Many musical and theatrical traditions walk the very narrow path between the sublime and the ridiculous, but perhaps none more so than opera, which, while maintaining an elegant reputation, makes a show out of princes making romantic speeches to soft fruit, noses being accidentally cut off and woodpeckers performing wedding ceremonies. Opera Obscura is a beautifully illustrated collection that contributes twenty-five brand new impossibly madcap operas to the canon of magnificent absurdities, along with the intricate blueprints for several incredible opera houses and information on of a whole range of almost unbelievably incredible instruments.

The surely soon-to-be million-copy bestselling sort-of inspirational parody.. A timeless parody of Charlie Mackesy's The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. Enter the world of me, Panda, plus my sometime-friends Cat and Teddy. You will find us living our best lives, trying (and occasionally succeeding) to be kind to each other. The cat is quite nice but can be a little bit selfish. Teddy can come across as very nice, with his squeaky voice and looking so tiny and helpless. But I must warn you, Teddy can be a vicious little backstabber, actually. This is a book of nice illustrations and some words from which you will likely gain some sort of inspiration. Like: 'Just because you're struggling, it doesn't mean you're failing... But it might do.' 'Nothing beats kindness,' said the cat. 'Gin does', said Panda. 'If you don't stop saying inspirational things to me, I'm going to punch you up the hooter.' 'You OK, hun?' asked Panda, but he was just taking the piss. 'We're just so, so lucky to have each other as friends, and it's going to make a marvellous book.'

James Pinocchio wakes up in the back of a New York City taxi with a combination lock piercing his left ear and no idea how it got there, or what the combination is.

The following day, his wealthy parents decide they've had enough, and they send him off to Sleepy Hollow, the famous rehab facility in Upstate New York. While there, Mr. Pinocchio meets all sorts of Fascinating Characters, one more Unbelievable and Amazing than the next, and they challenge him to confront his Deepest, Darkest Fears. The experience leads Mr. Pinocchio to the very edges of despair, but at a critical juncture he finds hope in the arms of a Bad Woman.

The love affair ends tragically, alas, and, like many parts of Mr. Pinocchio's story, stretches credibility to the breaking point, but the harrowing adventure -- which involves a great deal of pain, a smattering of dirty sex, and endless amounts of girlish crying -- eventually leads to Redemption and Healing. But not for Mr. Pinocchio

The Mr. Men have been tickling children for generations with their funny and charming antics. The Mr Men for Grown-Ups series now gives adults the chance to laugh along as the Mr Men and Little Miss try to cope with the very grown-up world around them. Featuring Roger Hargreaves classic artwork alongside hilariously funny new text. Little Miss Busy hadn't always been so busy. She used to enjoy lazy weekends and leisurely lie-ins. But then she had kids. Now her life is a constant juggle of demands and pressure to be the perfect mum. How does Little Miss Busy do it? The perfect book for anyone who has ever faced the trials and tribulations of the wonderful and exasperating world of parenthood. Also available The Mr Men for Grown-Ups series: Mr Greedy Eats Clean to Get Lean, Little Miss Shy Goes Online Dating and Mr Happy and the Office Party, Mr Grumpy Nails Fatherhood and Little Miss Lucky is Getting Married.

The Mr. Men have been tickling children for generations with their funny and charming antics. The Mr Men for Grown-Ups series now gives adults the chance to laugh along as the Mr Men and Little Miss try to cope with the very grown-up world around them. Featuring Roger Hargreaves classic artwork alongside hilariously funny new text. Mr Grumpy has always been grumpy despite how much he protests otherwise. To top it all, now he has to cope with the challenges of modern fatherhood. Does he manage to nail everything that his family expect of him? The perfect book for anyone who has ever tried to retain a bit of themselves amongst all that parenting throws at them. Also available in The Mr Men for Grown-Ups series: Little Miss Busy Surviving Motherhood, Mr Greedy Eats Clean to Get Lean,Little Miss Shy Goes Online Dating and Mr Happy and the Office Party.

Falling in love is a beautiful thing. The internet, naturally, has taken this beauty and turned it into something deeply, deeply strange. Featuring screenshots from real-life dating conversations, Is This Love or Dopamine? is a hilarious, piercing analysis of the weird-and-not-so-wonderful world of internet dating. @beam_me_up_softboi creator and journalist Iona David explores all the highs, horrors and heartbreaks: from the all-important first DM slide to the inevitable eventual ghosting; from f*ckboys and Tinder anthems to loaded emojis and revenge selfies. Learn what to do if someone uses 'teehee' in a sext (run for the hills) or has a photo of themselves holding a massive fish on their profile (run faster). A dedication to all the hours spent lying in bed/sitting on the toilet swiping until thumb cramp sets in, this book will make you laugh, then cry, then delete your dating app profile, then (obviously) re-download it again. Long live the internet!

'Packed with hard laughs' Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul, Mr. Show 'The funniest book ever written' Josh Weinstein, showrunner of The Simpsons 'Some of the funniest, cleverest satirical pieces of writing in the world' Aisling Bea, creator of This Way Up In 2001, fans of the internet were introduced to scanned pages from spoof local newspaper The Framley Examiner. Packed with humdrum and preposterous news stories, classified ads, local business features and headlines that seemed to have been typed while asleep, it skewered the banal madness of small-town existence, perfectly encapsulating the British national character. Framley's strange yet familiar community - stuffed with its own cast, insane geography and rich local history - struck a chord with those who recognised their own home towns in its reflection. The website was loved and shared by an eager public as well as famous fans from Little Britain, The Simpsons and the Cambridge Centre for Theoretical Cosmology (Professor Stephen Hawking was a Framley enthusiast). Marking the twentieth anniversary of the website's first appearance The Incomplete Framley Examiner combines the pages of the original book, published in 2002, with all the pages published online in the years since and brand new material for a bigger, more luxurious, toilet-proof compendium for the annals of history.

It all began in June 2005 when Bobby Henderson wrote an open letter to the Kansas School Board proposing a third alternative to the teaching of evolution and intelligent design in schools. Bobby is a prophet of sorts, the spiritual leader of a growing, world-wide group of followers who worship the teachings of The Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM). The FSM appeared to Bobby as a giant ball of spaghetti, with meatballs for eyes, and touched Bobby with "His noodly appendage" - resulting in the revelation that the FSM is the real creator of the universe. The FSM faithful look to Bobby as their prophet and spiritual leader. Shortly after Bobby's revelation a website (www.flyingspaghettimonster.org) came into existence to promote the word. Then came the articles, which were worldwide: The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian (UK), Die Welt (Germany), Surprise (Austria), and many others chimed in to report the existence of the FSM. Bobby received letters of support from academics and Kansas School Board members alike - not to mention a couple million hits per day on the website - and it was all-too-clear that there needed to be a book to lay out FSM scripture, rites and observances, proofs, and answers to the Big Questions. This is that book.

'Horrific and hilarious ... a dystopic vision of an England that would have given Orwell the heebie-jeebies' Independent 'A brilliant work of satire' The Quietus A SCARFOLK SANCTIONED BOOK AUTHORISED EDITION, AS SEEN ON THE RADIO The Scarfolk Annual is the facsimile of a book discovered in a charity shop in the north west of England in August 2018. The shop, and indeed town, do not wish to be identified as they are keen to "discourage the 'occult-totalitarian tourism' that as afflicted other areas of Britain" as people hunt for further socio-archaeological traces of the mysterious, missing town of Scarfolk - Britain's own Brutalist Atlantis. Apart from the archive of Scarfolk materials which was sent anonymously to the late Dr Ben Motte and formed the basis of the book Discovering Scarfolk, this children's annual is, to date, the only complete artefact from Scarfolk ever to be unearthed 'in the wild'. It's clear The Scarfolk Annual was not written to entertain children at Christmastime; its purpose was to indoctrinate young minds; in fact, one might go as far as to say destroy young minds, to an end that has been lost to us.

Written by bestselling author Boris Starling, Pensioners is one of the first titles in the brand new Haynes Explains series. A light-hearted and entertaining take on the classic workshop manual, it contains everything you'd expect to see including exploded views, flow charts, fault diagnosis and the odd wiring diagram. It takes the reader through all stages of vintage life, giving the hints and tips needed to keep everything running smoothly.

