The Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy - EARLY EDITION!

It looks like I've found myself a 1979 Edition! Not the first printing, but a first edition!

The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy 1979

- Douglas Adams - 

Where did I get this book you ask?

The library at the College is in the process of discarding old or undercirculating books. These rejected books are put on a cart outside of the library and should be give a sign, "in need of new home" - like a box full of kittens. I can't help but go through the books, picking them up, admiring them, even petting a few. Most of them I put back, but a few I just can't bear to leave. Some of them I remember reading -that exact book. It seems that I'm the only person in the College who still goes through the literary section and takes out hardcopy books. This discard-cart gets refilled every day or two, which is anxiety inducing to me. What if I miss the initial refill? What books could go to unfit homes? Imagine the old copy of Atlas Shrugged goes to a smoker's house! This random rubbish letting has become a bit of a problem for me. My latest find has made my condition even worse.

A copy of The Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Universe! Sitting there on the cart, almost calling me to take it home. I snatched it up with my lightning fast free-book reflexes! I knew it was old, but what I didn't realize was that it was a first (or at least very, very, early edition). Imagine my luck! And to top if off it was free! This is a story I will tell to my great-grandkids.

The best part is the history of this book. It's all right there in on the first page. A due date card!

It looks like this book was first signed out in 1983 and only 25 times since! I can verify from my daily haunts of the library, that that book was always on the shelf. Do you know how many times I considered taking it out, even though I have my own copy at home? At least twice, maybe three times. That's how much this book means to me. 

Remember my previous posts about The Hitch Hikers Guide? The only book I've ever wrote in the margins, on the pages, and all that?

The book gods were looking out the day I passed the reject cart. May you have just as much luck on your next book shopping trip.

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy - Douglas Adams

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Universe Of Humour

My special notes!

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy

I have a worn out version of the 'Guide' that I've been reading and rereading for decades now. I really should get a new copy, I can barely stand to touch this one, what with the coffee stains and the notes I put in the margins.

Oooh, special margin notes!

I've only written in one book in my life. This book. I found the book so inspiring that it caused me to deface and vandalize a perfectly good book. I think at some points in my life I thought I could add some extra humour to this masterfully humourous book. Let's see how good or bad my thoughts were.

Adding extras to the Hitchiker's Guide.

The best quote in the entire book is on this page - "The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don't."

OMG that is hilarious. Doesn't it just describe so much about the Vogon's ship (and their species), and about the tone and humour of the entire book?

It's so funny too because it sounds like one of those terrible similies that all the how to books and writing classes would tell you to avoid, never use, flush down the toilet and never mention no matter how long you live!

I love it.

So, here is where I get 'funny' and add in a few lines of my own. The bottom paragraph of page 36 is going on about the noise coming from everything in the world, from tin cans to wine glasses. I added a little piece about old Uncle Bernie's according, hearing aid, and even pace maker started making the noise. But poor Bernie didn't get to hear (on account of his deafness, or the pace maker stopped working...take it how you will). 

Funny? Maybe to some.

There are a few other tidbits on page 37 that have some promise. "The PA died away" (with a click like the crunch of a cockroach under a shoe). That is just a bit overdone, and disgusting. CUT!

Let's move onto another section of the book.

Hitchhiker's Guide with funny notes

I love this scene. You have a Vogon trying to get Arthur and Ford off the ship. His job is to throw these stowaways into the garbage chute (pretty much) and send them into space. He is not the brightest bulb on the ship and Ford is trying to talk his way out of this deadly situation.

What I thought would be funny was to add a few more hints of why this Vogon didn't like his job. First, his Great Aunt thought he should be a crewmate. Anything to do with Great Aunts and Great Uncles is funny to me. Also, I threw in a joke about this Vogon really wanting to be a florist. I'm pretty sure I was harking back to the Police Academy movies. Remember that big guy, Hightower? He wanted to be a florist. This is a similar situation. We have a big, smelly, uncivilized alien who is supposed to be tough and rugged, but really wants to be a florist. Damn that is funny!

