If you're a fan of British humour, and by British humour I mean truly horrifying things happening to people so vile that it's funny rather than off-putting, you have to read Tom Sharpe.His first 2 books (Indecent Exposure and Riotous Assembly) are satires on the apartheid-era South African police force so biting they got Sharpe tossed out of the country.Since then, he's turned his satiric gaze on the Brits, and the results are often laugh-out-loud funny.Blott is an Italian gardener (who's not really Italian) who works for Lady Maud Lynchwood, whose family has lived in Handyman House for 500 years. Lady Maud, who has a...strong personality, opposes a motorway that would cuth through her property and require the destruction of Handyman House. Her husband, Sir Giles Lynchwood, secretly welcomes the motorway, as he stands to make some shady money on it, plus he hates Lady Maud and Handyman House. Throw in a forgetful mistress, acts of eco-terrorism, and an estate full of live lions and trouble is just bound to ensue.
I read this book 20 years ago and having picked up a job lot of sharpe novels at a Car boot recently, I though it deserved another read. It is, of course, total farce; but I loved it. This time round, having seen the TV series, it's impossible not to hear the brilliant David Suchet read the words of Blott, the naturalised German/Italian/Jewish POW, or Geraldine James as the Rubinesque Lady Maud. But the book is far funnier than the screenplay, with more convoluted plots, more extrovert characters, and more implausible situations. Sharpe's take on what can go wrong when one member of parliament attempts exploit the planning system for his own advantage, is as topical today as it was when he wrote it in the 70's. I just wish we could see a few of today's politicians meet the same kind of sticky end as Sir Giles.
What do You think about Blott On The Landscape (1999)?
Think back to the times of the old Ealing comedies and you land yourself in this book. It takes a good British farce and makes it into a major drama, where else in the world would you turn a stately home into a wildlife park in an attempt to stop a motorway being built. In some ways it is a pre-cursor to the 1990's anti-road protests but played with far more old fashioned English style, based around power politics where decisions are as always made on the effects on the number of votes in the next election.Love it – its light and made me chuckle!!! A good holiday read!
—Carol
I really enjoyed this. I've read a couple of the Wilt novels before now but never did get round to reading this. I didn't even see the t.v. series either, so I came to it with a clear view as it were. I wasn't disappointed. There are a lot of novels that inspire reviews along the lines of 'laugh out loud' and so on but rarely do they actually deliver, but this one does. The characters are wonderfully English, even though one of them isn't, and simply draw you into their lives with such ease. I really enjoyed this and look forward to continuing this journey through the world and imaginings of Tom Sharpe. Very enjoyable, and very funny.
—Shane
I was searching Audible for something interesting. I wanted something light and funny and happened across this author and thought, "hey, why not?"Why not indeed!Quite a complicated tale actually. I attempted to tell Husband what it was about and couldn't even think of where to begin. It's a very funny book and I'll be having a go at others from this author in the future. The only thing that disappoints me is that the blurb here on GoodReads, which I assume is the same as on the book itself, actually spoils the ending...
—Angrboda
