Never Hit a Jellyfish With a Spade [Paperback]

Guy Browning (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 13, 2007

The big things in life look after themselves. Birth, love, death - they're all terrifically exciting but they happen whether we like it or not. It's the little things in life that cause the most trouble. How do you deal with the million and one everyday challenges? Help is at hand. For the first time you can get intelligent practical tuition on the level you need it. The trivial level. After years of exploring the small pockets in life's backpack in his celebrated 'How to' column in the Weekend Guardian, Guy Browning has the rules that can help you move safely and effortlessly through the micro-chicanes on life's byways, including: Should you cross your bridge when someone else is burning it? In a monogamous relationship is it morally acceptable to tuck your side of the duvet in? What's the clearest way of giving directions to a place you've never heard of? What is the best way of establishing a queue when you are the first person in it? In breaststroke what do you do with your head when it's underwater?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Browning is a columnist for the Guardian in London, and this collection of his daily drolleries surprised everyone by becoming a huge hit in the U.K. last Christmas; it was number one on the Amazon list. It's a bathroom book or one for the night table, full of short takes with a great deal of no-nonsense (well, maybe a little nonsense) charm on such subjects as men and women, love and marriage, politics (although the work isn't political), religion (not that, either), fashion, cooking and such quintessentially British subjects as idling and pottering. Each column is presented as a "how to," so there's "How to Eat Cereal," for instance (never let someone else pour the milk). Following that is "How to Have a Bad Day" (don't inflict bad days on yourself in the first place, but there's more to it than that). The author has written a few extra essays just for the American edition, and the fun might be in trying to figure out which these are (certainly not "How to Have a Shed"). The book's dedication—"to His Royal Highness, Prince Charles, a King-sized good egg"—offers an oblique clue to the author's social circle and the book's take.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

A brilliant one-off in which everyday matters are skewered with deadpan style and deadly accuracy. (Sunday Times, London) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Atlantic Books (September 13, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843543427
• ISBN-13: 978-1843543428
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,828,676 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Audio Version-Laugh a minute, at the least, March 22, 2006

By 

Rubicks Cuber "Ken" (Los Lunas, NM USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Never Hit a Jellyfish With a Spade: How to Survive Life's Smaller Challenges (Hardcover)

"How to laugh", "how to sit", "how to drink"...These CD's were about "how to" laugh at everything in life. This is a comical look at the small things in life. This was a delighfully entertaining book. I originally 'borrowed' it from my public library. I immediately purchased afterward.

This is not a serious 'how to' book. Obviously in a section on "how to sit" the author makes casual observances about these little things in life and how we do them with specific intent and we don't even know it. This is not intended to be a psychological analysis of everything we do, instead pokes fun at everything we do. While not a book on etiquette, Guy Browning seems to identify the 'do's' and don'ts' of eating, drinking, peeing, sitting, stratching, etc. based on subconscience thoughts we all have about ourselves, or what others might think about us. Maybe good thoughts. Maybe bad. All truly inciteful and humorous.

The tidbits are funny because for the most part they are true. I laughed out loud several times. The Audio CD version is 5.5 hrs. It was a delight to listen to one a day. It's too much for one sitting, but I looked forward to it each evening.

For those like me in the US, we also get an english vocabulary lesson, as many of the words I have never used myself, though I know what Guy Browning meant. The british accent is extremely easy to understand.

Audio Version (CD)- British actor Simon Vance read the book impecably and is a comedian in his own right.

Silly humor mixed with a little dry humor though all of it very easy to understand. I will try some more from this author.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious!! Try it!!, November 30, 2005

By 

An Average Joe - See all my reviews

This review is from: Never Hit a Jellyfish With a Spade: How to Survive Life's Smaller Challenges (Hardcover)

This is not really about how to survive life's small challenges, which may be why one other reviewer was so disappointed. Instead, it's about HOW TO MAKE YOU LAUGH! It's hilarious. If you like Dave Barry, you'll love this, too. Almost every single sentence is packed with funniness. That's why the chapters are so short--every sentence counts. Guy Browning is a very witty fellow, but also very down-to-earth. This would be a great Christmas/Birthday present for any literate guy with a sense of humor.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Guy Browning is good for a laugh, October 15, 2005

By 

H. Rose (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Never Hit a Jellyfish With a Spade: How to Survive Life's Smaller Challenges (Hardcover)

I read Guy Browning's columns in The Guardian (newspaper in the UK). He can be both funny (ha ha) as well as funny (sad) at the same time.

In "How to Endure" he writes "Despite the plethora of human rights legislation, there is still no guaranteed right to a life of happiness and sunshine. Until this legislative oversight is fixed, into every life a little rain must fall. That's why it's important to have a pair of spiritual galoshes".

I don't know what drives Mr. Browning to write, I am just glad he does. This collection will be an important part of my library, of that I am certain. Right next to my spiritual galoshes.