The last note I have might actually work. They are being thrown into a chamber that will shoot them out in to space. Instead of being a bare room it could be something funnier, like a cheap motel room? Okay, maybe that needs some tweaking, but it could work.

I will share one last masterpiece before I let you leave this torture session.

Douglas Adams, please don't be offended

Here is another great one - the characters are going through time/space. How do you describe that? How about saying it feels like a Swedish massage by Helga. Once you add the name Helga or Olga it instantly turns funny. 

On page 87 I actually laughed at my own joke here. The characters are reforming after their trip through space/time, and there are slight problems. Arthur is missing a limb or two for a moment. I thought it would be funny if when they do reappear he says, "it's all right, I've got them back" (no, no, hold on, I've got two lefts). Guffaw!

Oh and at the bottom there I thought it would add a bit of a chuckle if Adam's had described the pink colour of the cubicle with a little more detail. What exact shade of pink? There are so many shades, and so many funny names attached to the colour pink. Pepto pink? Pink Elephant Pink? Piggy Pink?

All in good spirit. This book is such a great example of well written comedy and has been an inspiring book for those with a good sense of humour. Like me.

MAX LUCK - Craig Anderson

 MAX LUCK

- Craig Anderson - 

I just took another roller coaster ride through Craig Anderson's latest book. Similar to Level Up, we are thrown into a virtual RPG world, where jargon like HP and EXP pop up like clover in the spring. On that well thrown in plant reference, we follow the adventure of a little leprechaun named Max. By luck, he is pulled into a skirmish with a disrespectful teenaged boy, who just happens to be the son of the game's biggest gangster. So, the little dust up quickly escalates into a much bigger fight. As we move through the story the problems escalate, and soon start to threaten lives outside of the game.

What I really loved about this book was constant thrill - there is always someone chasing the leprechaun, there are a lot of time sensitive situations, and the stakes keep getting bigger and bigger - this is what kept me keep turning pages. The inventiveness of Anderson keeps it fresh and fun; discovering new weapons or artifacts (like crafting fire bullets or smoking a invisibility pipe), that I kept looking forward to what new weapon would save Max when he found himself in another impossible situation.

Anderson's writing reminds me of Tom Holt - it's funny but has a serious side, especially when it comes to plot and plot twists. The characters are a great mix of light and funny, but again have a serious side with a lot of depth. 

I actually wrote down a quote that I really enjoyed (and it embodies the character exactly): "Plan A had failed, and Plan B had failed too, but Arthur liked to plan his way through the Alphabet."

Max Luck is on Kindle Unlimited if you are interested - click here.

REREADING BOOKS - DO YOU DO IT?

IS REREADING BOOKS A WASTE OF TIME?

rereading books is a waste of time

You only go around this world once, so you might want to make the most of it. For me, as a massive book nerd, one way I measure life is by how many books I've read. With only a short amount of time on this earth I want to read as many books as I can. With so many books out there, is it a waste of time to re-read a book?

A lot of people say "yes, it's a waste of time! You've already read that book! You know what is going to happen. Voldemort is defeated by Harry Potter for the umpteenth time! Re-reading a book is not going to change that."

Which book? The hardest question in life.

While somewhat logical - what's the point of reading a story if you already know how it ends - it seems to me that reading is somewhat illogical. Rereading a book is amazing!

It shouldn't make sense, but we humans do not always make sense (like the sentence structure of this sentence).

Reading a book is different every single time. You might linger and absorb more of the details in your second lap. It may have been a decade since you last read the book, and you have that much more life experience behind you. You may be in a different mood, or have a slightly different outlook on life. There are so many variables that shift and change a person, that each re-read is a different experience.

I just reread Another Fine Myth. A book I've reread half a dozen times. And, as I've stated above, every single time is completely different.

