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A VULTURE BEST COMEDY BOOK OF 2023 From the star of the “deeply funny, unexpectedly informative” (The Daily Beast) Netflix mockumentary Cunk on Earth, a helpful guide covering every single topic in the known universe, from Adam and Eve to Top Gun. Once in a blue moon, a book comes along that changes the world. The Origin of Species. War and Peace. 1984. And now, Cunk on Everything: The Encyclopedia Philomena, by Philomena Cunk. Philomena Cunk is one of the greatest thinkers of the 21st century, and in Cunk on Everything she turns her attention to our biggest issue: why are there so many books? Wouldn't it be better if there was just one? This is that book — an encyclopedia of all human knowledge, delving into not only life's greatest mysteries but our most important political figures and cultural touchstones. Read it, and you'll never have to read another book again.

This volume investigates the mechanisms and psychosocial aspects of humour related to specialised work environments, and foregrounds its role as one of the building blocks that shape the discourse, culture and identity of specialised communities. Through a cross-disciplinary approach, the book brings together an international team of authors using state-of-the art research to analyse the varieties, characteristics and functions of humour in and across a wide range of specialised fields, including law, policing, banking, marketing, and mental health, among many others. English for specific purposes (ESP) researchers will appreciate the rich, multi-faceted explorations of the volume and the new insights it offers with regard to various fields of investigation. ESP teachers and learners will find the abundant examples of specialised workplace humour a valuable teaching and learning support to help access the ethos of specialised domains and enrich, and stimulate the dynamics of classroom practices.

High Society: Hints of how to Attain, Relish - and Survive It. A satirical look on 1910s contemporary High Society.

Excerpt:'Quixotic is his enterprise and hopeless his adventure is, who seeks for jocularities that haven't yet been said; The world has joked incessantly for over fifty centuries, And every joke that's possible has long ago been made. I started as a humourist with lots of mental fizziness, But humour is a drug which it's the fashion to abuse; For my stock-in-trade, my fixtures and the good-will of the business No reasonable offer I am likely to refuse. And if anybody choose He may circulate the news That no reasonable offer I am likely to refuse'

A fantastic collection of funny, moving and outrageous confessions from people from all walks of life, chosen and introduced by popular digital creator and bestselling author Tova Leigh.'I was living with a nasty boyfriend who complained I didn't put enough pepper in his egg sandwich. So I dried out some hamster poop and chopped it into tiny pieces. He said it was delicious. Revenge is sweet!'Have you ever wondered what other people get up to when they think no one's looking? Do you have a mortifying secret of your own you've never dared share? Whatever scandalous incidents lie hidden in your past, don't worry: this wonderful collection of funny, sexy, hair-raising and heart-warming confessions will reassure you that you're by no means alone.These confessions have all been curated by bestselling author and digital creator Tova Leigh, who explains just why we should stop being ashamed of our secrets, and instead have the courage to make ourselves vulnerable, speak out and connect. In this ultimate page-turner, there are parenting confessions, sex confessions, workplace confessions, revenge confessions... not forgetting the all-important bodily fluids confessions! You need never feel embarrassed by your own slip-ups and misdemeanours again.'So I was married for nine years and after the divorce, when I was ready to sleep with other men, I signed up on Tinder. After a few dates I was thinking... why do I give it for free, when men will pay for it? So I became an escort! I did it for about five months and I must say I had the best time ever... made a lot of money and met some really nice interesting people.'

Featuring ten works of comedic short fiction, P.G Wodehouse's The Clicking of Cuthbert is comprised of stories about golfers that teach a lesson is an odd and amusing way. In A Woman is Only a Woman, the friendship between two men is threatened when they both fall in love with the same woman. Since she claims to like them equally, the two men decide to challenge each other to a game of golf, agreeing that the best golfer gets the woman's hand in marriage. The Salvation of George Mackintosh Follows the transformation of a shy golfer named George. After participating in a public speaking class, George is chattier than ever, much to the dismay of his fiancé and fellow golfers. In a humorous exercise in word play, The Coming of Gowf imagines the origins of the sport. The Heel of Achilles features a young rising star in the sport of golf. Jopp is a confident man and an even more confident player. He sets goals for himself and earns attention with a winning streak. However, when Jopp becomes exposed to criticism, he struggles to keep his composure. Finally, the title story, The Clicking of Cuthbert portray the competition between a skilled golfer and a novelist as they both seek the admiration and love of a young woman from high society.. Each of the ten stories within P.G Wodehouse's collection are crafted with masterful language and irresistible wit. With a common theme and a light-hearted tone, the stories within The Clicking of Cuthbert teach an unexpected lesson with memorable characters and bizarre circumstances. This edition of The Clicking of Cuthbert by P.G Wodehouse is now presented in an easy-to-read font and features a striking new cover design. With these accommodations, modern readers can enjoy the classic humor of P.G Wodehouse with ease. Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book. With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.

