Henry Root (1935–2005)

This is truly one of the funniest books I have ever read, and quite possibly the funniest.

William Donaldson, who was involved with theatre for many years, presents many hilarious stories of the (predominately) British stage. He particularly seems to have a grudge against Nicol Williamson, and happily relates a few stories showing Williamson in a negative light.

Attempting to name a favourite story is impossible but who could not love the story of the actress who forgot there was a matinee show more showing at the theatre she worked at and walked on stage in streetwear during a scene full of Roman soldiers. She tried to get off stage but couldn't and could be seen for the rest of the play in various areas of the stage, bowing to the lead actor.

I first read this book in a pub in Port Adelaide and other patrons asked me if I was alright as I had tears rolling down my cheeks laughing at the stories.

Get hold of this book if you can! show less

An hilarious collection of entries on an array of interesting British folk. There's some famous people who drank a lot (Oliver Reed & Keith Moon both feature), some rather eccentric people, like the chap who hated people sitting near him on the train and would check his temperature anally every five minutes until people left him alone, and some out and out gangsters (Frankie Fraser, the Kray twins and others).

Donaldson writes well and fills out this brick of a book with many eyebrow raising show more entries, like "lavatory attendants who subsequently became celebrated publishers. See Carrington, Charles", and Major-General Orde Wingate's habit of holding briefing sessions in the nude. Sarah, the duchess of York, cracks a mention, as does Prince Philip. And, I even learnt that "twang" was an eighteenth century slang word for a prostitute's associate whose job it was to pick the client's pockets while he was having intercourse upright in a doorway. To think that some people find reading a waste of time. show less

Nothing to do with the Brewer of "Phrase and Fable", this alphabetical compendium of biographical entries is overweighted by a preponderance of tedious East End villains with nothing noteworthy about them but a tendency to extreme violence. However, there are brighter nuggets among the dross. No references are quoted, which leads me to believe that some entries ave been compiled from newspaper reports for which accuracy was not the first consideration.

English wit and humor