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Publisher and industry reviews

Jacket review

Praise for George MacDonald Fraser: 'Thanks to Fraser's passion for history, his rare gift for rattling narrative and his infectious delight in robust, rollicking language, we can rejoice in a work of genius worthy of being ranked with -- there can be no higher accolade -- P.G. Wodehouse' Daily Telegraph 'As well as providing a fine assortment of treats, George MacDonald Fraser is a marvellous reporter and a first-rate historical novelist' Kingsley Amis

UK Kirkus review

This is a barnstormer of a book that had politically correct types turning purple with rage when it came out in hardback. But readers loved every trenchant word and the book produced one of the greatest-ever 'bravo' postbags for both author and publisher. The reason is that Fraser dares to write what millions scarcely dare even to think. He sounds off about political correctness in all its forms, calls for a return to the values of 50 years ago and accuses successive governments of turning Britain into a Third World country where corruption, incompetence and selfishness rule OK. If all that sounds a touch over the top, even for a self-confessed 'dinosaur', then get ready for some surprises. Fraser has hardly warmed up yet. This is no rant from an antediluvian reactionary, however. Fraser's grouchy comments are spiced with humour and for much of the time they are autobiographical, telling of his experiences as a journalist, novelist and screenwriter. The humour in his 'Flashman' novels keeps peeping through in what might be called the book's second part - anecdotes about some of the great film actors and directors with whom Fraser has worked. They include Steve McQueen, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Cubby Broccoli. It would have been easy to separate the book into two distinct segments but Fraser has interwoven them. Every 'Shooting Script' chapter is followed by one headed 'Angry Old Man' in which he calls for the reintroduction of hanging and corporal punishment, a block on asylum-seekers, a return to traditional forms of education and an end to 'positive discrimination' in race matters - you know the sort of thing. Whether his views are shared by the stars of stage and screen is not made clear, although we do learn that Steve McQueen had a lifelong desire to ride the Isle of Man TT course and that Burt Lancaster admires the British armed forces - especially the commandos. What delighted Burt most of all during his own army service was the commandos' insistence on breaking off from war to take afternoon tea. The book is packed with stories such as this. And despite the 'grumpy old man' image which he cultivates so assiduously, Fraser emerges as a modest and quite decent chap really when he isn't in Meldrew mode. (Kirkus UK)

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