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Call Time: The funny and hugely original debut novel from Channel 4 F1 presenter Steve Jones
by Steve JonesBack To The Future meets Call My Agent in this enthralling high-concept debut novel from Channel 4 F1 presenter Steve Jones.‘Joyously unpredictable, clever, witty and warm. Gorgeous!’ RUTH JONES'A great read. A born writer' LORRAINE KELLY --- ONE CALL CAN CHANGE YOUR PAST. AND F***-UP EVERYONE’S FUTURE . . . Bob Bloomfield is not a nice man. It’s kind of his brand. The reason his celebrity clients pay him the big bucks. And definitely not some messed up way of dealing with a terrible childhood tragedy But then he finds a freaky ‘80s mobile phone. One that can dial up the past. And give him a chance to put things right. Only Bob has forgotten one key detail: he’s the last person you’d bank on doing the right thing … --- PRAISE FOR STEVE JONES: ‘Funny, fast-paced and moving’ SATURDAY LIVE ‘Fantastic! Love it. Makes keeping up with the Jones’s next to impossible’ JOHNNY VAUGHAN, RADIO X ‘Very funny … echoes of Nick Hornby’ YOU’RE BOOKED
The Calligrapher: A Novel
by Edward DocxA gripping story of modern-day love and old-fashioned revenge. He is not quite as clever as he thinks he is. She is smarter than she seems.
A Calling for Charlie Barnes
by Joshua FerrisFrom the Booker-shortlisted author of To Rise Again at a Decent Hour comes a novel about fathers, sons, thwarted dreams and confronting the reality of who we really areCharlie Barnes is a mid-century man devoted to his newspaper and his landline. But Charlie is about to get dragged into our troubled age by his storyteller son, who has a different idea of him than he has of himself. Then there are his other children, his ex-wives, present wife, business clients, friends and acquaintances, all of whom have their competing opinions of Charlie.He certainly seems simple enough: he's a striver, a romantic, and a thoroughgoing capitalist. But suddenly blindsided by the Great Recession and a dose of bad news, he might have to rethink his life from top to bottom, and on short notice. What makes a man real? What makes him good? And how does the story we tell about ourselves line up with the lives that we actually live?___________________________________'Funny, moving, and formally a work of genius, A Calling for Charlie Barnes is quite literally the book Joshua Ferris was born to write' Garth Risk Hallberg, author of City on Fire'Dazzling. Mind-blowing. About as much fun as you can have without risking arrest' Richard Russo, author of Empire Falls'Wonderful: fast and deep, urgent and brilliant . . . A hilarious, intimate, and scathing takedown of so many American vanities' Dana Spiotta, author of Stone Arabia
Calling Major Tom: the laugh out loud feelgood comedy
by David M. Barnett'I loved everything about it.' Goodreads 'This book made me laugh, cry, giggle and gasp.' Goodreads'One of my favourite books of the year. Charming and very sweet.' Goodreads ********************** Heartwarming eBook bestseller - the perfect read for anyone who enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Together, A Man Called Ove and Matt Haig.**********************Forty-something Thomas is very happy to be on his own, far away from other people and their problems. But beneath his grumpy exterior lies a story and a sadness that is familiar to us all. And he's about to encounter a family who will change his view of the world... for good.**********************AS FEATURED IN THE GUARDIAN, THE FEEL-GOOD MUST-READ FOR 2018'Must read' Daily Express 'Utterly irresistible' Sunday Mirror'Funny, moving, sweetly life-affirming tale' Sunday Express **********************'Sheer joy.' Lucy Diamond'Exactly what everyone needs right now.' Rachel Lucas'I adored this book!' Ruth Hogan, The Keeper of Lost Things'A much-needed antidote for these worrying times.' Julie Cohen'A moving, funny, absorbing hot chocolate of a story.' Daniela Sacerdoti ********************** What other readers are saying about Calling Major Tom: 'Full and rich characters with all touching my heartstrings. Laughed and cried out loud.' Goodreads'Oh my goodness, I loved this book so much. It made me laugh and cry, then laugh and cry even more.' Goodreads'I loved this book. All the characters were lovable, charming and for some my heart broke into pieces.' Goodreads'This was a lovely read with brilliant characters. I loved Tom. Made me laugh and cry. A lovely pick me up read. I loved the ending too. 5*' Goodreads
Calling Mrs Christmas: Curl up with the perfect festive rom-com from the Sunday Times bestseller (Christmas Fiction Ser.)