Another Fine Myth - Robert Asprin

I remember the first time I read this book, I was in grade seven. I picked up the book because my Dad was reading the series. He said it was funny and made it sound amazing when he told me they travelled through different dimensions. I was still a sci-fi / fantasy newbie, so the idea of dimensions was a big deal and a big idea that I found fascinating. I still remember reading the book at school, during our reading time right after lunch. I didn't really find it all that funny, but I could tell it was supposed to be, but the jokes flew over my head. What I did love was the idea of travelling to different dimensions.

As I aged and reread the book years later in my teens, I finally got the jokes. By this time the idea of different dimensions was old news, and bigger ideas of race, class, and stereotypes related to these dimensions threw some depth on this part of the story, giving me something different to think about.

Last month, thirty years later, I reread the book and again had a completely different experience. I had just come off reading a few hard sci-fi books full of science and serious topics. Reading a light, pun filled, wacky adventure was like a breath of fresh air, refilling my desire to spend time flipping through pages. 

Rereading books a waste of time?

I'd say no, and I'm pretty certain most readers would agree. But then again, there are so many books in this world and so little time.

Like I mentioned at the beginning, I personally measure the success of life by how many books I've read. Which is what inspired me to design a Reading Journal to keep track of my reads. 

Click on Picture to buy from Amazon

There are pages to track the books you've read and what you thought about them.

Book tracking page

I also added some fun pages to write down things like your reading habits, fav books, etc. Now that would be fun to re-read in a decade...like I said we change over time.

All about you - reading habits, fav books, etc

Also for the artistic readers (*puts hand up*), there are some pages for drawing.

Fill in bookshelf

I strongly encourage you to purchase one for yourself, or consider it as a gift for the big readers in your life, or your book club members, or your mother-in-law, or your child's bus driver. It would be great for anyone...and I wouldn't mind the $1.45 royalty either.

It is available on Amazon right now - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B2TW69CG

MAD MAGAZINES

FOUND A PILE OF VINTAGE MAD MAGAZINES

Mad Magazines

It's not surprising that I was looking through the used books at the thrift store, but I've never seen Mad magazines there before. What a find! At only a quarter each I picked up the entire pile...all five. They were a mixed bag of issues from as early as 1977, to as late as 1981. I was drawn to them, not because I read them back in the day...no I was more of the spin off CRACKED magazine kind of guy...but I have been known to read a Mad every once in awhile (usually at the pharmacy while waiting for a prescription or something...I'd never actually buy the magazine, it's ridiculously priced, and why buy the cow when you can read it for free at the store?!)

I can tell you that Mad was just as pointed back in the late 70s. 

Mad Magazine salutes the coffee break - what a cover!

Reading through these old magazines I came to the conclusion that Mad was a bit like a historical textbook - they took on some pretty big topics of the day.

Hoarding this issue of MAD!

Everything from the oil crisis...

To the CB Radio.

Mad magazine used to be 60 cents!

Mostly the magazine poked fun at the pop culture of the day.

Movies and TV were main fodder for the jokes.

Mad makes fun of Popeye

Advertising, and their sneaky ways of manipulating people, also seemed to be a huge topic. Mad points out how dumb people are when it comes to being manipulated by slick words and flashy TV ads.

They also play on the idiotic ways of some people.

Anyone have the MAD magazine board game - like monopoly but you wanted to lose money!

Super special MAD issue

I thought that MAD had gone out of business or something since I haven't seen a new issue at my pharmacy in the past few years...however, after I bought these books I saw one! An issue mocking Star Wars. I picked it up, but quickly put it down when I saw the price $14.99. For a magazine. What are they MAD?!

 Strange Planet

Strange Planet

- Nathan Pyle -

I laugh heartily at humour of this sort - a different perspective on the behaviours of humans.
This book takes you through common moments in the lives of us humans, the only difference is that it is told through the eyes of Aliens...which points out how absurd some of our behaviours and customs are. Like putting open flames in the face of a child to celebrate their birthday. The Aliens go through the routine of lighting candles on a birthday cake and then blowing them out. But when you change the words around, thesaurus style, it seems hilarious - bring a confection of flaming wax cylinders to celebrate another planetary rotation. Then exhaled upon the cake and we will consume it!

