Who is my favourite American Rhyming Humorist? Well there are obvious choices, Ogden Nash, Dr Seuss, Phyllis McGinley, Shel Silverstein, Dorothy Parker… But what about James Thurber?
That’s correct Mr Thurber, creator of Walter Mitty and Mr Preble… But a rhyming humorist? Well if you read any biography of James Thurber (Such as here or here) the word poet is not mentioned in his description, but recently I have had the enormous pleasure of reading two of his children’s books, ‘The Wonderful O’ and ‘The 13 Clocks’. Both books suddenly break into metrical rhyming sections at sporadic intervals. It can confuse at times, as the sections are not lineated as you would normally associate with poetry, the words are as Roger McGough wrote in his wonderful autobiography, ‘Words out of control, falling over a cliff’, and many times I had to read a section again as I realised I had missed one the fact that it rhymes.
Take for example this section from the Wonderful O, about building a better man: (Lineation mine)
“Of firmer flesh and all complete,
From Hairy head to metatarsal feet,
Using A’s and I’s and U’s and E’s
With muscular arms and flexible knees;
Eyes and ears and lids and lips,
Neck and chest and breast and hips;
Liver, heart and lungs and chin,
Nerves and ligaments and skin;
Kidney’s, pancreas and flanks,
Ankles calves and skin and shanks.
Legs and lashes, ribs and spleen—‘
Black had turned a little green,
And then Hyde held up both his hands
“Brains and veins and cells and glands—“
He is then silenced and it descends into non-rhyming prose, until Mr Thurber decides he is going to rhyme again…
I found both these books wonderfully inventive, linguistically fruitful, terrifically moral and exceptionally humorous… They would be strongly recommended.
Although in answer to my initial question, the answer would still be Ogden Nash… Although I loved Thurber’s work before I read these books and I like his work a little more now…
Showing posts with label Recommended Reads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recommended Reads. Show all posts
Friday, September 17, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Francis Xavier Enderby
During the short intermission that they have at the wonderful storytelling night, Milk & Cookies, I took the opportunity to read from, ‘The Complete Enderby’. A tome containing all four novels written by Anthony Burgess about the poet, Francis Xavier Enderby. Whilst reading, I was asked,
‘That’s the same guy who wrote Clockwork Orange isn’t it?’ I replied in the affirmative and was then asked, ‘Is it similar to Clockwork Orange?’ To which I could reply in the negative as it isn’t. I am then glad that he did not ask me what it is comparable to as I’m not so sure… The books are certainly like nothing I’ve ever read before.
Gifted Poet, Francis Xavier Enderby, has questionable gastronomic and hygiene habits. His grotesque stepmother ruined both his Libido and his Catholicism for him. Now all he wants to do is live a solitary existence which allows him to collect money from investments and to write his poems whilst on his toilet, especially the masterpiece he is currently working on. Unfortunately there are many obstacles preventing him from living the life he wants, including: A friend asking him to write love poems to a barmaid, awards to accept, jealous husbands, the plagiarising of his work, being wrongfully accused of murder and many others but most especially the women… You see despite being a bit grotesque and due to him being such a gifted wordsmith Enderby is, if not irresistible at least, very popular with the opposite sex. Although there is normally strings attached with these liaisons, such as: Marriage and conformity to society, higher marks at college or just a fulfilment of lust that Enderby is unable to fulfil. Also, you can’t help feeling sorry for Enderby as it appears nobody is on his side, he truly is a man alone who just wishes for his muse never to leave him and to be left alone with this muse and write beautiful things.
All this adds up to four very funny books with wonderful linguistic fun that showcases a poet so out of step with the world and even the world of art. I would certainly recommend these books to any adult…
‘That’s the same guy who wrote Clockwork Orange isn’t it?’ I replied in the affirmative and was then asked, ‘Is it similar to Clockwork Orange?’ To which I could reply in the negative as it isn’t. I am then glad that he did not ask me what it is comparable to as I’m not so sure… The books are certainly like nothing I’ve ever read before.