An Independent Best Book of 2021 “[Ellmann] delivers these diatribes with her signature wit and humor... Each essay is accompanied by an illustration by artist Diana Hope, which complements the colorful nature of this collection. Fans of Ellmann will likely delight in Things Are Against Us.”—Chicago Review of BooksThe author of the Goldsmiths Prize-winning and Booker-shortlisted blockbuster Ducks, Newburyport returns with a rollicking new collection of satirical essaysThings fall apart; the centre cannot hold. As Yeats pointed out, things have a lot to answer for. These satirical essays jauntily tackle the obstinacy, incorrigibility, and recalcitrance of things, Laura Ingalls Wilder's unimpressive descriptions of the construction of bobsleds and door latches, and the way we try to stand on our own two feet, put our best foot forward, remain footloose and fancy-free, and inevitably put our foot in it. They also cover the first suggestion the internet offers when you look up the word ‘women'(spoiler: it's shoes) and other annoyances (some fatal) of male supremacy, the nobility of buttons, and what the rejection of tourists by Jordanian donkeys should mean for global travel (stop!). Ingrid Bergman and Jane Austen come into it somewhere (Helen Gurley Brown was forcibly removed).Early versions of some of these essays have appeared in international outlets of record, but others are brand-new and ready for your delectation.Illustrations by Diana Hope.

Carry On, Jeeves is a collection of ten short stories by P. G. Wodehouse. It was first published in 1925. The first story in the book,'Jeeves Takes Charge,'describes Jeeves'arrival in his master's life, as a replacement for Wooster's previous, thieving valet, and features Lady Florence Craye, as well as a passing mention of Lord Emsworth and Blandings Castle. Several of the other stories are set in New York, and the book includes appearances by regular characters Bingo Little, Aunt Dahlia, Anatole, and Sir Roderick Glossop.

Excerpt:'''Tis really very, very queer!'Ejaculated Justice Dear,'That, day by day, I'm sitting here Without a single'case. This is the twenty-second pair Of white kid gloves, I do declare, I've had this month. I can not wear White kids at such a pace.''

Excerpt: “Ever since we first commenced housekeeping, I cannot say the creatures have let me know one day's perfect peace. A more indulgent master and mistress I am sure they never could have had. For myself, if they had been my own children I could not have looked after them more than I did—continually instructing them, and even sometimes condescending to do part of their work for them myself, out of mere kindness, just to show them how; and never allowing a set of fellows from those dreadful barracks in Alb—ny Str—t to come running after them, turning the heads of the poor ignorant things, and trifling with their affections, and borrowing their wages, and living upon me. And yet the only return the minxes made me was to fly in my face directly my back was turned, and to drive me nearly mad; so that at times I have been in that state of mind that I really did not know whether I was standing on my head or my heels. For what with their breakages—and their impudence—and their quarrelling among themselves—and their followers—and their dirt and filth—and their turning up their noses at the best of food—and their wilful waste and goings on—and their neglect and ill treatment of the dear children—and their pilferings—and their pride, their airs, and ill tempers—and those horrid soldiers—(but more of this hereafter)—I'm sure it was enough to turn the head of ten Christians. But I do verily believe that both my body and mind were giving way under it; and, indeed, our medical adviser, Mr. J——pp, (as I afterwards learnt,) told Edward as much, and that if he did not get me away, he wouldn't answer for the consequences; adding, that it was only the very fine constitution I had of my own that had kept me alive under it all. So that when Edward communicated to me what our medical adviser had said, and proposed that we should break up our establishment, and retire to a boarding-house, where at least{5} we might enjoy peace and quiet, I told him that I had long felt (though I never liked to confess as much to him) that my domestic cares had been making inroads upon my health and constitution that I never could restore, and that I would gladly give my consent to any course that he thought might add to his comfort; that all my anxiety had been to protect his property, and prevent his furniture from going to rack and ruin before my very eyes, but that if he wished to part with it, I would not stand in the way; for, to tell the truth, I was sick and tired of house-keeping and servants, and only too glad to wash my hands of them altogether.'

Christmas is an ethical and political minefield. Luckily, this survival guide contains valuable advice on how to navigate the hazards of the holiday season. Learn how to... • launch a scathing dinner table takedown on your woefully unwoke relatives • craft your own sustainable decorations that bring festive cheer without compromising the 2050 Paris Agreement • splurge on Black Friday without propping up the neoliberal capitalist agenda • build a body-positive snowperson that isn't a straight white male for once • skilfully avoid eating meat or dairy without it becoming a whole thing you have to justify for an hour. Whether it's a stocking filler for a left-leaning loved one, or a Secret Santa gift for a painfully earnest colleague, A Snowflake's Guide to Christmas is the perfect gift for anyone with a bleeding heart (and a sense of humor) this holiday season.

