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Just William #3
William Again
Now with a fantastic redesigned cover to tie-in with the brand new BBC WILLIAM television series!
293 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1923
34 people are currently reading
278 people want to read
About the author
Richmal Crompton
473 books172 followersRichmal Crompton Lamburn was initially trained as a schoolmistress but later became a popular English writer, best known for her Just William series of books, humorous short stories, and to a lesser extent adult fiction books.
Crompton's fiction centres around family and social life, dwelling on the constraints that they place on individuals while also nurturing them. This is best seen in her depiction of children as puzzled onlookers of society's ways. Nevertheless, the children, particularly William and his Outlaws, almost always emerge triumphant.
Crompton's fiction centres around family and social life, dwelling on the constraints that they place on individuals while also nurturing them. This is best seen in her depiction of children as puzzled onlookers of society's ways. Nevertheless, the children, particularly William and his Outlaws, almost always emerge triumphant.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
November 20, 2018
Not as good as some of the others although I did really enjoy the chapter where William and Mrs Brown go to visit the critically ill Great Aunt Jane.
March 16, 2024
"William had spent his last twopence that morning upon a stick of liquorice. It had caused a certain amount of friction between himself and his elder brother. William had put it -partially sucked- upon a chair while he went to wash his hands, and Robert had come in from tennis and inadvertently sat down upon it. Being in a moist condition it had adhered to Robert's white trousers. Even when detached the fact of its erstwhile adherence could not be concealed. William had considered Robert's attitude entirely unreasonable.
"Well, I don't know what he's got to be mad about. I didn't make him sit down on it, did I? He talks about me spoilin' his trousers... well, wot about him spolin' my liquorice? All I say is -who wants to eat it, now he's been sittin' on it?"
"Well, I don't know what he's got to be mad about. I didn't make him sit down on it, did I? He talks about me spoilin' his trousers... well, wot about him spolin' my liquorice? All I say is -who wants to eat it, now he's been sittin' on it?"
July 8, 2020
We never can finish a William book without my youngest *begging* me to buy the next one. The final story had me in tears; I could barely read it! William's sense of justice and personal dignity were on full display. I haven't laughed that hard at a William story since the first book in the series. It made me bust a gut. Four stars.
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November 29, 2024Classic stories with laugh out loud jokes
Early William was definitely not written as a children's book. The gags come thick and fast, but are all adult orientated.
William, the eternal 11 year old rarely means any harm , but his best efforts at entertainment and service to the community rarely fare well.
Early William was definitely not written as a children's book. The gags come thick and fast, but are all adult orientated.
William, the eternal 11 year old rarely means any harm , but his best efforts at entertainment and service to the community rarely fare well.
August 29, 2025
Just William – William Again by Richmal Crompton, a comedy that you should read for it is from the 1,000 Novels everyone Must Read list https://www.theguardian.com/books/200...
Nine out of 10
Laughing with William would help you get over the depressing news of the present, war in Europe (it is a nightmare one feels must end any minute) albeit the mirth of the comedy might be subdued, for there is so much in the background, the subconscious would be anxious about price rises, is the business still going to survive and all of that, but hey, one way to escape the gloom, is through comedy and repeating the Stoic mantras, live in the present, which is the only one that maters (as Tolstoy put it There is only one time that is important – NOW…It is the most important time because it is the only time that we have any power” and maybe there was the notion that the only important thing is what you do now and the relevant person is the one you have in front of you) and consider the transcendence to come…
With the world coming to an end, what can we do but laugh and be merry…the czar of Russia is crazy and he has access to nuclear weapons – he has reminded us three times, over the past weeks about that appalling aspect – and furthermore, you must not doubt that this fellow is capable of anything, yes, may have been surprised by the war he had started three twenty one days ago, but that is because of Hedonic Adaptation – a phenomenon which means we adapt to almost anything, except for the loss of a dear one, unemployment and very loud noise [do not move near an airport thinking you will not notice the booming atmosphere with time] and we could obviously add war there – and the fact that we tend to forget about the bad news, because they are replaced daily with a new batch of calamities - http://realini.blogspot.com/2021/01/e...
