Willie Donaldson's Rogues, Villains and Eccentrics by William Donaldson

Willie Donaldson's Rogues, Villains and Eccentrics by William Donaldson

From assassins and arsonists to hell-raisers and highwaymen, with an array of poisoners, strumpets, quacks and forgers, this is a hugely entertaining miscellany of infamous Britons through the ages. The real treat is the cross-referencing: look up 'nose' and you will find references to capital punishment, theatrical hooligans, Vinnie Jones and more for disfiguring, cutting off, denting or biting the aforementioned organ; you can find roguish goalkeepers, or, if you prefer, Welsh goalkeepers. Plate sections let you see the rogues, villains and eccentrics as they were without having to get too close.

Can reference books ever be laugh-out-loud funny? Donaldson manages it

hereThe inventor of Henry Root has made an essential work of

historical biography that just happens to be the best loo book of all

time. It puts our modern obsession with celebrity into a proper

perspective. Next to 'Mad Jack' Mytton even the wildest excesses appear

rather tame and where else would you learn that Aleister Crowley

designed boomerangs as a hobby? - The QI top 10 quite interesting books by John Lloyd and John Mitchinson in The Guardian

A work of maniacal genius. The

cross-referencing alone displays a powerful talent for mischief. Such

entries as: "Jesus, believing oneself to be having carnal relations

with. See Edinburgh, Prince Philip, Duke of" and "Pygmy cannibals who

were no match for English travelling women. See Carstairs, Marion

Barbara; Kingsley, Mary", indicate the breadth of the anthologer's

canvas. - Hywel Williams, The Guardian

The comic potential of the cross-reference is, in Donaldson's steady hands, infinite ... I have not laughed so much in years. - Byron Rogers, The Spectator

Willie Donaldson led an extraordinary life by anyone s reckoning. A candidate for inclusion in this book himself under any of the three categories, he produced Beyond the Fringe, had affairs with Carly Simon and Sarah Miles in the 60s, wrote the 70s bestseller The Henry Root Letters, became a crack addict late in life and was generally an irredeemable master of bad behaviour. However, he was also regarded as the funniest writer of his generation.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780550104960
ISBN 10	0550104968
Title	Willie Donaldson's Rogues, Villains and Eccentrics
Author	William Donaldson
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	John Murray Press
Year published	2008-10-24
Number of pages	704
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable