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Too Much Information... or Can Everyone Just Shut Up for a Moment, Some of Us Are Trying to Think
Nowadays, the world is full of people trying to tell us things. So much so that we have taught our brains not to pay much attention. After all, click the mouse, tap the screen, flick the channel and it's on to the next thing. But Dave Gorman thinks it's time to have a closer look, to find out how much nonsense we tacitly accept.
Suspicious adverts, baffling newspaper headlines, fake twitter, endless cat videos, insane TV shows where the presenters ask the same questions over and over.
Can we even hear ourselves think over the rising din? Or is there just too much information?
Suspicious adverts, baffling newspaper headlines, fake twitter, endless cat videos, insane TV shows where the presenters ask the same questions over and over.
Can we even hear ourselves think over the rising din? Or is there just too much information?
6 pages, Audiobook
First published October 1, 2014
60 people are currently reading
768 people want to read
About the author
Dave Gorman
20 books204 followersDavid James Gorman is an English author, stand-up comedian and presenter. He has performed comedy shows on stage in which he tells stories of extreme adventures and presents the evidence to the audience in order to prove to them that they are true stories. He was a stand-up comedian before he became famous for Are You Dave Gorman?, then took a break from normal stand-up. He returned to stand-up in 2009 with a show called 'Sit Down, Pedal, Pedal, Stop and Stand Up' whose unique feature was that he cycled 1,563 miles from the southernmost point of Great Britain to the easternmost to the westernmost and then to the northernmost with a gig following each night.
He studied mathematics at the University of Manchester (but never graduated) and before his solo successes was in demand as a writer, having co-written three series of The Mrs Merton Show, as well as writing for many other TV series in the UK, including The Fast Show. His other writing credits include Jenny Eclair, Harry Hill and Steve Coogan.In 2003, he was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy.
Dave also regularly appeared on the BBC Three show, Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive, a comedy show about the making of a celebrity panel show hosted by Rob Brydon. Dave Gorman is one of the show's team captains. In 2006 he became an occasional contributor on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He also hosts his own radio series, Genius, and his documentary feature, America Unchained, was shown on More4 in February 2008. The book of the series was published in April 2008.
He studied mathematics at the University of Manchester (but never graduated) and before his solo successes was in demand as a writer, having co-written three series of The Mrs Merton Show, as well as writing for many other TV series in the UK, including The Fast Show. His other writing credits include Jenny Eclair, Harry Hill and Steve Coogan.In 2003, he was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy.
Dave also regularly appeared on the BBC Three show, Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive, a comedy show about the making of a celebrity panel show hosted by Rob Brydon. Dave Gorman is one of the show's team captains. In 2006 he became an occasional contributor on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He also hosts his own radio series, Genius, and his documentary feature, America Unchained, was shown on More4 in February 2008. The book of the series was published in April 2008.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
February 18, 2023
Subtitled 'Can Everyone Just Shut Up for a Moment, Some of Us Are Trying to Think Gorman's humorous and thought provoking look at social media and the digital age. 7 out of 12, Three Star read, 'cos let's face it, he's preaching to the choir here in the bookish world of Goodreads :). Kind of book that makes us smile but also makes us readers angry at the rest of the non-reading of books world?
2015 read
2015 read
April 28, 2015
Badger glove puppets, Badger glove puppets, Badger glove puppets.....
Loved this book, it's basically laughing at the absurdity of modern life, especially the internet and the ridiculousness of how advertisers and some "normal" people try to manipulate twitter and the like to dance to their tune.
Dave dissects adverts, thinking outside the way we are told to think and laughs at the whole damn lot of them... and I was laughing too, it could be an installment from "Grumpy old men" but that's not a criticism, he is spot on.
.....Badger glove puppets, Badger glove puppets, Badger glove puppets.
Loved this book, it's basically laughing at the absurdity of modern life, especially the internet and the ridiculousness of how advertisers and some "normal" people try to manipulate twitter and the like to dance to their tune.
Dave dissects adverts, thinking outside the way we are told to think and laughs at the whole damn lot of them... and I was laughing too, it could be an installment from "Grumpy old men" but that's not a criticism, he is spot on.
.....Badger glove puppets, Badger glove puppets, Badger glove puppets.
September 24, 2014
An interesting and unexpected divergence into the world of badger glove puppetry (maybe).
I became a fan of Dave Gorman after enjoying the first series of his show on UKTV channel Dave, "Modern Life is Goodish". I've since enjoyed various other Gorman works but this is very much in the vein of his TV show. In fact it is pretty much the TV show in book form, which is a good thing.
In the book Dave Gorman rattles through various subjects of modern life, mostly focusing on annoying things on Twitter and that newspapers do. No matter what it is Gorman makes is funny in a way I find difficult to describe. He manages to take the mundane and the mildly frustrating and mine them for laughs, whilst at the same time managing to make some serious points along the way.
Perhaps the biggest different from the TV show is how serious parts of this book are. Gorman is allowed to divulge into some philosophical moments between the jokes and he does this wonderfully. There's some proper philosophy and sensible thinking here which you don't necessarily expect from a comedian, but for me it added something to the book.
The reason it lost the final star is that the book something felt very moany. In his TY show Gorman is far from moany and is very upbeat but in written form some of the warm tone he speaks in is lost. It feels like a less cheery Dave Gorman wrote this book, despite the fact I know that if he read it out it would sounds less moany.
If you like Modern Life is Goodish or Dave Gorman's stand-up work then you will certainly enjoy this. Other than that it is difficult to select an audience that will like it but I think like a new food stuff, Dave Gorman's style of wittily unpicking modern life is something that most definitely be tried. I for one love it.