We could think of Dr. Strangelove and How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, the work of art by Magister Ludi Stanley Kubrick http://realini.blogspot.com/2020/01/d... and how in one of the best five comedies ever made they laugh at the idea of playing along in the game of nuclear weapons – which is, in case you have not heard and I am the one to give you the chilling news, what the Red Dwarf from the Kremlin does - and yes, this is insulting, but the guy is clearly miniscule in empathy, he is in fact a psychopath, which by definition is the monster who does not feel anything, he will speculate what stupid fanatics would buy, and then promote a calamity like Trump, but he does not have any emotion- and that is perhaps the only way to move through this.
In Doctor Strangelove, there is a lunatic that takes over the base he is in charge of (I think he was a general, equivalent of the present day czar of the new USSR which he regrets so much, calling it the biggest catastrophe of the last century, and he is trying to rebuild now, starting with Ukraine) and he shuts himself from the world, saying some stupid lines about the ‘bodily fluids’ and in real life we look at the Mad Man who had that speech about the Ukraine as a false country, led by Nazis – and yes, it becomes so grotesque, future generations will read this in an absurd key that resembles so much the Kubrick comedy it is eerie, for Volodymyr Zelensky is Jewish, and has become a hero of the world, and he is met with standing ovations when he addresses the parliaments of the UK, Canada, EU and the American Congress…here I must confess that I had not liked the fellow, seeing his reaction to Trump and the blackmail, abuse of power and pressure, which the former comedian would deny when asked, but hey, the man has reacted wondrously under pressure and showed what would be called Post Traumatic Growth, something like the opposite of PTSD – and the ‘special operation’ relies on fake history…
The Mad Czar has spoken yesterday, referring to those who talk against his version of the war (which is not a war in the ‘doublespeak’ descended into this dystopian reality from Nineteen Eighty Four by magnificent George Orwell http://realini.blogspot.com/2017/05/n... but something else) and becoming again weird ‘spit out the traitors that have been taken over by the west like flies that have entered your mouth’ or something along these lines…George C. Scott, as the commander in the comedy is ready to fight his own army (just like the Crazy despot is killing brothers) just to be able to launch nuclear missiles against the Russians, something the president and his staff try to block, but they appear to have no solution…they talk to the Soviet leader – who is a parody, caricature, but so close to the joke that keeps the world guessing – only the man is…drunk and unable to make sense, when they tell him he has to shoot down the planes carrying the weapons of mass destruction…
If we come back for just a moment to Just William – somehow, this was meant to be about the light comedy, but the war has gotten into the way – we can also see this dictator as a spoiled child, who wants to have his way, no matter how preposterous his claim is, if the toy is inaccessible and well, does not belong to him, somebody else has that country…he threatens to push the button and blow everybody up, if they stand in the way – the difference is that William is naughty and mischievous very often, but he is so likeable for most of the time, uses tricks, lies – there is the traveler who thinks this might be Stratford –upon- Avon, and William encourages this confusion and offers a tour
The tourist is an American – gullible, and perhaps a Trump supporter, if she were to step into real life and land in our time frame – and she is given the tour, shown the highlights – one house belongs to an old woman who dislikes William, but the latter solves this problem by claiming she is nuts – invited to meet his friends, claiming one is a relative of Woodsworth, another has another celebrity as ancestor and then when names run out, another descends from Nelson, just as William is from the…Shakespeare line
The above is innocent and a good jest, for nothing happens to the traveler, in fact, she is proud to mouth these stories when she is back in the US and lectures people on what she has seen in Britain (where they expect outré things to happen) and the boys of famous heritage she had met…in our real story of the Boy Emperor, his lies are not at all harmless, indeed, thousands have died already in the past weeks and many more will die, before some adult can manage to put the big brat (part of the problem with him, as they said on SNL a few days back, is that he is missing a few inches and the Napoleon complex is hurting so many, again) in the corner…if only Russians will revolt, as that brave protester, who came up on television with a banner against the war, on prime time no less, said ‘they cannot arrest them all’