The language barrier is a familiar term, but what exactly is the humor barrier? Humor is a universal phenomenon, but the cultural variance in how humor is used can prove to be a major obstacle for English language learners hoping to communicate effectively in cross-cultural contexts. While a growing number of researchers have explored the importance of helping language learners better understand the humor of the target culture, in Bridging the Humor Barrier: Humor Competency Training in English Language Teaching, editors John Rucynski Jr. and Caleb Prichard bring together language teachers and researchers from a range of cultural and teaching contexts to tackle how to actually overcome the humor barrier. This book empirically examines humor competency training and presents related research bearing implications for humor training. Contributors address a wide range of genres of humor, providing fresh insights into helping language learners deepen their understanding and appreciation of the humor of the English-speaking world, including jokes, sarcasm, and satire. This book is an excellent resource for English language teachers looking to help their learners avoid the pitfalls and reap the benefits of humor in the target language.

Put a twinkle in your father's eye with the book that will make his humor more groan-tastic than ever—much to his delight. Help Dad expand his joke repertoire with more than 300 eye-rollers, cringers, groaners, side-splitters, knee-slappers, and gut-busters guaranteed to make you laugh (or sigh). From the folks who brought you the original Dad Jokes, this collection of all-new material contains Q&A jokes, puns, one-liners, tweets, and knock-knock jokes suitable for all ages, including... Q: What do you call a potato at a hockey game? A: A spec-tater.Don't run with bagpipes. You could put an aye out. Or worse yet, get kilt.I always wanted to be a Gregorian monk, but I never got the chants. Great Moments in Dad History: October 28, 1960. Dave Gordon grabs his keys on the way out of the house and becomes the first dad in history to say to his kids, “You ready to rock and roll?”

Excerpt:'There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said,'It is just as I feared! Two Owls and a Hen, four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!''

A fun book full of short personal thoughts, facts, reminiscences, observations and verse. A healthy dose of Edinburgh and Leith references are included, although just about everywhere between Tierra del Fuego and Australia seems also to get a mention.

Christmas is an ethical and political minefield. Luckily, this survival guide contains valuable advice on how to navigate the hazards of the holiday season. Learn how to... • launch a scathing dinner table takedown on your woefully unwoke relatives • craft your own sustainable decorations that bring festive cheer without compromising the 2050 Paris Agreement • splurge on Black Friday without propping up the neoliberal capitalist agenda • build a body-positive snowperson that isn't a straight white male for once • skilfully avoid eating meat or dairy without it becoming a whole thing you have to justify for an hour. Whether it's a stocking filler for a left-leaning loved one, or a Secret Santa gift for a painfully earnest colleague, A Snowflake's Guide to Christmas is the perfect gift for anyone with a bleeding heart (and a sense of humour) this holiday season.

Maurice Baring OBE was born on 27th April 1874 in Mayfair, London. He was the fifth son of eight children to Edward Charles Baring, first Baron Revelstoke, of the Baring banking family, and his wife Louisa Emily Charlotte Bulteel.After the obligatory years at Eton College he went to Trinity College, Cambridge. His early career in the diplomatic service was cut short but it gave him a thirst for travel and he did so widely, particularly in Russia. During the Russo-Japanese war of 1904/5 he reported as an eye-witness for the London Morning Post.In 1909 Baring, who thought of himself as agnostic, converted to Roman Catholicism. A decision which he stated was'the only action in my life which I am quite certain I have never regretted.'When the horror of World War I enveloped Europe in 1914 he enlisted with the Royal Flying Corps, and served as an assistant to David Henderson and Hugh Trenchard (the two responsible for establishing the RFC) on the Western Front in France. In 1918, Baring served as a staff officer in the Royal Air Force and was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1918 Birthday Honours List. With the end of the war came his development as a writer. Before the war his works had mainly centrered on journalism, short stories and poetry. Now Baring began to write novels. In 1925 he gained an honorary commission as a wing commander in the Reserve of Air Force Officers. After his death, Trenchard was to write,'He was the most unselfish man I have ever met or am likely to meet. The Flying Corps owed to this man much more than they know or think.'The last decades of his life proved to be a descent into chronic health problems. For the final 15 years of his life he was debilitated by the increasing onset of Parkinson's Disease.He was widely known socially, and especially frequented with some of the Cambridge Apostles (an intellectual society at the University founded in 1820), The Coterie (a fashionable group of aristocrats and intellectuals of the 1910s). Baring was staunch in his anti-intellectualism with respect to the arts, and often displayed a lighter side with his pranks on others.'By all accounts, the real Baring was a charming, affable gentleman who knew how to laugh and had no fear of making a fool of himself.'Maurice Baring, dramatist, poet, novelist, translator, essayist, travel writer and war correspondent, died at Beaufort Castle on 14th December 1945 at the age of 71.

Tea-table Talk is an imaginary conversation between the writer and a number of un-named characters at the afternoon tea table. The Woman of the World, the Old Maid, the Girton Girl, the Philosopher and the Minor Poet wax lyrical on subjects like marriage, art, society and politics. (Goodreads)

For more than twenty years, Tony Hawks has been mistaken for Tony Hawk, the American skateboarder. Even though it is abundantly clear on his website that he is an English comedian and author, people still write to him asking the best way to do a kickflip or land a melon.One mischievous day he started writing back in a pompous tone, goading his correspondents for their spelling mistakes and poor grammar, while offering bogus or downright silly advice on how to improve their skateboarding.Featuring entries on parents'pain, disappointment, underachievers, Quorn and the Vatican, this is his A to Z guide to the world of skateboarding, as seen through the eyes of someone who knows absolutely nothing about it.