I became a fan of Dave Gorman after enjoying the first series of his show on UKTV channel Dave, "Modern Life is Goodish". I've since enjoyed various other Gorman works but this is very much in the vein of his TV show. In fact it is pretty much the TV show in book form, which is a good thing.
In the book Dave Gorman rattles through various subjects of modern life, mostly focusing on annoying things on Twitter and that newspapers do. No matter what it is Gorman makes is funny in a way I find difficult to describe. He manages to take the mundane and the mildly frustrating and mine them for laughs, whilst at the same time managing to make some serious points along the way.
Perhaps the biggest different from the TV show is how serious parts of this book are. Gorman is allowed to divulge into some philosophical moments between the jokes and he does this wonderfully. There's some proper philosophy and sensible thinking here which you don't necessarily expect from a comedian, but for me it added something to the book.
The reason it lost the final star is that the book something felt very moany. In his TY show Gorman is far from moany and is very upbeat but in written form some of the warm tone he speaks in is lost. It feels like a less cheery Dave Gorman wrote this book, despite the fact I know that if he read it out it would sounds less moany.
If you like Modern Life is Goodish or Dave Gorman's stand-up work then you will certainly enjoy this. Other than that it is difficult to select an audience that will like it but I think like a new food stuff, Dave Gorman's style of wittily unpicking modern life is something that most definitely be tried. I for one love it.
non-fiction
August 10, 2016
"Next customer" dividers - I will never look at you the same way...
This book is as funny as it is thought-provoking. I highly recommend checking the audiobook version, narrated by the author himself.
June 19, 2018
🇬🇧
I got this book from the library because I am a fan of Dave Gorman's Modern Life is Goodish. This is very similar to his show and talks about all the absurd things you can find on the internet. It invites you to think more critically about the media you consume while being highly entertaining.
🇩🇪
Ich habe mir dieses Buch aus der Bücherei geholt, da ich ein Fan von Dave Gorman's Sendung Modern Life is Goodish bin. Es ähnelt der Show und berichtet von den Absurditäten des Internets. Es lädt zum kritischen Hinterfragen der Medien ein, die wir so konsumieren, und ist dabei ausgesprochen unterhaltsam.
I got this book from the library because I am a fan of Dave Gorman's Modern Life is Goodish. This is very similar to his show and talks about all the absurd things you can find on the internet. It invites you to think more critically about the media you consume while being highly entertaining.
🇩🇪
Ich habe mir dieses Buch aus der Bücherei geholt, da ich ein Fan von Dave Gorman's Sendung Modern Life is Goodish bin. Es ähnelt der Show und berichtet von den Absurditäten des Internets. Es lädt zum kritischen Hinterfragen der Medien ein, die wir so konsumieren, und ist dabei ausgesprochen unterhaltsam.
December 29, 2014
I listened to this on audiobook. Read by the author.
I have read Dave Gorman's other books and have enjoyed them. This isn't his best. Not even close.
It focuses on advertising and media - especially online - and how crap it is, basically. And although I have to agree with him on that account, I found a lot of it went into the nit-picking range, which got a bit tedious after a while. (There is one piece about the use of those checkout conveyor belt dividers in supermarkets and how much he hates them. What this had to do with the theme of the book, is beyond me. Plus, I totally disagree with him on that one.)
The laughs were sparse. I found myself giggling once. I learnt a few things, but overall, this book fell kind of flat for me.
I have read Dave Gorman's other books and have enjoyed them. This isn't his best. Not even close.
It focuses on advertising and media - especially online - and how crap it is, basically. And although I have to agree with him on that account, I found a lot of it went into the nit-picking range, which got a bit tedious after a while. (There is one piece about the use of those checkout conveyor belt dividers in supermarkets and how much he hates them. What this had to do with the theme of the book, is beyond me. Plus, I totally disagree with him on that one.)
The laughs were sparse. I found myself giggling once. I learnt a few things, but overall, this book fell kind of flat for me.
November 25, 2015
This book was a birthday present (thanks Blake and Kat!) and my first significant exposure to Dave Gorman. I was vaguely aware of him due to some adverts on the telly (a subject he covers in this book, actually) but I'd never watched any of his shows.
The book is undeniably funny; I laughed out loud quite a bit (which always gets me in trouble with the missus when I'm reading in bed and she's trying to sleep). You might think this is the only criteria for a comedy book and be wondering why I've not given it five stars. The reason I've dropped a star is because most (if not all) of his targets are what you might call 'low hanging fruit'. They're easy targets that have all been addressed before by other comedians.
This may sound like nit-picking but, having now read the book, I can't help but feel nit-picking is something Mr. Gorman would whole heartedly approve of.
Also, there wasn't as much discussion of badger glove puppets as I'd been lead to believe.
The book is undeniably funny; I laughed out loud quite a bit (which always gets me in trouble with the missus when I'm reading in bed and she's trying to sleep). You might think this is the only criteria for a comedy book and be wondering why I've not given it five stars. The reason I've dropped a star is because most (if not all) of his targets are what you might call 'low hanging fruit'. They're easy targets that have all been addressed before by other comedians.
This may sound like nit-picking but, having now read the book, I can't help but feel nit-picking is something Mr. Gorman would whole heartedly approve of.
Also, there wasn't as much discussion of badger glove puppets as I'd been lead to believe.
January 7, 2015
This book can often seem like a specialist version of the TV show Grumpy Old Men on the topic of information, IT and the media - and there certainly are some funny parts to it - but just as the subtitle suggests that Gorman is trying to think in a deluge of often unwanted 'information', itself of dubious nature, so it gives the reader the chance to do the same.
