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The Complete Yes Minister
'We have had diaries from other Cabinet Ministers, but none I
think which have been quite so illuminating... It is a
fascinating diary... It is shorter than Barbara Castle's... and
although it is rather more accurate than Dick Crossman's, it
is distinctly funnier' - Lord Allen of Abbeydale (formerly
Permanent Secretary at the Home Office) in The Times
'It has an entertainment and educational value which is
unique. It is uproariously funny and passes the acid test of
becoming more amusing at every subsequent reading... I will
go so far as to claim that in the characters of Jim Hacker and
Sir Humphrey Appleby, Messrs Lynn and Jay have created
something as immortal as P.G. Wodehouse's Bertie Wooster
and Jeeves' - Brian Walden in The Standard
think which have been quite so illuminating... It is a
fascinating diary... It is shorter than Barbara Castle's... and
although it is rather more accurate than Dick Crossman's, it
is distinctly funnier' - Lord Allen of Abbeydale (formerly
Permanent Secretary at the Home Office) in The Times
'It has an entertainment and educational value which is
unique. It is uproariously funny and passes the acid test of
becoming more amusing at every subsequent reading... I will
go so far as to claim that in the characters of Jim Hacker and
Sir Humphrey Appleby, Messrs Lynn and Jay have created
something as immortal as P.G. Wodehouse's Bertie Wooster
and Jeeves' - Brian Walden in The Standard
528 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
173 people are currently reading
1920 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Lynn
58 books56 followersJonathan Lynn has directed 10 feature films including the cult classic Clue (he also wrote the screenplay), Nuns on the Run (also written by Mr Lynn), My Cousin Vinny, The Distinguished Gentleman, Sgt. Bilko, Greedy, Trial And Error, The Whole Nine Yards, The Fighting Temptations and most recently, Wild Target. His first produced screenplay was The Internecine Project (1974).
For television, Jonathan’s writing credits include dozens of episodes of various comedy series but he is best known for the phenomenally successful, multi-award-winning BBC series Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister, co-written and created with Antony Jay.
Jonathan authored the bestselling books The Complete Yes, Minister and The Complete Yes, Prime Minister, which cumulatively sold more than a million copies in hardback and have been translated into numerous languages and are still in print nearly 30 years later; Mayday (1993, revised 2001) and his latest book Comedy Rules (Faber and Faber), which also received rave reviews.
Jonathan made his first professional appearance on Broadway in the revue Cambridge Circus, and his television debut on The Ed Sullivan Show, live with 70 million viewers, both at the age of 21. Jonathan’s West End theater debut, aged 23, was as an actor in the role of Motel the Tailor in the original London cast of Fiddler on the Roof. His subsequent London directing credits include: The Glass Menagerie; Songbook (Best Musical, Olivier Award and Evening Standard Award); Anna Christie (RSC, Stratford and the Donmar); Joe Orton's Loot; Pass The Butler by Eric Idle, Shaw’s Arms And The Man and The Gingerbread Man (Old Vic). At the National Theatre, he directed A Little Hotel on the Side by Georges Feydeau and Three Men on A Horse (Olivier Award, Best Comedy). As Artistic Director of the Cambridge Theatre Company, he directed 20 productions, producing 20 others, 9 of which transferred to the West End.
His numerous awards include the BAFTA Writers Award, Writers Guild (twice), Broadcasting Press Guild (twice), NAACP Image Award, Environmental Media Award, Ace Award –Best Comedy Series on US cable, and a Special award from the Campaign For Freedom of Information.
Lynn received an MA in Law from Cambridge University and now lives in New York, describing himself as a recovering lawyer.
For television, Jonathan’s writing credits include dozens of episodes of various comedy series but he is best known for the phenomenally successful, multi-award-winning BBC series Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister, co-written and created with Antony Jay.
Jonathan authored the bestselling books The Complete Yes, Minister and The Complete Yes, Prime Minister, which cumulatively sold more than a million copies in hardback and have been translated into numerous languages and are still in print nearly 30 years later; Mayday (1993, revised 2001) and his latest book Comedy Rules (Faber and Faber), which also received rave reviews.