Nine out of 10
Laughing with William would help you get over the depressing news of the present, war in Europe (it is a nightmare one feels must end any minute) albeit the mirth of the comedy might be subdued, for there is so much in the background, the subconscious would be anxious about price rises, is the business still going to survive and all of that, but hey, one way to escape the gloom, is through comedy and repeating the Stoic mantras, live in the present, which is the only one that maters (as Tolstoy put it There is only one time that is important – NOW…It is the most important time because it is the only time that we have any power” and maybe there was the notion that the only important thing is what you do now and the relevant person is the one you have in front of you) and consider the transcendence to come…
With the world coming to an end, what can we do but laugh and be merry…the czar of Russia is crazy and he has access to nuclear weapons – he has reminded us three times, over the past weeks about that appalling aspect – and furthermore, you must not doubt that this fellow is capable of anything, yes, may have been surprised by the war he had started three twenty one days ago, but that is because of Hedonic Adaptation – a phenomenon which means we adapt to almost anything, except for the loss of a dear one, unemployment and very loud noise [do not move near an airport thinking you will not notice the booming atmosphere with time] and we could obviously add war there – and the fact that we tend to forget about the bad news, because they are replaced daily with a new batch of calamities - http://realini.blogspot.com/2021/01/e...
We could think of Dr. Strangelove and How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, the work of art by Magister Ludi Stanley Kubrick http://realini.blogspot.com/2020/01/d... and how in one of the best five comedies ever made they laugh at the idea of playing along in the game of nuclear weapons – which is, in case you have not heard and I am the one to give you the chilling news, what the Red Dwarf from the Kremlin does - and yes, this is insulting, but the guy is clearly miniscule in empathy, he is in fact a psychopath, which by definition is the monster who does not feel anything, he will speculate what stupid fanatics would buy, and then promote a calamity like Trump, but he does not have any emotion- and that is perhaps the only way to move through this.
In Doctor Strangelove, there is a lunatic that takes over the base he is in charge of (I think he was a general, equivalent of the present day czar of the new USSR which he regrets so much, calling it the biggest catastrophe of the last century, and he is trying to rebuild now, starting with Ukraine) and he shuts himself from the world, saying some stupid lines about the ‘bodily fluids’ and in real life we look at the Mad Man who had that speech about the Ukraine as a false country, led by Nazis – and yes, it becomes so grotesque, future generations will read this in an absurd key that resembles so much the Kubrick comedy it is eerie, for Volodymyr Zelensky is Jewish, and has become a hero of the world, and he is met with standing ovations when he addresses the parliaments of the UK, Canada, EU and the American Congress…here I must confess that I had not liked the fellow, seeing his reaction to Trump and the blackmail, abuse of power and pressure, which the former comedian would deny when asked, but hey, the man has reacted wondrously under pressure and showed what would be called Post Traumatic Growth, something like the opposite of PTSD – and the ‘special operation’ relies on fake history…
The Mad Czar has spoken yesterday, referring to those who talk against his version of the war (which is not a war in the ‘doublespeak’ descended into this dystopian reality from Nineteen Eighty Four by magnificent George Orwell http://realini.blogspot.com/2017/05/n... but something else) and becoming again weird ‘spit out the traitors that have been taken over by the west like flies that have entered your mouth’ or something along these lines…George C. Scott, as the commander in the comedy is ready to fight his own army (just like the Crazy despot is killing brothers) just to be able to launch nuclear missiles against the Russians, something the president and his staff try to block, but they appear to have no solution…they talk to the Soviet leader – who is a parody, caricature, but so close to the joke that keeps the world guessing – only the man is…drunk and unable to make sense, when they tell him he has to shoot down the planes carrying the weapons of mass destruction…
