Ken Dodd: Happiness and Tears by Louis Barfe
06/01/2020 … When Ashtar Al Khirshan was making a serious-minded profile of Ken Dodd for the BBC’s Arena arts strand in 2007, the director kept pushing to find out what…
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.
Mon 06 January 2020
Thu 14 November 2019
I Carried A Watermelon by Katy Brand
Comedian's Dirty Dancing tribute reviewed
14/11/2019 … I may be the wrong person to review this book since I’ve never seen Dirty Dancing.
Tue 29 October 2019
© BBC More Than Likely by Dick Clement and Ian Le Frenais
29/10/2019 … Comedy fans know Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais as the creators of The Likely Lads, Porridge and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.
Thu 03 October 2019
© Steve Ullathorne March of the Lemmings by Stewart Lee
03/10/2019 … Can you bear to read another word on Brexit? Sometimes it sees as if Stewart Lee can barely write one, even though he has been obsessed by covering every…
Thu 12 September 2019
Perfect Sound Whatever, by James Acaster
12/09/2019 … James Acaster’s second book covers the same annus horriblis as his current, brilliant tour show Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999 – but with more about the…
Mon 02 September 2019
A Hitch In Time by Andy Smart
02/09/2019 … Andy Smart is these days best known as one of the Comedy Store Players.
Thu 04 July 2019
I’m Only In It For The Parking by Lee Ridley, aka Lost Voice Guy
04/07/2019 … Lee Ridley can’t speak, is unsteady on his feet, suffers epilepsy and gets self-conscious when he dribbles.
Tue 26 March 2019
Woke: A Guide to Social Justice by Titiana McGrath
26/03/2019 … It’s a book that Piers Morgan describes as ‘absolutely hilarious’, which should serve as a massive red flag.