Uberbook Review - Do Not Pass Go (Tim Moore) (679 hits)
Category: Quotes & StoriesRating: 1.69 on 20 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Buttmonkey (View user info) at 2005-08-12 08:32:22 EDT
The bit at the back:
"Welcome to London. A city where a house is yours for £50, banks make errors in your favour and you can even park your car for free. In Do Not Pass Go, Time Moore boldly tackles the Monopoly board's real streets, telling the story of a game and the city that frames it. Moore stays in a hotel in Mayfair and one on the Old Kent Road and solves all the mysteries you'll have pondered whilst languishing in jail: how Pall Mall got it's name, which three addresses you won't find in you're a-Z and why the sorry cul-de-sac that is Vine Street has a special place in the heart of Britain's most successful Monopoly champion."
Now I must say I was pretty dubious about this, my second Uberbooks instalment. I tend to steer away from educational or historical novels, for me learning has its place in stuffy textbooks and is never tarted up as something you're meant to enjoy. I have to say I was dead wrong.
Books rarely make me laugh out loud like this one did. Considering you're basically reading a tour of the city Tim Moore is a funny guy. Not stand up comedy funny, the humour is more empathic than anything. I can imagine myself accidentally twatting a tourist in the gut with a four foot long umbrella whilst trying to untangle my maps too, and he's so pleasantly bumbling you've just got to like the guy. Anyone who uses the phrase 'parted buttocks' as an epithet has to be an okay guy.
My one worry is that this humour is too fundamentally British to travel well. I hope that our American Brethren and Sistren (yes it's a word) will appreciate the self depreciating humour saturating the pages. There are poo and wee jokes, transvestites and an amusing anecdote regarding an electric car that turns up in Mr Moore's attempt to find Free Parking.
Without giving away the content any further I will keep this short and to the point, thus ending my first uberbooks review. I strongly recommend this one. Nice one Davros. It's managed to get out of London to the Home Counties, I didn't spill anything on it and it's off to Manchester next, then beyond.
I've just re read this and I sound like a right arse but I can't be bothered to go back and change it to real people speak. I'll add some swear words so you can identify:
bugger, arse, shit, wank, crap, bollocks.
User Reviews
Submitted by Tracer0351 (user info) at 2007-04-04 08:18:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
No Comment
Submitted by c1ndy (user info) at 2006-04-13 03:11:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by c1ndy (user info) at 2006-04-13 03:10:36 (#)
Ranking: 2
Mrs buttmonkey I left you my email address on your last post a while ago, but it's uberc1ndy.at.gmail.com
Thanks for sending my book back!
Submitted by Merlina (user info) at 2005-09-19 09:12:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
It was my first book - glad you got it safely. I loved it too, was very well written. Good observational comedy.
Submitted by c1ndy (user info) at 2005-08-17 17:07:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
go uberbooks wooooo!
*still waiting for my August book!*
Submitted by Davros (user info) at 2005-08-13 03:09:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Glad you enjoyed it.
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Submitted by SkinnyKenny (user info) at 2005-08-12 12:45:02 (#)
Ranking: 2
Although I suppose coasters from a pub crawl along the way would be more likely.
Submitted by SkinnyKenny (user info) at 2005-08-12 12:38:23 (#)
Ranking: 2
Sounds like fun to me. I'll look forward to it.
You know what would have been really cool? If one of you British types had actually traveled some or all of the rte. and included some pics. If they're not already in there.
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Strangely Kenny, I had set out to do just that, but then people started blowing shit up in London, screwing the travel systems. Haven't had time since.
-Dave
Submitted by Thanatos (user info) at 2005-08-12 14:58:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
How'd the book club thing start? I'm not on uber much because I actually have to do work sometimes, so I missed out. Seems like it would be cool to join.
Submitted by SkinnyKenny (user info) at 2005-08-12 12:45:02 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Although I suppose coasters from a pub crawl along the way would be more likely.
Submitted by SkinnyKenny (user info) at 2005-08-12 12:38:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Sounds like fun to me. I'll look forward to it.
You know what would have been really cool? If one of you British types had actually traveled some or all of the rte. and included some pics. If they're not already in there.
Submitted by AlwaysAnEagle (user info) at 2005-08-12 11:32:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Awesome travel writing = Bill Bryson.
Submitted by legallady (user info) at 2005-08-12 11:22:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
are we suppose to do book reviews?
will there be 24 reviews for each book?
Or should we just let the really excited reader/writers
do the reports??
Great job...can't wait til my turn to read it.
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2005-08-12 11:04:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm looking forward to it too. Satchel where's the next one?
Submitted by Xcuses (user info) at 2005-08-12 10:48:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
British humor...are the Brits known for being funny?
I mean, I love me some Benny Hill...damn that show was funny
Submitted by Deidra (user info) at 2005-08-12 10:13:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm looking forward to that one.. sounds like fun. I love british humour.
Submitted by Over_There (user info) at 2005-08-12 09:24:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by badassmofo (user info) at 2005-08-12 08:44:33 (#)
Ranking: 2
I should apologize to Over_There because he hasn't got his book yet. Should be there today or monday, sorry man I am teh slacker.
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No problem, it happens. I'm looking forward to it. I've been reading the first Tarzan book to keep me occupied in the mean time.
On the post: Good review, sounds like a good book. I'm glad to see other people reviewing their books.
Submitted by PokeyPecker (user info) at 2005-08-12 08:55:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Sounds good. Has anybody passed along any P.G. Woodhouse? Or is he just old news? I just came across him for the first time and had some great reads.
Submitted by badassmofo (user info) at 2005-08-12 08:49:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
X - your power of perception is at its keenest this early in the morning, but its all down hill from there.
Submitted by Xcuses (user info) at 2005-08-12 08:48:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
so badass, sounds like you really enjoyed your book
Submitted by badassmofo (user info) at 2005-08-12 08:44:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I should apologize to Over_There because he hasn't got his book yet. Should be there today or monday, sorry man I am teh slacker.
Loki...where's my book?
My first book was weird, well weird in the sense that I never would have bought it myself, but good in the sense that I never would have bought it myself. Got it?
Submitted by badassmofo (user info) at 2005-08-12 08:39:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Right...I love british humor, I can't wait until this cycle swings around and the brit books make it here to the states.
Pest!
Submitted by Xcuses (user info) at 2005-08-12 08:38:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Thanks for the book report Amanda, you make the book sound like a good read...if only I had the attention span to read.
So what's up with the book club? You kids having a fun time?