If we come back for just a moment to Just William – somehow, this was meant to be about the light comedy, but the war has gotten into the way – we can also see this dictator as a spoiled child, who wants to have his way, no matter how preposterous his claim is, if the toy is inaccessible and well, does not belong to him, somebody else has that country…he threatens to push the button and blow everybody up, if they stand in the way – the difference is that William is naughty and mischievous very often, but he is so likeable for most of the time, uses tricks, lies – there is the traveler who thinks this might be Stratford –upon- Avon, and William encourages this confusion and offers a tour
The tourist is an American – gullible, and perhaps a Trump supporter, if she were to step into real life and land in our time frame – and she is given the tour, shown the highlights – one house belongs to an old woman who dislikes William, but the latter solves this problem by claiming she is nuts – invited to meet his friends, claiming one is a relative of Woodsworth, another has another celebrity as ancestor and then when names run out, another descends from Nelson, just as William is from the…Shakespeare line
The above is innocent and a good jest, for nothing happens to the traveler, in fact, she is proud to mouth these stories when she is back in the US and lectures people on what she has seen in Britain (where they expect outré things to happen) and the boys of famous heritage she had met…in our real story of the Boy Emperor, his lies are not at all harmless, indeed, thousands have died already in the past weeks and many more will die, before some adult can manage to put the big brat (part of the problem with him, as they said on SNL a few days back, is that he is missing a few inches and the Napoleon complex is hurting so many, again) in the corner…if only Russians will revolt, as that brave protester, who came up on television with a banner against the war, on prime time no less, said ‘they cannot arrest them all’
January 28, 2021
This was my first encounter with William and I can just say that I had a blast. William is the type of character that I like the most in children's books (he is very similar to more recent characters such as Clementine from Sara Pennypacker or Ramona Quimby from Beverly Cleary). He is unapologetically childish in a manner that seems to annoy all of the adults around him, but his wild ideas provide opportunities for laughing out loud not at him, but at the folly of the adults around him (just read the story where William makes himself into a native if you don't trust my word). William wants to play and he does not take no for an answer, no matter what, and whatever he does he usually ends up in trouble. But this is the type of trouble that is sweet and has no long-term consequences for him, which is nice since the whole purpose of the book is just to remind you how wonderfully free of anxieties childhood was.
June 11, 2018
William Brown has been called ‘the bad boy of fiction.’ As he says himself: I don’t WANT to behave like a civilised yman bein’. I’d rather be a savage any day. I bet savages don’t let themselves be dragged off ti ditty ole women when they’d rather go to see blood-curdlin’ an’ nerve-shettering Westerns.’ Or plunge into ditches, climb trees, fight with his enemies and come home a sight to break his mother’s heart. The Just William books have enthralled children for decades but, in fact, they were originally intended for adult readers. If you would like to read about William’s creator,
Richmal Crompton – The woman behind William by Mary Cadogan paints a charming biographical picture of a witty, talented and tolerant writer.
Richmal Crompton – The woman behind William by Mary Cadogan paints a charming biographical picture of a witty, talented and tolerant writer.
April 3, 2022
A highly entertaining collection of 'Just William' stories featuring the cheeky scamp of the same name. I enjoyed this collection immensely, and found it hard not to laugh out loud in places.
Some of my favourite stories included
'What Delayed The Great Man'
'The Cure'
'Not Much'
'William and the White Cat'
'Just William' s Luck'
'The Circus'
I did find some of the stories less enjoyable than others, but I think this more a matter of personal taste then any fault in the writing.
A small disclaimer: my enjoyment of the Just William books has been enhanced by the wonderful narrations by Martin Jarvis and I would recommend these to someone who was interested in the stories.
Some of my favourite stories included
'What Delayed The Great Man'
'The Cure'
'Not Much'
'William and the White Cat'
'Just William' s Luck'
'The Circus'
I did find some of the stories less enjoyable than others, but I think this more a matter of personal taste then any fault in the writing.
