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The Holy Vible: The Book the Bible Could Have Been
'Elis and John are my go-to place when I need a bloody good laugh. Properly funny!' Sarah Millican
Comedians Elis James and John Robins have captured the hearts and minds of a generation, and it's time those hearts and minds had a book.
Elis and John met in 2005 performing stand-up comedy in a pub called The Yellow Kangaroo in Cardiff. They eyed each other suspiciously before Robins offered the limpest handshake in the history of the world.
'It was a power play,' says Robins. 'I may even have raised it for him to kiss.'
James 'It was one of the weirdest things I'd ever experienced, but having known John now for over a decade, it was the tip of the iceberg. I can honestly say he's the oddest man I've ever met.'
Little did they know that ten years later they would be presenting a radio show together that would make them comedy royalty...
Ok, radio comedy royalty...Ok, commercial digital indie radio royalty...But with a podcast!
Now, The Elis James and John Robins' Show has become cult listening, and that cult has registered for charitable status, published quarterly accounts and been given a full blessing by the Archbishop of Broadcasting. It's Elis and John are a religion, and this book is their Holy Vible.
Have you ever failed to Keep It Session? Is your new flatmate a complete coin? Have you ever eaten Space Raiders on the toilet and written 'Grief Is Living' in your journal? Then this book is for you. If not, don't worry, it won't be long before you're making up games, looking at Freddie, or facing your own personal farthing-gate.
Our obsessions make us what we are, and though you may never have addressed a will to Brian May or cried watching Ronnie O' Sullivan make a 147, you'll have done something similar, and Elis and John are here to tell you that you're not weird, so come on in, and taste the vibe! Or should I say, READ the vibe!
Comedians Elis James and John Robins have captured the hearts and minds of a generation, and it's time those hearts and minds had a book.
Elis and John met in 2005 performing stand-up comedy in a pub called The Yellow Kangaroo in Cardiff. They eyed each other suspiciously before Robins offered the limpest handshake in the history of the world.
'It was a power play,' says Robins. 'I may even have raised it for him to kiss.'
James 'It was one of the weirdest things I'd ever experienced, but having known John now for over a decade, it was the tip of the iceberg. I can honestly say he's the oddest man I've ever met.'
Little did they know that ten years later they would be presenting a radio show together that would make them comedy royalty...
Ok, radio comedy royalty...Ok, commercial digital indie radio royalty...But with a podcast!
Now, The Elis James and John Robins' Show has become cult listening, and that cult has registered for charitable status, published quarterly accounts and been given a full blessing by the Archbishop of Broadcasting. It's Elis and John are a religion, and this book is their Holy Vible.
Have you ever failed to Keep It Session? Is your new flatmate a complete coin? Have you ever eaten Space Raiders on the toilet and written 'Grief Is Living' in your journal? Then this book is for you. If not, don't worry, it won't be long before you're making up games, looking at Freddie, or facing your own personal farthing-gate.
Our obsessions make us what we are, and though you may never have addressed a will to Brian May or cried watching Ronnie O' Sullivan make a 147, you'll have done something similar, and Elis and John are here to tell you that you're not weird, so come on in, and taste the vibe! Or should I say, READ the vibe!
304 pages, Hardcover
Published January 15, 2019
82 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
November 7, 2018
If you are a PCD, you will love it. Potato.
January 16, 2024
Elis & John = a vibe.
Elis & John write a book = how incredible vibey of them.
Elis & John narrate said book, with such levels of vibesyness, it is, you guessed it, the vibiest of vibes, the HOLIEST OF VIBLES!
4 very vibesy stars
Re-read/listen; 15-16th jan 2024
Always my comfort go to :)
Elis & John write a book = how incredible vibey of them.
Elis & John narrate said book, with such levels of vibesyness, it is, you guessed it, the vibiest of vibes, the HOLIEST OF VIBLES!
4 very vibesy stars
Re-read/listen; 15-16th jan 2024
Always my comfort go to :)
August 25, 2022
While it might not quite rank with John's Edinburgh award, Elis and John (and Producer Dave) have the rather dubious prestige of being the soundtrack to my anxiety, their podcast keeping me company into the early hours when my mind is really determined that sleep is not happening.
I have *such* a soft spot for these guys and could honestly enjoy listening to/reading them ramble on about anything for hours. Through John's high-strung precision, adoration of Queen and fondness of the tax year to Elis' ease and footballing devotion, they're as likeable as they are talented at producing #content. It perhaps isn't the deepest of dives (although John does touch on some darker aspects), but is a really enjoyable dive into what makes these men tick.