Gifted Poet, Francis Xavier Enderby, has questionable gastronomic and hygiene habits. His grotesque stepmother ruined both his Libido and his Catholicism for him. Now all he wants to do is live a solitary existence which allows him to collect money from investments and to write his poems whilst on his toilet, especially the masterpiece he is currently working on. Unfortunately there are many obstacles preventing him from living the life he wants, including: A friend asking him to write love poems to a barmaid, awards to accept, jealous husbands, the plagiarising of his work, being wrongfully accused of murder and many others but most especially the women… You see despite being a bit grotesque and due to him being such a gifted wordsmith Enderby is, if not irresistible at least, very popular with the opposite sex. Although there is normally strings attached with these liaisons, such as: Marriage and conformity to society, higher marks at college or just a fulfilment of lust that Enderby is unable to fulfil. Also, you can’t help feeling sorry for Enderby as it appears nobody is on his side, he truly is a man alone who just wishes for his muse never to leave him and to be left alone with this muse and write beautiful things.
All this adds up to four very funny books with wonderful linguistic fun that showcases a poet so out of step with the world and even the world of art. I would certainly recommend these books to any adult…
Sunday, February 14, 2010
35 Years Gone... RIP P.G. Wodehouse
35 years ago today, the world lost the funniest writer it has ever known. Mr Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, In my humble opinion, the greatest user of the English Language ever.
Like in my last Blog, about Charles M Schulz, I can do nothing better than to use The Master's own words to pay tribute. Unfortunately it is easier with Schulz than it is with Wodehouse (I am not going to reproduce an entire story here). So I have decided to recommend 10 Wodehouse books... This is a very difficult process as I would have to decide what to leave out, but I'm after ten that provide conclusive evidence that he was the funniest writer, combined with ten that demonstrate the vastness of his canon, so there will be only one Jeeves book, one Blandings etc... So here goes.
1) Thank you Jeeves.
2) Heavy Weather
3) Clicking of Cuthbert
4) Meet Mr Mulliner
5) Damsel in Distress
6) Young Men in Spats
7) Bill the Conqueror
8) Hot Water
9) Ukridge
10) The Small Bachelor
Like in my last Blog, about Charles M Schulz, I can do nothing better than to use The Master's own words to pay tribute. Unfortunately it is easier with Schulz than it is with Wodehouse (I am not going to reproduce an entire story here). So I have decided to recommend 10 Wodehouse books... This is a very difficult process as I would have to decide what to leave out, but I'm after ten that provide conclusive evidence that he was the funniest writer, combined with ten that demonstrate the vastness of his canon, so there will be only one Jeeves book, one Blandings etc... So here goes.
1) Thank you Jeeves.
2) Heavy Weather
3) Clicking of Cuthbert
4) Meet Mr Mulliner
5) Damsel in Distress
6) Young Men in Spats
7) Bill the Conqueror
8) Hot Water
9) Ukridge
10) The Small Bachelor
Friday, February 12, 2010
10 years gone... RIP Charles M Schulz
As i wrote two blogs ago [Here], today is 10 years since the death of Charles M Schulz...
I can write nothing better than to put up a wonderful strip from this Comic Genius...
Hope it is enjoyed.
I can write nothing better than to put up a wonderful strip from this Comic Genius...
Hope it is enjoyed.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Sherlock Holmes
Although I have yet to see Guy Ritchie’s version of Sherlock Holmes, I have recently begun to re-read the Sherlock Holmes Stories and Novels and I believe the fact that this movie put the exploits of Holmes and Watson before the public again, is the reason why.
My first exposure of the world’s greatest detective was as a young man watching the Baker Street Boys on CBBC and also reading the Arthur stories written by Alan Coren. I then remember the series starring Jeremy Brett, but I didn’t explore the literary side of Holmes until I was 20 years of age and loved to read the stories once I started. As I said at the beginning I’ve recently started to re-read them which indicates there has been a Gap, and there has been an inexplicably large gap that I needed the help of Mr Guy Ritchie to alleviate.
Over the festive period I began with Hound of the Baskervilles, followed by the Stories in the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and I have recently finished The Sign of Four. I shall now read the stories in the Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes and probably take a break after that, but for not too long of a period.
