ISBN: Ostalo
Godina izdanja: 2003
Jezik: Engleski
Autor: Strani

U dobrom stanju

Published 2003 by The Folio Society
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.58 pounds
Format 268 pages, Hardcover
Language English

Ever since Chaucer`s day, when the host of the Tabard Inn in Southwark rose to welcome the Canterbury Pilgrims with a joke, the After Dinner Speech, designed, if possible, to reduce the assembled company to helpless merriment, has presented the ultimate challenge. The best speakers are natural story-tellers—Gerard Hoffnung, reading a selection of letters from continental hoteliers: `There is a French widow in every bedroom affording delightful prospects`; John Mortimer telling the woeful tale of a man`s numerous unsuccessful attempts to murder his wife: `At no time did Mrs Scott feel that the magic had gone out of their marriage`—and in this collection of post-prandial treasures you will find the very best of them, from Groucho Marx on how to resist a femme fatale, to Ralph Steadman surreally addressing the Lewis Carroll Centenary Dinner. `Goodness`, said a friend on greeting Mae West, `where did you get those beautiful pearls?` `Goodness`, replied Mae, `had nothing to do with it.`

Shaggy dog stories, practical jokes, sporting anecdotes, rousing toasts, travellers` tales and risqué reminiscences rub shoulders in this essential collection with real-life revelations and moments of history. Among the guests are Peter Ustinov, Jilly Cooper, Brian Johnstone, Charles Dickens, Dorothy Parker, Robertson Davies, Henry Grady and A.P. Herbert. There is food and drink in abundance. There is gentle reflection and endearing charm as well as defiant frivolity. Above all there are stories for every occasion—witty, absurd, momentous, philosophical, fascinating, poignant, and forever entertaining.
Introduction

Geoffrey Chaucer Our host
William Shakespeare Henry V’s St Crispin’s Day speech i9
William Makepeace Thackeray Waterloo 20
Samuel Johnson In brief
Libby Purves Address to the Samuel Johnson Society 25
Horace Walpole Charles Townshend’s champagne speech 31 P. G. Wodehouse A few auspicious words 34
Jose Manser Hugh Casson and Laurie Lee 39
Jose Manser A Thatcher put-down John Wells and Richard Ingrams Dear Bill 43
The King’s Tradesmen On His Majesty^ birthday 47
G. K. Chesterton Speechlessness
Sir Pelham Warner Just not cricket -6
Revd R. H. Barham From The Lay of St Cuthber 58
Charles Dickens PS America 60
Charles Dickens Dingley Dell v. All Muggletonians 62
Richard Ingrams Ballades and Beachcomber 67
Henry W. Grady The New South -j1
Mark Twain Littery men 77
Michael Holroyd A prominent feature 82
A. P. Herbert Winston Churchill 86
Winston Churchill To the Corinthians 87
Stanley Baldwin On England 93
Stanley Baldwin Advice on speech-making 94
John Fothergill Falls of Lodore 95
A. P. Herbert - The English laugh 97
Mae West - In brief 110
Dorothy Parker In brief 112
Groucho Marx In brief 113
Groucho Marx How to be a spy 114
Osbert Sitwell Sir Herbert and Lady Tree 117
A. P. Herbert The English laugh - again `
Maurice Baring Such a treat 118
A P. Herbert The English laugh - chorus 122
A. P. Herbert After dinner 123
Joyce Grenfell Useful and acceptable gifts 125
Evelyn Waugh Dreading it 130
Gerard Hoffnung From a bricklayer in Golders Green
Patrick Garland Lord David Cecil’s dismay Clive James The Pembroke smoker , Sg
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh lb the. French
Chamber of Commerce , ^
John Gordon Lord Beaverbrook’s last speech `SfiUt
Lord Beaverbrook Apprentice
Matthew Parris On Gyles Brandreth
Gyles Brandreth Gobbledegook or small print
The Think Tank Top secret 159
Miles Kington Ten ways NOT to start a funny story J 160
John Mortimer Stranger than fiction 61
Joanna Trollope Trollope and sex 69
Robertson Davies Refuge of insulted saints HM the Queen Golden wedding , 190
Margaret Scott Royal, real and republic ^dujBSn)5 Tim Heald An evening with Brian,Johnston Thomas Braun A birthday tribute to Jasper Griffin 210
Alan White Lewis Carroll and Ralph Steadman 217
Ralph Steadman But we3U need some jam 218
Helen Fielding Bridget Jones at a wedding 228
Maureen Lipman BeRo and borrowed hats 231
David Burnett To the Society of Dorset Men 235
William Ind, Bishop of Truro Not enough cricket 241
Jilly Cooper Meeting David Niven 246
Patrick Garland The incomparable Rex Harrison 249
Peter Ustinov A run-in with Dame Edith Evans 257
Tim Heald Business unusual or THE END 260
Acknowledgements 265