HumourTalking Books
The titles in this booklist are just a selection of the titles available for loan from the RNIB National Library Talking Book Service.
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Bishop's brew: an anthology of clerical humour. 1989. Read by JoeDunlop, 3 hours 9 minutes. TB 9544.
This is a delightful anthology of clerical humour. Ronald Brown, Bishop of
Birkenhead, writes: "To my own collection of stories gathered over manyyears, I have added about as many again from those sent to me by past andpresent members of the Chester Diocese. Truth really is stranger thanfiction, and not a few of the anecdotes are said to be true, or based infact. I think it is good to have a collection of this kind from thetreasury of church humour". TB 9544.
Funny stories and jokes for speakers. 1990. Read by Stephen Thorne,1 hour 30 minutes. TB 9009.
Do you know stories or jokes that will leave you looking intelligent andthemlaughing? Most people need help and here it is. Expert speakerscontribute stories and jokes that work. TB 9009.
The Oxford book of humorous prose: from William Caxton to P.G.Wodehouse: a conducted tour. 1990. Read by various narrators. 63 hours 7 minutes. TB 10648.
A journey of discovery and delight through five centuries of humorousprose inEnglish. Extracts are taken from fiction, letters and journalismfrom over 200 authors. Each is set in its historical context, with itemsof contemporary gossip and anecdotal biography. TB 10648.
Tell me another: a new collection of after-dinner stories from the Houseof Lords and the House of Commons. 1986. Read by Robert Ashby, 2 hours 35 minutes. TB 7188.
Embarrassing moments, witty retorts, misunderstandings and innuendoesprovide the laughs in this further collection of parliamentary humour fromthe Conservative MP for Wansdyke. TB 7188.
Yes Prime Minister: the diaries of the Right Hon. James Hacker. Volume 2.1987. Read by Raymond Adamson, 8 hours 58 minutes. TB 6853.
Sequel to: Yes PrimeMinister volume 1, TB 6852. More of the political memoirs of our most popular Prime Minister, JamesHacker, giving further insights into the machinations of Westminster andWhitehall. Hacker and Appleby are known across the world and make requiredreading for all civil servants and politicians since they ridicule notonly the British Government but also political memoirs.TB 6853.
Ableman, Paul
Straight up: the autobiography of Arthur Daley. 1991. Read by George Cole, 4 hours 44 minutes. TB 9433.
At long last Arthur Daley has consented to pen his astounding life story.Clawing back the fame and fortune that slipped from the grasp of hisgrandfather; readers will gasp at the "tycoonery" of the schoolboy, weepat his long persecution by Detective Sergeant Chisholm, and warm to the exploits ofDaley and McCann. Here is the story of the courtship and marriage to thelegendary 'Er Indoors, and the verbal magic, diabolical insight andfabulous juggling skills that have taken him "Straight up".TB 9433.
Amis, Kingsley
The old devils. 1986. Read by John Atterbury, 14 hours. TB 6580.
The return of the Weavers to their native South Wales brings "a shake-upall round". In varied ways - horrifically in one case - the past catchesup and shows the awful and absurd consequences when a group of men andwomen begin to move out of the comfortable shelter of middle age into anew sense of isolation and loss, of regret for lost opportunity and fordestructive selfishness too. The result is an outrageously funny book. Winner of the 1986 Booker Prize.TB6580.
Amis, Martin
Dead babies. 1984. Read by Raymond Sawyer, 9 hours 17 minutes. TB 6243.
It's Friday at the Appleseed Rectory and a weekend house party is in fullswing. Guests are circulating in a haze of gin-rickies, blue movies,uppers, downers and inside-outers. As a Friday melts into Saturday theybegin to realise that this is going to be a house party to remember.Unsuitable for family reading.TB 6243.
Ashley, Trisha
The generous gardener. 2004. Read by Charlotte Strevens, 11 hours 20minutes. TB 14542.
Living in an idyllic Welsh village with a handsome husband and a lovingdaughter, 40-something Fran March has reason to be happy with her lot.Then her daughter, the result of an unforgettable one-night stand, startsasking awkward questions about her 'real' father. Fran's peaceful ruralexistence is turned upside down - Pandora's Box is well and truly open...TB 14542.
Astley, Neil
The sheep who changed the world. 2005. Read by Nick Ellsworth, 9 hours 20 minutes. TB 14906.
The sheep who changed the world is an outrageously picaresque black sheepcomedy which follows the fortunes and foibles of the crafty ram as heconfronts his dual nature as both sheep and man. The sheep soon discoversthat the only way to bring the absurd human world into harmony with hisown totally logical ovine metaphysics is by getting rid of everything hefinds ridiculous.Contains strong language.TB 14906.
Ayres, Pam
With these hands: a collection of work. 1997. Read by Diana Bishop, Joan Walker and Anthony Ofoegbu, 2 hours 35 minutes. TB 13619.
This collection conjures up vivid autobiographical scenes from Pam's life– thehand-knitted swimming costumes of her childhood holiday in Dorset,the great steaming suet puddings and dripping sandwiches on the familydinner table. We travel in a series of hilarious monologues and poems fromher early life in Stanford in the Vale in the 1950s, through four years inthe WRAF, through marriage and motherhood, to her present busy career as awriter and broadcaster.TB 13619.
Barker, Nicola
Darkmans. 2007. Read by Mark Elstob, 27 hours 15 minutes. TB 15826.
'Darkmans' is a very modern book, set in Ashford (a ridiculously moderntown), about two very old-fashioned subjects: love and jealousy. It's alsoa book about invasion, obsession, displacement and possession, aboutcomedy, art, prescription drugs and chiropody. And the main character? Thepast, which creeps up on the present and whispers something quite dark -quite unspeakable - into its ear.Contains strong language.TB 15826.
Barnes, Julian
England, England. 1998. Read by Rachel Atkins, 9 hours 54 minutes. TB 11670.
The grotesque, visionary tycoon Sir Jack Pitman takes the saying "you canfit the whole of England on the Isle of Wight" literally, and does exactlythat. Starting from the premise that most tourists are interested only inthe top attractions and are satisfied with replicas, he constructs on theisland 'The Project', a vast heritage centre containing everythingEnglish. The project is so successful that it begins to rival 'OldEngland'.TB11670.
Beard, Henry
Bored of the rings. 2001. Read by Anthony Jackson, 4 hours 47 minutes. TB 12717.
Pulling in references to popular culture and fantasy literature as awhole, this is a parody of Lord of the Rings. From the dreary Goddamn(Gollum), to the feckless Arrowroot (Aragorn), the bungling Goodgulf(Gandalf) to the meanminded boggies Frito (Frodo) and Dildo (Bilbo) nocharacter is safe.TB 12717.
Bellamy, Guy
In the midday sun. 1988. Read by Raymond Sawyer, 9 hours 6 minutes. TB 8054.
In the bath one morning Daniel Ward works out how to take one millionpounds from the local banks without the use of violence. He has alwaysbeen addicted to puzzles but, with the money in his hold-all, he thinks itbest to leave the country before anybody discovers how he did it. TB8054.
Bennett, Alan
The uncommon reader. 2008. Read by Alan Bennett, 2 hours 43 minutes. TB 15580.
It was the corgis' fault. When they strayed through the grounds ofBuckinghamPalace, the Queen discovered the City of Westminster travellinglibrary. The Queen has never had much time for reading. She is about todiscover the joy of literature. One book leads to another and the Queen issoon engrossed in the delights of reading. However, this uncommon readercreates an uncommon problem. The royal household dislikes the Queen's newinterest, it makes them uneasy because books are devices that ignite theimagination.Contains strong language.TB 15580.
Benson, E F
Miss Mapp. 1922. Read by Judith Whale, 9 hours 45 minutes. TB 2862.
Lucia series; book 2. Sequel to: Queen Lucia, TB 4397. From her gardenroom window, Miss Mapp surveys the comings and goings in the little town of Tilling. Arch-schemer that she is, she plots andmaliciously tries to manipulate the lives of the community.TB 2862.
Bilston, Sarah
Bed rest. 2007. Read by Stephanie Beattie, 7 hours 5 minutes. TB 16088.
Quinn 'Q' Boothroyd is a successful young English lawyer married to thegorgeous Tom and living in New York. She's ticked off most of the boxes onher list of ThingsTo Do Before I'm Thirty and her life so far has beenrelatively painless. But when her doctor tells her she must spend the lastthree months of her pregnancy lying in bed, Q is thrown into a tailspin -her social life must stop and the inertia that follows plunges herrelationship with her friends, family and husband into chaos.TB16088.