One thing that has struck me whilst reading the volumes is there always appears to be a fire burning in the rooms of 22IB Baker Street and also the copious amounts of tobacco consumed in the same residence. I can calculate, using the Sherlock Holmes method no doubt, that the stories of Sherlock Holmes tend to be set during cold weather and that both he and Watson were heavy smokers.
I mention this because, when I read the stories I always feel that I should be sitting next to an open fire with cigar to get the full effect. The recent Cold Spell we’ve had would seem to be the perfect place to do this except there are, of course, problems which present themselves, 1) We do not have an open fire, 2) When I do have one of my occasional cigars (Special occasions and celebrations only) I’m sent outside to smoke it so that I would never be next to a fire even if we had one. There is a fire in one of our favourite Howth Pubs, (The Bloody Stream) but thanks to the smoking ban this is not feasible either.
Oh well the stories shall be enjoyed regardless and I will not leave it too long, even though I do not believe that I’ll be going to see the movie out now, wait for it to arrive into my fire-less living room through the television.
Photo of me, Cigar and Sherlock Holmes...
My first exposure of the world’s greatest detective was as a young man watching the Baker Street Boys on CBBC and also reading the Arthur stories written by Alan Coren. I then remember the series starring Jeremy Brett, but I didn’t explore the literary side of Holmes until I was 20 years of age and loved to read the stories once I started. As I said at the beginning I’ve recently started to re-read them which indicates there has been a Gap, and there has been an inexplicably large gap that I needed the help of Mr Guy Ritchie to alleviate.
Over the festive period I began with Hound of the Baskervilles, followed by the Stories in the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and I have recently finished The Sign of Four. I shall now read the stories in the Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes and probably take a break after that, but for not too long of a period.
One thing that has struck me whilst reading the volumes is there always appears to be a fire burning in the rooms of 22IB Baker Street and also the copious amounts of tobacco consumed in the same residence. I can calculate, using the Sherlock Holmes method no doubt, that the stories of Sherlock Holmes tend to be set during cold weather and that both he and Watson were heavy smokers.
I mention this because, when I read the stories I always feel that I should be sitting next to an open fire with cigar to get the full effect. The recent Cold Spell we’ve had would seem to be the perfect place to do this except there are, of course, problems which present themselves, 1) We do not have an open fire, 2) When I do have one of my occasional cigars (Special occasions and celebrations only) I’m sent outside to smoke it so that I would never be next to a fire even if we had one. There is a fire in one of our favourite Howth Pubs, (The Bloody Stream) but thanks to the smoking ban this is not feasible either.
Oh well the stories shall be enjoyed regardless and I will not leave it too long, even though I do not believe that I’ll be going to see the movie out now, wait for it to arrive into my fire-less living room through the television.
Photo of me, Cigar and Sherlock Holmes...
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Tickling The English, In Ireland
As an Englishman who is living in Ireland, I really wanted to read the thoughts on the English by an Irishman living in England… So I did… And what a thoroughly entertaining, funny and insightful read it was.
I’m also a fan of Dara O’Briain, the Author, so that was just another reason.
Tickling the English is a wonderful book, which actually uses statistics to break down national stereotypes, rather than fear-mongering to confirm them.
There are a few things I would disagree with, for instance his claim that the Irish embrace their adolescents whereas the English condemn them… Has he watched RTE news around Leaving Cert ending time? “Stay away from town centres Drunken unruly Teenagers on the loose…” But the majority was agreed with and the way with words he has is exceptional.
He claimed that the English were the Panto-Villains of the Irish, and this reminds me of a tale I’m now going to relate.
In 2003, I was sitting having lunch with my Irish work colleagues, when the subject of the 1994 world cup came up, one of my colleagues then said,
‘How did England get on during that tournament? Oh that’s right, they weren’t there.’ To which I replied,
‘We can always talk about World Cups we were at that you weren’t at if you like.’
To which someone responded, ‘Typical English, he’s going to start going on about 1966 now.’