Three Men on the Bummel (also known as Three Men on Wheels) is a humorous novel by Jerome K. Jerome. It was published in 1900, eleven years after his most famous work, Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog). The sequel brings back the three companions who figured in Three Men in a Boat, this time on a bicycle tour through the German Black Forest. ( Wikipedia)

Although not the equal of his'Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow'(1886), one can still find sublime passages here and there that demonstrate the occasional genius of a wonderful observer and humorist. The passages are worth reading the rest. (Goodreads)

“A compendium of short, boring texts guaranteed to dull you into a peaceful slumber.” —BustleIt is sadly true that it is not always easy to fall asleep. This gently amusing, highly effective anthology of soporific dullness has been carefully curated to put readers to sleep as quickly as possible. With stultifying illustrations and pages of sheep to count, this giftable godsend for the under-rested features dozens of snoozy short texts, including “The Motion of Sand Dunes,” “The Administrative Bureaucracy of the Byzantine Empire,” “White Noise: A Technical Explanation,” and many dozens more—though good luck reading very far on any one evening. Insomniacs will also appreciate “A Staring Contest with Fifty Cats,” “Some Interesting Mathematical Theorems,” “The Dullest Entries from Interesting Diaries,” and other zzzzzzzz.“Often intriguing and a little addictive. For every line perfectly judged to knock you unconscious (‘Farmers and ecologists are among those who can benefit from a full understanding of the comparative rates of reproduction in insect pests'), there's another to keep you up (‘There are no canals on the island of Guadalcanal'). You may well fall asleep after a page or two, but you'll be back the next night for more.” —The Guardian“A book of soporific pieces on such fascinating subjects as ‘A Few Facts About Roundabouts'and ‘How Rocks Become Pebbles.'” —Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

This file includes: Andiron Tales; The Autobiography of Methuselah; The Booming of Acre Hill and Other Reminiscences of Urban and Suburban Life; Coffee and Repartee; The Enchanted Typewriter; Ghosts I Have Met and Some Others; A House-Boat on the Styx; The Idiot; Mr. Bonaparte of Corsica; Olympian Nights; The Pursuit of the House-Boat, being some further account of the diverse doings of the associated shades, under the leadership of Sherlock Holmes, Esq.; R. Holmes and Co., being the remarkable adventures of Raffles Holmes, Esq., detective and amateur cracksman by birth; A Rebellious Heroine; and The Water Ghost and Others. According to Wikipedia:'John Kendrick Bangs (May 27, 1862 - January 21, 1922) was an American author and satirist, and the creator of modern Bangsian fantasy, the school of fantasy writing that sets the plot wholly or partially in the afterlife.'

Jokes are a perfect format for learning vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, and grammar. Jokes are also designed to be retold. If you learn a joke by heart and tell it to other people, then by doing so you will also learn the grammar and vocabulary involved. The book also contains exercises designed to reveal whether you have understood the joke or not: A joke is presented to you but with the paragraphs mixed up. Your task is to put them in the correct order.The joke has a choice of three punch lines. If you select the correct one, this should be an indicator that you have understood the joke.Several two-line jokes are presented together. The task is to match the first line and the second line.A joke is presented with some key words missing. The task is to insert the right word in the right place. Easy English! is a series of books to help you learn and revise your English with minimal effort. You can improve your English by reading texts in English that you might well normally read in your own language e.g. jokes, personality tests, lateral thinking games, wordsearches.doing short exercises to improve specific areas grammar and vocabulary, i.e. the areas that tend to lead to the most mistakes - the aim is just to focus on what you really need rather than overwhelming yourself with a mass of rules, many of which may have no practical daily value Other books in the Easy English! series include: Wordsearches: Widen Your Vocabulary in English Test Your Personality: Have Fun and Learn Useful Phrases Word games, Riddles and Logic Tests: Tax Your Brain and Boost Your English Top 50 Grammar Mistakes: How to Avoid Them Top 50 Vocabulary Mistakes: How to Avoid Them

Hilarious, unpredictable and, at times, touching, this compilation is the perfect gift for fans of Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops and The Diary of a Bookseller.As any retail or service worker will tell you, customers can be irrational, demanding, abusive, and brain-scramblingly, mind-bendingly strange. They can also be kind, thoughtful, funny, and full of pathos. Something about the often-fraught interaction between customer and worker, with the dividing line of the counter between them, loosens inhibitions, and has a kind of hot-house effect on eccentricity.In I Can't Remember the Title But the Cover is Blue, veteran bookseller Elias Greig collects the best, worst and downright weirdest customer encounters from his years working as a Sydney bookseller. From ill-behaved children to nostalgic seniors and everything in between, this hilarious and unpredictable book is the perfect gift for anyone who's ever been on the wrong side of a counter.