Strange Planet Birthday Cake

Most of the book is full of similar jokes. Which, funny enough, are often just recycled jokes from the past. 
The one example I can think of is how the aliens find a pet (aka animal companion) cat and it starts to purr. They comment that it appeared to have turned on. 

Cat joke - new age

Well, I remember laughing at a comic from The Family Circus Comics when I was eight years old (so many many moons ago) where one of the kids puts his ear to the cat and says, "Mom, the cat's motor is running". Very similar joke. Very funny. 

Cat Joke - old age

Timeless humour. Taking a human experience and putting a spin on it. It's been done over and over, and Strange Planet seems to be a great example of the latest spin for this generation.

I've been a big fan of humour like this since I was a kid. Like I mentioned I remember being young and reading Family Circus books and having a good laugh. I moved on to The Far Side by Gary Larson, which now that I look at it, seems to be very similar humour. 

While Family Circus took a funny take on life through the misinterpretations of children...like the cat's motor running.

The Far Side took a similar twist on human experiences. I always liked the one where the basketball pops and the players ask 'what do we do now'...a situation you can relate to, however, it was placed on a deserted island with nothing else around. That twist makes it funny.

Or the real reason dinosaurs went extinct...taking a human experience and putting it into a different context/species makes it seem funny.

Far side dinos acting like humans

Long story, Strange planet does a great job, just as great at Family Circus or The Far Side, of making fun of our human experience. And, what's more fun than laughing at ourselves? Laughing at animals behaving like us? Laughing at Aliens behaving like us? What's next robots having emotions...now that's funny! 

I would say, take this book for a spin. It was rated the best humour book of the year 2020 on Goodread.com, which is what inspired me to pick it up . I can't argue that it was funny and original take on life. I would have liked to see more...but, I guess I can't really complain, there is a book #2.

THE BURGLAR DIARIES - Danny King

 THE BURGLAR DIARIES

The Burglar Diaries

- Danny King - 

I love books like this that take you into a world you would never be part of. In this case the world of a career burglar. You ever wonder how breaking and entering works? How doing it day after day, like any other job, would work? Danny King brings you the scoop, the inside view, he pulls back the curtain...and it's pretty entertaining.

King takes us along as he breaks into houses and steals their TVs and VCRs (yes, it's a bit dated, but still you get the idea). For the most part it seems very boring, like most jobs. King would find out about someone leaving town, or knows they will be out of their house on a specific date, and he would plan on breaking in. Him and a fellow burglar (he liked to work as a team) would knock on the door to make sure nobody was home, then usually break into a window around the back. They would look for all the regular items of value (TV, VCR, CDs, etc) and pile them by the door. Then they would load up a van and drive away. In and out in five or ten minutes. Sounds pretty boring eh?

Well just like any other job their are irregular days and events that make things interesting. King takes us through a few of those situations, like when they get caught by a big burly fireman. They try to escape by locking themselves in the bathroom and going out the window. The man catches Danny and gives him a good beating before his partner whacks him with a shovel. Another time his B&A partner has to take a BM...he craps in the bathroom and finds out there is no toilet paper. There are plenty of funny mishaps that happen over the years.

King also gives us some insight into the techniques the pros use to find houses to break into. They sometimes just drive around and look for houses that seem empty. Sometimes they look for a big party and then break into the neighbours house. Usually they have some sort of tip off. It can come from some low life who overheard a conversation to an ex lover who wants to get some sort of revenge on their previous partner.

The characters in this world are a laugh. Most of them are dim witted idiots who eventually end up in jail, but there are also surprisingly clever pros who study the art of break and enter. It's a crazy world out there.