HORRIBLE SCIENCE: DANGEROUS DISEASES coughs up all the disgusting details of the squelchiest sicknesses that mankind has suffered through. From the cruel common cold to shocking smallpox, see what happens when your body is attacked by germs! Find out which brave nurse drank diarrhoea, which scientist used eyeballs as food for bacteria, why deadly cholera makes your skin turn blue and how munching maggots can cure flesh diseases! With sickening sick notes, dreadful disease facts, and lots of vicious viruses to make you vomit, it'll leave you bursting with the knowledge of dangerous diseases! This reloaded edition also includes a chapter on the coronavirus crisis. Redesigned in a bold, funky new look for the next generation of HORRIBLE SCIENCE fans.

From the founding editor of The Idler, the celebrated magazine about the freedom and fine art of doing nothing, comes not simply a book, but an antidote to our work-obsessed culture. In How to Be Idle, Tom Hodgkinson presents his learned yet whimsical argument for a new universal standard of living: being happy doing nothing. He covers a whole spectrum of issues affecting the modern idler--sleep, work, pleasure, relationships--while reflecting on the writing of such famous apologists for it as Oscar Wilde, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Nietzsche--all of whom have admitted to doing their very best work in bed.

Gaming just got a whole lot funnier. What was the console gamer's New Year’s resolution? 1280x720. Why did Frogger cross the road? Because after an hour and a half you’ve finally completed the level. Why would a grown-up want to play Pokémon Go? Wynaut? This is a joke book for anyone who knows that AAA isn’t just a battery type, you don’t need scissors to do some crafting and that you don’t have to go outdoors to try camping. *Parental guidance: Occasional fruity language and jokes of a sexual nature*

See the Enterprise. See the Enterprise go boldly. Go Go Go, Enterprise! Go Boldly! Join Kirk, Spock, Uhura, and the rest of the crew as they boldly go where no parody has gone before Star Trek fans and geeks alike will want to beam up a copy. A Fun with Dick and Jane parody, Star Trek style. This Prime Directive primer steps through The Guardian of Forever to a simpler time of reading, writing, and red shirts. Fun with Kirk and Spock will help cadets of all ages master the art of reading as their favorite Starfleet officers, Klingons, Romulans, Andorians, and Gorn beam down into exciting adventures. This is the perfect gift for the Star Trek lover in your life.

A miscellany of actual patents for wonderfully bizarre inventions, Brilliantly Bad is a salute to what the human mind can achieve – even if it probably shouldn’t. This collection of the strangest ideas ever patented, ranging from the bizarre and baffling to the *oh so close* to genius, is a true celebration of human ingenuity in all its (occasionally) pointless glory. INVENTIONS INCLUDE: A coat that doubles as a urinal A musical condom An automated pet petter Face-lifting earrings A weight-lifting device for the penis

Otters are some of the most delightful animals on the planet. These long, lean, furry creatures embody pure joy in so many ways - they live for napping, playing, making friends and eating, and forget about the rest. Pretty inspiring, right? In a world that can often seem divided, lonely, and just plain cruel, the otter reminds us of what's important in life. What other animal: * Holds hands with their friends whilst napping so they don't float away? * Communicates in a flurry of whistles, chirps, chuckles, clicks and coos? * Builds a waterslide on a daily basis? * Befriends other species, just because? * Eats food off their tummy while floating peacefully with their pals? These intelligent, adorable, water-dwelling mammals have a lot to teach us about the way we live. So, kick back, grab a pal, dive in and reconnect with your playful side, just like you otter!