What comes through, as is usually the case with Gorman, is an obsessive fascination with detail (which, if you're a geek like me, you will probably share). He picks up on a piece of information and pulls it apart to destruction. So, for instance, he riffs (there is really no other word for it) about the oddity of the band Scouting for Girls putting out a 'greatest hits' album in which clearly (and he has a chart to prove it) most of the tracks weren't hits at all.
Some of the content of Too Much Information is pure grumpiness, as in the plea for Twitter users to gain some perspective and stop thinking it's funny or clever to change words by prefacing them with 'tw' to make them special-to-Twitter. People, he assures us, remain people, not 'tweeple' or (shudder) 'tweeps'. Elsewhere he comes up with a fascinating analysis of why all HTC mobile phones show a particular time in adverts, uncovers the bizarre ways that celebrities are exploited by (and exploit) the media and ponders the social impact of the 'next customer' separators we use on supermarket conveyor belts.
The stories, as they effectively are, range in length from just one page to at least ten, and often hit the spot, though with 40 different, loosely collected topics, the book can feel too bitty and lacking cohesion as you read through it. Even so, I found many of the subjects fascinating, some informative and almost all of them enjoyable.
If you've never taken the time to step back and think about what being in such a connected, information rich world does to us - and how people and companies try to manipulate us through that information - it really is time you did so. And Dave Gorman is here to be a grumpy guide to that voyage of discovery.
What comes through, as is usually the case with Gorman, is an obsessive fascination with detail (which, if you're a geek like me, you will probably share). He picks up on a piece of information and pulls it apart to destruction. So, for instance, he riffs (there is really no other word for it) about the oddity of the band Scouting for Girls putting out a 'greatest hits' album in which clearly (and he has a chart to prove it) most of the tracks weren't hits at all.
Some of the content of Too Much Information is pure grumpiness, as in the plea for Twitter users to gain some perspective and stop thinking it's funny or clever to change words by prefacing them with 'tw' to make them special-to-Twitter. People, he assures us, remain people, not 'tweeple' or (shudder) 'tweeps'. Elsewhere he comes up with a fascinating analysis of why all HTC mobile phones show a particular time in adverts, uncovers the bizarre ways that celebrities are exploited by (and exploit) the media and ponders the social impact of the 'next customer' separators we use on supermarket conveyor belts.
The stories, as they effectively are, range in length from just one page to at least ten, and often hit the spot, though with 40 different, loosely collected topics, the book can feel too bitty and lacking cohesion as you read through it. Even so, I found many of the subjects fascinating, some informative and almost all of them enjoyable.
If you've never taken the time to step back and think about what being in such a connected, information rich world does to us - and how people and companies try to manipulate us through that information - it really is time you did so. And Dave Gorman is here to be a grumpy guide to that voyage of discovery.
May 5, 2019
I am a big Dave Gorman fan, but I struggled with this book. It felt long-winded and full of blather (I think that was partly the point though!) I suspect it works better in audio format - it felt like chunks of rant from one of his radio shows, but written down and just going on for a little bit too long.
Probably a good one for people who like to pick books up and dip in and out of them over long periods of time though.
Probably a good one for people who like to pick books up and dip in and out of them over long periods of time though.
June 27, 2021
Another entertaining read from Dave Gorman , which had me sniggering on more than one occasion. If you've seen "Modern Life is Goodish", then you'll have an idea of what to expect from this book (in fact, I recall his rant about Scouting For Girls greatest hits from his series & it appears here pretty much as I remember it).
It's an amusing read that looks at the absurdities of the internet, from suspicious adverts, fake Twitter accounts (as a non-Twitter user I can safely say I'll NEVER poke my toes in that murky water) & dubious links....the only thing that was missing for me was one of Dave's "Found Poems".
It's an amusing read that looks at the absurdities of the internet, from suspicious adverts, fake Twitter accounts (as a non-Twitter user I can safely say I'll NEVER poke my toes in that murky water) & dubious links....the only thing that was missing for me was one of Dave's "Found Poems".
January 16, 2022
A light read, which was good to dip in and out of, some of it seemed less relevant e.g. news, social media etc. purely for the fact I’ve withdrawn from those. But there were some funny observations (greatest hits, books over kindles etc)
March 28, 2018
A good toilet book. I like Gorman's style analysing popular culture systematically, to ridicule its values. This book reads like a literary extension of his TV programme - Modern Life is Goodish, unlike the TV programme which is mostly average, the book is more entertaining though it does have an undercurrent of the same sort of mischief he does in the show.
He calls out The Daily Mail's abject voyeurism of celebrities and their children. The fallacy of "matching" outfits, which are no more matching than a reptile and mammal are matching creatures, being members of the kingdom of Animalia. His swipe at the gutter press, this means you The Mail, is appreciated as this shitrag is not even worth wiping your arse on, given that your shit is more noble and would be defiled by such an act. Mail online is all about getting clicks on their stories, veracity or content comes later. So this leads to a picture being on every story, even if it's a picture of an apple, not even the same apple in the story, just a random one. Ok rant over.
I felt nostalgic on the section about Killing in the Name being downloaded to prevent the X Factor winner from getting the number 1 spot. I also felt slightly silly finishing this chapter as I was all for this scheme (I didn't buy any records) at the time, but Gorman argues well that such an act is ultimately pointless and probably pushed up the sales of the rival single, more than they would have been otherwise. That aside, it was quite pleasurable delivering a "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!", to Cowell's smug reptilian face.