Uncover the lamest jokes, riddles, and knock-knocks ever written in this big book of jokes for kids that will have the whole family laughing.From classic knock-knock jokes to creative one-liners, this book of offers 500 of the best, most groan-inducing, and simultaneously side-splitting jokes around.What happened to the illegally parked frog?He got toad away.Why do seagulls fly over the sea?Because if they flew over the bay they would be bagels.What did one plate say to the other plate?Lunch is on me!What did the computer do at lunchtime?Had a byte.Why did the duck get sent off the basketball court?For fowl play.Did you hear about the burglar who fell in the cement mixer?Now he's a hardened criminal.What did the manicurist call her son?Hans.What do you call cheese that isn't yours?Nacho cheese!Why did the picture go to prison?Because it was framed.

‘I can't believe I bought a toaster with no bagel setting!'‘Irritating… just done a massive pre-cleaner clean, and they've just texted to say they're not coming!'Have you ever had to buy cava because the shop's out of champagne? Ever put too much wasabi on your sushi? Or maybe your latest lifestyle post on social media didn't get enough likes? Well, the struggles are real and you're not alone. Cheekily illustrated throughout, this book showcases these and other first-world problems that might find you wincing in self-recognition.

There are all sorts of people, events and sounds that exist in the musical world for which there are no words. We have been sadly bereft of a satisfactory way to describe the contortion of a singer's mouth when reaching for the high notes; the audience member who leaves a concert halfway through the grand finale; or that person who places one finger in their ear and raises their eyes heavenwards when they sing. Tim Lihoreau neatly solves this problem in The Classic FM Musical Treasury. Having scoured the UK for place names with a musical bent, he has created a charming collection of humorously inventive, musically themed meanings. From choral singing to rock concerts, opera and orchestras, this quirky book will delight music fans everywhere.

There are all sorts of people, events, and sounds that exist in the musical world for which there are no words. We have been sadly bereft of a satisfactory way to describe the contortion of a singer's mouth when reaching for the high notes; the audience member who leaves a concert halfway through the grand finale; or that person who places one finger in their ear and raises their eyes heavenwards when they sing. Tim Lihoreau neatly solves this problem in The Classic FM Musical Treasury. Having scoured the UK for place names with a musical bent, he has created a charming collection of humorously inventive, musically themed meanings. From choral singing to rock concerts, opera, and orchestras, this quirky book will delight music fans everywhere.

Having a good old moan about little everyday frustrations is a quintessential part of being British, and when it comes to barmy bureaucracy we can really get our knickers in a twist! This book collects the most mind-boggling and side-splitting examples of potty political correctness, ridiculous red tape and well-intentioned (but ultimately wacky) warnings from across bonkers Britain today. Discover the ‘infallible logic'that inspired a toy manufacturer to point out to customers that its plastic broomstick doesn't really fly, the ‘dutiful consideration'that led to sex being described as ‘cooperative physical fitness', and the ‘forward thinking'that resulted in a sign advising against hogging the middle lane being displayed on a two-lane motorway. But be warned: this book may induce bouts of uncontrollable laughter and should only be used by those trained in lifting books and turning pages.

What did the manager do when the pitch became flooded? He sent on his subs. God and the devil were having an argument, and Satan proposed a football game between heaven and hell to resolve the dispute. God, in his eternal goodness, pointed out that it wouldn't be a fair match because all the ‘good'players go to heaven. The devil smiled, replying, ‘Yes, but we've got all the refs.'Football is obviously very serious business – like when that disallowed goal was'never off-side', and that was'totally a dive'– but it's a funny old game really. This compendium of hilarious jokes will help you see the lighter side when your team is showing you up, and give your mates a good chuckle at the celebrations when they win.

F. Anstey was the pseudonym of Thomas Anstey Guthrie who was born in Kensington, London on August 8th, 1856, to Augusta Amherst Austen, an organist and composer, and Thomas Anstey Guthrie., a prosperous military tailor. Anstey was educated at King's College School and then at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. Although his education was first rate Anstey could only manage a third-class degree; A Gentlemen's degree as it was euphemistically known. In 1880 he was called to the bar. However this career path rapidly fell away in his desire to become an author. The successful publication of Vice Versa, in 1882, with the premise of a substitution of a father for his schoolboy son, made his name and reputation as a refreshing and original humorist. The following year he published a rather more serious work, The Giant's Robe. Interestingly the story is about a plagiarist and Anstey was, ironically, accused of plagiarism in writing the work. Despite good reviews both he and his public knew that his writing career was to be that of a humorist. In the following years he published prolifically beginning with; The Black Poodle (1884), The Tinted Venus (1885), A Fallen Idol (1886), and Baboo Jabberjee B.A. (1897). Anstey worked not only as a novelist and short story writer but was also a valued member of the staff at the humorous Punch magazine, in which his voces populi and his parodies of a reciter's stock-piece (Burglar Bill) represent perhaps his best work. In 1901, his successful farce, The Man from Blankleys, based on a story that originally appeared in Punch, was first produced on stage at the Prince of Wales Theatre, in London. Anstey had become a writer, and a successful one at that, of many talents. Many more of his stories were made into plays and films over the years. Others were simply taken for the premise alone, usually with no credit to the original author. By the end of the First World War Anstey's original publications had slowed to a crawl and he seemed rather more interested in translating and publishing some works of Moliere. Thomas Anstey Guthrie died of pneumonia on March 10th, 1934 in London. His self-deprecating autobiography, A Long Retrospect, was published in 1936.