I have *such* a soft spot for these guys and could honestly enjoy listening to/reading them ramble on about anything for hours. Through John's high-strung precision, adoration of Queen and fondness of the tax year to Elis' ease and footballing devotion, they're as likeable as they are talented at producing #content. It perhaps isn't the deepest of dives (although John does touch on some darker aspects), but is a really enjoyable dive into what makes these men tick.
November 26, 2018
Quallo
September 11, 2022
Just listen to the podcasts. Its same material in its best format
April 8, 2019
Well, that was cutting it fine. A book with 26 chapters, one for each letter of the English language, finding a reason for me to have read it...in Chapter Z.
Here's where I went wrong with this. 'Oh, Elis James,' I thought. 'He's funny.' CLICK TO BUY.
Elis James IS funny. John Robins, the other half of this writing and duo, might be funny too for all I know (he's apparently an award-winning comic and he's a die-hard Queen fan, so it's not like he should be able to do much wrong). Where I went wrong is in never having heard the radio show or podcast from which this book is apparently an outgrowth, meaning I had different expectations to any that would have been helpful or realistic.
Add to that whole chapters expounding the delights of things that absolutely leave me cold - football, Gorky's Zygotic Mynki, the Welsh language, the pleasures of weak beer, Oxford pub crawls etc, and it's fair to say I found long swathes of this book tedious. Other chapters relating specifically to the personnel and make-up of their radio show were less tedious but I lacked the context to make them worth the read.
All in all, this is probably great fun if you're a regular listener. Not my particular cup of tea though. Mea Culpa.
Oh, and Z? Zappa, and where to start with him. Can honestly say I've never experienced Frank Zappa as anything but a legend, but John Robins makes a conpelling case for me to check him out, and gives what he promises, an accessible way to begin that exercise in out-checking. So for that, and for the chapter of which the authors seem least certain (a rip-off of The Prophet, by Khalil Gibran, which made me laugh), I can genuinely say I'm grateful to the book.
Here's where I went wrong with this. 'Oh, Elis James,' I thought. 'He's funny.' CLICK TO BUY.
Elis James IS funny. John Robins, the other half of this writing and duo, might be funny too for all I know (he's apparently an award-winning comic and he's a die-hard Queen fan, so it's not like he should be able to do much wrong). Where I went wrong is in never having heard the radio show or podcast from which this book is apparently an outgrowth, meaning I had different expectations to any that would have been helpful or realistic.
Add to that whole chapters expounding the delights of things that absolutely leave me cold - football, Gorky's Zygotic Mynki, the Welsh language, the pleasures of weak beer, Oxford pub crawls etc, and it's fair to say I found long swathes of this book tedious. Other chapters relating specifically to the personnel and make-up of their radio show were less tedious but I lacked the context to make them worth the read.
All in all, this is probably great fun if you're a regular listener. Not my particular cup of tea though. Mea Culpa.
Oh, and Z? Zappa, and where to start with him. Can honestly say I've never experienced Frank Zappa as anything but a legend, but John Robins makes a conpelling case for me to check him out, and gives what he promises, an accessible way to begin that exercise in out-checking. So for that, and for the chapter of which the authors seem least certain (a rip-off of The Prophet, by Khalil Gibran, which made me laugh), I can genuinely say I'm grateful to the book.
November 9, 2018
My favourite podcast in the whole wide world becomes – if not my favourite book in the whole wide world – then definitely a book. And a proper book: not a lazy cash-in, but a labour of love (Elis’s labour not quite as heavy as John’s) from the two greatest men in the world (except my dad and Tom Waits).
Individual chapters – typically written by one or the other – can be deeply beautiful, especially John’s on Queen and Oxford, and Elis’s on Gorky’s and the Welsh language, but my favourite bits are the interactions between the two, which is obviously the great joy of a double-act, and especially this one. Those are spotlighted in two chapters that consist purely of comic riffs – an editorial decision necessitated by Elis’s lack of administrative prowess and concurrent submission of a chapter that was “absolute dogshit” – and in the numerous, hilarious footnotes, which are mocking, appealing, affectionate and full of lovely and familiar in-jokes.
There are a handful of chapters that drag a little (John’s shtick partly revolves around a laborious appreciation of the mundane, which here occasionally slips into simply being mundane; his appreciation of Ronnie O’Sullivan is heartfelt but thin; his Mind Scenarios and Elis’s cold showers feel like filler), but there is also pathos and beauty and passion and comic brilliance (see sections E, N and especially P), and the story from John’s Shame Well – a terrific feature in which listeners can rid themselves of archive shame through the cathartic airing of traumatic memories – in which a man at a crucial work meeting with high-ranking oil executives accidentally orders a plastic penguin filled with ice-cream.