I also liked his gripes with the make up industry, who use dodgy statistics to back up their spurious claims- something which I have also noticed. They small sample sizes which are rather strange e.g. 99 or 84 women. They probably massage the figures by removing women who didn't like the product, improving the percentage. Often the surveys aren't even backing up the products attributes but stating that women want a foundation that lasts long. Woefully, in one ad less than half of the women agreed that their lips were "voluptuous" after using some lipgloss.
I agree with his frustration at the "Buzzfeedification" of news sites . Journalists writing click baity titles and pointless ranking lists to attract those precious ad clicks. Spam and dishonest ads have definitely made the internet a lot worse.
As an aside the chapter entitled "Some Things Can Be Put to a Public Vote and Some Things Really Can't", was ominously prophetic , though here it is about choosing the most deserving charity. He concludes that's it's best not to acquiesce to people who ask you to retweet about their charity run etc. If he does them for one, he'll have to do them for everyone. Otherwise he has to pick and choose the most deserving cause.
The best chapter is one about John Lewis releasing a preview for their Christmas advert. In essence, an advert for an advert as Gorman puts it. This advert has somehow become a staple of the festive season. What a vacuous time to be alive.
He calls out The Daily Mail's abject voyeurism of celebrities and their children. The fallacy of "matching" outfits, which are no more matching than a reptile and mammal are matching creatures, being members of the kingdom of Animalia. His swipe at the gutter press, this means you The Mail, is appreciated as this shitrag is not even worth wiping your arse on, given that your shit is more noble and would be defiled by such an act. Mail online is all about getting clicks on their stories, veracity or content comes later. So this leads to a picture being on every story, even if it's a picture of an apple, not even the same apple in the story, just a random one. Ok rant over.
I felt nostalgic on the section about Killing in the Name being downloaded to prevent the X Factor winner from getting the number 1 spot. I also felt slightly silly finishing this chapter as I was all for this scheme (I didn't buy any records) at the time, but Gorman argues well that such an act is ultimately pointless and probably pushed up the sales of the rival single, more than they would have been otherwise. That aside, it was quite pleasurable delivering a "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!", to Cowell's smug reptilian face.
I also liked his gripes with the make up industry, who use dodgy statistics to back up their spurious claims- something which I have also noticed. They small sample sizes which are rather strange e.g. 99 or 84 women. They probably massage the figures by removing women who didn't like the product, improving the percentage. Often the surveys aren't even backing up the products attributes but stating that women want a foundation that lasts long. Woefully, in one ad less than half of the women agreed that their lips were "voluptuous" after using some lipgloss.
I agree with his frustration at the "Buzzfeedification" of news sites . Journalists writing click baity titles and pointless ranking lists to attract those precious ad clicks. Spam and dishonest ads have definitely made the internet a lot worse.
As an aside the chapter entitled "Some Things Can Be Put to a Public Vote and Some Things Really Can't", was ominously prophetic , though here it is about choosing the most deserving charity. He concludes that's it's best not to acquiesce to people who ask you to retweet about their charity run etc. If he does them for one, he'll have to do them for everyone. Otherwise he has to pick and choose the most deserving cause.
The best chapter is one about John Lewis releasing a preview for their Christmas advert. In essence, an advert for an advert as Gorman puts it. This advert has somehow become a staple of the festive season. What a vacuous time to be alive.
February 27, 2018
The modern philosophers Blur taught us many years ago that Modern Life is Rubbish, but why dwell on the bleak? If you want to get depressed you only need switch on the news or look out the window. Reading should be an escape from the politics and the opinions, a daft place of high fantasy and new lives. Reading an increasingly grumpy comedian’s petty observations is not what I want to be doing with my free time.
Dave Gorman is back and this time he is staying put. His days of dashing hither and thither are over. He is now a man of a certain age and wants just to stay put and tell the people how it is. ‘Too Much Information’ is his soapbox on which to stand and rail against the machine that is life. Why is the internet? Who is the website? This is a book of seemingly random rants on all the petty things that get on Gorman’s wick.
Hark back to the days of ‘Are you Dave Gorman?’ and you may remember a book about an eccentric and fun young man looking for his namesake in the days of the early internet. As time has progressed Gorman has Googlewhacked and been on an adventure in American. Each book has been later in his life and traces his decline into grumpy old man. ‘America Unchained’ in particular suffered greatly from being a little bad natured and curmudgeonly. ‘Much Information’ takes Gorman’s bleak outlook even further and with no “fun bet” narrative to lighten up the mood, this is a slightly depressing read for a book that is meant to be comedic.
‘Much Information’ is more like the modern collections of articles you get; a series of better magazine clippings put together. Gorman may spend 4 pages highlighting an incongruity in website design. The type of thing that you would see on ‘Grumpy Old Men/Women’ back in the day. The problem is that these issues seem so petty. If Gorman is really bothered by this stuff he must spend a lot of his life moaning. The dark clouds that gathered in ‘Unchained’ have become a permanent raincloud by this point.
The book is also not helped by how rapidly it has dated. Technology dates fast and so does observations on it. Although only 3 years old, this book already feels like it is talking about some topics that are no longer relevant. I hope that Gorman takes a walk outside sometime soon and smells the fresh air; perhaps then he can get some perspective and enjoy life a little more.
Dave Gorman is back and this time he is staying put. His days of dashing hither and thither are over. He is now a man of a certain age and wants just to stay put and tell the people how it is. ‘Too Much Information’ is his soapbox on which to stand and rail against the machine that is life. Why is the internet? Who is the website? This is a book of seemingly random rants on all the petty things that get on Gorman’s wick.
