Latest Books
Reviews of books about comedy, including biographies of comedians old and new, and (occasionally) books by comedians. To have a book considered for review, send a copy to Chortle, 112 Norman Road, London, E11 4RL.
Sat 23 September 2006
Review: The Authorised Biography of Ronnie Barker
23/09/2006 … Among today’s generation of comedy fans, Ronnie Barker is considered more a bit passé.
Howerd's way
Review: Frankie Howerd: Stand-up Comic by Graham McCann
23/09/2006 … By the end, Frankie Howerd was almost a parody of himself, the awkward, arched stance and unconvincing Brillo pad hairpiece as much as an overexposed trademark as…
Book review: Eric Morecambe Unseen, edited by William Cook
23/09/2006 … ‘The lost diaries, jokes and photographs,’ reads the cover line on Eric Morecambe Unseen, promising to unearth a buried treasure trove of the great man’s…
Book review: And Now For Something Completely Digital
23/09/2006 … Amazon currently lists 142 books about Monty Python.
Book review: Getting The Joke by Oliver Double
23/09/2006 … Comedy, unlike some other art forms, is enjoyed more the less you know about how it works.
Book review: Bill Hicks, Agent Of Evolution by Kevin Booth
23/09/2006 … As the prologue to this personal memoir of his lifelong friend Bill Hicks, Kevin Booth recalls one of the many times they were tripping on mushrooms on his family’s…
Book review: Laughing Matters, by Steven Jacobi
23/09/2006 … Every so often, usually around Edinburgh Fringe time, some journalist – and frustrated performer – hits upon the idea of trying their hand at stand-up,…