Title – Parsnips, Buttered: How to win at modern life, one email at a time
Author – Joe Lycett
Genre – Comedy & Stand-up
Length – 304 Pages
Publication – September 2017
My Rating – 5/5 Stars
Synopsis
Dear Reader,
Life is hard. We are a bombarded generation: Facebook, billboards, Twitter, Instagram, taxes, newspapers, watches monitoring our sleep, apps that read our pulse, terrorism. There’s such an onslaught to the senses these days it’s a marvel any of us manage to get out of bed. I love bed.
While we are overwhelmed and confused by the miasmic cloud of information, there are those that seek to take advantage: there are parking fines, hate Tweets, Nigerian email scams and Christmas newsletters from old school friends about their ugly kids. And just as we’re getting round to doing something about it, we’re distracted again.
I, Joe Lycett, comedian, wordsmith, and professional complainer, am here to help. During my short life of doing largely nothing I’ve discovered solutions to many of life’s problems, which I impart to you, dear Reader. Containing a centurion of complaint letters to unsuspecting celebrities, companies and anyone brave enough to clog up my phone, as well as illustrations, one-liners , jokes and life hacks, this little gem offers you a collection of tips and advice* for all manner of modern woe. By the time you have finished reading this book you will have learnt how to:
– Reverse a parking fine
– Manipulate the tabloid press
– Navigate social media
– Respond to hate mail
– Out-weird internet trolls
– Contest a so-called ripe avocado
– Send the perfect Christmas newsletter
– Defeat ISIS
– Take down multi-national companies
AND MUCH, MUCH MORE!
Joe Lycett x
* If you are looking for guidance with taxes, quitting smoking, moving house, love, divorce, education, healthcare or anything actually important may I recommend speaking to friends or family members and not consulting a book by a comedian who eats halloumi at least twice a day.
Review
Ah Joe.. I love Joe.
I bought this book as I just needed a release from the stresses of day-to-day life..Sometimes you just need to laugh at the things that get other people worked up and Joe has his own unique way of dealing with situations he’s unhappy with.
Joe has a number of aliases he uses when writing his emails, he doesn’t take the things thrown at him In life to seriously and puts a fun twist on the idea of a rant via email.
Joe is very funny man and I just loved how he takes things little further than most people do.. he does exactly what we all wish we could do but we get too hung up over being angry most times. He likes to joke a bit and take the piss a lot..
It’s an easy read, nice short funny chapters which means you can easily fly through it but enjoy every bit of it.
One thing Joe gets spot on is his comedic timing, just like his shows he’s planned the book out nicely.. just when you think we’ve seen the last of Samantha Peterson..bam she’s back to make you laugh again
Christmas is coming up fast so if you know someone who likes a bit of comedy I’d say you can’t go wrong with this one.
One thing I will say in case Joe ever reads this.. Crisp sandwiches are a thing!! I’m 32 and still enjoy eating them 🙂