Jonathan made his first professional appearance on Broadway in the revue Cambridge Circus, and his television debut on The Ed Sullivan Show, live with 70 million viewers, both at the age of 21. Jonathan’s West End theater debut, aged 23, was as an actor in the role of Motel the Tailor in the original London cast of Fiddler on the Roof. His subsequent London directing credits include: The Glass Menagerie; Songbook (Best Musical, Olivier Award and Evening Standard Award); Anna Christie (RSC, Stratford and the Donmar); Joe Orton's Loot; Pass The Butler by Eric Idle, Shaw’s Arms And The Man and The Gingerbread Man (Old Vic). At the National Theatre, he directed A Little Hotel on the Side by Georges Feydeau and Three Men on A Horse (Olivier Award, Best Comedy). As Artistic Director of the Cambridge Theatre Company, he directed 20 productions, producing 20 others, 9 of which transferred to the West End.
His numerous awards include the BAFTA Writers Award, Writers Guild (twice), Broadcasting Press Guild (twice), NAACP Image Award, Environmental Media Award, Ace Award –Best Comedy Series on US cable, and a Special award from the Campaign For Freedom of Information.
Lynn received an MA in Law from Cambridge University and now lives in New York, describing himself as a recovering lawyer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
September 23, 2012
This book is obviously for die-hard fans of the show, and I know no bigger fan than myself. Each character's facial expressions and the way in which they delivered their lines are thoroughly etched into my memories. I suspect that I wouldn't have found this book as witty and funny as I did if that wasn't the case and I had never seen the show.
For the most part the book follows the script of the show with added commentary and personal thoughts from the protagonists and editors. These additions work well when the authors relate to what extent fiction has mirrored fact. They don't work so well however when expression is given to what would have been a brief look of panic by Hacker after being told he was making a "courageous decision", or when reasons behind a knowing half-smile from Sir Humphrey are articulated.
This is where I feel the authors had been a tad lazy and should've ventured beyond the show's script instead of relying on the reader's ability to recall specific scenes from the show to understand the humour (which I had no problem doing).
Still, immensely enjoyable, and I'll read the Yes Prime Minister Diaries when I need to relive memories of the show, or remind myself how government and politics really works.
For the most part the book follows the script of the show with added commentary and personal thoughts from the protagonists and editors. These additions work well when the authors relate to what extent fiction has mirrored fact. They don't work so well however when expression is given to what would have been a brief look of panic by Hacker after being told he was making a "courageous decision", or when reasons behind a knowing half-smile from Sir Humphrey are articulated.
This is where I feel the authors had been a tad lazy and should've ventured beyond the show's script instead of relying on the reader's ability to recall specific scenes from the show to understand the humour (which I had no problem doing).
Still, immensely enjoyable, and I'll read the Yes Prime Minister Diaries when I need to relive memories of the show, or remind myself how government and politics really works.
January 13, 2014
This is one of the most witty and humorous books I have read. The characterizations are vivid and funny, the plot-lines ingenious. I could not have imagined that it was possible to find such humor in political dealings. The language is razor-sharp. In fact, the authors generated humor from verbosity. Where one may have skimmed through certain parts in other books, here one simply goes over such parts again and again to enjoy the humor more.
The best part is the consistency in quality. At no point do you feel that the pace is flagging or humor is getting repetitious or tedious. This is a book I have read again and again, and still return to whenever I find myself in need of a pick-me-up. It has never failed me. Highly recommended.
The best part is the consistency in quality. At no point do you feel that the pace is flagging or humor is getting repetitious or tedious. This is a book I have read again and again, and still return to whenever I find myself in need of a pick-me-up. It has never failed me. Highly recommended.
July 29, 2017
Funnily enough, the first joke is that this was put together from Hacker's diaries, Sir Humphrey's diaries, released Government papers and interviews with Bernard in .... July 2017! Which is now!
July 31, 2017
If someone tells you Friends and Seinfeld are the funniest shows they've ever seen, hit them over the head with this book.
Then lock them in a room with it.
Make them read it.
Then make them watch all the episodes of Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister.
(The other way around works too; watch the show and then read the books).
If they still haven't changed their mind, leave them to rot in the room, because you don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
Then lock them in a room with it.
Make them read it.
Then make them watch all the episodes of Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister.
(The other way around works too; watch the show and then read the books).
If they still haven't changed their mind, leave them to rot in the room, because you don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
April 8, 2012
This isn't simply a transcript or a novelisation: it's quite a creative approach, by showing a mixture of diaries, memos, etc. Mind you, I think that would make it difficult to read as an ebook, since you'd lose the handwriting and letterhead.
I particularly like the footnotes which give historical precedents for the topics raised in the story, i.e. they show that real-life politicians have done the same thing.
The main thing I disliked about this book is that the issues all seem trivial: they mostly involve trading favours to cover up someone's mistake rather than actually achieving anything good. This is particularly notable in one chapter, where I'd have preferred Sir Humphrey to "win".
I particularly like the footnotes which give historical precedents for the topics raised in the story, i.e. they show that real-life politicians have done the same thing.
The main thing I disliked about this book is that the issues all seem trivial: they mostly involve trading favours to cover up someone's mistake rather than actually achieving anything good. This is particularly notable in one chapter, where I'd have preferred Sir Humphrey to "win".
February 16, 2019
Yes, Minister is probably one of my all-time favorite sitcoms, not least for its smart writing and savage-yet-subtle political satire. That said, when I saw this in a charity book sale, I only hesitated because I didn’t know if I just wanted to read the show scripts. But this omnibus (which covers all three seasons of the series) isn’t just scripts, but all the shows rewritten as short stories in the form of Minister Jim Hacker’s recorded diaries, along with other memos, BBC transcripts and interviews to cover bits of the show that Hacker wouldn’t have been able to talk about as he wasn’t present at the time.
As such, this collection offers not only a different presentation of each episode, but a lot of bonus material – the equivalent of DVD commentary and extras – in the form of backgrounders, context, some explanations of British govt terms and acronyms, and plenty of witty commentary from the “editors”, among other things. So I learned a lot, and also got a deeper sense of the three main characters – Hacker, Sir Humphrey Appleby and Bernard Wooley (who I always assumed was the main character, for some reason – it seems I may have been mistaken there). Still, it’s arguably a better experience to watch the show than to read it, especially when it comes to the dialogue pacing and performances of Paul Eddington, Derek Fowlds and Nigel Hawthorne that really made the show such a delight to watch.
As such, this collection offers not only a different presentation of each episode, but a lot of bonus material – the equivalent of DVD commentary and extras – in the form of backgrounders, context, some explanations of British govt terms and acronyms, and plenty of witty commentary from the “editors”, among other things. So I learned a lot, and also got a deeper sense of the three main characters – Hacker, Sir Humphrey Appleby and Bernard Wooley (who I always assumed was the main character, for some reason – it seems I may have been mistaken there). Still, it’s arguably a better experience to watch the show than to read it, especially when it comes to the dialogue pacing and performances of Paul Eddington, Derek Fowlds and Nigel Hawthorne that really made the show such a delight to watch.
January 15, 2012
Happy to start new year with this wonderful book. I was astonished that a book written in 1980's could still mesmerize the readers still today. Read the book especially for it's memorable quotes
"If people don't know what you're doing, they don't know what you're doing wrong."
"'The matter is under consideration' means we have lost the file. 'The matter is under active consideration' means we are trying to find the file."
"If Civil Servants did not fight for the budgets of their departments they could end up with departments so small that even the Ministers could run them."
"A controversial decision only lose votes. A courageous decision will mean it will lose you elections"
P.S: Althuogh i liked the book, i love the serial still more because of the facial expressions of jim haacker, sir humphry. I could not have enjoyed it more, if i have not remembered them while reading this book.
"If people don't know what you're doing, they don't know what you're doing wrong."
"'The matter is under consideration' means we have lost the file. 'The matter is under active consideration' means we are trying to find the file."
"If Civil Servants did not fight for the budgets of their departments they could end up with departments so small that even the Ministers could run them."
"A controversial decision only lose votes. A courageous decision will mean it will lose you elections"
P.S: Althuogh i liked the book, i love the serial still more because of the facial expressions of jim haacker, sir humphry. I could not have enjoyed it more, if i have not remembered them while reading this book.
January 1, 2018
I love this book! Absolutely. It is a classic, and a must read for anyone who wishes to build a career in politics, or in the corporate world!
Jonathan Lynn has created a masterpiece, and he should know it
Many years ago, I watched the series, and was laughing all the time. Then, I read the book, and I keep laughing. A few years later, and wiser I hope, I read it with a new appreciation of the nuances. This is the third reading, and I read it again, with a greater appreciation of the games that are played across organisational structures.
The writing is masterly, and I love that he brings out different view points, from Hackett, to Humphrey and Bernard. Awesome.
Jonathan Lynn has created a masterpiece, and he should know it
Many years ago, I watched the series, and was laughing all the time. Then, I read the book, and I keep laughing. A few years later, and wiser I hope, I read it with a new appreciation of the nuances. This is the third reading, and I read it again, with a greater appreciation of the games that are played across organisational structures.
The writing is masterly, and I love that he brings out different view points, from Hackett, to Humphrey and Bernard. Awesome.
September 23, 2021
When I was growing up the Australian Broadcasting Corporation played The Goon Show on the radio every Saturday at noon. I had never heard anything like it and loved it. Over the years I discovered other British radio comedy series like Hancock’s Half Hour, At Last the 1948 Show and I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again.
I bought the scripts if they had been published, but for me the scripts of these programs just did not come to life. The only ones I really appreciated reading were the stories of Frank Muir and Denis Nordern from their long-running radio show My Word, probably because they were nearer to a literary form than the others, which depended so much on tone, timing, the nuance of the voices and the reaction of the audience if there was one.
It is also true of The Complete Yes Minister, which depended so much on the delivery of the three principals as they wound their way round the subtleties of party and bureaucratic politics. There was much in a look and in the tone. Authors Lynn and Jay recognized this challenge and so for the book reinvented the show by creating Jim Hacker’s diaries. Unfortunately, Hacker becomes naive and rather deluded, simple almost, and Sir Humphrey winds him round a finger. This was not the flavour of the television show, which owed its charm to the changing balance between the characters, which always shifted dramatically, one way or the other.
I bought the scripts if they had been published, but for me the scripts of these programs just did not come to life. The only ones I really appreciated reading were the stories of Frank Muir and Denis Nordern from their long-running radio show My Word, probably because they were nearer to a literary form than the others, which depended so much on tone, timing, the nuance of the voices and the reaction of the audience if there was one.
It is also true of The Complete Yes Minister, which depended so much on the delivery of the three principals as they wound their way round the subtleties of party and bureaucratic politics. There was much in a look and in the tone. Authors Lynn and Jay recognized this challenge and so for the book reinvented the show by creating Jim Hacker’s diaries. Unfortunately, Hacker becomes naive and rather deluded, simple almost, and Sir Humphrey winds him round a finger. This was not the flavour of the television show, which owed its charm to the changing balance between the characters, which always shifted dramatically, one way or the other.
February 5, 2016
On one hand a political comparative novice with reasonably lofty ideals and some political necessities; on the other hand the master of art and craft of administration and his skills of rising and staying at the top - and being in charge which the political master would rather take over; and then the third, the rather nice and naive secretary who has to satisfy two masters just to keep his job and yet keep a semblance of self respect as well.
What a delight the series and what a consistent education the printed version - one might think one's own life or political situation of one's own country has little or nothing to do with this, but if one thought that one would be wrong. The difference would only be in nitty gritty details, really. The stereotypes exist, everywhere, but the larger picture is the principles, the situations, and they apply to far lesser situations than a minisiter of a previously huge, world wide and globe girdling empire.
Much illuminating material - one that comes immediately to mind for instance about Salami Tactics, unless that is in the sequel. On the whole very educating. Not to forget hilarious.
What a delight the series and what a consistent education the printed version - one might think one's own life or political situation of one's own country has little or nothing to do with this, but if one thought that one would be wrong. The difference would only be in nitty gritty details, really. The stereotypes exist, everywhere, but the larger picture is the principles, the situations, and they apply to far lesser situations than a minisiter of a previously huge, world wide and globe girdling empire.
Much illuminating material - one that comes immediately to mind for instance about Salami Tactics, unless that is in the sequel. On the whole very educating. Not to forget hilarious.
February 7, 2013
This is a tie-in book for the British series of the same name, but it's very funny (I read this the first time in the 1990s before I saw the series), criticizing both the politician lead (a member of Parliament newly appointed as a Minister (equivalent in American terms to a Congressman being appointed as a Cabinet Secretary, except in Britain, he remains a member of Parliament while serving as Minister)), and his opponents in the Civil Service. Jim Hacker, the Minister, is vain, indecisive, and ignorant of many facets of the actual running of a government, but the Civil Service is arrogant, obstructive, and clubbish. Generally, the Civil Service (in the person of Sir Humphrey Appleby) wins over the Minister's desires, but the Minister gets his way from time to time; the reader is amused either way...
April 4, 2013
Brilliant. Witty. So true. Having worked in the government sector I have seen many of the situations portrayed here in real life. This and anything Dilbert by Scott Adams should be mandatory reading as 'How Not To' guides. I watched a lot of the shows with my Dad when they were shown on the ABC years and years ago. Reading this book, and its sequel The Complete Yes Prime Minister, brought back so many good memories. You can just hear the idealist Minister Jim Hacker (the 'narrator') and the career public 'servant' Sir Humphrey Appleby having a tete-a-tete with private secretary Bernard Woolley observing, trying to get the better of one another but never in a malicious way. Laugh out loud in many places. Lots of fun.
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January 16, 2016Was inspired to take this from the bookshelf and read it after seeing the touring production at the theatre last month - great fun! While a little dated in places, everyone sending memos to each other, the humour and amusing anecdotes are as relevant today as they were then. I can remember as a lad sitting with my father watching this and not getting a fair chunk of it - reading this has definitely lead me to want to watch the series again - have to look on Apple TV. In the meantime if you want to laugh out loud give this a go and try not get too depressed to think that civil servants and government ministers are no doubt still behaving like this today. I'd love to see them write one set in the European parliament.... 4.5 out of 5 - great fun!
June 11, 2011
Absolutely hilarious and a classic! Still remember reading and chuckling away and marvelling at the genius of the writer!
July 12, 2012
Political humor at its best!!
I have read it many times and every time I have come across some subtle pun that I had missed earlier!!
I have read it many times and every time I have come across some subtle pun that I had missed earlier!!
April 30, 2015
Amazing.. Hilarious... Witty.. and all other superlatives you can think of... a must read definitely..!!!
April 10, 2023
Hooter: A witty satire on the relationship between civil services and politics
You have to see the TV series! Even if the politics is dated, the dialogues and the premises are timeless. The wit, the humour and the acting is brilliant. I decided to try the audible version of the series and was not disappointed at all even though I had already seen the entire series twice before.
The concepts are still relevant in today's day and age and the use of wit and puns is brilliantly done. There are some instances when you feel the lack of the video for some of the body language but the general comic timing makes up for it. Sir Humphrey and Jim Hacker's exchanges are good fun.
A must read, watch or hear - whichever format suits you.
You have to see the TV series! Even if the politics is dated, the dialogues and the premises are timeless. The wit, the humour and the acting is brilliant. I decided to try the audible version of the series and was not disappointed at all even though I had already seen the entire series twice before.
The concepts are still relevant in today's day and age and the use of wit and puns is brilliantly done. There are some instances when you feel the lack of the video for some of the body language but the general comic timing makes up for it. Sir Humphrey and Jim Hacker's exchanges are good fun.
A must read, watch or hear - whichever format suits you.
January 1, 2021
Book is full of humour and very easy going diaries of the minister! This is absolutely brilliant! I liked book version than the TV show. Characters are plotted very well to ensure you are in the live show.
October 24, 2021
For the classic british humour fans. Moments when you're yawning due to boredom turn to moments of laughing out loud very quickly. I listened to it as an audio book and it unfortunately dragged forever. Recommend it as a paper book / e-book or watching the remarcable sitcom.
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August 24, 2024When in Rome (staying in my parents' house for a week) do as the Romans do (read the dog-eared copy of The Complete Yes Minister sitting on the side of the bathtub)
November 17, 2021
Hilarious, illuminating, and timeless—this satire on British bureaucracy is a masterpiece. It being inspired by accounts of real events adds an air of authenticity, while the dialogues are pure genius and take it to another level of excellence.
Not only is it an enjoyable read, it will leave you with a deep understanding of the cynicism that powers bureaucracies and governments across the world. And although Yes Minister (and its equally brilliant sequel, Yes Prime Minister) was written in the 1980s, it is a wonderful advertisement for the idea that history repeats itself.
I cannot possibly recommend this book (and the associated show) highly enough!
Not only is it an enjoyable read, it will leave you with a deep understanding of the cynicism that powers bureaucracies and governments across the world. And although Yes Minister (and its equally brilliant sequel, Yes Prime Minister) was written in the 1980s, it is a wonderful advertisement for the idea that history repeats itself.
I cannot possibly recommend this book (and the associated show) highly enough!
July 14, 2025
okay counting this on goodreads is taking the piss a bit I grant. But the radio collection on Audible is truly excellent and I would recommend it to everyone
July 16, 2012
This has been collecting dust on my bookshelves for years. It's based upon a popular BBC comedy series in the 1980s about a cabinet minister all too ably er... managed by the bureaucrats who purportedly serve under him. I think my problem with this book is I know both too much and too little. On the "too little" side, I've never seen the program. I get the feeling there are all these subtle jokes and ironies whizzing by above my head. I'm also not British and have spent only a few weeks in England in my teens. Most of my knowledge about British politics and their parliamentary system comes from reading Archer's novel First Among Equals. Again, I have this sense of acid zingers landing upon my armor of ignorance and dissolving before they can penetrate.
And the "too much" part? Well, I worked in campaigns, political science was my major and I interned in the United States Congress. And alas, the points here haven't dated over the decades and don't miss anything in traveling over the Atlantic. I knew exactly where this was going too much of the time; it's as if I knew the punchlines before any ever landed. I find it too true, too very much the real world so that despite the wit and dry humor I can see in it I just couldn't find it funny. My bad. This is rated so low because of my personal reaction to it, which was to depress me more than anything. Not because it's not well-written and the characters well-drawn. If you're young enough to still feel inspired about politics or old enough to be so cynical it doesn't hurt anymore, you might enjoy this. Judging from the other reviews, most do.
And the "too much" part? Well, I worked in campaigns, political science was my major and I interned in the United States Congress. And alas, the points here haven't dated over the decades and don't miss anything in traveling over the Atlantic. I knew exactly where this was going too much of the time; it's as if I knew the punchlines before any ever landed. I find it too true, too very much the real world so that despite the wit and dry humor I can see in it I just couldn't find it funny. My bad. This is rated so low because of my personal reaction to it, which was to depress me more than anything. Not because it's not well-written and the characters well-drawn. If you're young enough to still feel inspired about politics or old enough to be so cynical it doesn't hurt anymore, you might enjoy this. Judging from the other reviews, most do.
January 9, 2025
Tie in book ...related to the 1980s series of the same name ....brilliant humor!
April 15, 2015
A superbly written series of stories. Apart from the cut-and-thrust banter that the inimitable Sir Humphrey and Woolley get up to with Hacker; what is even more apparent from this imbroglio of the British "functional anarchy" is that we (as Indians) have taken from the Brits what we should have left well alone and left alone what we should have learnt from them and incorporated into our own system.
What is heartening though, is that even Thatcher provided inputs to the writers about Whitehall and the political system of the great empire (http://goo.gl/YRjvyJ).
A throughly enjoyable and revealing piece of literature.
What is heartening though, is that even Thatcher provided inputs to the writers about Whitehall and the political system of the great empire (http://goo.gl/YRjvyJ).
A throughly enjoyable and revealing piece of literature.
November 29, 2017
LOL material
October 21, 2012
I used to watch Yes Minister back in the 80's and I think I might even have read this book when it was first published. Even so I was quite surprised at how familiar it was as I didn't think I remembered it all that well. If you know the programme then you will know what to expect. If not then I hope that, like me, you enjoy the cynically humorous take on Government. The story lines were never really topical so the book doesn't feel dated. I had many wry grins and even a chuckle out loud at a couple of points.
April 21, 2014
I forget the name of the band but there's this song entitled "I Slept with Someone in Fall Out Boy and All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me" that I really quite enjoy.
Also, I wrote my very first Wal-Mart joke this morning:
As I completed my grocery shopping at Wal-Mart I wheeled the cart up toward the series of registers only to notice a sign above each register stating "Tattooed Patrons Only." I stopped the manager and asked him where the non-tattooed patrons checked out. He answered me "The express lane."
Also, I wrote my very first Wal-Mart joke this morning:
As I completed my grocery shopping at Wal-Mart I wheeled the cart up toward the series of registers only to notice a sign above each register stating "Tattooed Patrons Only." I stopped the manager and asked him where the non-tattooed patrons checked out. He answered me "The express lane."
July 26, 2015
"Yes Minister" is a masterful work of satire, which manages to touch upon a lot of fundamental truths about working in government, as well as how the civil service and politicians interact...and how things get done in spite of everything. Although many of the scenarios seem over-the-top, I can say that I have experienced a handful of situations that could have been taken from the pages of this book. Art *does* imitate life, in this case.
And even if you don't work in government, the dry humour and polite absurdity of it all is good fun.
And even if you don't work in government, the dry humour and polite absurdity of it all is good fun.
August 24, 2015
Yes Minister was - and is - one of the best written set of political satire and/or comedy I have had the privilege to lay my eyes on, either in writing or the superb BBC series. I heartily recommend the book to anyone who's enjoyed the series.
The book is set sometime into the (then) future, as an academic/documentary writing of the late minister and subsequent prime minister James Hacker. It includes diary entries of Jim Hacker peppered with editorial comments of Lynn & Jay and interviews of his widow, lady Hacker, and sir Bernard Woolley.
The book is set sometime into the (then) future, as an academic/documentary writing of the late minister and subsequent prime minister James Hacker. It includes diary entries of Jim Hacker peppered with editorial comments of Lynn & Jay and interviews of his widow, lady Hacker, and sir Bernard Woolley.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews