- Hardcover: 112 pages
- Publisher: John Murray (12 Sep 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0719568196
- ISBN-13: 978-0719568190
- Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 13 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 255,918 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
Praise for Christopher Matthew's previous work: 'The pick of the crop' -- The Times 'Wise, perceptive and very funny' -- Independent on Sunday 'The most brilliant book of poems' -- The Oldie 'A wonderful present' -- Auberon Waugh, Daily Telegraph 'A witty collection of verse for anyone who has ever trodden the fairway...Funny, touching and perceptive' -- Daily Express 20051129 'Matthew has proved time and again what an old pro he is at the almost lost art of writing humorous verse' -- Martin Rowson, Independent on Sunday 20051211 'Matthew's gift for pastiche is now so polished that he overcomes the qualms of even the most fanatical Wodehouse fan, such as me' -- Marcus Berkmann, Daily Mail 20051202
Product Description
Bestselling wit Christopher Matthew looks at the meaning of life through golf and golfers -- whether super-rich, globe-trotting professionals or weekend amateurs hacking round in 100 or more. As everyone knows who ever strode a fairway with club in hand and hope in heart, there is more to golf than knocking a little ball round the countryside. All human life can be found between the first hole and the nineteenth, and every emotion -- ecstasy, despair, love, hatred, reconciliation, revenge. Especially revenge. These verses - based on poems by the likes of Kipling, Betjeman, Tennyson and Browning -- cover the subject from golf bores, bossy lady captains, golfing on the moon and club grub to golf widows, golfing dogs, and feeble excuses. They may not improve your swing, but they'll make you a better person in the rough, or in the bar.
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
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The poems in this book are mainly described as being after some published poem or song. This means that the author wrote completely new lyrics to the rhythm of the original poem or song. On first reading, I particularly enjoyed the poems that were based on songs that I was familiar with, such as Club grab, based on My favorite things, and Excuses excuses, based on The lady is a tramp.
Clearly the author is a huge fan of John Betjeman, as he not only based several of his poems on John's poems, but also adapted the title of one of John's books, Summoned by bells, for use as the title of this book. Of course, it didn't do John's legacy any harm at all. Indeed, I was intrigued enough to buy John's collected works after reading Christopher's poetry. I figured that if I bought a book of selected poems, it might not contain all the poems that Christopher adapted. Actually, I was becoming interested in John's poetry anyway for other reasons and this book made it even more desirable. Having read the originals, the golfing versions seemed that little bit funnier than they were anyway. That said, I won't be working through all the poetic authors whose work Christopher has adapted, although I expect I will buy more eventually.
The most famous poem here is If, the Rudyard Kipling classic. Christopher's version about a hopeless golfer is titled However. One of the few poems here that is not based on another poet's work, titled Clerihews, manages to rhyme Colin Montgomerie with lifetime of flummery, which is a bit cruel even if it is a clever rhyme.
This book is a hilarious look at the golfing life, both in the clubhouse and on the course. It helps if you know some of the original poems but it is certainly not essential. Similarly, you don't need to be a golfing expert to enjoy this book. Hey, I only played one round of golf ever, so badly that I never tried again although I won my match because my opponent, also making his golfing debut, was even worse.
Clearly the author is a huge fan of John Betjeman, as he not only based several of his poems on John's poems, but also adapted the title of one of John's books, Summoned by bells, for use as the title of this book. Of course, it didn't do John's legacy any harm at all. Indeed, I was intrigued enough to buy John's collected works after reading Christopher's poetry. I figured that if I bought a book of selected poems, it might not contain all the poems that Christopher adapted. Actually, I was becoming interested in John's poetry anyway for other reasons and this book made it even more desirable. Having read the originals, the golfing versions seemed that little bit funnier than they were anyway. That said, I won't be working through all the poetic authors whose work Christopher has adapted, although I expect I will buy more eventually.
The most famous poem here is If, the Rudyard Kipling classic. Christopher's version about a hopeless golfer is titled However. One of the few poems here that is not based on another poet's work, titled Clerihews, manages to rhyme Colin Montgomerie with lifetime of flummery, which is a bit cruel even if it is a clever rhyme.
This book is a hilarious look at the golfing life, both in the clubhouse and on the course. It helps if you know some of the original poems but it is certainly not essential. Similarly, you don't need to be a golfing expert to enjoy this book. Hey, I only played one round of golf ever, so badly that I never tried again although I won my match because my opponent, also making his golfing debut, was even worse.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I loved Christopher Matthew's Now We Are Sixty books. This is even better - sharp, funny, focused, trenchant. Even those of us who don't play golf will find this a tremendous, hilarious, read.
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I had been lent a copy of this splendidly funny anthology of parodies of well-known poems and lyrics, and just had to obtain my own. I defy any golfer not to chuckle and laugh his way through the book. My wife enjoyed it too!
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Was this review helpful?
Let us know
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
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.
