The Ellis Laws

by Bob Ellis

In these witty, outrageous ten laws, the well-beloved gadfly, sage and wordsmith Bob Ellis investigates dislocation and security, competence and charisma, youth and old age. He explains why bicycles encourage premarital sex, moving house too many times drives humans mad, 'the rising price of a roof ' is the root of all economic evil, and, most ominously, 'power flows to the most boring man in the room'. He alleges, pretty persuasively, that all CEOs – except, perhaps, George Lucas – should be sacked, fined or imprisoned.

This is a book to cherish, re-read and pass on to generations less informed of how humans were at the turn of the millennium, and how much they got wrong.

Genres: Nonfiction

96 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2014

About the author

Robert James "Bob" Ellis (10 May 1942 – 3 April 2016[1]) was an Australian writer, journalist, filmmaker and political commentator. He was a student at the University of Sydney at the same time as other notable Australians including Clive James, Germaine Greer, Les Murray, John Bell, Ken Horler and Mungo McCallum. He lived in Sydney with the author and screenwriter Anne Brooksbank; they had three children.

Plays

The Legend of King O'Malley (1970) with Michael Boddy
Big Brother Dragon (1971) with Michael Boddy
Duke of Edinburgh Assassinated or The Vindication of Henry Parkes (1971) with Dick Hall
The Francis James Dossier (1973) – later The James Dossier (1975) – musical about Francis James
Whitlam Days (1975)
Down Under (1976) with Anne Brooksbank
A Very Good Year (1980)
Man, the musical (1990s) book and lyrics with Denny Lawrence, music by Chris Neal
A Local Man: A Play about Ben Chifley (2004) with Robin McLachlan
Shakespeare in Italy (2012) with Denny Lawrence
Intimate Strangers (unproduced) with Denny Lawrence

Screenplays

Newsfront (1978) with Anne Brooksbank
Fatty Finn (1980)
Maybe This Time (1980) with Anne Brooksbank
Goodbye Paradise (1983) with Denny Lawrence
Man of Flowers (1983) with Paul Cox
The Winds of Jarrah (1983)
My First Wife (1984) with Paul Cox
Unfinished Business (1985) – also directed
Top Kid (1985) (TV) with John Hepworth
The Paper Boy (1985) (TV) with John Hepworth
Cactus (1986) with Paul Cox
The Gilles Republic (1986) (TV)
Bullseye (1987)
Perhaps Love (1987) (TV)
True Believers (1988) (TV)
Warm Nights on a Slow Moving Train (1988) – also directed
Gilles and Company (1992) (TV)
Dreaming of Lords (1993) with Ernie Dingo – also directed
The Nostradamus Kid (1993) – also directed
Ebbtide (1994)
Wildside (1998) Episode 24
Bastards from the Bush, A Journey with Bob Ellis and Les Murray (1998) – documentary
Infamous Victory: Ben Chifley's Battle for Coal (2008) – documentary

Novels

Mad Dog Morgan (1976) – novelisation of film with Anne Brooksbank
Fatty Finn (1980) – based on his film script
Top Kid (1985) – novelisation with John Hepworth of his script
The Paper Boy (1985) -novelisation with John Hepworth of his script
The Hewson tapes : a secret history, perhaps, of our times (1993) – fictionalised diary of John Hewson
The Season (1996) – with Roy Masters

Non-fiction

The Things We Did Last Summer: An Election Journal – account of the Australian federal election, 1983
Two weeks in another country : a journal of the 1983 British election – account of the United Kingdom general election, 1983
Letters to the Future (1987) – collection of writings from 1969–87
The Inessential Ellis (1992) – collection of writings
Goodbye Jerusalem : night thoughts of a Labor outsider (1997) – writings centred on the history of the Australian Labor Party up to the Australian federal election, 1996
First abolish the customer: 202 arguments against economic rationalism (1998)
So it goes : essays, broadcasts, speeches 1987–1999 (1999)
Goodbye Babylon : further journeys in time and politics (2002)
Night thoughts in time of war (2004)
And so it went: night thoughts in a year of change (2009) – events around the Australian federal election, 2007
The capitalism delusion : how global economics wrecked everything and what to do about it (2009)
One hundred days of summer : how we got to where we are (2010)
Suddenly, last winter : an election diary (2010) – diary of the Australian federal election, 2010

Acting

I Own the Racecourse (1985) – film
The Human Behan (1995–96) – play
Waiting for Godot (2000) – play

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good short read which gave me plenty of reasons to smirk, nod and a few outright laughs. Having worked for a period in organisations which are ruled by committees I particularly enjoyed the 'power gravitates to the most boring person in the room' law. I can recount several times where I have with-held objection to a poor decision to avoid prolonging a mind-numbing conversation.
The 'source of madness being too frequent change of address' also resonated with me considering I nearly lost my sanity after several months of traveling. That anyone over 6 foot 2 will always be forgiven works nicely in my favour..

[pHil · Rating 5 out of 5]

A group of great laws. Some of them should apply to work. Rule 10 hit home as been going through my dad's dementia as it got worse after mum died.

[Joel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beginning with a somewhat self-indulgent title, The Ellis Laws is a collection of ten apparently "witty, outrageous" so-called laws of modern life. While some of Ellis' suggestions are on-point, his loose style of anecdotal referencing leaves a lot to be desired. Though Ellis successfully outlines ironies and hypocrisies, he is rarely as humourous as the book's blurb suggests. Rather, he is merely a peddler of folk wisdom wrapped up in a fairly competent knowledge of history and politics. It is a relief that The Ellis Laws clocks in at a mere 96 pages and can be read in a single sitting.

[Gisela · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very easy and entertaining read. Thought-provoking in parts. Simply provocative for the sake of being provocative in others. And that's OK. That's Bob Ellis.

And, to my surprise, some great advice on switching off technology and dealing with modern-day chronic insomnia. I can vouch for the effectiveness of his suggestion about using radio (not just any kind of radio programme) to deal with those awful nights when you can't get to sleep in the first place or when you wake up mid-morning and stay awake for ages.

[Nicky Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining snippets of "oh yeah that is totally true, Bob's observations on modern life are both funny but also eerily relatable. He grabbed me from the very first law - power flows to the most boring man in the room, and from there went on to charisma being a sign of incompetence and sleeplessness being the cause of disorder around the world, amongst other laws. Only 84 pages, it makes for a good, quick summer read.

[Kris McCracken · Rating 2 out of 5]

A slight volume that more resembles trolling than the work of a considered essayist. I can't say that I agree with all of these, but can support Mr Ellis's assertion that, "All CEOs should be sacked, fined or imprisoned."

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

My review in full here: http://www.creativeshed.com/2014/12/r... - but overall found it an enjoyable read that resonated with me.

[Susan Wishart]

If you want a literary essay don't bother with this little book, but if you like a good laugh and something to make you think, this is vintage Ellis.

[Nez · Rating 3 out of 5]

twas funny