This is the book I read when I need cheering up. Based on a website from the early 2000s (it’s still going but hasn’t changed much), it’s written by a biscuit-obsessed man called Nicey (real name Stuart Payne) with occasional opinions from his wife (name unknown).
The book is, you may not be surprised to hear, about three things. Tea. Biscuits. Sitting down. Three traditional British past-times which go together (to use biscuit analogies) like golden syrup and oats, or chocolate and wafers, or jam and cream. The majority of the book is comprised of personal reviews of various kinds of biscuits, divided into categories. There are also some science bits. It’s guaranteed to make me laugh and it’s easy to read, so I’ve re-read it several times, most recently this week. The funniest part is Nicey’s angry rant about pink wafer biscuits. It’s always hilarious when he gets worked up about something so trivial. I also enjoy his musings upon a time machine powered by custard creams and his search for a decent teapot.
There is only one downside to this book. It gives you a craving for biscuits.
First published in 2004 by Time Warner.
This sounds like a great book!
It is! I’m very fond of it 🙂
Fab review sounds like a fun read!
It’s fun and always cheers me up 🙂
Oh I love the sound of this book. I need cheering up so I’ll have to get it as some point.. with biscuits!
It is a very cheering-up kind of book and full of British sense of humour 😉
I would love reading this one haha, I haven’t read anything similar! Do you think it would be enjoyable for someone not too familiar with British biscuits? :)) I have never thought I would ask that question when talking about a book!
Hmm OK… interesting question! I think you would need to know the biscuits really, the book is generally aimed at Britons but that doesn’t mean that others can enjoy it 🙂
I bought a copy at Harrod’s on a trip to London in 2005 and love it so much. So funny! It’s the sort of book I might reenter a burning building to save. Of course, it makes me want to emigrate to the UK from the US so I can get proper biscuits and tea!
My copy is looking very well-read! Yes, tea and biscuits are very important here, although I wouldn’t say they are worth emigrating for!