[singlepic=15,240,320,,right]Causing a certain amount of surprise and a definite source of amusing on Christmas Day was Al Murray’s The Pub Landlord’s Book of British Common Sense.
I went off comedy books a few years ago when I was heartily disappointed by Wayne’s World, and hadn’t really recovered – Murray’s tome has restored my faith in the genre, however.
The character has so much about him, from his sexism and nationalism on one hand to depths such as divorce and insurance scams on the other that it is impossible not to love what is a mirror image of the type of pub landlord that we’ve all encountered at some point.
Covering such issues as running a pub, a page representing how the introduction would look if Germany had won WW2, the best sitcom titles, pub quiz help, religion and why football isn’t as good as it used to be, The Pub Landlord’s Book of British Common Sense is a big read.
It’s also a laugh out loud read packed full of typical Murray genius such as:
Footballers nowadays… don’t know they’re born. Look at Schmeichel, look at Lee Sharpe.
Strictly Come Dancing? Love Island? Dancing on Ice? That’s no punditry mate, that’s just poncing about.
And on holidays abroad:
“You should try it,” they say. “We went to Fuertemolinos and it was great. There was an English pub where you could have a full fried breakfast and watch Sky Sports all day!”
Well, I can do that here thank you very much, without cramming myself into a plane with dozens of bright red sweaty lobster people in sombreros clutching souvenir basketwork donkeys and small children.
What Murray does with this book is on a par with his stage act – he takes the bleeding obvious, common sense approach and makes a mockery of everything else.
The Pub Landlord’s Book of British Common Sense is currently available in hardback in all good bookstores.
Personally I think you should buy it just to ensure you get through life.