The Deeper Meaning of Liff

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View books by Douglas Adams, John Lloyd.

You know the definition, now visit the place - Rated
'The Deeper meaning of Liff' is fairly typical Douglas Adams stuff. It gives amusing descriptions for place names, mostly in the UK, but with a smattering of foreign places too. It's slight, entertaining and grows on you.
We have our favourite definitions, such as Grimbister, Beccles and Dobwalls. All are ones with which any reader can easily identify. There's no point in giving the definitions here, as that would rather spoil the fun. Quite a few have sexual associations, but the curious sly wording makes them entertaining rather than crude.
Not long ago we actually drove through Dobwalls (in Cornwall). There was a definite buzz to doing so.
I've bought two copies, the more recent to send to a friend in the USA, who found he could understand and enjoy about two-thirds of the definitions - the rest are clearly only for Brits.
I've never read the earlier 'The Meaning of Liff', but will buy it one of these days.
Not a weighty read, but I come back to it every so often, mostly as something to take to the loo when my current reading is downstairs.

The funniest book ever - Rated
I first read my friend's copy of this book over 10 years ago and it still makes me laugh to this day. Even now when I stand on an tube station platform and smell the 'foul wind that precedes an underground train' I think-that's a Chicago. Buy it, you won't regret it.

Hilarious - Rated
This book will amuse you for hours, the basic idea is that Adams and Lloyd have used place names for all those amusing things in life for which there aren't existing words. It becomes addictive and in our family about half of the entries in this book have entered our everyday vocabulary. If you're not amused by the likes of "The Hitchhikers Guide", "Monty Python" and the like then you won't enjoy it, but if on the other hand you are then this should be an indispensable addition to you bookshelf.

Guaranteed Smiles - Rated
This book is a delight from beginning to end, there is a chuckle on every page. A fine example of the quirky wit of the late Douglas Adams.

Entertaining, but slight - Rated
This is an excellent little humourous dictionary of things that don't actually have names, but really should (like those corrugated bits of flesh you get round your ankles from wearing too-tight socks). Good fun, and Douglas Adams fans will find lots of great jokes within, just be aware that by it's very nature this is the sort of book you'll pull off of the shelf and randomly flick through for 5 minutes from time to time, rather than something you'll sit down and read from cover to cover. Great fun, but admittedly slight, even in it's expanded form.