Jo Brand Knihy

Ospalé anglické přímořské letovisko Hastings v sedmdesátých letech dvacátého století – pro úžasný život, ve kterém se pořád něco děje, spíš nic moc. Žijí tam ovšem Rachel a Susan, začínají dospívat a pomalu si uvědomují, že pro boj s nepřítelem je důležité být v přesile, takže drží pevně spolu. Právě díky kamarádství zvládají nejrůznější prekérní situace i to, že je rodiče občas zaboha nechtějí nechat na pokoji, šikanu ve škole, gumové brambůrky a teplé pivo na mejdanu, úžasné a slibné kytarové talenty, sjeté hipíky, pánskou společnost, mizerné místní kapely, první polibky, pochybnosti o vlastním vzhledu a nešikovné pokusy o to, jak se co nejlépe obléct, i první milostná zklamání. Pak se v jejich životě objeví Dave, hvězda a kluk, o kterého by správně neměly ani zavadit, tak má špatnou pověst, jenže se na něj holky přímo lepí. Susan i Rachel pak zčista jasna zjistí, že sex, drogy a rokenrol nejsou pokaždé přesně to, co si vysnily, protože Anglií právě otřásá nová punková muzika a všechno je najednou jinak. Ke komu se která z nich přikloní – k pankáčům nebo ke skinheadům? A jak si s jejich vzdorem dokážou poradit zoufalí rodiče?

HOLD MY CHIPS, THE WOMEN ARE REVOLTING! A darkly funny guide to life as a woman from Britain's favourite comedian.

HOLD MY CHIPS, THE WOMEN ARE REVOLTING! A darkly funny guide to life as a woman from Britain's favourite comedian.

The new hilarious, poignant and darkly comic novel by the Queen of Comedy

The wonderful first novel from the Queen of Comedy, Jo Brand, reissued with a brilliant new cover

Why do good things cut the mustard? Who or what was the real Real McCoy? And why do we call false sentiment crocodile tears? Can crocodiles really cry? In What Made the Crocodile Cry? , Susie Dent draws on her popular television segment on the curiosities of English to tackle these and many other fascinating puzzles. Writing with her customary charm and erudition, Dent offers a wonderfully readable and endlessly entertaining exploration of language, answering 101 of the most intriguing questions about the English language, from word origins and spelling to grammar and usage. Dent ranges far and wide in her search for the oddities of language, pondering the ancient origin of the word "tragedy" (which originally meant "goat song" in Greek) as well as the modern meaning of the word "donk" in the Blackout Crew's song title "Put a Donk in It." And throughout, the book brims with fascinating tales. Readers learn, for instance, that the word "bankrupt" comes from the Italian "banca rotta" or " broken bench" and the word "broke" (meaning "out of funds") has the same origin. Dent explains that in the sixteenth century, money lenders conducted their business on benches outdoors and the usual Italian word for "bench" was "banca" (hence today's "bank"). The author also provides an entertaining account of the origin of the term "white elephant" (meaning "a useless, burdensome possession") that dates back to ancient Siam, where rare white elephants were always given to the king. But since by law white elephants couldn't be worked (and earn money) or even be ridden, the king often re-gifted these worthless burdens to courtiers whom he didn't like. Sparkling with insight and linguistic curiosity, this delightful compendium will be irresistible to anyone fascinated with language--the perfect gift for word lovers everywhere.