laughs - Page 2

pendragginp · 03-12-2016, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

The Tom Holt Lucia books are the best continuations of a series by a different author that I've ever read. I haven't tried the Fraser-Sampson books because according to a friend, they get several aspects of the canon backstory wrong.

On the strength of this comment I'm giving the Holt books a try. It would be nice to meet a reasonable facsimile of our friends from Tilling again.

ElspethB · 03-12-2016, 04:20 PM

During a dinner at the captain's table fairly early in the nautical adventures of Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin, a chaplain asks why dog watches are so named.

Quote:

"Why," said Stephen, "it is because they are curtailed, of course."

It takes awhile for the joke to sink in but once it does, the company finds it monstrously funny, particularly Captain Aubrey. But what I particularly love is that the joke keeps popping up in other books because Jack Aubrey thinks it's the wittiest thing he's ever heard and often repeats it. I'm currently on The Commodore, 17th in the series, and Jack is still laughing about it, which makes me laugh, too.

signum · 03-12-2016, 04:37 PM

The other part you need to know is that on a ship, the dog watch is a short watch - half a standard watch. Therefore it is shortened or curtailed.

ElspethB · 03-12-2016, 04:49 PM

Thaks, signum. Heh, I just assumed everyone knew that, but I probably didn't know it myself before reading the Hornblower books years ago.

Lynx-lynx · 03-12-2016, 05:04 PM

Just a thought, JBCohen would you mind that if members couldn't remember jokes/book they mentioned the book and the humourous part/s?

MrTeatime · 03-13-2016, 06:10 AM

Not a joke, exactly, but the "Businessman and the Biscuit" story from one of the Hitchhiker's books blew me away the first time I read it

tompe · 03-15-2016, 07:17 PM

Some of the jokes in Three Men in a Boat.

Lynx-lynx · 03-15-2016, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

Some of the jokes in Three Men in a Boat.

I'll second that!

Jane Oldaker · 03-22-2016, 08:44 PM

One of my favourites is from Jilly Cooper's Riders. Wishbone, an Irish showjumper, is deep into his cups and trying to sell a really promising horse. The prospect asks who the horse is by. Says Wishbone:

"Ah, and who would you like him to be by?"

Nabeel · 03-25-2016, 06:50 PM

I like one of Terry Pratchett's jokes about Death.

Obviously Death went to collect mortals whose time had come. The thing that Death feared most is that the doomed mortal in question would then challenge Death to a chess match.

Why?

Because Death could never remember the way that the horses went.

Kinda makes you feel sorry for Death.

Jozawun · 03-25-2016, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nabeel

I like one of Terry Pratchett's jokes about Death.

Obviously Death went to collect mortals whose time had come. The thing that Death feared most is that the doomed mortal in question would then challenge Death to a chess match.

Why?

Because Death could never remember the way that the horses went.

Kinda makes you feel sorry for Death.

Sounds like a typically erudite Terry Pratchett backhander, this time at Ingmar Bergman and The Seventh Seal.

piperclassique · 03-28-2016, 11:09 AM

Loving the Mapp and Lucia books, which I don't think i would have found without this thread. Thanks, all

emellaich · 04-08-2016, 06:09 PM

In one of the Miles Vorkosigan books by Bujold. (I'll paraphrase since I don't have the book handy).

Miles is walking through a party when someone blocks his way and says something like: 'It seems that if you are a Vorkosigan you can get away with murder.'

Miles replies, 'if you believe that, why are you blocking my way?'

Froide · 04-08-2016, 06:44 PM

From Cormac McCarthy's third Border Trilogy novel, Cities of the Plain (idiosyncratic punctuation 'n all):

Quote:

Mac: Just pretend like he aint even there.

JG: Yessir.

(...)

Mac: Just dont pay no attention to him.

JG: Yessir. I aint.

Mac: I got more to do than worry about him.

JG: Yessir.

(...)

Mac: Did Wolfenbarger bid on him?

JG: You said not to look over there.

Mac: I know it. Did he?

JG: Yep.

(...)