A small disclaimer: my enjoyment of the Just William books has been enhanced by the wonderful narrations by Martin Jarvis and I would recommend these to someone who was interested in the stories.
September 17, 2023
The delightful and ever-mischievous William returns to grace our bookshelves once more in "William Again", the third instalment of the celebrated series by the inimitable Richmal Crompton! One must wonder just how much more rascality a village can endure from one 11-year-old. But, fear not, for Crompton has, yet again, delivered a rollicking adventure that will leave you chuckling, if not rolling on the floor with unbridled mirth.
The pages are alive with William's characteristic blend of mischief and well-meaning intentions. Our dear young gentleman, never a lad to sit idly by, continues his heartwarming endeavours to 'help' (read: innocently sabotage) the daily lives of those around him. And, by Jove, does he do it with style!
I found myself marvelling at the various pickles William manages to find himself in. From trying his hand at writing a play (and coercing the unsuspecting local kids into playing their parts with...unique interpretations), to his attempts at playing matchmaker (oh, the hilarity!), every chapter is a fresh adventure where our hero dives headfirst, with his trusty Outlaws by his side, into the latest scheme that's popped into his ever-active brain.
One particularly touching story sees William taking on the noble profession of a detective. Armed with little more than his dogged determination and the somewhat questionable 'knowledge' he's gleaned from detective novels, William sets out to solve a mystery in his village. The results, dear reader, are as heartwarming as they are humorous.
The brilliance of Crompton's writing isn't just in the humour, but in her ability to showcase the nuances of childhood. She captures the wide-eyed wonder, the unshakable optimism, and the unwavering conviction that adults, in all their wisdom, are quite possibly the most perplexing creatures on Earth. Ah, to be young and so certain of oneself again!
If you've journeyed with William through the previous books, you'll be thrilled to revisit familiar faces (and the groans of exasperation they often emit in William's presence). If you're new to the series, then welcome aboard this delightful romp! Though, a word of warning: you might find yourself compulsively buying the rest of the series posthaste.
In conclusion, "William Again" is a delightful concoction of nostalgia, laughter, and the timeless charm of childhood mischief. As one closes the final page, there's a tempting urge to embark on a spot of mischief oneself – all in the spirit of William, of course.
Rating: An uproarious 5/5! Would definitely recommend for a hearty dose of joy. If laughter truly is the best medicine, then this book ought to be available on the NHS. Cheers to Crompton for this jolly good read!
The pages are alive with William's characteristic blend of mischief and well-meaning intentions. Our dear young gentleman, never a lad to sit idly by, continues his heartwarming endeavours to 'help' (read: innocently sabotage) the daily lives of those around him. And, by Jove, does he do it with style!
I found myself marvelling at the various pickles William manages to find himself in. From trying his hand at writing a play (and coercing the unsuspecting local kids into playing their parts with...unique interpretations), to his attempts at playing matchmaker (oh, the hilarity!), every chapter is a fresh adventure where our hero dives headfirst, with his trusty Outlaws by his side, into the latest scheme that's popped into his ever-active brain.
One particularly touching story sees William taking on the noble profession of a detective. Armed with little more than his dogged determination and the somewhat questionable 'knowledge' he's gleaned from detective novels, William sets out to solve a mystery in his village. The results, dear reader, are as heartwarming as they are humorous.
The brilliance of Crompton's writing isn't just in the humour, but in her ability to showcase the nuances of childhood. She captures the wide-eyed wonder, the unshakable optimism, and the unwavering conviction that adults, in all their wisdom, are quite possibly the most perplexing creatures on Earth. Ah, to be young and so certain of oneself again!
If you've journeyed with William through the previous books, you'll be thrilled to revisit familiar faces (and the groans of exasperation they often emit in William's presence). If you're new to the series, then welcome aboard this delightful romp! Though, a word of warning: you might find yourself compulsively buying the rest of the series posthaste.