A charming collection of quotes and anecdotes celebrating the late Queen Elizabeth II, the incomparable British monarch.When we think of a queen, we probably picture a serious, dignified personage complete with majestic hat and matching handbag. But The Wicked Wit of Queen Elizabeth II reveals a side of the monarch the public rarely saw, her healthy sense of humor: sometimes silly, sometimes sarcastic—and occasionally unintentional (to guitar legend Eric Clapton: “Have you been playing long?”)!This is a delightful celebration of Queen Elizabeth II's humor revealed through her own words on topics from family and travel to pets and hobbies, as well as stories from the royal household of Britain's longest-serving monarch. In addition to the queen, other royals get in their two cents, including the famously filterless Prince Philip and the acerbic Princess Margaret, as well as Prince Charles and Princess Anne.

In this short essay, English humorist Jerome K. Jerome displays his deft touch and dry wit, contemplating the most serious of topics -- in this instance, death and immortality -- in a lighthearted and at times uproariously hilarious manner. Add this brief but rewarding read to your list.

We have never had it so bloody difficult! The pound crashing at every turn, austerity measures bringing the NHS and the education system to its knees? Hard Brexit, soft Brexit, fried Brexit on toast? Crazy coalitions and divisive devolution. What next - a plague of locusts?Unpack your political troubles from your old kit bag with the help of this mindful guide to surviving in these tumultuous times. Learn to embrace new relationships and say goodbye to old alliances, be strong and stable as you navigate the difficult political terrain. And remember to smile, smile, smile (even if your face is aching and you want to move to New Zealand).From the author/illustrator team that brought you The Brexshit Book and What the Trump?!, Welcome To Bloody Difficult Britain will refresh the parts other political satire books cannot reach.Introducing a whole new cast of characters to help us tiptoe through the political minefield:Theresa Meh: Like Theresa, take a more carefree approach to serious issues such as a crumbling NHS and a nation sick of cuts and austerity. Jeremy H. Corbyn: Have belief! Crucified by the media and given up for dead by the pollsters, JC has shown us that it is possible to rise and rise again. David'Dickie'Davis: The minister responsible for negotiating our exit from the EU and former presenter of ITV's World of Sport knows a thing or two about two men in a room thrashing it out - remember Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks? Jean-Claude'Van'Junker: be tough like the Muscles in Brussels. And learn to laugh again with BoJo the Clown.

Llamas: handsome, hirsute, hilarious! This photographic and illustrated collection of llamas and alpacas will have you spitting with laughter. Get ready to llive, llaugh, llama!

This eBook features the unabridged text of ‘Mrs. Perkins's Ball'from the bestselling edition of ‘The Complete Works of William Makepeace Thackeray'. Having established their name as the leading publisher of classic literature and art, Delphi Classics produce publications that are individually crafted with superior formatting, while introducing many rare texts for the first time in digital print. The Delphi Classics edition of Thackeray includes original annotations and illustrations relating to the life and works of the author, as well as individual tables of contents, allowing you to navigate eBooks quickly and easily.eBook features: • The complete unabridged text of ‘Mrs. Perkins's Ball'• Beautifully illustrated with images related to Thackeray's works • Individual contents table, allowing easy navigation around the eBook • Excellent formatting of the text Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to learn more about our wide range of titles

A quote book written for the sake of the readers. I really don't need to become filthy rich from reading this book. All that would make me feel better would be to have this book and one quote change someones life.

The life of what still passes in London for'Bohemia'—in and about the theatres, the studios and the literary clubs—figures conspicuously in the pictorial humour of our time. It is but natural that the artist in search of inspiration should occasionally turn his attention to his own immediate surroundings, and find subjects for his art in the comic representation of his fellows of the brush and pencil, his friends the authors and the actors, and not infrequently, himself! Some of the most pointed jokes of Keene, Du Maurier and Phil May introduced'the artist,'and in the case of the last mentioned he usually depicted his own form and features, as Cruikshank was fond of doing more than half a century before him. This tradition has been well maintained among the artists of a later day. We shall find that a very considerable proportion of the humorous art of the moment concerns itself with the sayings and doings of our Bohemians—a term, by the way, that indicates a very mild and inoffensive variety of an almost extinct type of character. The Bohemian of the twentieth century is a much more wholesome person than his prototype of the middle of the nineteenth. He may be still as irresponsible, as unconventional in his manners, but he is at least clean and less apt to degenerate into the'sponger.'He of the older generation provided picturesque material for the humorist of[ii] the pencil; but the stage, the study, and the studio still furnish much matter for mirth, as the admirable work of Mr. W. K. Haselden, Mr. Bert Thomas, Mr. H. M. Bateman, Mr. J. L. C. Booth, Mr. Charles Pears, and other living artists of note, represented in the present collection, bear ample witness. It is obvious from the Index that this volume contains a most representative survey of its subject, and is probably second-to-none in The Fun Library for the high spirits and good humour which it reflects.

