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Review
'I suspect this book might change our world' Euan Ferguson, Observer * 'The funniest man in England' Literary Review * 'Bywater's hilarious social commentary highlights our loss of ability to manage our own lives' New Statesman
Christopher Fowler
"Raises serious social issues while cracking plenty of willy
jokes" --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
jokes" --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I greatly enjoyed Bywater's Lost Worlds, his collection of little elegaic pieces on things that have vanished from the UK (ranging from 'Adolescents, Envy of', and 'Bakelite' to 'Warm, The British' and 'Throat, Cigarette Smoke That Was Kind To Your'). Accordlingly, I had high hopes for "Big Babies", believing that it would be a cut above the rest of the everything-is-rubbish books that are currently all the rage.
It makes a good start, as Bywater presents the thesis that we've become 'infantilized', unwilling to take responsibility for our actions, unable to make sensible choices, not wanting to question what we're told, etc. He backs this up with some standard complaints about things like over-legislation and safety notices; although this has all been said before, it's useful to hear it again (at one point, just after I'd read his indictment of a hot water tap to which had been affixed a "CAUTION: Hot water" notice, I looked up from the book and saw a tap with a label reading... "CAUTION: Very hot water"). He also references my personal peeve in this area - i.e., notices that say things like "Our staff have a right to work in a stress-free environment, and we shall proscute anyone who assaults them" - doubtless well-intentioned, but could anyone seriously imagine that they'd make a would-be assailant (even if literate) think twice about their actions?
However, although Bywater's a good writer, he doesn't really develop this idea, and I got a bit tired of the continued re-iteration of this theme, beginning to think that there really wasn't enough material here to warrant a full-length book. Perhaps the same message could have been delivered more usefully as an article - indeed, his suggestions about how to break out of the infantile condition are crisply presented in his last few pages; if a similar terseness had been used throughout, it would have had greater impact, I think.
It makes a good start, as Bywater presents the thesis that we've become 'infantilized', unwilling to take responsibility for our actions, unable to make sensible choices, not wanting to question what we're told, etc. He backs this up with some standard complaints about things like over-legislation and safety notices; although this has all been said before, it's useful to hear it again (at one point, just after I'd read his indictment of a hot water tap to which had been affixed a "CAUTION: Hot water" notice, I looked up from the book and saw a tap with a label reading... "CAUTION: Very hot water"). He also references my personal peeve in this area - i.e., notices that say things like "Our staff have a right to work in a stress-free environment, and we shall proscute anyone who assaults them" - doubtless well-intentioned, but could anyone seriously imagine that they'd make a would-be assailant (even if literate) think twice about their actions?
However, although Bywater's a good writer, he doesn't really develop this idea, and I got a bit tired of the continued re-iteration of this theme, beginning to think that there really wasn't enough material here to warrant a full-length book. Perhaps the same message could have been delivered more usefully as an article - indeed, his suggestions about how to break out of the infantile condition are crisply presented in his last few pages; if a similar terseness had been used throughout, it would have had greater impact, I think.
20 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Not to be mistaken for a grumpy old man rant, nor the affable malignity of light weight attacks on our culture, this is a serious but beautifully observed lament for the loss of our autonomy, hilarious in its dire examples of how we are diminished by the plethora of warnings, notices, inducements that litter our daily lives. With Bywater's help we can stay alert to the seductive charmlessness of remaining forever in a child like state of obedience, silliness, and acceptance of presciptive behaviour and can avoid the folly of lifelong immaturity and irresponsibility.
For all those adventurers who have never worn their baseball caps backwards, nor thought of remaining on the escalator once it has reached the next floor and will risk buying Christmas crackers without fear of 'explosive content'.
For all those adventurers who have never worn their baseball caps backwards, nor thought of remaining on the escalator once it has reached the next floor and will risk buying Christmas crackers without fear of 'explosive content'.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Had Big Babies been an editorial piece in a newspaper it would have been a thought provoking and funny piece. Indeed Michael Bywater raises the point that while many problems are discussed for the downfall of modern society the root cause is that we are treated increasingly like big babies.
It's an interesting idea and there are a few laughs along the way, but it's job done by page 10 and yet on and on it rambles for 250 pages. It's hard to keep up that level of indignation for that long but credit where credit's due Bywater achieves this. It becomes a polemic for the sake of itself.
The theory gets over stretched and the book suffers from major repetition. At times it's even self contradictory- he doesn't like books telling you what to think and moaning about the modern world as he then goes on to do both. He doesn't even like Amazon's review system- which means the 5 star reviews are going against the ethos of the book they so enjoyed.
Bottom line this book is not meant to change the world but be interesting and humorous and due to its length it ends up being neither.
It's an interesting idea and there are a few laughs along the way, but it's job done by page 10 and yet on and on it rambles for 250 pages. It's hard to keep up that level of indignation for that long but credit where credit's due Bywater achieves this. It becomes a polemic for the sake of itself.
The theory gets over stretched and the book suffers from major repetition. At times it's even self contradictory- he doesn't like books telling you what to think and moaning about the modern world as he then goes on to do both. He doesn't even like Amazon's review system- which means the 5 star reviews are going against the ethos of the book they so enjoyed.
Bottom line this book is not meant to change the world but be interesting and humorous and due to its length it ends up being neither.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Must read but not perfect
Interesting writing style, a must read if you had enough of being treated like an idiot by the nanny state. Read more
Published on 27 Jun 2009 by Dingo666
Brilliant book - just buy it
This man knows what he is talking about.
His writing is articulate, enthralling and funny. Read more
His writing is articulate, enthralling and funny. Read more
Published on 10 Jun 2009 by A. WARD
What a disappointing book!
What a pity that Michael Bywater seems to have so much to say and have many valid arguments, yet his cumbersome writing style gets in the way which renders much of this work... Read more
Published on 21 July 2008 by Mr S. SMITH
Sense in a nonsensical world
A healthy dose of uncommon sense wrapped up and delivered in a hilarious diatribe. Read it, I urge you. In fact, do more than read it, absorb it. Read more
Published on 1 Dec 2007 by R Judd
A well argued piece
Michael Bywater hit the nail on the head by opening this book with the statement: "Something has gone wrong". Read more
Published on 27 Feb 2007 by Jack Downey
good cultural criticism
I was a little put off this book by little irritants (something about it suggested it was going to be smug! Read more
Published on 14 Nov 2006 by Mr. M. J. Bowen
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