Mark Thomas is one of the UK's most effective and best-known political activists, as well as being a highly successful stand-up comedian. His show, The Mark Thomas Product, ran for six highly acclaimed series on Channel Four. Amazingly, this is his first book. As Used On the Famous Nelson Mandela is a deeply funny, deeply disturbing account of Mark's rampage through the arms trade. Under a fairly flimsy disguise and with the use of some worryingly poor accents, Mark sets off on a journey of discovery in the company of arms dealers, torture victims, politicians, cops, crusties and geeks. The result is a shockingly entertaining read. Embedded within the sharpness of his humour is the truth of an industry fraught with loopholes, complacency and greed; that allows corrupt regimes to kill, maim and displace, but whose deals are often subsidised by the British taxpayer. Hard-hitting, laugh-out-loud funny and extremely unsettling, As Used on the Famous Nelson Mandela is never anything less than compulsive.
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"His book is a genuine eye-opener" -- Mail on Sunday
"courageous...it's a humorous yet heartfelt polemic...Thomas' revelations are riveting" -- The Independent
"funny, disturbing and fascinating" -- Metro
"courageous...it's a humorous yet heartfelt polemic...Thomas' revelations are riveting" -- The Independent
"funny, disturbing and fascinating" -- Metro
Book Description
Taking up the baton from Michael Moore, the UK's foremost political comedian has written a corruscatingly funny expose of the arms trade
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
By WinstonSmith
Format:Paperback
Opens up an industry that has too many secrets, not enough laws and regulations. This book doesn't tackle the issue of the 'defence' industry being right or wrong, that is another issue. It simply outlines the facts and loop holes of an industry we should all know more about, at home and world-wide. As a British citizen, it's important to know more about this industry, especially when literally anyone can be an arms dealer (as Mark, a nun and even a bunch of kids prove)!
Hopefully this information reaches such a wide audience to make some changes at a higher level.
Hopefully this information reaches such a wide audience to make some changes at a higher level.
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having seen Mark Thomas on TV, and thoroughly enjoyed his thought-provoking and often acid attacks on various issues, I bought this book hoping for more of the same. I was not disappointed.
Every chapter has both laugh-out-loud and truly shocking content in equal measure, and Mark Thomas clearly demontrates the immorality, greed & hypocrisy surrounding the international arms trade, in a way only he can.
If you really want to know the truth about the British 'Ethical Foreign Policy' (oh, how that makes me smile having read the book), BAEs unhealthy influence within government, how the term 'arms embargo' is utterly meaningless in the real world, the UK's pitiful record on arm control or how British schoolchildren got careers advise from an arms dealer (I kid you not), this is the book for you.
One word of warning, however. Be prepared for some late night reading, as this book is so completely engrossing, you will find yourself in the wee small hours before you know it.
Every chapter has both laugh-out-loud and truly shocking content in equal measure, and Mark Thomas clearly demontrates the immorality, greed & hypocrisy surrounding the international arms trade, in a way only he can.
If you really want to know the truth about the British 'Ethical Foreign Policy' (oh, how that makes me smile having read the book), BAEs unhealthy influence within government, how the term 'arms embargo' is utterly meaningless in the real world, the UK's pitiful record on arm control or how British schoolchildren got careers advise from an arms dealer (I kid you not), this is the book for you.
One word of warning, however. Be prepared for some late night reading, as this book is so completely engrossing, you will find yourself in the wee small hours before you know it.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By Mooji
Format:Paperback
Why, why, why isn't this chap more prolific?
This is a great book - it seems as though Mark is speaking to us on a one-2-one basis and explaining how alarmingly easy it is to become an arms trader.
Mark effortlessly moves from one subject to another - introducing hilarious characters, as well as malevolent villains and illustrating just how desensitised people become to death and murder when they get paid for it.
Books like this are enjoyable because you can share the author's rage and despair chapter by chapter. I'm a fan of Mark and was definitely not let down by his first book.
This is a great book - it seems as though Mark is speaking to us on a one-2-one basis and explaining how alarmingly easy it is to become an arms trader.
Mark effortlessly moves from one subject to another - introducing hilarious characters, as well as malevolent villains and illustrating just how desensitised people become to death and murder when they get paid for it.
Books like this are enjoyable because you can share the author's rage and despair chapter by chapter. I'm a fan of Mark and was definitely not let down by his first book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
good
this was a good quality product which was received in good time. Packaged well and product was not displaying any damage
Published 4 months ago by ianmac
4.0 out of 5 stars
Arms Industry = big Buisiness
In 1999 a poor Country (South Africa) announced plans to buy Frigates, jets and submarines, and this deal will be complete in the next few years to a cost of 6 billion dollars. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Billy Ray Cyrus
3.0 out of 5 stars
Startling yet flawed
Mark Thomas is, without question, the right man for the job. This book gives a startlingly clear insight into exactly what is wrong with the rules governing the arms trade, and it... Read more
Published on 16 Jan 2010 by DaveW
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mark Thomas vs The Arms Trade
I've never seen any of the Mark Thomas's television shows, I noticed his book in the local bookshop but it never really caught my eye - just some plump bloke, Klashnikov in hand,... Read more
Published on 19 Sep 2009 by S Wood
5.0 out of 5 stars
Money Where His Mouth Is!
Fantastic book! We see news stories about genecide in some far flung corner of the globe thinking it has nothing to do with us, only to find out that it's most likley "us" that... Read more
Published on 23 April 2009 by Mr. George Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars
I will recommend this book to anyone who listens
A stand-up comedian writes about the arms trade. It sounds an oxymoron in itself doesn't it? Well it manages to be funny and shocking at the same time. Read more
Published on 11 Dec 2008 by Melon Dubes
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ozzie's Cocaine Breast Milk
The comedian and political activist takes on the gun trade in this book and shows how a good mind for Cluedo, a knowledge of legal loopholes and a telephone is all he needs to sell... Read more
Published on 21 Sep 2008 by Jamie Beckwith
5.0 out of 5 stars
Who said Politics was boring?
I have watched Mark Thomas on television for years now and have always thought he was brilliant. This is his first book and his writing style is very like his stand up routine. Read more
Published on 21 April 2008 by P. Watson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Startling, Informative, Hilarious, Essential Reading!
It's not often that "Arms Trade" and "Satirical Comedy" get mentioned in the same sentence, but those phrases would sit fine with this book. Read more
Published on 31 Jan 2008 by A. Marczak
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brave, well-written, funny, important, a must-read
A well-written account of Mark Thomas' investigations into, and brave confrontations with, arms brokers up to 2006. Read more
Published on 3 Oct 2007 by Mr. Stuart Bruce
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