Now I hadn’t mentioned 1966 yet, but I had recently purchased a 1966 England world cup winning shirt from the company TOFFS, which I had been yet to be brave enough to wear in Cork. I decided to gauge the reaction by wearing this shirt in my local pub during an England game, which we won. Nobody mentioned it, as I cheered and I noticed I was not alone in the cheering, some Irish people were cheering as well. I’m not sure why, but I did think of this whilst reading the book, and I thought I’d pass it on. Maybe I’m just upset that the shirt didn’t elicit the Boo’s that you would associate with a Panto-Villain.
So the bottom line is, I would strongly recommend, 'Tickling The English', it would make a wonderful Christmas Gift as would, ‘Please Do Not Encourage This Nonsense by Purchasing This Book’.
I’m also a fan of Dara O’Briain, the Author, so that was just another reason.
Tickling the English is a wonderful book, which actually uses statistics to break down national stereotypes, rather than fear-mongering to confirm them.
There are a few things I would disagree with, for instance his claim that the Irish embrace their adolescents whereas the English condemn them… Has he watched RTE news around Leaving Cert ending time? “Stay away from town centres Drunken unruly Teenagers on the loose…” But the majority was agreed with and the way with words he has is exceptional.
He claimed that the English were the Panto-Villains of the Irish, and this reminds me of a tale I’m now going to relate.
In 2003, I was sitting having lunch with my Irish work colleagues, when the subject of the 1994 world cup came up, one of my colleagues then said,
‘How did England get on during that tournament? Oh that’s right, they weren’t there.’ To which I replied,
‘We can always talk about World Cups we were at that you weren’t at if you like.’
To which someone responded, ‘Typical English, he’s going to start going on about 1966 now.’
Now I hadn’t mentioned 1966 yet, but I had recently purchased a 1966 England world cup winning shirt from the company TOFFS, which I had been yet to be brave enough to wear in Cork. I decided to gauge the reaction by wearing this shirt in my local pub during an England game, which we won. Nobody mentioned it, as I cheered and I noticed I was not alone in the cheering, some Irish people were cheering as well. I’m not sure why, but I did think of this whilst reading the book, and I thought I’d pass it on. Maybe I’m just upset that the shirt didn’t elicit the Boo’s that you would associate with a Panto-Villain.
So the bottom line is, I would strongly recommend, 'Tickling The English', it would make a wonderful Christmas Gift as would, ‘Please Do Not Encourage This Nonsense by Purchasing This Book’.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Keillor or Brown?
I have just found out that Garrison Keillor has a new, Lake Wobegon, Novel coming out this month. Entitled,'Pilgrims' and blurbed as a Wobegon romance and featuring the Krebsbach’s among others… This makes three Lake Wobegon books in as many years.
I rediscovered, Garrison Keillor and Lake Wobegon last Thanksgiving… Myself and my Wife went to spend Thanksgiving in her native Wilkes-Barre, PA… During one of my trips to the Arena Hub, Barnes and Noble, I purchased, ‘Pontoon’. I finished this and was so impressed that I purchased the just published, ‘Liberty’ at Philadelphia airport. After completing this book, I re-read Lake Wobegon Days and stories from, ‘Leaving Home’.
And now another book is to be published, and I am looking forward to reading it. I’ve got to admit with the publication of a collection of Keillor’s Sonnet’s released, I did not expect there to be a Wobegon Novel to follow the other two… Not sure why not.
This has presented a quandary for me, not a big deal, but I thought I’d blog anyway, I am going to be spending my October doing the Children’s Book festival, and afterwards preparing for my first solo show for Adults… I thought afterwards I’d purchase the new Dan Brown as a treat for myself, (Yes I loved the DaVinci Code), But now this book is coming out, I think I’d prefer this one… in these recession bound days only one book can be bought, if that… Thank heavens for Libraries…
Now I discover that Garrison Keillor has another book coming out in November entitled, ‘A Christmas Blizzard’, that I definitely want to read due to my admiration for Keillor and love for all things Christmassy…
It’s been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon, Minnesota my home town…
I rediscovered, Garrison Keillor and Lake Wobegon last Thanksgiving… Myself and my Wife went to spend Thanksgiving in her native Wilkes-Barre, PA… During one of my trips to the Arena Hub, Barnes and Noble, I purchased, ‘Pontoon’. I finished this and was so impressed that I purchased the just published, ‘Liberty’ at Philadelphia airport. After completing this book, I re-read Lake Wobegon Days and stories from, ‘Leaving Home’.