By the end of the book I'm actually liking King, even if he is a life long criminal. He shares some of his life problems, his work problems, his relationship problems...and he seems like a nice guy. He is one of the classier burglars, if that can be a way to describe crime, who try to cause the least amount of damage possible. He doesn't do things like leave the taps running, steal wedding rings, break things just for the fun of it. He treats the robbery like a job and tries to be as professional as possible. Which is kind of endearing...he does use a lot of crude language though, which is hard to read at times. But, other than that, a great book.

Burglar Diaries - Danny King

I'm on a role reading books by KING. See my latest Stephen King book review HERE

UNSEEN ACADEMICALS - TERRY PRATCHETT

Unseen Academicals

- Terry Pratchett -

Another episode of the crazy wizards of the Unseen University taking on something out of their comfort zone. This time, the over eating, sedentary, extra-old, overly-academic, unathletic, gang of magic 'users' take on the old game of football (aka soccer). The jokes come from the difference between the actual game of soccer and the perception of soccer by a non soccer fan...which I'm assuming would describe most readers of Terry Pratchett. 

So, there is this perception that football is more than just the game of kicking a ball around a field. It is all encompassing to some folk, ie where you reside determines what team you like. You support that team no matter what. Then there is the crowd behaviour during a game. I'm thinking of the hooliganism that used to take place. The fighting, the rioting, etc. Pratchett takes this to a new level. Anything to an extreme is funny. So selling pies in a crowd of fighting fans is funny, especially if they are a good deal like 3 for 5 knuts. 

There is another storyline involving a cook from the university and a goblin. This storyline takes up most of the book, and kind of leads nowhere. Which is frustrating and disappointing. One of the few down points I've ever had to read through with Pratchett.

Back to the positives folk. There were plenty of laughs. Plenty of the misinterpretations that cause confusion which leads to humour. The book was not missing any of that. It wasn't overflowing with it either. I wouldn't put this book on Terry's top ten list, or top twenty list, or if there were a top thirty...it wouldn't place on that one either. So, not his best. But a good try nonetheless.  

The best part of this book for me was actually the purchase. I was at a local thrift shop perusing the books as I always do. I happen to look on a shelf I haven't looked at before - the hard cover novels. I know, it sounds funny, but maybe you just had to be there to understand? Anyway, I spotted this book right away and to make the purchase even sweeter was that the book was only $1...and an orange tag. That day orange tag items were 90% off. Therefore, get the calculator out, I only paid 10 cents for the book! It was well worth it.

Terry Pratchett's Unseen Academicals

Book bargain at 90% off

This book hasn't put me off Pratchett and his hilarious Discworld series. The other dozen I've read have been very funny, I think this was a 'one-off'. Even if I don't talk about the actual story I will always have that treasure hunting tale where I found a Terry Pratchett book for 10 cents.

If you would like to buy this book off of me, I'll sell it for $2. It's a great hardcover, wonderful story, and would go great in anybody's collection.

I have a little video review of the book here :

THE GRUMPY CAT GUIDE TO LIFE

THE GRUMPY GUIDE TO LIFE

- Grumpy Cat -

In the tradition of Garfield, we have a modern cat who makes cynical comments on the world. There are a few really insightful observations that Grumpy cat makes such as, "when you see a rainbow you can enjoy the fact that someone is getting rained on somewhere
(or possibly even being struck by lightning)."

I read this book while waiting for my prescription refill. It is short and punchy - a good book to read while waiting in any long line, on a bus, even while driving. It would be a great book to read to children too. Kids like cats. Kids like rainbows. Makes sense to me.

I took this book out of the library, but, if you are like Grumpy cat you don't like library-cooties, you have the option of ordering it on Amazon - THE GRUMPY GUIDE TO LIFE

 

 

BAD UNICORN

BAD UNICORN

- Platte Clarke -

It was the cover that drew my attention - a pretty looking unicorn with a scowl on its face crushing bones in its mouth with a squirrel skewered to its horn. So, yes, I judged a book by its cover...and glad I did in this case.

As the title suggests, there is a unicorn that is 'bad'. Princess is her name and destruction is her game. She is very magical and uses that magic for her own evil purposes, which mostly involve eating lesser beings. She has an insatiable appetite for flesh, and is also bent on world domination (what a combo eh?). She is also rude.

