Festive Suggestions 4 - laughter and female inspiration

Dear Father Christmas/Santa/New Millennium Required Politically Correct Name Substitute,

I promise I've been as good as possible, so please could I have the following two books in my stocking?  If they are too big to get in, you can leave them near the tree.  I have a nose for books, as I think you know already.  I'll leave you a mince pie after 11pm; that'll ensure my mother doesn't pinch it, as she's asleep by then.  I'll wrap it in triple thickness cling film though, as I'm not sure if our cat likes mince pies.

Thank you FC.  My short list follows.  It must be nice up there on Christmas Eve - all to yourself and no traffic congestion.  Have a good one!

Best,

crimeficreader

For laughs:

They Call Me Naughty Lola: The "London Review of Books" Personal Ads - A Reader with David Rose as editor.

I saw this in the newspaper a couple of weeks ago and the double page spread included a mass of examples.  It is thought that the "highbrow" London Review of Books has the most witty lonely hearts ads and this book collects some of the "most amusing and desperate".  It's the sort of book you can dip into at leisure, sharing the laughter provoking ads with family and friends.  Here are some of my favourites:

"Sinister-looking man with a face that only a mother would love: think of an ageing Portillo with a beard and you have my better-looking twin.  Sweetie at heart, though.  Nice conversation, great for dimly-lit romantic meals.  Better in those Welsh villages where the electricity supply cannot be guaranteed.  Charitable women to 50 appreciated."

"Your age is immaterial, your looks irrelevant.  Your bank balance, on the other hand - let's not joke about with that.  Grabbing F (28)."

"Ploughing through the loneliest furrow.  Nineteen personal ads and counting.  Only one reply.  It was from my mother telling me not to forget the bread on my way home from B&Q.  Man, 51."

"Reply to this advert, then together we can face the harsh realities of my second mortgage.  M, 38, WLTM woman to 70 with active credit cards."

And the ad which inspired the title:

"They call me naughty Lola.  Run-of-the-mill beardy physicist (M, 46)."

For inspiration:

Heroines: The Bold, the Bad and the Beautiful by Jessica Ruston with Matthew Rice (illustrator).

More info here; and here's an excerpt:

"Jessica Ruston has compiled a fascinating book of Heroines of every kind… Leaders of Men, First Ladies, Spies and Secret Agents, Saints and Sinners, High Flyers, Wild Women and many many more.. even Betty Boop is here.

Find out more about women you admire and discover a host of new heroines from this inspirational and enticing little book."

Various women in the public eye let us know who their heroines are.

With a foreword from Dame Judi Dench, it's wonderful to see a celebration of inspiring women in the market place.  One for us women and sympathetic men!

Comments

[crimeficreader]

Thanks for letting us know, Jessica. I've heard PD James speak a couple of times and she has a vast wealth of knowledge as well as wicked sense of humour.

[Jessica]

Thanks for your nice comments! Crime fiction fans might be interested to know that P.D. James shares her heroines in the Crime and Punishment chapter, and there are lots of interesting criminal titbits in there...

[crimeficreader]

Glad you had a laugh Rose! I did too. Alas, I could only manage a small few from the newspaper, but that's what leads me to think that a whole book of samples will provide many laughs. They are so witty, aren't they?

[rose by any other name]

Oh, that is without a doubt the best laugh I've had in weeks ... have just googled the Naughty Lola book crimefic, and am compelled to steal some of these personals for personal use - I mean to say, who could resist:

""Medication free after all these years!"

"List your ten favourite albums... I just want to know if there's anything worth keeping when we finally break up."

and this gem:

"Mature gentleman, 62, aged well, noble grey looks, fit and active, sound mind and unfazed by the fickle demands of modern society seeks...damn it, I have to pee again."

Classic!

[crimeficreader]

I'm not sure what age group it's aimed at Maxine, but I hope to find out when I get my hands on it.

[Maxine]

I hadn't heard of the personals, Crimeficreader, sounds funny in a vicarious kind of way. The other one, I have ordered it -- will give it to one of my daughters depending on the age it is aimed at.