Global Village Idiot
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Amazon.co.uk Review
The title of John O'Farrell's latest book, Global Village Idiot, refers not to the author, who proves far from an idiot, but to President George W Bush, whose trip to Europe in June 2001 closes this compendium of absurdly funny, journalistic pummellings. Sadly, subsequent events may now result in only edgy laughter at the witticism. In an age of ubiquitous but low-cal humour, John O'Farrell is that old-fashioned diamond, a gags man unable to write a dull line. In this, he plies a trade of satire and whimsy that combines the best of British working-men's clubs with the quick-fire, dime-a-joke New York patter that relies on fresh rather than canned humour.
Collecting 1000-word comment pieces, mainly from The Guardian and The Independent, Global Village Idiot reveals an irreverently relevant look at British and world news at the turn of the century. O'Farrell, the author of Things Can Only Get Better, a memoir of 18 grim years as a Labour Party activist ruined by the 1997 General Election triumph, and the comic novel, The Best a Man Can Get, distinguishes his soapbox pennyworths by an affirming sense of belief, and moral consequence. He may poke fun at Bush, New Labour, boarding-school parents, hopping across the wasteland of television "choice", Euro-sceptics, SAS novelists and paternity leave; he even piles further comic indignities onto Neil Hamilton and Mohammed al Fayed, despite their own high standards on that score. Yet behind the wisecracks, and consistently high chortle factor, lies more serious intent. To laugh is to be alive to the disgraces, anomalies, hypocrisies, skulduggery and double standards of modern life that impel socio-political satirists such as O'Farrell to write with such consistent pinging accuracy. Perhaps the biggest compliment is to say that if today's news is tomorrow's fish-and-chip paper, then somehow O'Farrell makes delightful macramé from it. And who knows, an article a day may help keep the spin-doctors at bay. --David Vincent --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"* 'Very funny' The Times on Things Can Only Get Better. * 'Very funny' Griff Rhys Jones on Things Can Only Get Better. * 'Downright funny' Nick Hancock on Things Can Only Get Better.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
38 of 43 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I bought this book from the airport on the way off for a weeks holiday. (I had already read 'The Best A Man Can Get' & didn't stop laughing.) I bought 'Things Can Only Get Better' to take with me but couldn't resist reading 'Global Village Idiot' first. It too made me laugh out loud many, many times - which must have looked odd when I was sitting on my own in the airport departure lounge & on my sunbed next to the pool. My husband couldn't wait for me to finish it & I already have a couple of people who will want to read it after me. Not only is it a VERY funny book, but is also a fascinating reminder of some of the events that have occurred during the last couple of years (many of which I had forgotten). It is a kind of historical diary - looking at the events through the 'humourous eyes' of O'Farrell. I hope that John is writing some more books as I don't want to have to wait too long to read something that makes me laugh till I cry. Excellent!
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I really enjoyed this selection of articles which were written before the Iraq war. Having read it recently it was quite uncanny some of the comments and warnings made by John O'Farrell. Pity Tony Blair did not heed them or perhaps he never read them.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
SINCE STUMBLING ON THIS AUTHOR I'VE READ ALL i CAN GET HOLD OF. I HAVE A CYNICAL AND PERVERTED VIEW OF POLITICIANS. WISH I COULD IN THE FIRST INSTANCE VIEW LIFE THROUGH THIS AUTHOR'S EYES
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Global Village Idiot
Regardless of your own politics, it is a very dry, witty and well worth read
Published on 20 Oct 2009 by Dr. Kim Shepherd
Mostly funny, but the same style as all his others (yawn)
A collection of columns from The Guardian, this book is mostly funny, though of course it is dated. Moreover, after you've read 40 or 50 columns you DO realise his humour uses the... Read more
Published on 7 Sep 2007 by Phil Latham
Boring, dated and pointless
Global Village Idiot is a collection of articles written by John O'Farrell between April 1999 and June 2001, as published in the Guardian and Observer newspapers. Read more
Published on 20 Aug 2006 by Darren Simons
A huge disappointment
This book was a real let down. I thought Things Can Only get Better and The Best a Man Can Get were both excellent, and had been eagerly looking forward to reading this... Read more
Published on 9 Jan 2002
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