Shite's Unoriginal Miscellany [Paperback]

A. Parody (Author), Stephen Blake (Contributor), Andrew John (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2003

Extensively researched, eccentrically compiled and irresponsibly written, this essential handbook is far from being just another collection of useless information. I is in fact a collection of useless, misleading, and possibly dangerous information. Breathtakingly combining the humorous with the bizarre, Shite's Unoriginal Miscellany weaves an eccentric course between fact-for-fact's-sake and that 'display of superior knowledge which is as great a vulgarity as display of superior wealth'. Among a mass of arcane, vital or merely fascinating information - 'semaphore signals', 'popular assult rifles', and 'ways of escaping from wild animals (probably)' spring immediately to mind - it offers priceless snippets of information a reader may one day need to know, such as 'things to say to your mother on her birthday', 'carrying a large flat parcel' and, of course, 'things to do with mashed potatoes'. Here too is information that will come in handy when you least expect it, from 'obscure royal appointments' to 'Buffyisms', and 'safety gloves' to 'fashional diseases and ailments'. Pointlessly ordered, insanely edited, and lovingly machine-printed on a substance closely resembling paper, Shite's Unoriginal Miscellany blends humor and knowledge together in a superior recipe for instant laughter.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"'A large number of facts which are highly unlikely to be of use to anyone' Daily Telegraph" --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

A. Parody's previous book was Shitedoku.   

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 162 pages
• Publisher: Michael O'Mara Books (November 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843170817
• ISBN-13: 978-1843170815
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,106,220 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars THIS IS INTENDED AS A PARODY OF THE VERY ENTERTAINING, November 30, 2003

By 

William Meisel (Jacksonville, FL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shite's Unoriginal Miscellany (Paperback)

SCHOTT'S ORIGINAL MISCELLANY. What's interesting is, I found it just as dip-into-able as the original. The humor is British, so if you don't "get" British humor it might fall flat. On the other hand, it is cheaper than the original and my suspicion is that if you enjoyed browsing Schott's, you will enjoy browsing this as well.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A clever parody, February 7, 2004

By 

Eileen Rieback (Coral Springs, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shite's Unoriginal Miscellany (Paperback)

First came Schott's Original Miscellany. Now comes a hilarious British parody, by the fictional A. Parody, that takes the original book one step sillier. This small volume is a compendium of off-the-wall and funny facts, mostly in the form of lists. The contents range from the factual, such as famous people with pseudonyms and the semaphore alphabet, to the fictional "7 things you can never quite remember," in which Santa's reindeer include Comic and Blitzkreig. Some of the categories are outrageously useless, such as prime numbers whose individual digits add up to 11. Some are useful, such as collective nouns for animals and a list of the aliens from Star Trek. Let's not forget such silly gems as "Ways to end a romance" and "Not wildly popular sea captains." This book even satirizes an index; the last page claims that an index should be tailored to the reader and then proceeds to explain how to construct your own. This book is witty, creative, and a great spoof. You might even learn a thing or two from it. Just remember to take its contents with a generous dash of salt! This would make a great gag gift for the trivia buff.

Eileen Rieback

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brit Humour, Great Bathroom Read, really!, January 2, 2004

By 

"esteenateebeck" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shite's Unoriginal Miscellany (Paperback)

This is a great bathroom read, or for urbanites, the train. If you read Mental Floss magazine, and enjoy Brit humor, then you'll probably enjoy this small, slim edition. The reading is concise and easy to digest, fun and thought provoking. Great to share with friends.