Hark back to the days of ‘Are you Dave Gorman?’ and you may remember a book about an eccentric and fun young man looking for his namesake in the days of the early internet. As time has progressed Gorman has Googlewhacked and been on an adventure in American. Each book has been later in his life and traces his decline into grumpy old man. ‘America Unchained’ in particular suffered greatly from being a little bad natured and curmudgeonly. ‘Much Information’ takes Gorman’s bleak outlook even further and with no “fun bet” narrative to lighten up the mood, this is a slightly depressing read for a book that is meant to be comedic.
‘Much Information’ is more like the modern collections of articles you get; a series of better magazine clippings put together. Gorman may spend 4 pages highlighting an incongruity in website design. The type of thing that you would see on ‘Grumpy Old Men/Women’ back in the day. The problem is that these issues seem so petty. If Gorman is really bothered by this stuff he must spend a lot of his life moaning. The dark clouds that gathered in ‘Unchained’ have become a permanent raincloud by this point.
The book is also not helped by how rapidly it has dated. Technology dates fast and so does observations on it. Although only 3 years old, this book already feels like it is talking about some topics that are no longer relevant. I hope that Gorman takes a walk outside sometime soon and smells the fresh air; perhaps then he can get some perspective and enjoy life a little more.
September 7, 2014
This is a laugh-out loud funny book which covers a variety of different aspects of modern life and the way in which information is presented to us, the masses.
Set across 40 chapters, a few postscripts, numerous footnotes, an epilogue and an epi-epilologue the subjects covered range from advertising to Twitter to the Daily Mail. I've always been a fan of Dave's work - whether it's any of his shows or books - and I always find him easy to relate to. He's very much the voice of an ordinary man and where once he would be in extra-ordinary situations, he's now more settled into a role of Information Overseer. Someone who takes the time to watch what's going on around him and ask the questions that need to be asked.
You will have seen some of it, to a certain extent, if you've watched any of Modern Life Is Good(ish) but that doesn't ruin any of the fun - in the same way that the book of the Googlewhack Adventure is different to the show of the Googlewhack Adventure, this expands on things you may have seen as well as delivering fresh new things.
As someone who enjoys this sort of thing no end, this book is so far up my street that it has moved in next door and has already come round to borrow some sugar and is eyeing up my lawnmower. Each chapter is a nugget of joy and many of them have left me thankful that I am not the only person who has been troubled by a particular facet of modern life.
This is very much a book for anyone who lives now. As much as Caitlin Moran's How To Be A Woman was seen as a guidebook to understanding female life, this one should be essential reading for anyone who uses the internet, watches TV or has ever read a newspaper.
Excellent stuff.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm just off to do a Google Image search for Jesus...
Set across 40 chapters, a few postscripts, numerous footnotes, an epilogue and an epi-epilologue the subjects covered range from advertising to Twitter to the Daily Mail. I've always been a fan of Dave's work - whether it's any of his shows or books - and I always find him easy to relate to. He's very much the voice of an ordinary man and where once he would be in extra-ordinary situations, he's now more settled into a role of Information Overseer. Someone who takes the time to watch what's going on around him and ask the questions that need to be asked.
You will have seen some of it, to a certain extent, if you've watched any of Modern Life Is Good(ish) but that doesn't ruin any of the fun - in the same way that the book of the Googlewhack Adventure is different to the show of the Googlewhack Adventure, this expands on things you may have seen as well as delivering fresh new things.
As someone who enjoys this sort of thing no end, this book is so far up my street that it has moved in next door and has already come round to borrow some sugar and is eyeing up my lawnmower. Each chapter is a nugget of joy and many of them have left me thankful that I am not the only person who has been troubled by a particular facet of modern life.
This is very much a book for anyone who lives now. As much as Caitlin Moran's How To Be A Woman was seen as a guidebook to understanding female life, this one should be essential reading for anyone who uses the internet, watches TV or has ever read a newspaper.
Excellent stuff.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm just off to do a Google Image search for Jesus...
November 30, 2014
Really enjoyed this book. A quick read and mirrors a lot of my own thoughts about the information we receive in print and electronically on a day to day basis. I especially enjoyed his view on the Daily Express headlines, as I often felt the same but Dave Gorman explained it in such a brilliant way, along with back up! The crazy way we all share information, how mad spamming actually is and how social media now impacts lives.
This book shows up the craziness we are currently living in with the technological age we are finding ourselves in. Yes some aspects of life with technology are great but there is also a flip side, are we sharing too much information? Are we taking on too much information? In this current age are we at at point where we cannot actually concentrate and focus on one thing as that may be deemed 'boring' or 'slow' or we are seen unable to 'multi task'. I started to think how this will impact on the next generation, as en educator I often see that children expect to be entertained, that they often cannot focus for long wanting to switch activities before giving the first activity a chance. Children are often in a place where they cannot make their own entertainment and then are 'bored'. A huge worry as we move forward.
Ok so this review is deep but I think it is always healthy to reflect after a book and this showed up some flaws in my own life, as an avid lover of information and tech I could see the path I was heading down.
Worth a read.
This book shows up the craziness we are currently living in with the technological age we are finding ourselves in. Yes some aspects of life with technology are great but there is also a flip side, are we sharing too much information? Are we taking on too much information? In this current age are we at at point where we cannot actually concentrate and focus on one thing as that may be deemed 'boring' or 'slow' or we are seen unable to 'multi task'. I started to think how this will impact on the next generation, as en educator I often see that children expect to be entertained, that they often cannot focus for long wanting to switch activities before giving the first activity a chance. Children are often in a place where they cannot make their own entertainment and then are 'bored'. A huge worry as we move forward.
Ok so this review is deep but I think it is always healthy to reflect after a book and this showed up some flaws in my own life, as an avid lover of information and tech I could see the path I was heading down.
Worth a read.
