Laugh out loud funny and densely well-informed. 7 years since it came out but still seems up to the minute. First book his I've read, having already established him as a favourite on TV. Shall read more. ( )

Enjoyable, though dated now, collection of essays. ( )

Drawn from his column in the Observer each week, this collection of articles is diverse and wide ranging. No subject is too big or trivial for Mitchell to consider, from smoking to politics, the nuclear question to chocolate flavoured toothpaste and swearing to Downton Abbey. He asks questions that others won’t like, why do so many people want to stop other people doing things, and how can they be stopped from stopping them? And why are people so obsessed with bin collections? He is not afraid to be controversial too. He agrees with the judge who called a burglar brave, has a liberated view about swearing and bemoans that total lack of common sense that seems to prevail most of the time.

Even though I get the Observer every week, I have only occasionally read his column in the paper, and I have heard him often on Radio 4 on various panel games, and he can be very funny. Whilst this book raised a few chuckles, there were no laugh out loud moments. I do like his attitude though, even if he can be a bit of a curmudgeon at times, and he has a refreshingly blunt point of view. Worth reading I think, and I will now be following his column each week in the paper. ( )

Made me laugh, but in a sober, sort of sad way at times. ( )

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It's a collection of columns previously published in The Observer, but as I don't live in the UK and therefore have not been in contact with said paper, all was new for me.

This was the first I actually read by David Mitchell (not to be confused with the author of Cloud Atlas, The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet and more recently The Bone Clocks). I've seen/listened to him on a number of BBC shows though. And liked it. If you did as well, I think you'll enjoy the book too.

Some columns seemed a bit old to still be published (from 2009 if I remember correctly) and there were quite a few that focused on things I hadn't even heard about on the news, but some introduction is usually given. I especially liked the - perfect for the holidays - column on his parents' Christmas cards policy. It reminds me of home. Two strikes and you're out...

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ( )