by Carole MatthewsCassie Smith has been out of work for a while but she has an idea. Drawing on her love of Christmas, she begins charging for small things: wrapping presents; writing cards; tree-decorating. She's soon in huge demand and Cassie's business, Calling Mrs Christmas, is born.Carter Randall wants to make Christmas special for his children, so he enlists Cassie's help, and his lavish requests start taking up all her time. Thank goodness she can rely on her loving partner Jim to handle the rest of her clients.When millionaire Carter asks Cassie to join his family on a trip to Lapland, she knows she shouldn't go . . . Suddenly Cassie finds herself facing a heart-breaking choice that could change her entire life.Join Cassie as she takes you on a romantic and emotional rollercoaster ride in Calling Mrs Christmas.
Cally And Jimmy Twins Together (Cally and Jimmy #3)
by Z. O. E. AntoniadesFour fantastic new stories about everyone’s favourite twins. There’s always double trouble when these two are about, so get ready for more mayhem as they look after the school hamster for half term, have a competition to build the best snowman, raise money with a yard sale, and have a rollercoaster of a time at the local theme park!
Calm Down, Zebra
by Lou KuenzlerA celebration of colours and patterns from the pair that brought you bestseller NOT YET, ZEBRA.Annie said to the animals, "Let's help baby Joe.He's learning his colours, which he doesn't yet know.I'll paint pictures of you - please line up for me.If I use the right colours then Joe will soon see."Everyone's favourite, enthusiastic zebra is back, eager to get in on the act as Annie tries to teach her little brother about colours. But although things don't turn out quite the way she imagines, together they make the world a brighter and more beautiful place!'A joy to read aloud . . . guaranteed to win the hearts of all little mischief-makers.' Lancashire Post
Calmer Sutra
by Ann SummersWith the kind of raunchy approach you would expect from Ann Summers, this unabashed cartoon version of the world's most famous sex manual reveals the amusing truth about what really goes on in the bedroomThe Kama Sutra says that sex can sometimes give us a glimpse of heaven. The Calmer Sutra demonstrates that the Elephant Posture and the Yawning can just as easily result in an embarrassing situation.
Calypso
by David Sedaris'Sedaris is the premier observer of our world and its weirdnesses' Adam Kay, author of This is Going to Hurt'He's like an American Alan Bennett' GuardianA New York Times Notable Book of 2018'Entrancing . . . This book allows us to observed not just the nimble-mouthed elf of his previous work, but a man in his seventh decade expunging his darker secrets and contemplating mortality . . . The brilliance of David Sedaris's writing is that his very essence, his aura, seeps through the pages of his books like an intoxicating cloud, mesmerising us so that his logic becomes ours' Alan Cumming, ScotsmanIf you've ever laughed your way through David Sedaris's cheerfully misanthropic stories, you might think you know what you're getting with Calypso. You'd be wrong. When he buys a beach house on the Carolina coast, Sedaris envisions long, relaxing vacations spent playing board games and lounging in the sun with those he loves most. And life at the Sea Section, as he names the vacation home, is exactly as idyllic as he imagined, except for one tiny, vexing realization: it's impossible to take a vacation from yourself.With Calypso, Sedaris sets his formidable powers of observation toward middle age and mortality. Make no mistake: these stories are very, very funny - it's a book that can make you laugh 'til you snort, the way only family can. Sedaris's writing has never been sharper, and his ability to shock readers into laughter unparalleled. But much of the comedy here is born out of that vertiginous moment when your own body betrays you and you realize that the story of your life is made up of more past than future.This is beach reading for people who detest beaches, required reading for those who loathe small talk and love a good tumour joke. Calypso is simultaneously Sedaris's darkest and warmest book yet - and it just might be his very best.
The Cambridge Companion To Shakespearean Comedy (Cambridge Companions To Literature Ser.)
by Alexander LeggattThis is an accessible, wide-ranging and informed introduction to Shakespeares comedies and romances. Rather than taking each play in isolation, the chapters trace recurring issues, suggesting both the continuity and the variety of Shakespeares practice and the creative use he made of the conventions he inherited. The first section puts Shakespeare in the context of classical and Renaissance comedy and comic theory, the work of his Elizabethan predecessors and the traditions of popular festivity. The second section traces a number of themes through Shakespeares early and middle comedies, dark comedies and late romances, establishing the key features of his comedy as a whole and illuminating particular plays by close analysis. Individual chapters draw on contemporary politics, rhetoric, and the history of Shakespeare production. Written by experts in the relevant fields, the chapters bring the reader up to date on current thinking and frequently challenge long-standing critical assumptions.