Individual chapters – typically written by one or the other – can be deeply beautiful, especially John’s on Queen and Oxford, and Elis’s on Gorky’s and the Welsh language, but my favourite bits are the interactions between the two, which is obviously the great joy of a double-act, and especially this one. Those are spotlighted in two chapters that consist purely of comic riffs – an editorial decision necessitated by Elis’s lack of administrative prowess and concurrent submission of a chapter that was “absolute dogshit” – and in the numerous, hilarious footnotes, which are mocking, appealing, affectionate and full of lovely and familiar in-jokes.
There are a handful of chapters that drag a little (John’s shtick partly revolves around a laborious appreciation of the mundane, which here occasionally slips into simply being mundane; his appreciation of Ronnie O’Sullivan is heartfelt but thin; his Mind Scenarios and Elis’s cold showers feel like filler), but there is also pathos and beauty and passion and comic brilliance (see sections E, N and especially P), and the story from John’s Shame Well – a terrific feature in which listeners can rid themselves of archive shame through the cathartic airing of traumatic memories – in which a man at a crucial work meeting with high-ranking oil executives accidentally orders a plastic penguin filled with ice-cream.
January 27, 2019
Love love loved it! Listening to this as an audiobook was great (An eleven-hour version of the podcast? Yes please!) but if you're looking to get it as an audiobook, I'd recommend getting it in print as well so it's easier to reference things like the chapter on The Darkness and Elis' Gorky's recommendations. This is such a natural evolution from the show, and the fan response sums up just how perfect it is. Let's hope there are more books to come!
September 7, 2020
Very poor. How two obviously intelligent chaps can come up with a book so abjectly dull as this is mystifying. I enjoy listening to Elis and John on the radio (and their podcasts) but this is not worthy of them. Chapters about the band Queen, pub-crawling in Oxford and Notes On Non-Dairy Milk (it really is as boring as it sounds) suggest that this was some kind of contractual obligation on their part and I hope one that won't be repeated. The Book That The Bible Could Have Been? No.
August 3, 2023
4.5 stars. Was wanting an easy audiobook to listen to in the office and then saw that I never finished listening to this when it first came out so started it fresh. I love Elis and John and so listening to this was so funny and enjoyable. A few chapters didn’t stand out to me as much (I can’t see myself ever listening to Zappa, sorry John) but mostly this was a nice trip down memory lane of the Radio X days.
November 1, 2018
Fun and funny. My favourite bits though were the more emotionally honest and serious chapters, like Elis talking about the Welsh language. The audiobook is great, as they chat a little at the end of each chapter (and sometimes within the chapters), which give a great behind the scenes look.
November 14, 2018
I can’t remember finishing a book and wanting to reread it again so quickly. This is a MUST for fans of the digital radio funnymen (PCDers) and their book is interesting, funny, moving and thought provoking.
It isn’t for everybody, but it IS for ME!
It isn’t for everybody, but it IS for ME!
January 20, 2020
I highly recommend this if you're a fan of Elis and John from their Radio X days. There are lots of call backs to the show that made me chuckle to myself. I feel like John should write a novel (other than his autobiography) as I love his writing style.
April 14, 2019
I'm unable to give the book 5 stars as doing so would render it non-session! #keepitsession
October 29, 2024
This is genuinely funny and easy to read, weirdly the Glossary of Terms is a particular highlight.
December 24, 2019
Duration: 11 hrs 43 mins.
Publisher: Orion Publishing Group Limited.
Elis and John Present The Holy Vible by Elis James and John Robins is a jovially rambling, warm, open, and very funny glimpse into the lives and friendships of the two funniest comedians on BBC Radio Five Live (at least on Friday afternoons). Not to be missed if you subscribe to their podcasts, I'm not sure how well it would translate for new listeners.
Before I begin my review, I have to confess to only discovering the boys' show when they moved to BBC radio. I'd loved Elis in Josh, and Curious Under the Stars (which is available in full on the BBC Sounds app), but didn't know much about John beyond a few panel show appearances. I was delighted that they jointly narrated this book themselves, as within minutes of their first show they had me in stitches and I've been a PCD ever since.
One of my favourite parts of this audiobook was the improvised chat for Chapter I: It's Only A Body. Elis and John are at their funniest and most candid when they are just chatting, and trying to make each other laugh.