Brett, Simon
The Booker book. 1989. Read by Rosemary Davis, 7 hours 42 minutes. TB 8035.
In 1989 the Booker Prize will be twenty years old. Geraldine Byers isdetermined that this year she will win it - as she has been since itsinception. In the meantime, life, her literary friends and marriage toGeorge do keep distracting her.TB8035.
Bryson, Bill
A walk in the woods. 1997. Read by William Roberts, 10 hours 2 minutes. TB 11837.
The longest continuous footpath in the world, the Appalachian Trail,stretches along the East Coast of the United States through some of themost arresting landscapes in America. In the remote mountain wildernessfilled with bears, rattlesnakes and poisonous plants, facing savageweather and unreliable maps, Bryson gamely struggled through thewilderness to achieve a lifetime's ambition - not to die outdoors.Contains strong language.TB 11837.
Carey, Peter
llywhacker. 1985. Read by Nigel Graham, 27 hours 33 minutes. TB 7142.
The title is old Australian slang for a confidence trickster. HerbertBadgery, the 139-year-old illywhacker and narrator is funny, deceitful,lusty and blessed with the art of disappearing, a trick he picked up froma Chinaman when he was only 10 years old, back in the 1890s. His storybubbles with magic, jokes and inventions and is peopled with aviators, carsalesmen, Chinamen and impresarios.TB 7142.
Cary, Joyce
The horse's mouth. 1985. Read by Robert Gladwell, 17 hours 44 minutes. TB 6007.
Gulley Jimson will stop at nothing for canvas paint: collecting for boguscharities and shop-lifting. He sleeps rough when on a job so as to catchthe early morning light, with the odd night in a doss house (or prison)for luxury. A hilarious tribute to one man's faith in his creative urge.TB6007.
Cheek, Mavis
Mrs Fytton's country life. 2001. Read by Phyllida Nash, 11 hours 51 minutes. TB 15027.
Angela Fytton, wonderwife, supermother, bedroom vamp and business partner,has been dumped by her husband for a younger model. Now divorced, shedecides to fight and moves to the country, thinking country folks arealmost angels.TB 15027.
Clark, Rory
You've done what, my Lord? 2000. Read by Daniel Philpott, 7 hours 30 minutes. TB 12622.
When James Aden applies for the position of Deputy Agent at Rumshott, oneof the finest landed estates in England, he realises what he has lethimself in for. Negotiating with royalty, tenant farmers, lost parrots,escaping sheep and the imperious Lady Leghorn all appear to be part of thejob description. In order to survive, James must come to terms with hisrole quickly, and not let himself be distracted by Sophie, the pre-collegeassistant.Contains passages of a sexual nature.TB 12622.
Clarke, Stephen
A year in the Merde. 2004. Read by Paul Barrett, 8 hours 13 minutes. TB 15219.
Merde series; book 1.As a twenty-seven-year-old, a Brit is brought to Paris to open a chain of'tearooms'. He finds himself juggling a treacherous Parisian boss,grumbling French employees and a succession of lusty girlfriends. He mustlearn to survive the perils and pleasures of life in France.Contains strong language.TB 15219.
Clarkson, Jeremy
The world according to Clarkson. 2005. Read by Glen McCready, 9 hours 24 minutes. TB 14692.
The world accordingto Clarkson series; book 1.In this book, Clarkson has free reign to expose absurdity, celebrateeccentricity and entertain richly in the process. From the chronicunsuitability of men to look after children for long periods or asoperators of 'white goods', Nimbyism, cricket and PlayStations, toastronomy, David Beckham, 70's rock, the demise of Concorde, the burden ofan Eton education and the shocking failure of Tom Clancy to make it on tothe Booker shortlist, this is a snapshot of life in the 21st century.Contains strong language.TB 14692.
Coward, Noel
Pomp and circumstance. 1983. Read by Rosemary Davis, 12 hours 15minutes. TB 5397.
The setting is the fictitious island of Samolo in the South Pacific. Aroyal visit is imminent and the domestic complications this causes to the"colonial set" have hilarious results.TB 5397.