Mac: I thought you wasnt goin to look over there.

issybird · 04-12-2016, 09:24 AM

This is from the book of P.G. Wodehouse stories I'm currently reading. This isn't his best collection and this is a story that I didn't think measured up to his admittedly very high bar, but it shows that even mediocre Wodehouse is rewarding.

He's describing "a melancholy-looking man. He had the appearance of one who has searched for the leak in life's gas-pipe with a lighted candle". I did giggle at that.

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03-12-2016, 04:37 PM	#18
signum Zealot Posts: 119 Karma: 64428 Join Date: Aug 2011 Device: none	The other part you need to know is that on a ship, the dog watch is a short watch - half a standard watch. Therefore it is shortened or curtailed.

03-12-2016, 04:49 PM	#19
ElspethB Passionate Reader Posts: 276 Karma: 1829152 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Central Jersey, USA Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab S3, Kobo Clara HD, Fire HD 8, Voyage, Oasis 3, PW5	Thaks, signum. Heh, I just assumed everyone knew that, but I probably didn't know it myself before reading the Hornblower books years ago.

03-12-2016, 05:04 PM	#20
Lynx-lynx Treachery of images ... Posts: 4,122 Karma: 93720365 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Australia Device: Sony 650, Kobo Glo, H2O, Aura One, Forma, Libra 2, Libra Colour	Just a thought, JBCohen would you mind that if members couldn't remember jokes/book they mentioned the book and the humourous part/s?

03-13-2016, 06:10 AM	#21
MrTeatime Connoisseur Posts: 61 Karma: 513276 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Sony PRS-350	Not a joke, exactly, but the "Businessman and the Biscuit" story from one of the Hitchhiker's books blew me away the first time I read it

03-15-2016, 07:17 PM	#22
tompe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,452 Karma: 7185064 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Linköpng, Sweden Device: Kindle Voyage, Nexus 5, Kindle PW	Some of the jokes in Three Men in a Boat.

03-22-2016, 08:44 PM	#24
Jane Oldaker Groupie Posts: 152 Karma: 1018376 Join Date: Jan 2013 Device: Samsung G3 Tablet, Kobo Vox	One of my favourites is from Jilly Cooper's Riders. Wishbone, an Irish showjumper, is deep into his cups and trying to sell a really promising horse. The prospect asks who the horse is by. Says Wishbone: "Ah, and who would you like him to be by?"

03-25-2016, 06:50 PM	#25
Nabeel Zealot Posts: 147 Karma: 2747136 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Britain Device: Kobo Aura One	I like one of Terry Pratchett's jokes about Death. Obviously Death went to collect mortals whose time had come. The thing that Death feared most is that the doomed mortal in question would then challenge Death to a chess match. Why? Because Death could never remember the way that the horses went. Kinda makes you feel sorry for Death.

03-28-2016, 11:09 AM	#27
piperclassique A garbling groftpot Posts: 995 Karma: 9234667 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: France Device: Oasis, Voyage, Kobo mini, Samsung tablet, phones, whatever.	Loving the Mapp and Lucia books, which I don't think i would have found without this thread. Thanks, all

04-08-2016, 06:09 PM	#28
emellaich Wizard Posts: 1,101 Karma: 4388403 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Palm>Ebookman>IPaq>Axim>Cybook>Kndl2>IPAD>Kndl3SO>Voyager>Oasis	In one of the Miles Vorkosigan books by Bujold. (I'll paraphrase since I don't have the book handy). Miles is walking through a party when someone blocks his way and says something like: 'It seems that if you are a Vorkosigan you can get away with murder.' Miles replies, 'if you believe that, why are you blocking my way?'

04-12-2016, 09:24 AM	#30
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 21,297 Karma: 234636059 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: Mini, H2O, Glo HD, Aura One, PW4, PW5	This is from the book of P.G. Wodehouse stories I'm currently reading. This isn't his best collection and this is a story that I didn't think measured up to his admittedly very high bar, but it shows that even mediocre Wodehouse is rewarding. He's describing "a melancholy-looking man. He had the appearance of one who has searched for the leak in life's gas-pipe with a lighted candle". I did giggle at that.

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