overheard at waitrose: poetry of the public

by Idiocratea, Theresa Vogrin (With)

Following the boom of the popular British meme, this poetic compilation of quotes overheard at Waitrose stores and posted across various social media platforms, is guaranteed to make you laugh. 104 pages of gossiping, loving and pestering of the British upper class, accompanied by illustrations, will definitely not disappoint.

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction

132 pages, Paperback

Published November 11, 2018

Reviews

[Helena (helenareadsxx)]

This was really funny

[Alice-Elizabeth (Prolific Reader Alice)]

Read on Kindle Unlimited!

So here in the UK, we have a supermarket chain called Waitrose and this is a collection of poetry and comments made and shared by shoppers of the supermarket, which in turn is the basis for this book. I liked the illustrations. Some of the poetry was funny but not everything was.

[Dani (Dani Reviews Things)]

A quick and amusing Kindle Unlimited read to help me with the disaster that is my Goodreads challenge. Some of those quotes are too wild to believe!

[Jo Chorlton]

My choice for a book club book on poetry. It made me laugh out loud and reminded me that poetry is best shared as I read most of it out loud to my husband who also laughed. Short little snippets of overheard conversation which made me both wonder about and create a back story for the speaker (and listener!) I enjoyed it's gentle poke at the pomposity, and absurdity of the middle classes, of who I am one. Would thoroughly recommend a visit to your local Waitrose then a dive into this book, preferably with someone else who will then listen as you read out 'just one more' and enjoy it with you.

[Mel Steadman Hunt]

Not what I expected to be my first read of 2024, but when I found it on Kindle Unlimited and had nothing else to read at the time, it did the perfect job. I picked this as my Popsugar Reading Challenge advanced prompt number 3, a collection of at least 24 poems. These poems were very funny and most of them very believable to be something you would overhear at waitrose. Very glad to have picked this collection up, especially as I very rarely read poetry at all.

[Fay Pretty]

i would have a breakdown but i’ve got a facial booked at 2pm.

A short series of snippets from overheard conversations at Waitrose, is both a quick easy read and a satirical piece of British classist humour. Whilst there’s definitely the question- how much of this is true? After recently moving next to a Waitrose, I honestly believe the majority could definitely be true. I laughed out loud, then questioned what this world is coming to. It's just that sort of book.

[Vicky Mann]

A quick and amusing read!

[Suzanne]

What makes this book so entertaining and funny, is the source of the content - live conversations overheard in Waitrose, from real people we stand next to in the queue. Those stressed out upper class customers having a melt down because their little darling has to go without foie gras in his luncheon box, due to a stock shortage. A highly recommended stroll through the aisles, that will leave you feeling lighter, smiling and perhaps a little peckish. I do hope there is a sequel to this book. I loved it!

[Isabelle]

A collection of overheard sayings

Conversations to make you giggle. People are ridiculous and this book highlights the funny side of our self obsessions and relationship with class and money

[Chelsea]

This rating is purely for having made me laugh

[Chloe]

Passed the time

Was funny in some areas, something to pass the time if you want a quick read. Wouldn’t say it was a best seller

[Hannah Kim]

quick & fun
but i do think some of the humor got lost on me bc I’ve never stepped foot in a waitrose or within a million miles of one.

[Yoko]

cant believe people like this actually exist lol

[Faye]

A few funny poems but mainly just British upper class nonsense which I find infuriating rather than funny. I'm glad it was only a 5 minute read.

[Emily]

52 Book Club Reading Mini-Challenge- Prompt: A Beverage on the Cover

[Cinderalaa]

“yes madam
basil
thyme and oregano
are in aisle two.

no darling
i’m looking
for my children”

This book truly proved that with the rich comes absurdity…
Zero critical thinking yet how are they at the top of the food chain??

[Leanne]

An excellent reading experience.

Enjoyed every second of it

[Lea-Mai Carter]

I didn’t know what to expect with this. Whether the title was to draw you in or if it was actually true. Turns out these are things people have actually heard in Waitrose.

The huge stereotype around people who shop at Waitrose was portrayed really well throughout this and how we imagine the customers to be.

Some of the poems/quotes were funny, some weren’t. I wouldn’t recommend but it’s good if you want something silly to read. However a lot of it feels exaggerated and false.

[Catherine]

These are bloody marvelous. I have met these people. I have maybe accidentally been one of these people on occasion. Delicious.

[Diana Escalera]

Muy entitled and primer mundista for my taste

[Daisy Arch]

I need to stop reading these cos they suck

[David Broek]

It was a silly 10 minute read. Funny for what it was. Will pass this off to someone else, I’m sure.

There is no way most of these “overheard quotations” are real, but they are funny, nevertheless.

I suppose every region has a high-end grocery store. In BC, it is Urban Fare, but having been to the UK a few times, I am well aware of Waitrose: “Orlando, put down the papayas!”

As reviewer Dani also mentioned, it was a nice, quick cheat to improve my shameful 2022 GoodReads Reading Challenge. 😉

Oh, and thank you, Robert, for the Christmas gift. 🥰

[Tristan]

A very short and very quick read on Kindle Unlimited.

This collection of (allegedly) real life overheard remarks is very funny. Some of them are mere eye-rolls, others genuine belly-laughs. The few quotes from staff are amongst the best - withering put-downs. But all of it is so plausible - yes, I’ve met these people more than once. British classist humour remains relevant.

However, this is one of those throw away novelty books, a fleeting pleasure never to be repeated, so three stars only.

[Agata]

'perhaps you'd like to tell
my daughter
why her packed lunch cencioni
is without fresh pesto?'

'i'm going to
the Bahamas next week.
trying to decide on
which cleanser to pack
is actually really stressful'

'no i'm not a snob
but people who aren't rich
disgust me'

Still trying to figure out if I found the little book more amusing, shocking or hard to believe. Take your pick.

[Eve L-A Witherington]

I firstly have to say as the 'posh' UK supermarket this book captures the array of characters you meet in there amazingly, with many hilarious points captured indeed and little sketches to annotate the points too it was a great book to unwind and read.

I also live by a Waitrose and never heard anything as remotely fun as in this book sadly!

[Jyoti Sharma]

U do hear such things!!
Especially laughed at ‘you will like potatoes darling it’s what gnocchi is made of’
And ‘where is the free range weetabix?’
Also ‘you mean to say you eat an apple with your bare hands? without knife and fork?
how liberating.’
15 mins read !

[TwoDrinks]

I mean it’s daft but very funny. I almost can’t believe there are people like that. Yet I want there to be so my inner proletariat can laugh at their nonsense. A good quick read for when you’re fed up of Lockdown and your brain has ceased to function correctly.

[Ava Dacre]

Absolutely hilarious, I’m a nosey human being and reading things like this make my day - read it in 15 mins on a break from my 11 hour shift and it has made my day unbelievably better. Hilarious, I can’t describe it any other way, for your own well-being and happiness please read it.

[Jayeesha Taneja]

it’s such a beautifully curated book- i wouldn’t classify so much to say its poetry, but it really makes you stop and think about everyday life and conversations around the mundane things, the joy, sorrow and bliss around its simplicity

[Tracy Lawson]

A nice easy little read during my afternoon break in the garden