jokes I didn't understand in total, and that annoyed me, but I haven't found a better joke book since. Great to read on the toilet too - not saying I spend all my time at work on the toilet!
A Joke for all occasions, 11 Dec 2001
In only a few days, we have had hours of fun with this book. There is a joke for all occasions - highly recommended
Covers Everything!, 24 Jun 2001
I concur with what the user below says, it is a brilliant joke book covering virtually everything. Its has the jokes lined up in subjects, so you can get whatever you joke you need. I like the way it gives you the author of the particular joke too. You get to see a lot of familiar names appearing, Joan Rivers, Les Dawson, Woody Allen etc. It has a lot of depth and isn't just about jokes. It has general put-downs, and famous put-downs too. Overall its just well worth the money, it'll have you in stitches!
Excellent comprehensive joke book, 15 Mar 2001
The best joke book I have ever seen. After looking through loads of joke books with boring one liners or long drawn out stories, this is a really interesting book. It covers every subject and is a really interesting read. The only problem is that it is so good you can never remember all the jokes you have read recently to tell to your friends. The majority of the jokes are reasonably new and hilarious. My friends kept asking me which ones I had read the night before. There are some older more established jokes but a lot of these are put slightly differently so giving the joke a new lease of life. Brilliant book - highly recommended. I am even buying more for presents.
I can't put it down, 18 Jul 2007
A great beginner guide to the art of stand-up comedy covering all the areas you need to know to get you on the road, from a background history of comedy, to building on persona, to methods on how to build a set, to the importance of getting the audience to like you.
With celebrity interviews, quotes and advice on how they got to where they are now you won't want to put it down.
Interesting and insightful, 05 Jul 2006
This book is interesting for several reasons. Firstly it's written by an experienced stand-up / compere, and more recently the lecturer behind a university stand-up course. Whether stand-up can be taught is a curious debate, and one that Double is better placed than most to explore. That he clearly believes in the value of teaching stand-up skills makes him an excellent person to learn from, and his enthusiasm for the subject carries throughout the book.
Secondly, this is the only book I'm aware of to successfully cover the full spectrum of stand-up comedy. While most books focus on one area or another, this book covers three distinct but inter-related elements that are essential reading for anyone who's working in stand-up or interested in it as an art form. Double takes us from the foundations of stand-up, via variety and music hall, to the modern comedy scene. Then he takes us through the mechanics of stand-up, including the process of writing jokes and structuring a set. Finally, he covers the actual experience of performing stand-up. The highs and lows, and the emotional effect of standing in front of a mic trying to make people laugh.
It's pretty rare that you find all three elements covered as succinctly and effectively is they are in this book, and it's a reflection of his experience as an academic and a working comic. But it's also to a large extent a result of the way he's contructed the book based on interviews with past and current stand-up comics. He's obviously spent many long hours with comics, and the book is literally packed with quotations. And by using their words to discuss arguments, and by drawing on their real life experience, Double's put together a very effective and engaging book indeed. It's unquestionably well researched, and as a result carries great weight and value.
I'd previously read Oliver Double's 'Stand Up!: On Being A comedian', and in some ways the two books overlap. But this newer book is bigger, covers more ground, and has more depth than his previous effort. Example: Stand up! has a sizable section on British comedy. In Getting the Joke Double extends this but also puts it into a global context by also charting the rise of stand-up in the USA. So if you've already read the former, it's definitely worth getting hold of a copy of this one too.
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Customer Reviews
Funniest Book Ever, 16 Mar 2008
I have not even finished this book but I agree that it is the best joke book in the world.Whenever I find a really good one, which is all the time, I tell them and they always laugh until they can't breath. Just like that joke from Monty Python And Now For Something Completley Different, the one where when you read it, you die of so much laughter. My favourite one is Page 2 Joke 4.
Wow, 17 Feb 2005
Quite simply, as the title says, wow. This has GOT to be the largest collection of short jokes I have ever seen. The sheer number of them in here is funny in itself! Let's take a random page for example. Page 382 has... fifteen jokes on it, and it's not one of the fuller pages, either! The text is small, too, so they really have crammed in as much as they can. Having so many jokes means there had to be some order to it, and they've accomplished that nicely with sections alphabetically ordered according to subject. That way if you need, say, a golfing joke for when you're on the course, or a relationships joke for a wedding speech, you'll find the part of the book in seconds. You may also think that so many jokes must be of bad quality, but they're not. They're all really good! Bear in mind that this isn't a kid's joke book, but that doesn't change the fact it's a damned good collection, and thoroughly deserves the five-star rating.
Hysterically funny, 24 Sep 2008
This book discusses why we find humor funny. It may sound boring (why take humor apart?), but in fact it is so funny you'll find yourself laughing uncontrollably while reading it.
I highly recommend it!
great reading!, 19 Jul 2008
valuable insight into the structures and history of jokes - and a great jokebook itself!
The only book about jokes you'll ever need, 11 Jun 2008
The quote from The Times on the back of the book is spot on: this book is four-fifths a book about the nature, history, and meaning of comedy, and one-fifth the only joke book you'll ever need.
A lot of the analysis in this book is very straight, and to make up for the fact that the main text, though very interesting, is not necessarily laugh-a-minute, they put a classic and relevant joke at the bottom of very page. Brilliantly thought out, witty, intelligent, and well worth reading.
The Silliest Joke book ever., 16 Dec 2005
An absolute must for everyone who enjoys daft jokes. Equally good for 7 to 70 year olds, particularly if you tend to forget jokes pretty quickly.
Will have you laughing (and groaning), 16 Sep 2005
I'm not sure this is really the silliest joke book ever but it certainly contains hundreds of jokes that primary school age children will find very funny (Example: 'What is brown and sticky?' 'A stick'). All royalties from this book go to the ver | | |