Beat About The Bush: The Funny Side of Language
Steve Smith of Lancaster and Phil Woods of Connah’s Quay, North Wales, will unleash on Garstang their take on the English language on Saturday 12th December 2009.
‘Beat About the Bush: The Funny Side of Language’ was officially launched in October at Borders in Cheshire Oaks with a book signing followed by a humorous presentation to shoppers about the funny things we all say in everyday life. It was a very successful day, with Beat About The Bush easily the best selling book. Now the authors are looking forward to doing the same near Steve’s home town with an event at The Corner Bookshop, Garstang.
The book looks at the funny things we all say in everyday life without realising. We say things like ‘Don’t count your chickens before they hatch’ and ‘It’s a different kettle of fish’ but we rarely count chickens and most people use a kettle for water, not fish! Plenty of books look at the origins of such sayings but none is quite like this book, as the authors look at the literal translations.
People love to read or hear something funny, but Phil and Steve go a step further in their book and comedy routines by pointing out, in a humorous way, the funny things we all say. In another chapter of the book, they encourage readers to be creative in spoken language in order to make boring tasks more interesting. Fellow fans of Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, from their ‘Fry & Laurie’ days in the ’80s and ’90s, enjoy that chapter in particular.
Even in October at the Borders event, the personal messages requested made it clear that the book was quickly becoming a popular stocking filler, so the authors are expecting more of the same on 12th December at Garstang. Phil and Steve will be signing books from 11am, and at 2pm will present a humorous talk about some of the funny things they have recently heard people say. Why are some people frightened to go out “after dark”? After dark it’s light again. And why do people say “I’ve not seen John for ages – not since he was this high”? Is it really easier to remember someone’s height than to guess how old they were?
‘Beat About the Bush: The Funny Side of Language’ is available at several websites and at high street book shops, including The Corner Bookshop, St Thomas’s Weind, Garstang.