May 1, 2016
Overview
I adore British comedy. It is my sort of humour to a tee (shocker I know, considering I am British). I am very slowly making my way through the books that various comedians have written and this is the first that is not a memoir. Don't get me wrong, I adored the memoirs of Dara, Kevin and Dawn but this was a book of comedy. It was something great because of this. I could picture Dave Gorman on a stage doing this as a show. Don't get me wrong a lot of Kevin Bridges book would fit perfectly into his stand up shows but this is 100% a stand up show lengthened and in book form.
Dave Gorman with his trademark dryness takes on various topics some which you will have found yourself thinking yourself and others that are so unique to the man himself. I would highly recommend his stand up as well as this book.
I adore British comedy. It is my sort of humour to a tee (shocker I know, considering I am British). I am very slowly making my way through the books that various comedians have written and this is the first that is not a memoir. Don't get me wrong, I adored the memoirs of Dara, Kevin and Dawn but this was a book of comedy. It was something great because of this. I could picture Dave Gorman on a stage doing this as a show. Don't get me wrong a lot of Kevin Bridges book would fit perfectly into his stand up shows but this is 100% a stand up show lengthened and in book form.
Dave Gorman with his trademark dryness takes on various topics some which you will have found yourself thinking yourself and others that are so unique to the man himself. I would highly recommend his stand up as well as this book.
February 16, 2015
Because Mr Gorman seems to live for researching things on the Internet, using resulting material in his shows then my review is thus:
A brilliant read, I laughed so hard in places I nearly wet myself. You must go out and buy this book, for yourself and every family member / friend / acquaintance.
Psst: Confession time. I did not read this version, I listened to the audio book. Delivered by the man himself, I get the feeling that this offered much needed flavour to what could have been simply a regurgitation of many of the jokes and observations Mr Gorman has been using for some years. That said, he did get a few gaffaws out of me.
A brilliant read, I laughed so hard in places I nearly wet myself. You must go out and buy this book, for yourself and every family member / friend / acquaintance.
Psst: Confession time. I did not read this version, I listened to the audio book. Delivered by the man himself, I get the feeling that this offered much needed flavour to what could have been simply a regurgitation of many of the jokes and observations Mr Gorman has been using for some years. That said, he did get a few gaffaws out of me.
March 29, 2018
If ever there was a book with a most suitable title this is it.
It starts off well with some great observations on the miscellany of life but, about half way through, starts to get repetitive and ultimately dull. It’s as if Dave Gorman was told by his publishers that he had to fill a certain number of pages to publish this book, so he filled it with second rate twaddle that doesn’t truly reflect the pithiness of the first half of the book.
Funny in places but, ironically, ultimately contains Too Much Information.
It starts off well with some great observations on the miscellany of life but, about half way through, starts to get repetitive and ultimately dull. It’s as if Dave Gorman was told by his publishers that he had to fill a certain number of pages to publish this book, so he filled it with second rate twaddle that doesn’t truly reflect the pithiness of the first half of the book.
Funny in places but, ironically, ultimately contains Too Much Information.
March 1, 2020
Started in a promising way, but soon it degenerated into the author just complaining about pointless issues. My take out of the book is: While complaining can be very entertaining, hearing someone complaining is unbearable.
Things that annoy the author include: American movies having all phone numbers starting with 555, when that code doesn't exist. Incorrect use of the term identical/matching. People using the bar to separate each person's groceries while checking out.
Things that annoy the author include: American movies having all phone numbers starting with 555, when that code doesn't exist. Incorrect use of the term identical/matching. People using the bar to separate each person's groceries while checking out.
June 1, 2023
I’ve been a Dave Gorman fan for quite some time now (there’s actually a funny story that I could tell you about that, and so it should come as no surprise that I enjoyed this one. Perhaps the thing that impressed me the most was the fact that it didn’t feel dated, despite the fact that it takes a look at technology and social networking and is ten years old or so.
The idea here is pretty simple. Gorman points out that we’re all being overwhelmed by too much information, and his stated goal is to investigate some of these information sources one by one to figure out what truth (if any) lies behind it. Along the way, he tackles everything from sponsored tweets to newspaper headlines, with one memorable section taking a look at how often the Daily Express runs the same headlines over and over again.
First and foremost, Gorman is a comedian, and so it’s interesting to read a book like this where he blends satirical comedy with a serious look at the society in which we live. It’s also forward-thinking to a certain extent, because I think that we’re more aware of the problems with the prevalence of information today than we were back when he wrote and published it.
Now, I don’t think you’re going to find anything particularly ground-breaking here, but it can certainly be eye-opening at times, and it’s written in a way that makes it easy to whizz through and to enjoy. I also quite like the irony that in some ways, he’s just contributing to the excess of information that he’s so against in the first place.
I still prefer his travel writing in which he heads off on improbable missions, such as when he tried to meet 54 other people called Dave Gorman, but this was fun too. I’d recommend it to non-fiction readers.
The idea here is pretty simple. Gorman points out that we’re all being overwhelmed by too much information, and his stated goal is to investigate some of these information sources one by one to figure out what truth (if any) lies behind it. Along the way, he tackles everything from sponsored tweets to newspaper headlines, with one memorable section taking a look at how often the Daily Express runs the same headlines over and over again.
First and foremost, Gorman is a comedian, and so it’s interesting to read a book like this where he blends satirical comedy with a serious look at the society in which we live. It’s also forward-thinking to a certain extent, because I think that we’re more aware of the problems with the prevalence of information today than we were back when he wrote and published it.
Now, I don’t think you’re going to find anything particularly ground-breaking here, but it can certainly be eye-opening at times, and it’s written in a way that makes it easy to whizz through and to enjoy. I also quite like the irony that in some ways, he’s just contributing to the excess of information that he’s so against in the first place.
