Wicked Wit – serie

A beautiful collection celebrating the Queen’s humour, with amusing quotations and stories about royal life.When thinking of the Queen, our first image is one of dignity and authority. She is the very definition of majesty: the British monarch, the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and the head of the Commonwealth. But as anyone who knows her will tell you, in person she has awicked sense of humour:* Occasionally unintentional (when meeting guitar legend Eric Clapton she enquired 'Have you been playing a long time?')* Sometimes cannily astute ('I have to be seen to be believed')* At times downright silly (nicely demonstrated when staff at Balmoral discovered the Queen jumping up and down with glee exclaiming 'I've won, I've won!' after hearing that England had beaten Australia in the cricket)… the Queen’s sense of humour is like no other. Revealing a side of the Queen's personality that the public rarely see, this joyous book is a timely celebration of royal humour as Elizabeth II succeeds Victoria as Britain's longest-serving monarch.

His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, KG, KT, OM, GBE was at the forefront of British public life since he married Princess Elizabeth in 1947. In the seventy years since, his wit (and the occasional ‘gaffe’) continued to endear him to the nation, as he travelled the world taking his unique and charmingly British sense of humour to its far-flung corners. Hailed as a god by a tribe in Vanuatu, the Prince had his fair share of brickbats from the media nearer home, but his outspokenness never failed to raise laughs – and eyebrows.From notorious one-liners to less newsworthy witticisms and from plain speaking to blunt indifference, the Prince did what we all wish we could do now and again – forget polite conversation and say what he thought.

Celebrate the rapier-like wit of the royal rebel, the late, great Princess Margaret – or ‘Ducky’ as she was known behind closed doors.Even as a child, Princess Margaret – younger sister of Elizabeth – was noted for her theatrical and witty demeanour. Her nanny, 'Crawfie’ described her as a ‘born comic’ and her sister, now Queen Elizabeth II, remarked that parties were always better with Margaret in attendance as she made everyone laugh. She made John Lennon blush and Pablo Picasso was infatuated with her – and she made no secret of her intolerance for the dim-witted, the disobedient or the boring – and her one-liners are legendary: On considering that Elizabeth would one day be Queen, Margaret’s response was one of sincere commiseration, ‘Poor you’, she told her.Attending a high-society party in New York, the hostess asked politely how was the Queen? ‘Which one?’ Margaret replied coolly, ‘My sister, my mother, or my husband?’

The Wicked Wit of England is a celebration of British humour, featuring a collection of stories, anecdotes, quips and quotes that capture the various idiosyncrasies of the English character.If there is one thing that first-time visitors to England find mystifying – along with our obsession with discussing the weather, our pride in making the perfect cup of tea, and our impossible-to-decipher slang – it is our unique sense of humour. Have you just been insulted? Or was the slight merely a demonstration of affection? Was that a genuine compliment? Or is the ever-present sarcasm in English conversation at work again? The dark, dry and often ironic humour of the English can be difficult to get your head around, but there’s no doubting its essentiality at the heart of English culture. As well as celebrating this classic humour, The Wicked Wit of England encompasses the various idiosyncrasies of the English character – the social awkwardness, the constant need to apologize, the stiff upper lip, and the love of queuing, to name but a few. Containing a varied collection of stories, anecdotes, quips and quotes featuring English people from all walks of life, from Quentin Crisp to Frank Skinner and Stephen Hawking to Thora Hird, this book might not help outsiders fully understand the English, but it might help them tolerate us a little more.

This funny and beautifully observed book pulls together humorous stories, funny quotes, quips and anecdotes about this small but remarkable country.While the Scots are proud of their friendly reputation, loud about their many contributions to the world – such as whisky, penicillin and television – and fiercely protective of Scottish delicacies such as haggis and Irn Bru, they are also celebrated for their famously dry and dark humour.Featuring wit and wisdom from writers such as Armando Iannucci, Compton Mackenzie, Stanley Baxter and Neil Munro, this light-hearted book celebrates Scottish wit at its best while looking at the culture, folklore, politics and sport that make up Scotland.This funny and beautifully observed book pulls together stories, quotes, quips and anecdotes from Scots talking about Scotland and others from all over the world relating what they most admire about the country that Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling described as ‘one of the most hauntingly beautiful places in the world. The history is fascinating, the men are handsome and the whisky is delicious. But don’t eat the macaroni pies.’ Featuring wit and wisdom from writers such as Armando Iannucci and Compton Mackenzie, Stanley Baxter and Neil Munro, the sometimes dubious delights of Scottish cuisine are discussed, along with the culture, folklore, politics and sport that will help us to understand just what makes Scotland tick.

