- Jubilee offer: spend £10 or more on any product sold by Amazon.co.uk on or before June 6 and you can buy The Diamond Jubilee A Classical Celebration Album for just £2.50 Here's how (terms and conditions apply)
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Special Offers and Product Promotions
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
"'Reading the Chairman's passing memories enriched a free weekend in the English countryside for me, as would reading Proust, Dickens or Melville. A damn sight funnier. Humph is cool, Humph is now!' -Pete Townshend"
Product Description
The legendary band leader and jazz trumpeter, broadcaster and humorist looks back at his extraordinarily rich and varied life and the many colourful characters he has known and played with - from Duke Ellington to Louis Armstrong. He also recalls his early life as the son of a famous housemaster at Eton, where he was educated. During the war, he served in the Grenadier Guards and, on demobilisation, studied for two years at Camberwell Arts School. In 1949, he joined the "Daily Mail" as cartoonist, wrote the story-line for Trog's "Flook" cartoon, and also signed a recording contract with EMI. He had the first British jazz record to get into the Top Twenty in 1956 with 'Bad Penny Blues'. The book will appeal to his large cult following, both from his regular live appearances with his band, as the irrepressible chairman of BBC Radio 4's popular nonsense quiz 'I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue' and as the presenter of "The Best of Jazz" since 1967.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
59 of 59 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The title says it all - this is a collection of thoughts and memories and definitely NOT an autobiography. On the first page Humph desribes it as "a hotchpotch of thought and memories and this is exactly what it is.
The book is a wonderful encapsulation of the wit and considerable wisdom of the inimitable Humph, with at least one laugh per page and frequently more as Humph seamlessly elides from the consideration of 3 a.m. transport caff meals to the subject of crimes against the decent pronunciation of English within the space of about 30 words. Devoting six hilarious pages to this, he moves, with his own brand of logic to school days at Eton and and thence to dispense a cornucopia of stories and anecdotes about eccentric relations, jazz greats and his own life.
In no particular order we are treated to a wondrous sequence of cameos from the very full and fully-lived life of a man whose humour never conceals his innate wisdom and humanity.
If you enjoy the lunatic humour of "I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue" or if you have an interest in jazz or if you just want a good read, this is it!
The book is a wonderful encapsulation of the wit and considerable wisdom of the inimitable Humph, with at least one laugh per page and frequently more as Humph seamlessly elides from the consideration of 3 a.m. transport caff meals to the subject of crimes against the decent pronunciation of English within the space of about 30 words. Devoting six hilarious pages to this, he moves, with his own brand of logic to school days at Eton and and thence to dispense a cornucopia of stories and anecdotes about eccentric relations, jazz greats and his own life.
In no particular order we are treated to a wondrous sequence of cameos from the very full and fully-lived life of a man whose humour never conceals his innate wisdom and humanity.
If you enjoy the lunatic humour of "I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue" or if you have an interest in jazz or if you just want a good read, this is it!
43 of 43 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I enjoyed this book immensely. It is very tempting to describe the book by what it is not, not autobiography, not a companion to "Sorry I haven't a clue", not about Jazz... Though I think anyone with an interest in these areas will enjoy it.
The book is quite literally a collection of rambling thoughts and reminiscences - which does not sound very appealing. But Humphs love of language and music shine though continually, and it flows along in a delightful manner.
While his achievements in Jazz and Comedy are well known, Humph's journalism successes are perhaps less well known - and in my opinion his abilities as a writer are every bit as great, and that shines from the pages of this book. I really think anyone with a sense of humour will like it - a smile on every page!
The book is quite literally a collection of rambling thoughts and reminiscences - which does not sound very appealing. But Humphs love of language and music shine though continually, and it flows along in a delightful manner.
While his achievements in Jazz and Comedy are well known, Humph's journalism successes are perhaps less well known - and in my opinion his abilities as a writer are every bit as great, and that shines from the pages of this book. I really think anyone with a sense of humour will like it - a smile on every page!
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Actually I'm not sure I can improve on the two previous reviews. I am enjoying this hotchpotch of reminiscenses very much. Humph has (had) led a remarkable life; doing things and meeting people, seemingly by accident, which seem to have led him in some interesting and rewarding directions. I wish I'd had a bit more insight into the man behind the microphone of ISIHAC earlier, but better late than never - I'm happy to be reading about him now.
Humph's a man who will be much missed by millions of people who never knew him personally, as well as by his family and friends.
Humph's a man who will be much missed by millions of people who never knew him personally, as well as by his family and friends.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
a riotous rambling rag bag of random writings - do buy!
There are no chapters, only a few sub-headings but not to worry. This is so easy to read and so entertaining you will want to read it one sitting anyway! Read more
Published 11 months ago by R T
Disappointing
I am an admirer of Humph and I was really looking forward to reading this book and enjoying his reminiscences and anecdotes. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Kyle Armstrong
Super buy
Chairman Humph really comes to life in this book. You can almost hear him reliving these moments. A sadly missed character but this is a great part of his legacy
Published 23 months ago by Biologymiss
My husband loves this
A gift from my sister to my husband on a "significant" birthday. I wasn't sure, but she hit the spot and he's loved it. He reads it and chuckles. Read more
Published on 28 Aug 2009 by Jane Baker
more humph
easy going happy friendly chatty thoughts. If you liked the others,you'll like this: no side, no grief, funny and entertaining.
CH
CH
Published on 12 May 2009 by C. Heneghan
Warm and moving
I bought this book a couple of years ago, when Humphrey Lyttelton was still entertaining us with his witty and erudite appearances on "I'm sorry I haven't a clue" and enjoyed it... Read more
Published on 17 April 2009 by Emanon
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Biography > Film, Television & Music > Music > Jazz
- Books > Music, Stage & Screen > Music > Composers & Musicians
- Books > Music, Stage & Screen > Music > Styles > Jazz
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
