Ah but I were so cunning.... (Do Not Pass Go - Tim Moore)

Member Name: Fishbulb

Product:	Do Not Pass Go - Tim Moore
Date:	01/04/03 (443 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Historical, funny & factual, Familiar settings - love it or hate it, London's the capital of our country (assuming you're in England;o)), Everyone loves Monopoly

Disadvantages: , I'm so sorry, but at the time of posting, I really cannot think of any disadvantages :o(

.......yet I could not think of a title!

Well, this all started as a bit of a joke, you see ? I HATE Monopoly? I detest it I truly do. I would rather be poked with sharp hot sticks than play it so dear Mr Fish decides to buy me a book based on Monopoly? for Christmas as a joke. Well HA, the jokes' on you Mr Fish because...well....read on and I'll tell you.

Tim Moore, the brains behind this book is quoted by The Times as being 'The New Bill Bryson'. His writing has appeared in The Sunday Times, Esquire, the Observer and the Daily Telegraph to name but a few places. To be honest, I'd never heard of him until Christmas morning and I assumed that this was his first book, I was surprised to learn upon researching that he has written a couple of similar style books - Frost on my Moustache (set in Iceland) and French Revolutions - set in.....ahhh, I know you know, I'm not going to say it. FRANCE! Ha, I did Nurrgh!

Anyway, Tim's a family man, living in London with his wife and three children and has, so it seems a slight obsession with one of the worlds most successful, if not the most popular board game. Tim Moore being likened to Bill Bryson is probably due to the fact that he too writes humorous travel(ish)fiction(ish) books. I say ish in both cases as I'm fairly sure that there's the makings of a travel guide in his books, but they're only informative in a humorous sort of way. Not I must stress in a ?listings of local restaurants suitable for families? sort of way! ;o)

You'll find this book, in the travel guide section of the bookshop should you decide to go out and look for it. It's quite easy to recognise with Tim Moore written in huge red letters across the front and various photographs at both the top and the bottom of the cover each depicting a square on a Monopoly board. The acknowledgement was the first thing to raise a little chuckle from me where it says and I quote "And
finally, a fitful round of derisive applause for Hasbro, who have ensured you won't be seeing a dog, boot, title deed or Monopoly board graphically represented within these pages. I am consequently delighted to confirm that this book is in no way endorsed by or associated with Hasbro, and indeed that the royalties they might have otherwise accrued are in every way endorsed by and associated with my wallet" from here on in, it just gets better. This does also explain the photographs on the cover and the London maps inside the book, which are all completed in such a tongue-in-cheek ?school project? sort of way. It carries a rather hefty £12 price tag (I have to say, not knowing the author I probably wouldn't have spent that much on his book, but I'm so glad someone did ;o))

After a life-long obession with the game Monopoly, and also a whole life living in the West End of London, Tim decides that he will tell the story of London through all the places on a Monopoly board after some encouragement and/or tolleration by his wife and some cajouling by his children off he sets with a board, dice, a 1933 Directory of London (that's the year Monopoly was invented see) and continues to tell the tale of the City of London, both in modern day and in 1933. He aims to experience life in each of of the 'squares' from Kings Cross, where he meets a rather lovely Brazillian he affectionately names 'hellogabbyspeaking' on account of the way she answers the telephone to 'Prison, just visiting'. Should you be one of the many people who actually do like Monopoly (weirdo ;o)) then there's also a few tips on game-play throughout the book.

There's an unbelievable stream of humour, both in the situations Tim gets himself into and his general wordmanship. Tim has a dry, sadistic, yet somehow innocent sense of humour. There's a wonderful feeling of history and nostalgia as he constantly compares modern day London to t
he London that would have been back in 1933. He talks you through the changes in architecture, culture and even sees Anne Robinson at one point - but don't blink or you'll miss her!

I'm a bit of a fact fiend and this book is jam-packed with them, things like QUOTE "On Coronation Day ? 12 May 1937 hundreds of Mass Observation volunteers insinuated themselves into crowds around the country, scribbling down incidents witnessed and conversations overheard in pubs and on buses, watching how people walked and behaved. No one is sure what the operation achieved...............but if you're trying to get an impression of London life in the thirties, there is no more entertaining or evocative source book. Where else would you discover that every time the lights went out on a thirties Tube train someone would start making 'animal noises'? Or that it was a common pastime to shout 'Beaver!' at men with beards?? This book is fast paced and will have you flipping over the pages eager to follow Tim on his journey further. If you?ve ever been to London or played Monopoly? you?ll find a sense of comfort in the book. People like to read about places they know or have heard of, it's amusing in a stand-up comedian style, pointing out the obvious. Sometimes there's a definite pride to be found in pointing out the mistakes too, although I can honestly say I didn't notice any in this book.

The nature of the style of the writing gives a very personal feel to the story. I?d liken it to sitting in a pub with a friend who?s telling me about his holidays! Although the book centres on Tim, there are brief appearances from friends and strangers. These figures all assist in defining and emphasising the personality of Tim?s overall character and they deepen the plot development. Some incidents in the book had me laughing out loud and desperate to share them with someone. I could go on and on with quote and quip and quip and quot
e, but instead I would heartily recommend spending a few hours of your life reading this tale.


As I said before, theres a great diversity in this book without being too caught up on any given thing. A perfect balance of new and old. History and culture and facts & fiction with a non-stop (tube)train of humour threading it all neatly together.

An Excellent book, that has already made it into my top ten books of all time, it's even ahead of the Argos catalogue...that counts as a book right?

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