The Cambridge Introduction To Comedy (Cambridge Introductions To Literature)
by Eric Weitz'Laughter', says Eric Weitz, 'may be considered one of the most extravagant physical effects one person can have on another without touching them'. But how do we identify something which is meant to be comic, what defines something as 'comedy', and what does this mean for the way we enter the world of a comic text? Addressing these issues, and many more, this is a 'how to' guide to reading comedy from the pages of a dramatic text, with relevance to anything from novels and newspaper columns to billboards and emails. The book enables you to enhance your grasp of the comic through familiarity with characteristic structures and patterns, referring to comedy in literature, film and television throughout. Perfect for drama and literature students, this Introduction explores a genre which affects the everyday lives of us all, and will therefore also capture the interest of anyone who loves to laugh.
Camino Royale
by Ross O'Carroll-KellyTHE NUMBER 1 BESTSELLER - AND THE PERFECT GIFT FOR THE ROSS O'CARROLL-KELLY FAN IN YOUR LIFE!'Ross is a national institution' - Irish Times'The social satire is as sharp as it gets ... compelling and carefully crafted' Irish Examiner 'One of the funniest writers in the country' - RTÉ Radio One* * *'The name's O'Carroll-Kelly. Ross O'Carroll-Kelly.'As the great James Bond said, 'History isn't kind to men who play God.' How right the dude ended up being.My secret double-life was finally catching up with me. Sorcha wanted a divorce. I was facing jail time for taking my orse out in a pub in Cork. And there was a very good chance that my sister-in-law's surrogate baby was actually mine?One by one, all of the goys turned their backs on me.Then came an unexpected plot twist. From beyond the grave, Fr Fehily - the M and the Q to our Leinster Schools Senior Cup-winning team - sent us all on one final mission . . .To walk the Camino - or die trying!It's, like, double oh fock!* * *'Laugh-out-loud funny' - Anton Savage, Newstalk 'A legendary anti-hero' - Business Post'Ripe with witty neologisms, side-splitting sexscriptions and of course, rugby ... Paul Howard continues to keep the quality control at an impressively high level. Fair focks' Hot Press
Camp David
by David WalliamsBritain's Got Talent is BACK . . . so it's time to get serious with Britain's favourite funny man.Famous comedian and actor, funniest judge on Britain's Got Talent, high-achieving sportsman and BESTSELLING AUTHOR of The World's Worst Children series, David Walliams is a man of many talents . . . Launched to fame with the record-breaking Little Britain, his characters - Lou, Florence, Emily, amongst others - became embedded in our shared popular culture. You couldn't enter a playground for a long while without hearing "eh, eh, eh" or "computer says no".And Walliams is a mystery. Often described as a bundle of contradictions, he is disarming and enigmatic, playing up his campness one minute and hinting about his depression the next.To read Camp David is to be truly shocked, as well as tickled pink: David Walliams bares his soul like never before and reveals a fascinating and complex mind. This searingly honest autobiography is a true roller-coaster ride of emotions, as this nation's sweetheart unlocks closely guarded secrets that until now have remained hidden in his past.'Will surprise, entertain, and allow fans and newcomers to enter the comic's uniquely brilliant world' GQ Magazine 'Raucously funny and superbly written' Heat 'Hilarious' Telegraph 'A great read. My only criticism is it ended too soon' The Sun 'A fascinating read' Star Magazine 'Brilliantly written' Express 'Fascinating stuff' Closer 'Uproariously great' Guardian
Camp Jupiter Classified: A Probatio's Journal (The Trials of Apollo)
by Rick Riordan*A brand-new official companion guide to The Trials of Apollo by Rick Riordan!*Mysterious incidents are wreaking havoc throughout Camp Jupiter. And if the Romans don't find out who-or what-is behind the episodes soon, the Twelfth Legion could implode.So things are looking pretty serious. Suspicion falls on Claudia, the Fourth Cohort's newest probatio. After all, the mischief started shortly after she stumbled into camp. Plus, she's a daughter of Mercury, the god of thieves and tricksters.To find out the truth, see through Claudia's eyes the crime scenes, and watch as the bizarre events unfold. Be by her side when she discovers a secret so ancient not even the lares know about. A secret that holds the key to Camp Jupiter's safety...Don't miss The Tower of Nero the FINAL Trials of Apollo adventure. Coming in September 2020!
Camp Scoundrel: Doing What It Takes To Survive Paradise (PDF)
by David LuddingtonWhen ex-SAS soldier, Michael Purdy, comes in front of the judge for hacking the bank account belonging to the Minister for Invalidity Benefits and wiping out his personal wealth, he braces himself for a prison sentence. What Michael doesn’t expect, is to be put in charge of a group of offenders and sent to a remote location in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Spain to teach them survival skills as part of their rehabilitation programme. But Michael knows nothing at all about survival skills. He was sort of in the SAS, yes, but his shining record on the “Escape and Evasion” courses was more a testament to his computer skills than his ability to catch wildlife and barbecue it over an impromptu fire. Basically, he was the SAS’s techy nerd and only achieved that position as a result of a bet with a fellow hacker. Facing a stark choice between starvation or returning home to serve out their sentences, the group of offenders under Michael’s supervision soon realise that the only way to survive is to use their own unique set of skills – the kind of skills that got them arrested in the first place.
Campaign For His Heart: A Stallion Dream One Perfect Moment Unconditionally Mine Campaign For His Heart (A True North Hero #2)
by Joy AveryThe perfect candidate…
Campari for Breakfast
by Sara Crowe'Reads like a cross between I Capture the Castle and Love, Nina, with a pinch of Adrian Mole' The Bookseller‘We defy you not to love Sue’ Good Housekeeping'Campari for Breakfast is truly, charmingly splendid' Lucy RobinsonLife is full of terrible things. Ghosts of dead relatives, heartbreak . . . burnt toast.In 1987, Sue Bowl's world changes for ever. Her mother dies, leaving her feeling like she’s lost a vital part of herself. And then her father shacks up with an awful man-eater called Ivana.But Sue’s mother always told her to make the most of what she’s got – and what she’s got is a love of writing and some eccentric relatives. So Sue moves to her Aunt Coral’s crumbling ancestral home, where she fully intends to write a book and fall in love . . . and perhaps drink Campari for breakfastCampari for Breakfast is a heart-warming, eccentric novel that joins the ranks of great British coming-of-age novels such as Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle and Nancy Mitford's The Pursuit of Love.
Campbell's Weather Compendium
by Harry CampbellA rich, informative and entertaining compendium of weather facts, weather stories and weather-related fun and trivia! The perfect beach-side companion – or if it's raining outside – the sofa! From the author of Whatever Happened To Tanganyika?
Can I Give My Stepkids Back?: A laugh out loud, uplifting page turner
by Aurelie Tramier"A wonderful story. I laughed - and cried - a lot! You have to read this." *****Anne-Christine, Amazon customer"Bitter sweet!" *****Amazon reviewer"A wonderful read full of depth and emotion"****Morgan, Netgalley reviewerAs a childcare centre director, Morgan has to deal with kids every day but would much rather run her own boarding kennel. Snoopy-Morgan's beagle-s indeed the only living being she has considered family these past few years. When her sister and brother-in-law die in a terrible car crash, she has no choice but to adopt their two children.The unexpected addition to her household is clearly unlikely to get her closer to her canine goals. And as if this wasn't enough, she seems to be getting it all wrong with her "stepkids", ordering bedding her new son Elliot finds terribly childish, and forgetting to bake a cake for school on Lea's birthday. Grandma Catherine is convinced she'd do a much better job...When Snoopy sprains his leg, the kids are swept off their feet by the handsome single vet who's nursing him back to health. They're convinced he and Morgan would be a match made in heaven. Now they only need to convince Morgan...
Can I Have a Word?: A Fun Guide to Winning Word Games
by Nick FawcettCan I Have a Word? is the ultimate strategy book for word-game lovers. It introduces the reader to a host of weird and wacky words that will not only help them to become better word-game players but also enhance their enjoyment of competing. It covers key word-game themes, the mastery of which is vital for success, such as: - Two- and three-letter words- Using a Q, Z, J or X to maximum effect- Dealing with the letter V and other problem tiles- Coping with a rack full of consonants or one heavy in vowels- Making seven- and eight-letter words - Tips for victory.Readers will find this amusing, light-hearted book immeasurably enriches their vocabulary, enabling them, without the drudgery of studying a dictionary, to recall all kinds of unusual and interesting words just when they need them most.
