Stuart Maconie's memoir Pies and Prejudice: in search of the North (Ebury, published in Feb) did not make the cut - it just isn't punny enough. Not when we have entries of the calibre of I have a Bream by John O'Farrell (Doubleday, Feb), a collection of his newspaper columns; Paws in the Proceedings by Deric Longden (Bantam, May) -
Mr Longden apparently writes amusing books about his cats - and Ska'd for Life by Horace Panter (Macmillan, July), a memoir about life on the road with The Specials. Next, edging ever closer to the top spot, is the inspired The Elfish Gene by Mark Barrowcliffe (Macmillan, March), another memoir, this time about growing up obsessed with playing Dungeons and Dragons.
But the winner is: Mark Collings' A Very British Coop (Macmillan, June), a terrifying journey into the world of pigeon-racing that takes the reader on a white-knuckle ride (I'm sorry, I've been reading far too many blurbs) from Manchester to Blackpool to Las Vegas with a crack team of Northern birdmen known as "The Mafia". Collins also picked up valuable points for the strapline, "Rocky with pigeons". So well done Mark, and well done the wacky punsters at Macmillan!
It's a UK-centric group, but I'd bet the American side is at least as bad.
Also, what is with the pigeons--see here and here--in 2006 books?
--Marshal Zeringue
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