Come on, who wouldn't want to read a story like that?

I did find Bad Unicorn in the young adult section of the library, which was actually a good thing for me. I kind of felt like reading a YA book at the time. The thing I like about YA books, especially the fantasy type like this, is the stories tend to be more straightforward. 'Adult' fantasy seem to be over reaching stories about the political situations in made up worlds. Which can make for a richer read, but, at a cost...hundreds of pages, and the need to concentrate. YA fantasy on the other hand usually stick to the one plot. Therefore, hundreds of pages less and not as much concentration (and note taking) required - Bad Unicorn took this approach. Platte did a great job of sticking to the story and not letting his world building get the better of the book. He did create a strange and exciting fantasy world full of magic and dimension, but, gave just enough description for the reader to feel they had a good idea what things looked like (not what neighbour was at war with what neighbour five hundred years ago).

The main story was the classic nerdy kid who inherits a magic thing (in this case a book) and finds himself thrown into a wild adventure well outside his comfort zone. His destiny is to use this book to save the world...will he? I'll let you read the end to find out. And of course, remember that the journey is half the fun, especially when there are quirky characters and a killer unicorn.

RATING : READ

TRUE GRIT

TRUE GRIT

- Charles Portis -

This book has been touted as a classic, legendary, must read tale of the wild west. Testimonies claim readers make a point of taking this book out and reading at least once a year. Additional claims are that more than one first timers finish the book and instantly start back at page 1 to go through it a second time. Well, these claims seem a bit exaggerated to me. The book was good, I'd put it down on a list to read at some point in life, but, to go through it multiple times seems a bit much to me - It was good, but, it wasn't that good.

The story was a simple uncomplicated affair, Maddie Rose's father is murdered and she is hunting down the killer. What makes this book, apparently a 'rereader', is the two main characters: Maddie Ross and Rooster Cogburn.

Maddie is a teenage girl out to avenge her father's death. Although a teen, she has the attitude and sharp wit of a cynical retiree who's had a long hard life. She is as tough as old boot leather and will not take no for an answer. She holds her own through the long, tough, journey they take in order to catch her father's killer. At points she is inspiring, at points she is infuriating (especially when she constantly brings up the great lawyer she has), but, at no point do you feel pity for her. She is one strong character you are cheering for the entire time.

The other character, Rooster Cogburn, is a questionable Marshall who Maddie hires to track down the murdering Chancey. She hires him b/c he has a reputation at getting the job done, no matter what it takes - even if it means shooting someone. He is another tough as nails old soul, who has one eye, a peg leg, and a heart condition. Alright, not that bad, but, he does sound like someone you would not want to meet in a dark alley, someone you definitely want on your side in a fight. He is also sharp and witty, and tells it like it is. The conversations between him and Maddie are by far the most entertaining parts of the book.

Make time to fit this book into your reading schedule, and if you are a western lover like me it is a must. To have any credibility in a genre you need to read a few well known classics, and in the western genre this is one of them.

RATING: READ

Bookclub idea: This is one of those books you could tie in with the movie. Read the book, watch the movie, compare and contrast.

FLATLAND

FLATLAND

- Edwin A Abbott -

I first heard about this book from Sheldon, as in Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory. He mentions it in the episode where Raj wants to hit the town, but, only Sheldon is available. Sheldon does not want to go out and instead suggests that for a change of scene Raj use his imagination and travel to Flatland. He should pretend he is a circle, 'all the gals are hot for circles', and look for an attractive line segment. Now, doesn't that sound like a funny world?

Have you ever pondered what it would be like to live in a 2 dimensional world?

Come on, I'm sure you have.

No?