One of the most important chapters in the book was Chapter L: Living, Grief is. The boys' candour and supportive, non-judgemental attitude to emotional wellbeing has become a prominent feature of their work since the publication of this book, and even more so now that they have launched the brilliant podcast How Do You Cope? I loved their openness to mental health issues in this section via The Darkness of Robins, and the understanding of its nuances and unique meaning to each person experiencing difficulties with their mood. There was a great explanation of sitting with sadness; accepting it but not embracing it for too long, and seeking joy in the small things. It is incredibly refreshing to hear two young men in the public eye talk about their feelings with such sincerity.
Whether dripping tears along his Gentleman's Agreement, or "watching mince defrost in real time", John's ability to simultaneously acknowledge the depth of his melancholia and also find the humour that will help him climb out of it is admirable.
During Elis' chapter about Wales, I learnt two things: 1) that the Welsh have some fantastic idioms and phrases that translate wonderfully, and 2) that trying to make notes about them from an audiobook by phonetically guessing the spellings sends my phone into such a fit of grammatical apoplexy that it will freeze me out for half an hour.
Much of this A-Z of Elis and John felt like a glorious in-joke geared almost entirely to fans of their radio show in the form of an extended love-letter to the PCDs. But it was thoroughly entertaining despite my relatively recent initiation, and I very much enjoyed getting to know them better.
I'd recommend this audiobook to anyone who has laughed along with the radio shows on XFM or 5Live, especially if you can get it as part of a sale, as I did; a bargain at a mere three pounds quid.
(Click here to buy this book, listen to a sample, or add it to your wishlist!)
You can read the full review on the blog.
If you liked this review then please join me for more!
| Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram |
Publisher: Orion Publishing Group Limited.
Elis and John Present The Holy Vible by Elis James and John Robins is a jovially rambling, warm, open, and very funny glimpse into the lives and friendships of the two funniest comedians on BBC Radio Five Live (at least on Friday afternoons). Not to be missed if you subscribe to their podcasts, I'm not sure how well it would translate for new listeners.
Before I begin my review, I have to confess to only discovering the boys' show when they moved to BBC radio. I'd loved Elis in Josh, and Curious Under the Stars (which is available in full on the BBC Sounds app), but didn't know much about John beyond a few panel show appearances. I was delighted that they jointly narrated this book themselves, as within minutes of their first show they had me in stitches and I've been a PCD ever since.
One of my favourite parts of this audiobook was the improvised chat for Chapter I: It's Only A Body. Elis and John are at their funniest and most candid when they are just chatting, and trying to make each other laugh.
One of the most important chapters in the book was Chapter L: Living, Grief is. The boys' candour and supportive, non-judgemental attitude to emotional wellbeing has become a prominent feature of their work since the publication of this book, and even more so now that they have launched the brilliant podcast How Do You Cope? I loved their openness to mental health issues in this section via The Darkness of Robins, and the understanding of its nuances and unique meaning to each person experiencing difficulties with their mood. There was a great explanation of sitting with sadness; accepting it but not embracing it for too long, and seeking joy in the small things. It is incredibly refreshing to hear two young men in the public eye talk about their feelings with such sincerity.
Whether dripping tears along his Gentleman's Agreement, or "watching mince defrost in real time", John's ability to simultaneously acknowledge the depth of his melancholia and also find the humour that will help him climb out of it is admirable.
During Elis' chapter about Wales, I learnt two things: 1) that the Welsh have some fantastic idioms and phrases that translate wonderfully, and 2) that trying to make notes about them from an audiobook by phonetically guessing the spellings sends my phone into such a fit of grammatical apoplexy that it will freeze me out for half an hour.
Much of this A-Z of Elis and John felt like a glorious in-joke geared almost entirely to fans of their radio show in the form of an extended love-letter to the PCDs. But it was thoroughly entertaining despite my relatively recent initiation, and I very much enjoyed getting to know them better.
I'd recommend this audiobook to anyone who has laughed along with the radio shows on XFM or 5Live, especially if you can get it as part of a sale, as I did; a bargain at a mere three pounds quid.
(Click here to buy this book, listen to a sample, or add it to your wishlist!)
You can read the full review on the blog.
If you liked this review then please join me for more!
| Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram |
January 2, 2026
Audiobook.
Probably fun for fans ca. 2018-2019 (fun fact: this came out less than a year before their move to the BBC!), now - just like the Radio X show - a seemingly semi-improvised product of its time that is now merely Broadly Fine and not very relevant. Doesn't actually contain much that isn't already mentioned in the show, but a nice companion book that you could've gifted to someone for Christmas.
As an audiobook, I thought it was terribly produced - retakes that hadn't been edited out, chat after every chapter (always significantly worse than the written segments), mistakes (e.g., introducing chapter Z at the end of chapter X or insultingly joking that Elis runs on "BST+1" instead of "BST-1", implying that he's actually always early), and occasionally some off-hand remarks about the recording itself. I truly didn't mind the unscripted introduction (essentially bonus material), but I felt like this was essentially 26 mini-essays (pretty decent, especially the informative or emotional ones) + 26 tangentially-related rambles (unnecessary).
Also loses points for the chapter where they had to redact/censor a lot of stuff, which works fine in print (asterisks you can gloss over) but not at all in audio (essentially just making me listen to a loud, annoying morse code transmission).
Probably fun for fans ca. 2018-2019 (fun fact: this came out less than a year before their move to the BBC!), now - just like the Radio X show - a seemingly semi-improvised product of its time that is now merely Broadly Fine and not very relevant. Doesn't actually contain much that isn't already mentioned in the show, but a nice companion book that you could've gifted to someone for Christmas.
As an audiobook, I thought it was terribly produced - retakes that hadn't been edited out, chat after every chapter (always significantly worse than the written segments), mistakes (e.g., introducing chapter Z at the end of chapter X or insultingly joking that Elis runs on "BST+1" instead of "BST-1", implying that he's actually always early), and occasionally some off-hand remarks about the recording itself. I truly didn't mind the unscripted introduction (essentially bonus material), but I felt like this was essentially 26 mini-essays (pretty decent, especially the informative or emotional ones) + 26 tangentially-related rambles (unnecessary).
Also loses points for the chapter where they had to redact/censor a lot of stuff, which works fine in print (asterisks you can gloss over) but not at all in audio (essentially just making me listen to a loud, annoying morse code transmission).
January 7, 2019
A wonderful book by Elis James and John Robins, two comedians and long time friends who invite you in to their world of 'shame-wells', warmth and award winning humour. If you don't know what a shame well is you will soon find out and it might be worth your time (very much worth you time) going back and listening to their brilliant podcast: The Elis James and John Robins podcast from Radio X. The podcast has become popular as it's very funny and also completely open about being human from mental heath to sex, love and everything in between and the book works in the same way so do yourself a favour and buy it!
November 20, 2018
For the first half I was less than impressed despite being a big fan of the show. The constant footnotes were irritating and some of the humour seemed very forced. However some of the latter chapters recounting well known incidents on the show had me in stitches. A must read for fans. To the uninitiated only select chapters will appeal.
October 26, 2019
Read the book and audiobook at the same time, very glad I got both as hearing them discuss the chapters in the audiobook was great but it was also nice to have the extra pages in the book (plus I got my book signed when they did the book signings at the end of last year).
Very happy PCD/Retro-Oner after this book :)
Very happy PCD/Retro-Oner after this book :)
November 11, 2018
5 stars both for this book and for the shining light in the darkness my discovery of Elis and John has been. They've made my challenging 2018 much more bearable and I thank them for that.
I've also developed an interest in Queen, Ronnie O'Sullivan and Welsh matters (general) as a result.
I've also developed an interest in Queen, Ronnie O'Sullivan and Welsh matters (general) as a result.
May 18, 2019
You have to have listened to the podcast with some dedication to get much from it. But because I have listened to every episode, I felt like this was written for me by two guys I feel like I know and love.
August 23, 2020
I fell in love with these guys when I came across their podcast from their XFM/Radio X days. The book is a continuation of the show and really shows that great friendship but also how much they like their listeners. Would recommend both the podcast and the book as well as their 5live show.
January 21, 2021
it's five stars, but of course, i am this book's key demographic: a pcd; double-retro oner and an online vibe taster (a new category?), hoping one day to try the live vibe as well.
love the boys so much!
love the boys so much!
February 6, 2019
Funny, probably better as an audiobook!
April 2, 2019
Lovely stuff!
May 14, 2019
Yes please
July 15, 2020
Not a book about the Bible at all, but lots of warm hearted exchanges on life from two very likeable characters.
July 15, 2020
A modern day classic
November 12, 2020
Love Elis and John on the radio, but the book didn't work as well.
Some parts were great, others less so.
A mixed bag
Some parts were great, others less so.
A mixed bag
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews