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The Boy Who Kicked Pigs [Illustrated] [Paperback]

Tom Baker (Author)
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
RRP: £6.99
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Book Description

Publication Date: 20 Oct 2005

'Grotesque and depraved and above all very funny.' Ardal O'Hanlon

Robert Caligari is a thoroughly evil thirteen-year-old who gets his kicks from kicking pigs. Afer a humiliating episode with a bacon butty, Robert realizes just how much he loathes the human race - and his revenge is truly terrible.

This subversive horror-fantasy from Tom Baker (ex-monk, ex-sailor, and the ultimate Doctor Who) is outrageous and funny, and since the hardback was published in 1999 has gone on to become a cult classic. It is illustrated throughout with b/w line drawings from David Roberts.

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The Boy Who Kicked Pigs + The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy: And Other Stories
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Product details

  • Paperback: 128 pages
  • Publisher: Faber and Faber; First Thus edition (20 Oct 2005)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0571230547
  • ISBN-13: 978-0571230549
  • Product Dimensions: 12.8 x 19.4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 78,468 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Product Description

Review

"'Grotesque and depraved and above all very funny.' Ardal O'Hanlon"

From the Publisher

More about this book...
This is an outrageous subversive horror/fantasy from Tom Baker - ex-monk, ex-sailor, and the ultimate Dr Who.

The hero is Robert Caligari - an evil 13-yr old - whose hatred for the human race spills into a truly terrible revenge. It's a short, gory, and tremendously funny story, illustrated throughout with b/w line drawings from David Roberts.

Comedian ARDAL O' HANLON said of it: "I thought it was grotesque, depraved, and above all very funny. It held throughout the troubling tone of, appropriately enough, a bacon slicing machine. I particularly appreciated the idea of the ex-xylophone player who now delivers meals-on-wheels playing his imaginary instrument in response to a mishap he's just witnessed. Lovely. And I'm still hanuted by the rather beautiful image of a horse leaping from a flyover on to a motorway."

ESQUIRE MAGAZINE: "Tom Baker's book will find favour with juveniles and grown-up children alike. It touches that great British nerve of revelling in the grotesque. [Tom Baker's] new book is ace." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars A monsterous boy... 10 May 2007
By Jane Aland VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
This is a delightfully curious book, a short and heavily illustrated (every other page is art) tale seemingly aimed at children but of such a dark content that it may well be more appreciated by adults. As Baker himself describes it: "This really is a very sad and terrible story. It is a tale of undiluted horror". The story concerns an evil young boy called Robert Caligari, and how his hatred of humanity leads to a truly ghastly comeuppance, and is told in Baker's unique and, let's face it, utterly loopy style. A delightfully mad jet black comedy, a book to both amuse children and give them nightmares. Nice one, Tom.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Bizarre! 5 Mar 2007
By E. L. Hardy
Format:Paperback
This is a very strange tale of a little boy who has an evil streak a mile wide. Strange literary images flood each page, spurred on by the line drawings opposite. Enjoyable, if not highly bizarre. Not for the faint-hearted!
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Eccentric, dark and very silly 20 Jun 2006
By Alfie Swann
Format:Paperback
This is an amazing tale of a terrible boy who is not nice. There are surreal moments and really quite silly bits. The story is all over the place, and slightly flimsy, which makes this more of a cult book but it will have its ardent fans. Wonderful illustrations by David Roberts though.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Bit too dark for me. 17 Aug 2011
By edwina
Format:Hardcover
I really enjoyed the layout of this book, very simple and a fantastical mix between dark adult humor and a childish appearance. Without giving too much away, I felt the ending was a little too graphic and its childish demeanor was completely lost. I do enjoy a bit of gore (American Psycho would definitely feature in my top 10) but I felt it was a little out of place here. Other then that, I quite enjoyed this book. Easily readable in about... an hour? About 100 pages long (with 'pretty' pictures and full of vibrancy. Except nothing less from Doctor Who.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Sick, funny and highly entertaining! 30 Jan 2002
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
When I started reading it, I couldn't put it down! It is a strange story about a boy who despises pigs, but then realises it's humans he hates. This is the story of how he gets his own back on humans - and kills loads of people in the process, buy shooting an arrow into a horse!!!
Although I highly enjoyed the book, I don't think it would be worth paying £13 for it! Plus, it's a bit misleading - not for children, but, don't judge a book by it's cover! Read it if you get the chance.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Although the Limeted Edition is Expensive, BUY IT ANYWAY!!!! 18 Dec 2000
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
This is an absolutly wicked tale and is absolutly funny! I have to say it is a brilliant story but just a little bit sick, if you know what I mean! Read it as soon as possible, it is a must for any one!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Umm... 16 April 2000
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
Well, I imagine this book will take you no more than a couple of hours to get through. Question is, is it worth it? It's an adult novel masquerading as a children's novel, it's strange, it's gory, it's funny, but it's too short. The style falls somewhere between Roald Dahl and Robert Rankin, without being as good as either.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Roald Dahl was never this funny, or this nasty 21 Dec 2001
By Nessy76
Format:Hardcover
The Boy Who Kicked Pigs is a morality tale in the tradition of the Brothers Grimm and Roald Dahl. It is wickedly funny and deliciously nasty. Set out as a children's story (although at the price of this edition that would be a brave bit of parenting) although almost certainly not suitable for the younger child, it delights in disturbing events and true unpleasantness.
Tom Baker knows from his time as Dr Who what it takes to make people squirm with discomfort and all of that experience is distilled here in a thrilling tale.
Go on, buy it, I dare you.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars Short but not sweet.
I have a strong feeling that if you're going to write a novella, then you've really got to compensate your readership for lack of wordage with a tangible and unique 'something... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Ivan Zehdra-Maychayne
4.0 out of 5 stars The Boy Who Kicked Pigs
Well, what can I say? Definately not my usual sort of read but a friend lent it to me and urged me to read it. Its a really short, young adults book. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Lincs Reader
3.0 out of 5 stars Incredibly disturbing!
While I loved the style of writing and the social commentary in this book, it was incredibly disturbing! Read more
Published on 14 Oct 2010 by Rachel
4.0 out of 5 stars Quirky and funny, very Tom Baker
I bought this book as a gift, with a little curiosity myself too. Glanced at it when it arrived and was immediately drawn into the strange world of Robert Caligari, who kicks... Read more
Published on 7 July 2010 by FortyP
5.0 out of 5 stars An utterly fantastic tale
Its a funny, horrific, delightful, disgusting, charming, grotesque, witty and remarkable fable-like tale that will make you both laugh and squirm.
Published on 20 Jan 2009 by Warrior
2.0 out of 5 stars Not nearly as good as it should be
This weird little tale starts out extremely well, and is full of excellent characters and uncompromising strangeness (the scene which finally 'turns' Robert against... Read more
Published on 15 Nov 2005 by nikkus
4.0 out of 5 stars Idiosyncratic oddysey from eccentric Doctor Who actor
This is by no means the best work that Tom Baker is capable of. He has an entertaining prose style and is very eccentric in both his language and his story ideas. Read more
Published on 21 Feb 2003 by D. M. Farmbrough
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