- Mass Market Paperback
- Publisher: Ballantine Books (Mm); Reprint edition (Mar 1986)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0345330099
- ISBN-13: 978-0345330093
- Product Dimensions: 17.3 x 10.4 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 750,443 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
It is difficult to be really bad at something, but the people in this book manage to succeed! The book features tales of drivers who can't drive, travellers who get lost all the time and policemen who can't catch criminals. "Penguin Readers" is a series of simplified novels, film novelizations and original titles that introduce students at all levels to the pleasures of reading in English. Originally designed for teaching English as a foreign language, the series' combination of high interest level and low reading age makes it suitable for both English-speaking teenagers with limited reading skills and students of English as a second language. Many titles in the series also provide access to the pre-20th century literature strands of the National Curriculum English Orders. "Penguin Readers" are graded at seven levels of difficulty, from "Easystarts" with a 200-word vocabulary, to Level 6 (Advanced) with a 3000-word vocabulary. In addition, titles fall into one of three sub-categories: "Contemporary", "Classics" or "Originals". At the end of each book there is a section of enjoyable exercises focusing on vocabulary building, comprehension, discussion and writing. Some titles in the series are available with an accompanying audio cassette, or in a book and cassette pack. Additionally, selected titles have free accompanying "Penguin Readers Factsheets" which provide stimulating exercise material for students, as well as suggestions for teachers on how to exploit the Readers in class.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having lent my copy of the original I was pleased to find it was still available from penguin (or so I thought), and I bought two copies. Big mistake, as some of the other reviewers have made clear (although most seem to have, bizarrely, given a review of the original edition and NOT the one advertised here !). This work still gives the dry, factual substance of each story, but penguin have inexplicably removed the clever wordplay, witty remarks and all enjoyment offered by the original. It is put together in a style seemingly designed to be neither edifying, nor amusing and penguin should hang their heads in shame. The editing (as a childrens reader) is both ham-fisted and patronising and anyone reading this book will be left wondering why they've wasted their time and money. The original was already accessible to all ages and probably the funniest book I've ever read. If you have ever come across the original please write to penguin asking for it to be re-released. DO NOT BUY THIS EDITION - You will be terribly disappointed.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is not the original "Book of Heroic Failures", but a smaller version, rewritten for children. Those buying the book out of a sense of nostalgia for the hilarious original will be very disappointed.
The contents are doubtless suitable for the intended audience, but the wit and timing of the original are sadly missing
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I read an early version of this book (1980 give or take a few years) and it is especially good as easy reading,(for the quote to Einstein when he was 10, from a tutor that he wouldn't get very far in life!!!!) or anyone else who is going through a stressful period of their lives. Liked the one where a robber breaks into a mansion, drinks all the wine, then becomes drunk and when found by the police is sleeping like a baby.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Tripe
What did I expect with such a low price? Didn't find it very funny, or very well written. Read it for ten minutes (and got through a good 30% of the book), then consigned it to... Read more
Published on 20 Feb 2004
Hysterical - all the more so because it's all true
This book - and it's sequel, the Return of Heroic Failures - are two of the most thumbed books in my (considerable) collection. Read more
Published on 24 Mar 2003 by R. Weir
Extreemly Funny
I read an early version of this book (1990 give or take a few years) and it is the funniest book I have ever read. Read more
Published on 7 April 2001
Hilarious and thouroughly entertaining
This book is a must have if you are feeling low, simply because the amount of cock ups and mistakes would cause a manic depressive to give up on the razor blades and just throw... Read more
Published on 6 Oct 2000 by rjcurl@yahoo.com
Gentle, amusing, amiable.
Both this and the sequel are amiable, slightly sad, and often terrificly funny. A nice romp.
Published on 9 April 2000
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