I still prefer his travel writing in which he heads off on improbable missions, such as when he tried to meet 54 other people called Dave Gorman, but this was fun too. I’d recommend it to non-fiction readers.
Read
January 18, 2025Published in 2014, this feels weirdly current and relevant but slightly out-of-date, such is the half-life of technology & cultural change. That said, I like Gorman's writing, so he is still funny and insightful in talking about the perils of the information age ...
I’m going to classify this as ‘Tech’, because of the frequent mention of the internet and social media, but really it’s a much broader swipe at modern (c.2014) information overload. In his inimitable way Gorman collects an eclectic range of anecdotes and examples for his ‘bonfire of inanities’, with online newspapers, social media platforms, marketeers, and celebrity culture getting particular attention. Without using the phrase, this is much about the ‘dumbing-down’ of communication as the volume and ubiquity of information. Of course Gorman’s threshold for annoyance and doggedness (almost OCD-like?) in investigating anomalies is mostly for comic effect, but I feel that if he is doing the research then I don’t need to! DG and me are of a similar vintage, so we remember and trust analogue, and therefore approach technology and new media with a more cynical and selective attitude. Digital natives have a different challenge and - I hope - different skills, but everyone needs to step away from the distractions and noise sometimes, focus on real things, and think for themselves.
I’m going to classify this as ‘Tech’, because of the frequent mention of the internet and social media, but really it’s a much broader swipe at modern (c.2014) information overload. In his inimitable way Gorman collects an eclectic range of anecdotes and examples for his ‘bonfire of inanities’, with online newspapers, social media platforms, marketeers, and celebrity culture getting particular attention. Without using the phrase, this is much about the ‘dumbing-down’ of communication as the volume and ubiquity of information. Of course Gorman’s threshold for annoyance and doggedness (almost OCD-like?) in investigating anomalies is mostly for comic effect, but I feel that if he is doing the research then I don’t need to! DG and me are of a similar vintage, so we remember and trust analogue, and therefore approach technology and new media with a more cynical and selective attitude. Digital natives have a different challenge and - I hope - different skills, but everyone needs to step away from the distractions and noise sometimes, focus on real things, and think for themselves.
October 29, 2024
Too Much Information by Dave Gorman is a brilliantly hilarious and incisive look into how the modern world bombards us with overwhelming, often absurd, information. Gorman’s observations are sharp, relatable, and, at times, painfully accurate. He has a knack for unveiling the absurdity in everyday interactions and the bizarre ways that marketing, media, and online trends shape our understanding—or misunderstanding—of the world around us.
With wit and a healthy dose of scepticism, Gorman demonstrates how easy it is to fall for the so-called “information” pushed at us, especially when critical thinking is limited. His humorous takes on these scenarios had me both laughing and reflecting on how much I take at face value without real scrutiny. There’s something Orwellian about it, reminiscent of 1984’s take on media manipulation—except here, it’s sports stats, sensational headlines, and a relentless digital deluge instead of Big Brother.
In essence, Too Much Information is a perfect reminder to question, laugh at, and sometimes outright reject the tidal wave of “knowledge” we’re fed daily.
With wit and a healthy dose of scepticism, Gorman demonstrates how easy it is to fall for the so-called “information” pushed at us, especially when critical thinking is limited. His humorous takes on these scenarios had me both laughing and reflecting on how much I take at face value without real scrutiny. There’s something Orwellian about it, reminiscent of 1984’s take on media manipulation—except here, it’s sports stats, sensational headlines, and a relentless digital deluge instead of Big Brother.
In essence, Too Much Information is a perfect reminder to question, laugh at, and sometimes outright reject the tidal wave of “knowledge” we’re fed daily.
March 10, 2018
This was a fun read, with Dave very much in his ‘Modern Life is Goodish’ persona of examining and analysing the strange vagaries of life under his own investigative microscope.
He focuses here on the modern information overload we’re all exposed to in the media - TV ads, the internet, newspaper headlines, tweeting and pop music, and uncovers the weird and wonderful ways we’re often subconsciously manipulated and cajoled.
As a reader, you soon find yourself nodding agreement at many of the familiar themes he explores, and there are certainly some laugh out loud moments! I loved the stuff about the not-so-greatest hits albums - and the insane and complex world of internet algorithms.
I found it strange though that he felt he needed to explain to me who Michael Fagin is (and why he’s famous) - but then went on to assume I knew what ‘Cillit Bang’ was (which I’d never heard of before). Maybe it’s an age thing!
All in all though, a very entertaining read, and lots of information that will get you looking at the media and the world in a slightly more cynically-aware way.
He focuses here on the modern information overload we’re all exposed to in the media - TV ads, the internet, newspaper headlines, tweeting and pop music, and uncovers the weird and wonderful ways we’re often subconsciously manipulated and cajoled.
As a reader, you soon find yourself nodding agreement at many of the familiar themes he explores, and there are certainly some laugh out loud moments! I loved the stuff about the not-so-greatest hits albums - and the insane and complex world of internet algorithms.
I found it strange though that he felt he needed to explain to me who Michael Fagin is (and why he’s famous) - but then went on to assume I knew what ‘Cillit Bang’ was (which I’d never heard of before). Maybe it’s an age thing!
All in all though, a very entertaining read, and lots of information that will get you looking at the media and the world in a slightly more cynically-aware way.
June 24, 2021
Dave Gorman is, in my humble opinion, a pretty good observational stand-up comedian. I like his television shows and, were he to tour near me and I was free, I would be happy to pay to attend a live gig. So not really a massive fan, but I generally think he is good.