Can I Say No?: One Woman's Battle with a Small Word
by Stefanie Preissner'No' is the first thing I ever said. It was actually the only thing I said in my first speaking months. Like most children, I was born with an innate ability to set boundaries for myself. 'No.' 'Mine.' I intuitively knew how to practise self-care and self-preservation. Then, at some point, just like my ability to shuffle across the floor on my butt, I forgot how to say no...Traumatic childhood sleepovers, stressful social occasions, unrealistic demands at work, unwanted second dates and endless offers of cake, in her memoir, award-winning writer Stefanie Preissner leaves no NO unexplored. From the issue of consent, and what happens when a whole country comes together to say Yes, Can I Say NO? is one woman's honest and hilarious take on how re-learning one small word can pave the way to saying YES to who you really are.
Can Reindeer Fly?: The Science of Christmas
by Roger HighfieldHow does snow form? Why are we always depressed after Christmas? How does Santa manage to deliver all those presents in one night? (He has, in fact, little over two ten-thousandths of a second to get between each of the 842 million households he must visit.) This book contains information on how drugs might make us see flying reindeer, how pollution is affecting the shape of Christmas trees, and the intriguing correlation between the length of our Christmas card list and brain size.
Can We Have Our Balls Back, Please?: How the British Invented Sport
by Julian NorridgeLong before Drake refused to interrupt his game of bowls when the Armada was sighted, the British have had a passionate relationship with sport. Julian Norridge goes through the stories of fourteen major sports from cricket to boxing to football, from their very beginning and throughout the British Isles, whether it’s Welsh inventor and tobacco enthusiast Major Walter Clopton Wingfield coming up with a game that could use those new fangled rubber balls (modern tennis) or the Scots inventing the golf club – 500 years after the game. But this is far more than a book about sport, it takes a very funny, very British look at our popular history, mythology and most importantly the highly eccentric figures that made it. It chronicles the constant battle between fair play and gambling; between advances in the game and plain cheating (such as turning up with a cricket bat wider than the wicket).Can We Have Our Balls Back Please? proves that there is an awful lot to be proud of in our history and where that strange feeling of superiority really comes from. It shows why we get just so excited when we take on any other nation in any sporting event and are so disappointed when we lose...
Can You Make This Thing Go Faster?
by Jeremy ClarksonThe hilarious new collection of stories and observations from Jeremy Clarkson - setting our off-kilter world to rights with thigh-slapping wit once againThese days, you might know him better as a tractor-driving Gentleman Farmer, but Jeremy Clarkson wasn't always a horny-handed son of the soil.Not at all . . .Back in the day Jeremy was far more likely to be found gunning around the world in a haze of burnt rubber and petrol fumes. But life as a globe-trotting petrol-head also meant he was forced endure more than his fair share of foolishness, frustration and downright bafflement. And, while Jeremy may not a patient man, you have to ask why anyone should have to consider issues as diverse and perplexing as:·The downsides of relaxing in a bath of crude oil·Why fishing is for people who hate their kids·Whether there are noise-cancelling headphones with the power to silence James May·Why saving the planet means soggy paper straws and no more children·What to do about the rambler who stole his marrowBut as puzzling and exasperating as life on the road often seemed to be, you could always count on Jeremy to set the world to rights with a rare wit and unique understanding. And at full throttle. Just don't expect it to all go smoothly . . .Praise for Clarkson:'Brilliant . . . laugh-out-loud' Daily Telegraph 'Outrageously funny . . . will have you in stitches' Time Out'Very funny . . . I cracked up laughing on the tube' Evening Standard
Can You Tolerate This?
by Ashleigh YoungAn Elle Ultimate Summer Read and a Guardian Best Summer Book'Beautiful, unusual and memorable ... I love this book' MAGGIE NELSON, author of THE ARGONAUTSIn Can You Tolerate This? – the title comes from the question chiropractors ask to test a patient's pain threshold – Ashleigh Young ushers us into her early years in the faraway yet familiar landscape of New Zealand: fantasising about Paul McCartney, cheering on her older brother's fledging music career, and yearning for a larger and more creative life. As Young's perspective expands, a series of historical portraits – a boy with a rare skeletal disease, a French postman who built a stone fortress by hand, a generation of Japanese shut-ins – strike unexpected personal harmonies, as an unselfconscious childhood gives way to painful shyness in adolescence. As we watch Young fall in and out of love, undertake intense physical exercise that masks something deeper, and gradually find herself through her writing, a highly particular psyche comes into view: curious, tender and exacting in her observations of herself and the world around her. How to bear each moment of experience: the inconsequential as much as the shattering? In this spirited and singular collection of essays, Ashleigh Young attempts to find some measure of clarity amidst the uncertainty, exploring the uneasy tensions – between safety and risk, love and solitude, the catharsis of grief and the ecstasy of creation – that define our lives.