Well, here is your chance. Abbott invents a world of 2D, inhabited by a variety of shapes from circles to irregular triangles. You are given a glimpse into the thinking and behaviors that could come from living life on only one plane. The differences from our 3D world are brought to life by problems I would have never thought about, such as accidental piercing by sharp angled triangles and trying to see without depth and height to help. The world Abbott comes up with is a rigid, class based society where many angled shapes (Circles being the pinnacle of perfection) are the upper class, whilst triangles make up the lowest class (irregular triangles are the lowest of the low). The only exception is women. They are in fact no shape at all. They are merely line segments (lower than even irregular triangles).

It is a fascinating world to begin with, but, the addition of the satirical math humour makes it infinitely more entertaining than similar 'world building' stories. Who would have though a book revolving around Math could be both funny and easy to read? Especially considering it was written in the 1880s!

Not only is it humourous, but, also very educational. As the story progresses the main character, a respectable square, dreams of Lineland (a 1 dimensional land made of only one line of points). Then his world is invaded by a 3D shape (a well meaning Sphere). These contrasting worlds give the reader a unique view of dimensions, how they are mathematically calculated and how they would look (to our 3D eyes). The idea of 4D, 5D, and so on are hinted at as well. For the novice mathematician and all non-math types, this is a great first step into the world of dimensions.

RATING : READ

MOLVANIA

MOLVANIA

A Land Untouched By Modern Dentistry

- Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner, Rob Sitch -

What a great guide to this relatively unknown, rundown, and backward country. For the traveller who actually considers going to Molvania, this book is a must to keep in the backpack. There is a bit of everything ranging from the history of this cement loving country to tips on how to interact with locals.
I personally love how the book starts. Paraphrasing here - Robust culture, magnificent panoramic views, unique flavourful foods, welcoming hosts, are all sadly, absent from Molvania. But, if you look hard enough the most adventurous traveller can have a one of kind travel experience.
This tone resonates throughout the book. That of a harsh, but, realistic look at this country, yet, upbeat at the same time. The few, and far between, bright (or at least not pitch black) spots of Molvania are really brought to the forefront with this type of writing. It makes one almost want to plan a visit. 
The format of this book makes it really easy to either skim through and find specific information such as hotel recommendations in the East Mountains, or just read straight through and pick up a good base knowledge of the entire country and its people. 
I personally enjoyed the highlighting of specific words dotted throughout the pages. It gave me direction and was an easy way to emphasize some of the more important facts or themes the authors were trying to get across. For eg, I have pulled a few pages from The People and The Arts sections of the book and listed the highlighted words below :

• blowing your nose
• barren plains
• chainsaws
• head butting
• public hanging
• cheap euro porn
• noticeable stutter
• Beta Video

See how just highlighting a few words can give the reader a much better understanding of the topic at hand. Don't you feel that much more enlighten on The People and The Arts of Molvania by just reading that list? I know I did while reading through this guide.

I will also applaud the hotel and restaurant recommendation section of the guide. The writers sure did their homework on this front and not only gave reviews of the somewhat Western friendly establishments, but, also the 'budget' places for those on a budget or for those looking for a more authentic experience. Personally, I'm happier knowing what restaurants serve horse meat. At least I know which ones to avoid right?

Scattered throughout the guide are tips, which I thought were not only useful, but gave even more insight into the strange and abnormal workings of the Molvanian mind. The tips ranged from common saying and greetings that one would need to know (in order to avoid physical assaults for eg), to what drinks to avoid if travelling the barren plains of the East (turns out many alcoholic drinks contain such things as gasoline and antifreeze).

After reading this guide I was struck with two thoughts. First, how awful a trip to Molvania sounded, what with the lack a hygiene, the constant threat of assault, and the smell. Then it struck me, this book could change all of that. Maybe, just maybe, a book like this will inspire some poor soul to take up the challenge and travel to Molvania. If they survive, there experience will no doubt cause more people (or at least the previous traveller's lawyers) to pay a visit to Molvania. And, maybe if enough people do this, the culture and laws of this country will change and allow it to become more tourist friendly. Then even a novice traveller like myself may consider spending a weekend in Lutenblaag. We can only hope.

RATING : READ