This book is a fun and lighthearted look at the notoriously funny and wonderfully unique Irish wit.The Irish have a famously hilarious way with words that has made them beloved the world over. Producing comedians such as Dylan Moran, Sharon Horgan, Tommy Tiernan, Alison Spittle, Graham Linehan and Ed Byrne, who artfully blend mockery with a self-deprecating appreciation of their unique vernacular, Ireland has a language and culture like no other. Migrating from their small Emerald Isle to many far corners of the world, the Irish have brought with them that complex black humour and sarcasm that defines them. From the satires of Jonathan Swift, George Bernard Shaw and Oscar Wilde through to the hilarity of J.P. Donleavy and the sublime nonsense of Flann O’Brien and Spike Milligan, their distinct culture has been celebrated by many and in many forms.The Wicked Wit of Ireland combines traditional Irish humour, one-liners, anecdotes, and of course quips about the classic Irish mammy, into a fun and entertaining compilation.

The Wicked Wit of the Royal Family celebrates the flashes of fun and brilliance of the most famous family in the world.There is no doubt that the British royal family is THE most famous family in the world. Watched and picked over in the media for everything from fashion choices to baby bumps, sporting achievements to nightclub preferences, there doesn’t seem to be a moment when they can escape public scrutiny. But, somehow, they still manage to maintain a sense of humour – and it’s those flashes of fun and brilliance that this book celebrates.From Prince Philip’s gaffe-prone remarks (most of which appear ON camera rather than off) to the ‘in’ jokes shared by the knowing smiles of the younger royals and the Queen’s wickedly dry and often bitingly funny remarks; from Prince Charles’s asides to the Duchess of Cornwall to the self-deprecating smile of the Duchess of Cambridge and the belly laughs that appeal to Prince Harry. This book presents the other side of royal protocol and perhaps gives a glimpse of the real lives of this much-loved clan.

Welcome to The Wicked Wit of Cricket, a compendium packed with the game’s greatest stories from both on and off the field. ‘The English,’ as George Bernard Shaw once remarked, ‘are not very spiritual people, so they invented cricket to give them some idea of eternity.’ Some might call it eternity. Others might instead regard it as heaven. The world of cricket is nevertheless one that is filled with larger than life characters – be they the great players, the unforgettable commentators, the legendary umpires or the most enthusiastic and barmiest fans. The contest between leather and willow is, after all, only challenged by soccer as the world's most popular sport.The Wicket Wit of Cricket is a sumptuous feast of cricket’s greatest tales, legends and anecdotes all spread out across the clubhouse table in bite-sized pieces. Bringing together the sport’s most famous quips, insults, pranks, mishaps, incredible facts, outrageous incidents, plus all those great moments of commentary where the words did not come out quite as intended. This is a book packed not just with wicked wit but with wicket wit as well!

Sir Winston Churchill remains a British hero, lauded for his oratorical skill. He wrote histories, biographies, memoirs, and even a novel, while his journalism, speeches and broadcasts run to millions of words. From 1940 he inspired and united the British people and guided their war effort. Behind the public figure, however, was a man of vast humanity and enormous wit. His most famous speeches and sayings have passed into history but many of his aphorisms, puns and jokes are less well known. This enchanting collection brings together hundreds of his wittiest remarks as a record of all that was best about this endearing, conceited, talented and wildly funny Englishman. Also available in the series:(9781782433651) The Wicked Wit of Queen Elizabeth II(9781782435426) The Wicked Wit of Oscar Wilde(9781782435662) The Wicked Wit of Jane Austen