St. Albion Parish News: Bk. 3 (St Albion Parish News) |
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Pages: 96 (Paperback) Editor: Ian Hislop ISBN: 1901784207 Pub: Private Eye Productions Ltd. Pub date: 2000-10-19 Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 407254 |
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Editorial Review:
Son of Blair--the Sequel is the third collection of Private Eye parodies in which Blair is refigured as a village priest broadcasting his views via the parish newsletter. Satire frequently uses a change of context to throw fresh light upon its subject and part of the brilliance of these parodies is the way they squash life played at an international level into the small confines of an English village. The Dome becomes a tent and concerns with presentation are brought down to the level of Mr Dobson having to shave off his beard if he wishes to do well in the pantomime (aka the London Mayoral elections).
This translation of scale works so well partly because politics at any level is necessarily played out in a narrow circle; a community consisting of a few key players close to a central figure. In this way, the comedy is always firmly tethered to reality; politics really is this petty--witness the de-moustaching of Livingstone and Mandelson--and the joke has a life outside metaphor. Similarly, Blair really does sound like a not-quite-trendy vicar and his forced joviality and over-stretched informality are perfectly captured throughout. The comedy is beautifully crafted, the humour stemming not only from the content and style of the letters, but also from their structure. At the same time the satire is kept fresh by shifts of focus and a sense of threat underlying what the Rev Blair writes.
These parodies are sharply observed and very funny--and, hey! isn't that, in a very real sense, all any of us want from a book like this? --Anoushka Alexander
Reader Reviews:
Extremely funny & painfully accurate (4/4 people found this helpful)
A further collection of the St. Albion’s Parish news columns from the Private Eye magazine. Which portrays the Prime Minister as the vicar of the parish of St. Albion
This collection, like its predecessors continues to be an extremely funny, and at times painfully realistic, satire on the high’s and lows of the present government, its policies and its internal politicking.
This collection covers the government’s actions in the recent year including the recent war in Iraq and the internal bickering of Blair & Brown.
For all those who have a love of political satire this is an essential purchase, in fact if you have a funny bone anywhere in your body this book is a must.
This book is utterly sublime! (1/1 people found this helpful)
The second instalment of the St Albion Parish News upholds the accomplishment of it's first. Private Eye has presented its readers with a brilliant mockery of today's government. Cleverly written by Ian Hislop, Richard Ingrams, Christopher Booker and Barry Fantoni, the St Albion Parish News takes you through the uncanny notion of The Third Way.
Forget the past Prime Ministerial parodies such as Mrs Wilson's Diary on Harold Wilson, Dear Bill on Margaret Thatcher and The Secret Diaries of John Major. St Albion Parish News surpasses them all!
"And don't worry - Tony is still with you!"
Do You Miss Spitting Image? (5/5 people found this helpful)
For those who miss the rubber antics of politicians in Spitting Image read Private Eye.
The Vicar of St Albion Parish is back in another serious of hilarious satirical parodies from those wonderful people at Private Eye (Editor Ian Hislop is also known as captain of a team on Have I Got News For You).
Anyone who already subscribes to Private Eye will already be more than familiar with the articles on the Vicar but those who are not should aquaint themselves with it. Just as Private Eye satirised john Major in the Secret Diary of John Major aged 13 3/4 so they viciously and hilariously rip into PM Tony Blair in a similar fashion with his portrayal as the Vicar of a small county parish church.
It'll reduce you to tears. Buy it!
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