In conclusion, "William Again" is a delightful concoction of nostalgia, laughter, and the timeless charm of childhood mischief. As one closes the final page, there's a tempting urge to embark on a spot of mischief oneself – all in the spirit of William, of course.
Rating: An uproarious 5/5! Would definitely recommend for a hearty dose of joy. If laughter truly is the best medicine, then this book ought to be available on the NHS. Cheers to Crompton for this jolly good read!
March 21, 2021
The third in Richmal Crompton's WILLIAM series and just as fresh and funny as the first two instalments. Strange to think that something so laugh-out-loud funny was written a century ago yet still feels just as good as it did on release. Once again we get a short story collection chronicling William's larger than life adventures, told with a remarkable flow and rhythm and ear for dialogue by Crompton. Sure, some of the stories are based around huge coincidences, but you don't read these for realism anyway, just the true-to-life characterisation and the extraordinary humour of the situations.
July 18, 2021
Este volumen de las aventuras de Guillermo tiene varios relatos memorables: En primer lugar "la cura", una pariente moribunda de Guillermo que se lo pasa estupendamente viéndolo pelear con "el gordito", la vista de Guillermo hace milagros. "Guillermo y el gato blanco" es de un humor mas bizarro quizás. Otro relato singular es "La suerte de Guillermo", en el cual, se va de visita con su madre y encuentra un escritor famoso para el que desempeñará el papel del angelical niño Pedro. Muchos relatos muy buenos acompañados de alguno flojito ("El protegido indígena")
August 14, 2023
At an average score of about 8.5 (out of 10) for the 14 stories gathered in this third volume of William shenanigans, this is another fantastic entry in the classic long-running series.
My personal favorites of this selection, all of which were originally published during 1922/1923, are: "The Cure", "That Boy", "William The Reformer", "Not Much", "William And The White Cat", "The Great Detective", "The Circus", and "William’s Helping Hand".
Incredible to think that these are a century old, but have lost none of their charm and wit.
My personal favorites of this selection, all of which were originally published during 1922/1923, are: "The Cure", "That Boy", "William The Reformer", "Not Much", "William And The White Cat", "The Great Detective", "The Circus", and "William’s Helping Hand".
Incredible to think that these are a century old, but have lost none of their charm and wit.
April 23, 2024
Just William is just brilliant. I’m enjoying these so much. So funny. If you’re looking for continuity it doesn’t quite work, I haven’t researched it yet, but I think they must have been written as individual stories, then combined into collections (I’m pretty sure William is younger here than in the first book and even within the first book there is the odd bit that doesn’t seem in the right order), but it doesn’t matter, each individual stand alone story is so funny that it doesn’t matter at all. I love them.
December 28, 2017
A book of stories. First read this book when I was a child. I still find the stories funny. Poor misunderstood William. He can never understand why his family, apart from his mother, are always against him. Even when he tries to do his best, it still somehow works out wrong. A relaxing read.
February 19, 2025
Just William is the greatest series of books ever created, one of the most underrated female author/kids author/ female kids author ever, never had kids or married, its a shame she was born so much before me, because id marry her in an instant. Your memory lives on in my heart Richy.
May 24, 2017
Every so often Crompton catches me off guard and I end up laughing so hard tears arrive.
December 16, 2018
Hilarious collection of stories . That Boy, William and the white cat, William's secret society , William sells the twins are laughter riots
May 24, 2019
Exquisite collection of stories. Love them.
August 21, 2020
Same review as for every other book in the series. Wonderful. Check out the podcast of BBC's 'Great Lives' on Richmal Compton...
December 23, 2020
Wonderful book to go back to childhood.
August 21, 2022
Haw haw haw. I like the humour and don’t find the stories repetitive
February 26, 2023
Tentokrát jsem přečetla český díl Jirka vynálezcem. Nejlepší povídka - Kapesník pana biskupa - byla už i v jiném výběru, který jsem četla. Ostatní příběhy už byly trochu slabší.