The thesis deals primarily with the term wit and its modern and historical usage in literary and aesthetic theories. Further, it concerned with the literary and aesthetic implications of the terms wit and esprit as they were theorized in critical writings of several authors of the early modern England and France. The thesis has two primary goals. The first goal is to re-assess the English concept of wit, nowadays regarded as an out-dated device of past poetic systems, and to present it as vital and useful part of the contemporary discourse. The second goal is to provide comparative reading of early modern English and French theoretical texts dealing with wit and esprit, respectively. Presenting ideas on the English term wit as employed in the theoretical writings in the light of its French equivalent esprit, I wish to demonstrate a gradual development of the terms from rhetoric to aesthetic.

Our forefathers delighted to call their country'Merrie England;'and so, in very truth, it was. All sorts of sports and pastimes, such as no other nation can show, were then in use; and even the elders, in their hours of relaxation, were wont to exchange a merry jest with one another. Perhaps some of their jokes lacked the refinement of the present age, but they denoted a keen sense of humour. Many, nay most, cannot be reproduced at the present day, and much has this book suffered therefrom; and it is for this reason that the jest-books and ballads of this century are so little known. Some few have been printed in small editions, either privately, or for dilettante societies; but they are not fit for general perusal, and the public at large know nothing of them. This is specially the case with the ballad literature of the century, which is unusually rich. The Pepys, Roxburghe, Bagford, Luttrell, and other collections, are priceless treasures; but I know no publisher who would be bold enough to reproduce them, in their entirety, for the use of the general public. By this I do not wish to cast any slur, either on the modesty, or morality, of our ancestors; but their ways were not quite as ours.

Who would be a chaperone? He would fling himself on his knees before her, never noticing the dog I left them at it He went with her and made himself ridiculous at the dressmaker's Why should we seek to explain away all the beautiful things of life? Are we so sure that art does elevate? The artist knew precisely the sort of girl that ought to be there A man's work'tis till set of sun, but a woman's work is never done! Does the lady out shopping ever fall in love with the waiter at the bun-shop? Woman has been appointed by Nature the trustee of the children Comparing himself the while with Molière reading to his cook The singer may be a heavy, fleshy man with a taste for beer It is the fool who imagines her inhuman It seized a natural human passion and turned it to good uses She suggested that poets and novelists should take service for a year in any large drapery or millinery establishment Who is it succeeds in escaping the law of the hive?

A NEW AND FACETIOUS INTRODUCTION TO THE ENGLISH TONGUEBy Percival LeighEmbellished with upwards of forty-five Characteristic IllustrationsBy JOHN LEECH. Fashion requires, and like the rest of her sex, requires because she requires, that before a writer begins the business of his book, he should give an account to the world of his reasons for producing it; and therefore, to avoid singularity, we shall proceed with the statement of our own, excepting only a few private ones, which are neither here nor there. To advance the interests of mankind by promoting the cause of Education; to ameliorate the conversation of the masses; to cultivate Taste, and diffuse Refinement; these are the objects we have in view in submitting a Comic English Grammar to the patronage of a discerning Public. Few persons there are, whose ears are so extremely obtuse, as not to be frequently annoyed at the violations of Grammar by which they are so often assailed. It is really painful to be forced, in walking along the streets, to hear such phrases as,'That'ere omnibus.''Where've you bin?''Vot's the odds?'and the like. Very dreadful expressions are also used by cartmen and others in addressing their horses. What can possibly induce a human being to say'Gee woot!'''Mather way!'or'Woa not to mention the atrocious'Kim aup!'of the barbarous butcher's boy. It is notorious that the above and greater enormities are perpetrated in spite of the number of Grammars already before the world. This fact sufficiently excuses the present addition to the stock; and as serious English Grammars have hitherto failed to effect the desired reformation, we are induced to attempt it by means of a Comic one. With regard to the moral tendency of our labors, we may be here permitted to remark, that they will tend, if successful, to the suppression of evil speaking ; and as the Spartans used to exhibit a tipsy slave to their children with a view to disgust them with drunkenness, and We will not allow a man to give an old woman a dose of rhubarb if he have not acquired at least half a dozen sciences; but we permit a quack to sell as much poison as he pleases. When one man runs away with another's wife, and, being on that account challenged to fight a duel, shoots the aggrieved party through the head, the latter is said to receive satisfaction. We never take a glass of wine at dinner without getting somebody else to do the same, as if we wanted encouragement; and then, before we venture to drink, we bow to each other across the table, preserving all the while a most wonderful gravity. This, however, it may be said, is the natural result of endeavoring to keep one another in countenance. The way in which we imitate foreign manners and customs is very amusing. Savages stick fish-bones through their noses; our fair countrywomen have hoops of metal poked through their ears. The Caribs flatten the forehead; the Chinese compress the foot; and we possess similar contrivances for reducing the figure of a young lady to a resemblance to an hour-glass or a devil-on-two-sticks. There being no other assignable motive for these and the like proceedings, it is reasonable to suppose that they are adopted, as schoolboys say,'for fun.'We could go on, were it necessary, adducing facts to an almost unlimited extent; but we consider that enough has now been said in proof of the comic character of the national mind. And in conclusion, if any other than an English or American author can be produced, equal in point of wit, humor, and drollery, to Swift, Sterne, Dickens, or Paulding, we hereby engage to eat him; albeit we have no pretensions to the character of a'helluo librorum.''English Grammar,'according to Lindley Murray,'is the art of speaking and writing the English language with propriety.'The English language, written and