And now another book is to be published, and I am looking forward to reading it. I’ve got to admit with the publication of a collection of Keillor’s Sonnet’s released, I did not expect there to be a Wobegon Novel to follow the other two… Not sure why not.
This has presented a quandary for me, not a big deal, but I thought I’d blog anyway, I am going to be spending my October doing the Children’s Book festival, and afterwards preparing for my first solo show for Adults… I thought afterwards I’d purchase the new Dan Brown as a treat for myself, (Yes I loved the DaVinci Code), But now this book is coming out, I think I’d prefer this one… in these recession bound days only one book can be bought, if that… Thank heavens for Libraries…
Now I discover that Garrison Keillor has another book coming out in November entitled, ‘A Christmas Blizzard’, that I definitely want to read due to my admiration for Keillor and love for all things Christmassy…
It’s been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon, Minnesota my home town…
Friday, August 21, 2009
Not Only JK Rowling, But Also????
My first experience of Harry Potter, was taking my younger brother to see the first film, The Philosophers Stone, in 2001... It was enjoyed by all, and Patrick, my brother, went head first into the Harry Potter world purchasing books and looking forward to the books and films, but I was quite content to wait for the second film...
In 2003, myself and my then Girlfriend (Soon to be Fiancee, then wife and still is) acquired a spare copy of, 'The Order Of The Phoenix'(How we did it is a Long Story), and I decided to read it...
I enjoyed the book, and read the two that followed, enjoying J.K. Rowling's storytelling, whilst still going to see the films at the Movie Theatre.
It's only been this month that I have made the decision to read the first four books, and I got, The Philosophers Stone, for my Birthday (One Day after Harry Potter's and Miss Rowling's) and on the back of the front cover, was a picture of the Author standing in front of a full bookcase...
To her right, quite clearly can be seen Harry Thompson's wonderful biography of one of my Comic Heroes, Peter Cook, and I wonder if Peter Cook is an influence on JK Rowling.
Her books do contain a surreal humour and funny names like Mundungus Fletcher, so it is very possible that she could have been influenced by people like Cook or Spike Milligan, but I wonder if he is and how much of an influence he is?
I also wonder if any of the characters could have been played by Peter Cook? I think Cook would have made a great Ollivander, or even Cornelius Fudge... but maybe not as good as the actors who do play them... (Film Acting was not Peter Cook's Forte.)
Still I am curious and may investigate further.
In 2003, myself and my then Girlfriend (Soon to be Fiancee, then wife and still is) acquired a spare copy of, 'The Order Of The Phoenix'(How we did it is a Long Story), and I decided to read it...
I enjoyed the book, and read the two that followed, enjoying J.K. Rowling's storytelling, whilst still going to see the films at the Movie Theatre.
It's only been this month that I have made the decision to read the first four books, and I got, The Philosophers Stone, for my Birthday (One Day after Harry Potter's and Miss Rowling's) and on the back of the front cover, was a picture of the Author standing in front of a full bookcase...
To her right, quite clearly can be seen Harry Thompson's wonderful biography of one of my Comic Heroes, Peter Cook, and I wonder if Peter Cook is an influence on JK Rowling.
Her books do contain a surreal humour and funny names like Mundungus Fletcher, so it is very possible that she could have been influenced by people like Cook or Spike Milligan, but I wonder if he is and how much of an influence he is?
I also wonder if any of the characters could have been played by Peter Cook? I think Cook would have made a great Ollivander, or even Cornelius Fudge... but maybe not as good as the actors who do play them... (Film Acting was not Peter Cook's Forte.)
Still I am curious and may investigate further.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Tribute to the Worlds Greatest Wordsmith
Last month I discovered a cure for the January Blues, or rather I remembered a cure.