Dennis, Felix
When Jack sued Jill: nursery rhymes for modern times. 2006. Read by Felix Dennis, 1 hour 27 minutes . TB 15019.
Taking the innocence of nursery rhymes and turning them into somethingaltogether darker, Dennis turns his piercing eye on the follies andabsurdities of modern life. From ASBOs to Osama Bin Laden, creationism tocrack houses, Humpty Dumpty to Tony Blair, nothing and no one is spared."When Jack Sued Jill" is an essential collection of twisted nursery rhymesfor the twenty-first century.TB 15019.
Donleavy, J P
The ginger man. 1963. Read by Garrick Hagon, 11 hours 23 minutes. TB 8471.
O'Keefe, Marion and their various student and artisan friends inhabit avibrant world. A world where you have to be prepared to haggle withshopkeepers to sell you two ounces of butter. This bright environment is apart of Ireland, but it is also located in the thoughts and feelings ofDonleavy's characters, where memory, desire and humour smooth over some ofthe harshness of day to day life in the ramshackle Balscaddoon.Contains passages of a sexual nature.TB8471.
Doyle, Roddy
The van. 1991. Read by John Cormack, 7 hours. TB 9087.
Barrytown series; book 3.Sequel to: The snapper.Jimmy Rabbitte Sr. isunemployed, his best friend Bimbo is made redundantand they are both miserable. Bimbo buys a decrepit fish and chip van andasks Jimmy to be his partner. Set during the days of Ireland's World Cuptriumphs, this is a tale of male friendship, swimming in grease andstained with ketchup.Contains strong language. TB 9087.
Elton, Ben
Blast from the past. 1998. Read by Conrad Hornby, 8 hours 14 minutes. TB 11936.
It's 12:15am and the phone wakes you. Only someone bad would ring you atsuch an hour or someone with bad news, which would probably be worse. Youhear the answer-machine kick in and feel your heart beat. You listen. Andthen you hear the voice you least expect - a blast from the past.Contains strong language.TB11936.
Ferris, Joshua
Then we came to the end: a novel. 2008. Read by Jeff Harding, 13 hours 18 minutes. TB 15659.
They spend their days - and too many of their nights - at work. Away fromfriends and family, they share a stretch of stained carpet with a group ofstrangers they call colleagues. There's Chris Yop, clinging to hisergonomic chair; Lynn Mason, the boss, whose breast cancer everyonepretends not to talk about; Carl Garbedian, secretly taking someone else'smedication; Marcia Dwyer, whose hair is stuck in the eighties; and Benny,who's just - well, just Benny. Amidst the boredom, redundancies, watercooler moments, meetings, flirtations and pure rage, life is happening, totheir great surprise, all around them. This book is about sitting allmorning next to someone you cross the road to avoid at lunch. It's thestory of life.Contains strong language.TB 15659.
Fforde, Jasper
Lost in a good book. 2002. Read by Beth Chalmers, 11 hours 41 minutes. TB 13577.
Thursday next series; book 2.Sequel to: The Eyre affair, TB 13208.Having barely caught her breath after 'The Eyre Affair', literary detective Thursday Next heads back into fiction to search for someanswers. Along the way she finds herself helping Miss Havisham closenarrative loopholes in 'Great Expectations' and struggling for a deeperunderstanding of 'The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies'. Paper politicians, lostShakespearean manuscripts, woolly mammoth migrations, a flurry ofnear-fatal coincidences, and impending Armageddon are all part of a greatplan - but whose, and why?Contains strong language. TB 13577.
Fforde, Katie
Thyme out. 2000. Read by Joan Walker, 10 hours. TB 12395.
Perdita Dylan is horrified to discover that her husband is to become thelatest celebrity chef and expects her to support him.Contains strong language.TB 12395.
Fine, Anne
Taking the devil's advice. 2004. Read by Cornelius Garrett, 6 hours 5 minutes. TB 14419.
Spending the summer with his ex-wife, his children, his ex-gardener (andex-wife's new husband) was never going to be a good idea. Perhaps Olivershould have expected the autobiography he was writing to be constantlysabotaged? Perhaps he should have guessed that he'll have scorn andderision poured upon him? But then Oliver was a philosopher, alwayshappier with abstraction than reality. Now reality is about to comecrashing down around him in the most unexpected and hilarious ways.Contains strong language.TB 14419.