This book sold itself on the basis that Dave Gorman was the author, I like his comedy and, to be brutally honest, it was on offer. The content reads like it was the working material for one of his TV shows, and I think I recall some of it from his shows on the UK satellite TV station "Dave". There may have been a whole series based on this material: in fact, it may have been presented on PowerPoint - a tool that Dave Gorman uses very effectively in his comedy.
The observations are astute and the humour derived from the observations is wry (rather than belly-laugh material), although I did laugh out loud on a number of occasions. This book is a very entertaining way to while away a long journey, or to relax to. I would recommend it.
This book sold itself on the basis that Dave Gorman was the author, I like his comedy and, to be brutally honest, it was on offer. The content reads like it was the working material for one of his TV shows, and I think I recall some of it from his shows on the UK satellite TV station "Dave". There may have been a whole series based on this material: in fact, it may have been presented on PowerPoint - a tool that Dave Gorman uses very effectively in his comedy.
The observations are astute and the humour derived from the observations is wry (rather than belly-laugh material), although I did laugh out loud on a number of occasions. This book is a very entertaining way to while away a long journey, or to relax to. I would recommend it.
February 2, 2022
You're listening to a longform version of his regular content, otherwise it has little to offer. I expected from the title and knowing only tangentially about him to get some advice on getting overwhelmed by processing information, but got massive doses of boomer energy instead.
Though some of his thoughts are useful, I feel that he's not nearly as smart as he seems to think. I, with basic school education at 16, could have told you the same things. Also, for a man who seems to tout freedom of expression and the virtue in variety at every turn, he has an uncanny schadenfreude for those who think differently than himself. We get it - you grew up before Windows 98 was invented... somehow I'm supposed to care deeply about how the world's changed since then. Daresay feel sad.
Instead, he seems to mostly complain about adverts and why honouring copyrights ruins movies whilst also being a decade out of date at this point. The fact he acts surprised - incredulous, even - at the most inane of internet phenomena is grating. Don't bother if you're under the age of 40.
Though some of his thoughts are useful, I feel that he's not nearly as smart as he seems to think. I, with basic school education at 16, could have told you the same things. Also, for a man who seems to tout freedom of expression and the virtue in variety at every turn, he has an uncanny schadenfreude for those who think differently than himself. We get it - you grew up before Windows 98 was invented... somehow I'm supposed to care deeply about how the world's changed since then. Daresay feel sad.
Instead, he seems to mostly complain about adverts and why honouring copyrights ruins movies whilst also being a decade out of date at this point. The fact he acts surprised - incredulous, even - at the most inane of internet phenomena is grating. Don't bother if you're under the age of 40.
August 21, 2017
While it's clearly written for entertainment, I actually found this book thought-provoking more than anything else. The author points out so many silly things that we just take for granted as part of our modern lives, it really makes you wonder why seemingly no-one (except him obviously) seems to take the time to think about these things. My personal favourites were the chapter about TV ads that basically admit in their own small print that what they are saying isn't true, and the one where he actually follows up on a spam comment on his blog, embarrassing the people who had unwittingly hired the spammer through a third party. You might not agree with everything he has to say (personally I think that being able to find a book based on nothing but a recollection of some vague detail inside it is a very useful feature) but he tackles so many different subjects that there's bound to be something of interest to most people. A fun and engaging read.
August 24, 2018
I enjoyed the book and Mr Gorman's 'Modern Life is Goodish' on Dave, there's slight overlap between the content but not enough to spoil either.
Mr Gorman's shtick is what it is and whilst he touches on some of the less savoury elements to media, tech and the internet in particular, there is barely a hint of disappointment, let alone outrage, at the use to which these omnipresent elements of modern life are put. I'm not looking for a Brookeresque diatribe but I think he could be a little more scathing about some of the practices he must have encountered whilst researching the book.
Mr Gorman's shtick is what it is and whilst he touches on some of the less savoury elements to media, tech and the internet in particular, there is barely a hint of disappointment, let alone outrage, at the use to which these omnipresent elements of modern life are put. I'm not looking for a Brookeresque diatribe but I think he could be a little more scathing about some of the practices he must have encountered whilst researching the book.
October 25, 2018
So it feels like one of those Collections of columnist articles for the year (it might be but gave no hint at it and I can’t be arsed to google) Which You are meant to read and enjoy until something else comes along rather. It’s front loaded the first have was fantastic, a laugh a minute along side some good and valid points.
Then it starts to lose steam The premises start to feel a lot weaker and like someone trying to justify a grip they only just realised they had in order to pad the word count out.
I love his stuff and it’s worth a read but it’s not all gold.
Then it starts to lose steam The premises start to feel a lot weaker and like someone trying to justify a grip they only just realised they had in order to pad the word count out.
I love his stuff and it’s worth a read but it’s not all gold.
May 13, 2019
I've been reading about information overload and media saturation, so I picked up this book. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting. Apparently, the author is a celebrity in Britain, however I was not informed. It's not a bad book, it's enjoyable. The examples are a little too british, so I missed out on some things. I think the biggest downside for a reader like me is it's lack of focus on having "too much information", he really questions the quality of media, and frequently goes on rants (his view on Greatest Hits albums, for example). Fun read, not what I wanted.
January 30, 2019
An enjoyable and eye-opening journey through the world of yesterday with some chilling consequences for the future. While some of the references were a bit dated (not the book's fault, I'm sure it was up to date when it came out in 2014) the implications were no less frightening and I don't think I'll ever be able to look at a watch advert in the same way again. Extremely fascinating content presented in a way that will delight and educate in equal measure.
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