One morning last month I woke up and that is as far I wanted to take it… I really, really did not want to go to work… Now this is hardly unusual, but this time the feeling was stronger and more real… I toyed with the idea of phoning in sick, but finally after much toing-and-froing, I decided I needed to get up…
The dark clouds above were not alleviated by showering and not even coffee could snap me out of this unpleasantness…
I decided to forgo my current reading material for that day and instead picked up, ‘Heart of a Goof’, a collection of Golfing stories by the master, P.G. Wodehouse… After a couple of these stories, read whilst on the Dart, I felt a lot better, continuing them on the Bus, I felt ready to take the day on and fully believed, if I could steal one of Wodehouse Quotes, that God was in his Heaven and all was right with the world. I got to work and discovered a nasty E-mail sent by my team leader… I sent a relatively cheery one back, I will not have them undoing all of Wodehouse’s good work. Eventually the correspondence did dampen my mood slightly, but I shudder to think what it would have been like if I had gone to work whilst feeling the way I did when I first got up.
I was reminded of this today when I entered a book shop in Dublin, and saw a selection of newly published Wodehouse books (The publishing and style was new, obviously the books have been available for years.) These books came with complementary quotes on the front of the covers by various fans, some expected (Douglas Adams, Hugh Laurie, Lynne Truss) Some surprising me (Danny Baker, Christopher Biggins.) I then went on to think how cool that would be to have your quote on the front of a Wodehouse book, If my collection of poetry sells well and I become a bit more well known, that would be an ambition of mine, to have my complementary quote on the front of a Wodehouse novel. In fact any publisher can pick from the list below…
Wodehouse: The greatest user of the English Language ever.
The best cure for any malady is a quick dip into a Wodehouse Novel.
I think it is a crime, that Wodehouse isn’t studied at GCSE level when lesser wordsmith’s are.
The only depressing thing about Wodehouse is the knowledge that I will never be as funny as he was, but then no one will be.
Wodehouse Cheers up many a grey day.
That will do for the time being…
One morning last month I woke up and that is as far I wanted to take it… I really, really did not want to go to work… Now this is hardly unusual, but this time the feeling was stronger and more real… I toyed with the idea of phoning in sick, but finally after much toing-and-froing, I decided I needed to get up…
The dark clouds above were not alleviated by showering and not even coffee could snap me out of this unpleasantness…
I decided to forgo my current reading material for that day and instead picked up, ‘Heart of a Goof’, a collection of Golfing stories by the master, P.G. Wodehouse… After a couple of these stories, read whilst on the Dart, I felt a lot better, continuing them on the Bus, I felt ready to take the day on and fully believed, if I could steal one of Wodehouse Quotes, that God was in his Heaven and all was right with the world. I got to work and discovered a nasty E-mail sent by my team leader… I sent a relatively cheery one back, I will not have them undoing all of Wodehouse’s good work. Eventually the correspondence did dampen my mood slightly, but I shudder to think what it would have been like if I had gone to work whilst feeling the way I did when I first got up.
I was reminded of this today when I entered a book shop in Dublin, and saw a selection of newly published Wodehouse books (The publishing and style was new, obviously the books have been available for years.) These books came with complementary quotes on the front of the covers by various fans, some expected (Douglas Adams, Hugh Laurie, Lynne Truss) Some surprising me (Danny Baker, Christopher Biggins.) I then went on to think how cool that would be to have your quote on the front of a Wodehouse book, If my collection of poetry sells well and I become a bit more well known, that would be an ambition of mine, to have my complementary quote on the front of a Wodehouse novel. In fact any publisher can pick from the list below…
Wodehouse: The greatest user of the English Language ever.
The best cure for any malady is a quick dip into a Wodehouse Novel.
I think it is a crime, that Wodehouse isn’t studied at GCSE level when lesser wordsmith’s are.
The only depressing thing about Wodehouse is the knowledge that I will never be as funny as he was, but then no one will be.
Wodehouse Cheers up many a grey day.
That will do for the time being…
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