This comprehensive eBook presents the complete works or all the significant works - the Œuvre - of this famous and brilliant writer in one ebook - 10324 pages easy-to-read and easy-to-navigate: • Essays of Michel de Montaigne • Old Cookery Books and Ancient Cuisine • The Book-Collector • Shakespeare Jest-Books • A Select Collection of Old English Plays • Schools, School-Books and Schoolmasters • The Confessions of a Collector • etc.

What do you call cheese that isn't yours? Nacho cheese! Who says cheesy jokes are a bad thing? Not us! With this outrageously ripe selection of gags, you'll be delighting your friends all the way to the deli counter. Whether you're in need of a pungent pun or a holey howler,'The Little Book of Cheese Jokes'offers a full smorgasbord – from the downright immature to the truly vintage.

It shouldn't happen to a nurse -but it all too frequently does! The nurse who scrubbed an'umbilicus'and hung it up to dry... the nurse who induced a new mother to do the splits on her hospital bed... or what about the nurse whose every attempt to bandage her patient's penis caused him to rise to the occasion? Even Florence Nightingale might have blushed. In this hilarious and evergreen miscellany of failed IUDs, emergency toothectomies and grisly practical jokes, the author might have evoked the true spirit of the phrase'Keep Calm and Carry On'. Though there's enough merry mayhem here to make anyone contemplating joining the Caring Profession think twice... This edition features cartoons by Larry.

In this witty and imaginative collection of short tales, renowned humor writer Jerome K. Jerome dreams up a series of amusing and enlightening conversations between archetypal characters, including the Woman of the World, the Old Maid, the Philosopher, and the Minor Poet.

It Was This Or Socks is the second book by Waldo Pancake to hit the shelves in North America. Sarcasm, wit, and humor collide brilliantly in this hilariously illustrated book of every day musings.•Why do we only use pizza cutters for cutting pizzas, then for everything else go back to boring old non-rotating knives?•You know thought bubbles? What if you were thinking about thought bubbles?•Men called guy are just walking around confusing people. You don't get women called Girl.•The phrase'who knew?'has really taken off. Who knew?

Have you ever worried that you're doing a poor job of feeling poorly? Have you despaired that you're failing in your ailing? Have you felt you're missing out on TLC? You're not alone – it seems that most people these days just don't know how to make the most of being ill. In a society where there is a pill to cure more or less everything, this how-to guide will teach readers about the subtle art of being an invalid. It covers age-old remedies for common maladies, all but forgotten treatments, and the vital preparations that should be made to make being bed-ridden as comfortable and productive as possible. From the team that created the UK Booksellers Association Top 5 Christmas book, 101 Uses of a Dead Kindle, and Amazon bestseller, In Rude Health, The Art of Being Ill is at times practical, at times hilarious – but always an honest instruction manual for those who are truly terrible at being ill.

Perfect for entertainment, lead-ins for sermons or speeches, illustrations, and ice breakers, these short jokes and quips will help you relax, encourage your audience to listen, and provide a humorous note for talks, speeches, lessons, and social occasions. Organized by topics that include Marriage, Sports, Sunday School, Work, and more, this little humor book is easy to use. A surgeon, an architect, and a politician were arguing about whose profession was the oldest. Surgeon: “Eve was made from Adam's rib, and that was surely a surgical operation.” Architect: “Maybe, but before that order was created out of chaos, and that was an architectural job.” Politician: “That may be, but somebody had to create the chaos!” Golfer: “I'd move heaven and earth to break 100 on this golf course.” Caddy: “Try heaven. You've already moved most of the earth!” Mother: “I don't think you should marry Henry. He's a dentist and you're a manicurist.” Daughter: “What does that have to do with it?” Mother: “I'm afraid you'll fight tooth and nail.”