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Bob Monkhouse

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(Crying With Laughter: My Life Story) [By: Monkhouse, Bob] [Jul, 1994] Paperback

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4.2 822 ratings

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English
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Arrow
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ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00I60ZXIK
Language ‏ : ‎ English

Customer Reviews:
4.2 822 ratings

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Bob Monkhouse

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4.2 out of 5

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Frank Lee

An entertainer to the end.

Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2016

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Bob Monkhouse's personality came to the fore in this, his autobiography, predominately through his brilliant talent as a script writer. His desciptive style on all aspects of his personal life, many of which were surprising, and many hilarious, shined entertainingly through. Particularly over outcomes in rescuing unexpected moments on live shows. He is the British show business legend that is Bob Monkhouse.

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kent frazer

This book will surprise

Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2014

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I could never decide wether I liked Bob Monkhouse or not, after reading his book I decided I did. A very well written book that funny, sad and surprising. He reveals things about himself that you wouldn't tell your best friend. If you liked him or didn't like him read about him, at least you will feel as though you got to know him.

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Amazon Customer

Absolutely essential reading for anyone who cares about comedy

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 21, 2016

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It's incredible to believe, but there was a time when Bob Monkhouse wasn't regarded as the national treasure he is today; with the coming of the alternative comedy boom of the 80's, Bob's slick, gameshow host image made some see him as a joke. This book did more than anything else to turn his career around and make people appreciate his mastery of his craft. It has everything you could want from a showbiz memoir - starry-eyed reminiscences of meeting his heroes; vivid portraits, both flattering and not, of some of the big names he encountered; candid confessions of some of his more indiscreet moments, and a glimpse into some of the behind-the-scenes politics that went into making each half-hour of light entertainment.

But despite the book's disarmingly conversational style, there's some real soul-bearing here. As the title suggests, amidst all the laughter there are some genuinely emotional moments, and the author is surprisingly hard on himself when addressing them. His memories of his disabled son Gary are particularly touching, and his - perhaps undeserved - sense of guilt over his writing partner's suicide is strongly felt.

The book is worth a read for anyone with even the slightest interest in comedy, as it provides a valuable insight into a comedian's mind and how the whole process of putting together an act or show works. This was a man who was renowned for his encyclopedic joke memory and who championed up-and-coming talent, and students of Comedy will find some real wisdom in these pages.

16 people found this helpful

Grandad

Entertaining

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 3, 2023

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Engaging book not too much on his personal life more about the programmes he made but still a very enjoyable read

Dougal Douglas

Monkhouse Magic!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 13, 2011

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For someone who grew up in the 70's Bob Monkhouse never seemed to be off your TV screen. For a lot of people he was insincere and smarmy, but to others he was a comic genius. I only developed an appreciation of him myself in his later years. With that in mind, I wasn't looking forward too much to the early years of his career in the book. I needn't have worried. The book is a treasure and well worth a read for anyone who remembers him even indifferently. Once into it, I couldn't put it down and felt sad when I'd finished it! There are enough revelations to make it interesting without it being an out-and-out kiss and tell tale and some of the funny bits are just that. It is written intelligently and without any self-pity, though don't expect any in-depth analysis of any of the sadder episodes of his life. Written in a surprisingly straight and even intellectual tone at times, the anecdotes are worth reading in their own right - look out for a quite unpleasant story relating to the late Frankie Howerd. I enjoyed this book very much and it left me wishing that I'd been lucky enough to see him live. Recommended.

5 people found this helpful

Eddie Faulkner

Written in riddles

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 24, 2022

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Very candid and occasionally amusing and sad by turns, but Bob would have benefited from a ghostwriter. The book jumps about chronologically and his constant use of long words and writing each sentence as a sort of mini-riddle is just plain hard work.

One person found this helpful

Mrs S Faulkner

Prompt service

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 28, 2023

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Great book, let a friend read it as I enjoyed it so much but forgot who!!! Bought again and worth another read. Item arrived promptly and as described. Thanks

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