The Mr. Men have been tickling children for generations with their funny and charming antics. The Mr Men for Grown-Ups series now gives adults the chance to laugh along as the Mr Men and Little Miss try to cope with the very grown-up world around them. Featuring Roger Hargreaves classic artwork alongside hilariously funny new text. Little Miss Lucky is getting married and she wants to keep it simple and dignified, including the hen do. But everyone else has other ideas. Will she survive Little Miss Naughty's antics and make it to her mother's dream wedding on time? The perfect book for any bride-to-be who wonders if they really are the lucky one. Also available in The Mr Men for Grown-Ups series: Little Miss Busy Surviving Motherhood, Mr Grumpy Nails Fatherhood, Mr Greedy Eats Clean to Get Lean, Little Miss Shy Goes Online Dating, Mr Happy and the Office Party.

'Bilston is a magician with words' - Guardian The perfect, witty gift for Valentine's and beyond. Alexa, what is there to know about love? is a wonderful collection of poems by Brian Bilston, Twitter's 'unofficial poet laureate', in which he frets over the challenges of modern life, extols the pleasures of books, broods over politics, and ponders the curiosities of language. But at its heart, this is a collection of poems about love. From our caveman days to the internet era, from first dates to love in old age, Alexa, what is there to know about love? has a love poem for every time, place and occasion - and will stir the soul of even the most jaded romantic. 'Brian Bilston is a laureate for our fractured times.' - Ian McMillan 'Someone who knows their way round both a joke and a bittersweet narrative.' - The Times 'Part John Cooper Clarke, part Frank Sidebottom . . . all brilliant.' - Esquire

Raising the Perfect Child Through Guilt and Manipulation is not one of those traditional, all-too-earnest parenting guides that, for generations, have sucked all the fun out of child rearing. The foundation of Elizabeth Beckwith's Guilt and Manipulation family philosophy is simple: We do things a certain way, and everyone else is an a**hole.

Is that something you should put on a bumper sticker and slap on your minivan? Of course not--that would be trashy. But in the privacy of your own home, you can employ these essential components of Guilt and Manipulation to mold the little runts ruthlessly yet effectively into children you won't be embarrassed to admit are yours: Creating a Team: "Us" vs. "Them"How to Scare the Crap Out of Your Child (in a Positive Way) Don't Be Afraid to Raise a Nerd Mind Control: Why It's a Good Thing

Hilariously imagined text conversations--the passive aggressive, the clever, and the strange--from classic and modern literary figures, from Scarlett O'Hara to Jessica Wakefield

Mallory Ortberg, the co-creator of the cult-favorite website "The Toast," presents this whimsical collection of hysterical text conversations from your favorite literary characters. Everyone knows that if Scarlett O'Hara had an unlimited text-and-data plan, she'd constantly try to tempt Ashley away from Melanie with suggestive messages. If Mr. Rochester could text Jane Eyre, his ardent missives would obviously be in all-caps. And Daisy Buchanan would not only text while driving, she'd text you to pick her up after she totaled her car. Based on the popular web-feature, "Texts from Jane Eyre" is a witty, irreverent mashup that brings the characters from your favorite books into the twenty-first century.

Born into the litters of two rival families, star-cross'd lovers Romeo and Juliet fall tuft-over-paw for each other before learning that they are sworn enemies. 'O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?' squeaks Juliet from her balcony, before declarations of undying affection are made and a secret wedding is planned. But the path of true love does not run smooth, and Romeo soon finds himself banished from the city of Verona after playing his part in a fatal brawl with Juliet's family. In a desperate attempt to scurry away together, they devise a plan fraught with danger that eventually leads to heart-break...Discover Shakespeare's classic tale of romance and tragedy, retold in an entirely new way.

Essential (and emotionally intelligent) etiquette tips are packaged here alongside hilarious "Dick and Jane"-style illustrations. Laugh and learn. On the one hand, nobody wants to be a dick. On the other hand, dicks are everywhere! They cut in line, talk behind our backs, recline into our seats, and even have the power to morph into trolls online. Their powers are impressive, but with a little foresight and thoughtfulness, we can take a stand against dickishness today. How Not to Be a Dick is packed with honest and straightforward advice, divided into the categories of relationships, home, school, work, play, in transit, and on the internet. Paired with this essential wisdom are playful illustrations showing two well-meaning (but not always well behaved) young people as they confront moments of potential dickishness in their everyday lives. Sometimes they falter, sometimes they triumph, but they always seek to find a better way. And with their help, you can too.