May 2, 2023
Pure joy
July 22, 2023
Some great stuff here, perhaps lacked any true William classics.
June 29, 2024
Just fabulous.
How Richmal Crompton got inside the head of a well-meaning but disastrously unlucky boy is one of the wonders of literature.
How Richmal Crompton got inside the head of a well-meaning but disastrously unlucky boy is one of the wonders of literature.
July 21, 2023
I found this series of books from a short series on AcornTV. Just William is a great little show and I was honestly sad it ended. Much too short.
But I knew I'd want the books. I also knew I'd want the older ones if I could find a decent set. AbeBooks @abebooks is always my go-to for this kind of thing. It took a few weeks of really haunting the site. I almost went for a different set but then this one popped in and I snagged it.
Just William is about a young boy, age approximately 10? Forgive me if I've miscalculated that by a year or two. But William and his friends roam their village and surrounding area in Surrey, UK. They play in the woods, don't like girls, eschew their older siblings, befriend towns folk, and have all kinds of invented adventures. The hook for me is his internal dialogue, full of brilliant justifications for whatever he wants, nothing particularly serious. The narrator, has a more elevated vocabulary than I had expected and always a fun turn of phrase.
"William, goaded to desperation, burst into a flood of eloquence."
One way of describing these stores might be in a comparison to Wodehouse, only centered on children. With William we have the usual cast of eccentric aunts (one quite funny and memorable), exasperating relatives, thwarted love attempts, and a raft of bizarre scenarios based on mishaps and misunderstandings.
I had recently wrapped up a reread of The Wind in the Willows, and needed another children's book to put in my rota. This one was tailor made for that spot. The best part is that there are so many in this series, I can spread them out.
But I knew I'd want the books. I also knew I'd want the older ones if I could find a decent set. AbeBooks @abebooks is always my go-to for this kind of thing. It took a few weeks of really haunting the site. I almost went for a different set but then this one popped in and I snagged it.
Just William is about a young boy, age approximately 10? Forgive me if I've miscalculated that by a year or two. But William and his friends roam their village and surrounding area in Surrey, UK. They play in the woods, don't like girls, eschew their older siblings, befriend towns folk, and have all kinds of invented adventures. The hook for me is his internal dialogue, full of brilliant justifications for whatever he wants, nothing particularly serious. The narrator, has a more elevated vocabulary than I had expected and always a fun turn of phrase.
"William, goaded to desperation, burst into a flood of eloquence."
One way of describing these stores might be in a comparison to Wodehouse, only centered on children. With William we have the usual cast of eccentric aunts (one quite funny and memorable), exasperating relatives, thwarted love attempts, and a raft of bizarre scenarios based on mishaps and misunderstandings.
I had recently wrapped up a reread of The Wind in the Willows, and needed another children's book to put in my rota. This one was tailor made for that spot. The best part is that there are so many in this series, I can spread them out.
April 28, 2016
This one isn't nearly as funny as the previous book, and William comes across as extremely unpleasant most of the time. The stories seem to end very abruptly and are instantly forgettable. I am disappointed with this book after reading the first two, although the second half of it is better than the first.
June 16, 2020
Repeat listen.
I still think these stories were much funnier and more fun to listen to with my, then, younger children.: the BBC Just Williams radio series made for some humour filled drive-time listens.
I'm gifting this with 3-4 stars, this listen through, with just me listening, as I thought some of the earlier stories fell a bit flat humour wise.
I still think these stories were much funnier and more fun to listen to with my, then, younger children.: the BBC Just Williams radio series made for some humour filled drive-time listens.
I'm gifting this with 3-4 stars, this listen through, with just me listening, as I thought some of the earlier stories fell a bit flat humour wise.
April 28, 2010
Unpleasant little chap. Unlikeable family. Rather funny stories. Reading Calvin and Hobbes to the family would have been a much richer experience.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews