The Compulsive Spike Milligan

by Norma (ed) Farnes

This second superb collected work of one of Britain's best-loved comedians is an excellent companion to the sensational original, 'The Essential Spike Milligan'. Spanning his 50-year career and incorporating a rich and varied range of material, this second anthology is as wonderfully unmissable as the first. When Spike Milligan died in 2002, he left behind one of the most diverse legacies in British entertainment history - as well as a legion of devoted fans and admirers. His themes ranged from environmental issues to the war, from nostalgia to depression, and his prolific output covers some of the most evocative events of the twentieth century, in a style both twistedly comic and harrowingly honest. The huge success of the Spike Milligan anthology, 'The Essential Spike Milligan', has inspired a second raid on the original brilliant source. Milligan was arguably the most one of the prolific and mould-breaking comic writers of the twentieth century and this second anthology gives another opportunity to sample his finest writing. It includes more of the best from his war memoirs and novel Puckoon, his children's stories, poetry and drawings plus a wonderful collection from his voluminous correspondence from the 1960s onwards with such varied recipients as the House of Commons, the Director-General of the BBC, Private Eye and British Telecom. A compulsive read for all Milligan fans.

Genres: Fiction, Comedy, Poetry, Humor

448 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Mark McTague · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comedy is much a question of taste, so not everyone will find this collection of excerpts of the Irish comedian and writer Spike Milligan's whimsical poetry and sketch comedy to their liking. For fans of Monty Python's style of loopy, off-the-wall comedy, it's interesting to see that they owe much of that approach to the writing of Milligan, who along with Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe Michael Bentine, created the Goon Show, a groundbreaking radio sketch comedy series for the BBC staring in 1951. This collection thus shows that the current trend of irreverent humor began well before this century.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book of Spike's favourite writings. I especially liked the poetry, both funny and serious, and had already read his war books previously. Would recommend book for all Milligan fans.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the inside front cover panel states - the huge success of the Spike Milligan anthology - The Essential Spike Milligan - has inspired another raid on the original brilliant source. And so all I can really add is that like the Essential Spike Milligan - this book is mixture of works by Spike covering his life and various creative endeavours with the odd insight in to his life (for example he was asked to write a few words about his experiences with "doctors"). The book is tiny peek inside the creative genius

[Iona · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Spike Milligan, he's so clever and witty as well as being quite rude and obviously, painfully aware of his own brilliance. This book is only getting 4 stars though because I don't think it is the best compilation of his works