Bill Bryson is safe, but this is still a great comic read (Round Ireland with a Fridge - Tony Hawks)

Member Name: bruffyboy

Product:	Round Ireland with a Fridge - Tony Hawks
Date:	10/01/09 (34 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: very funny

Disadvantages: Not as travel oriented as some may expect

When it comes to humorous travel literature, Bill Bryson has made an art of combining description of place with laugh out loud comedy. When you consider how many writers out there are genuinely funny, it's a bizarrely untapped market (and a lucrative one I guess) and so it comes as no surprise to me to read this odd little book.

The basic premise of Tony Hawks' (that's the comedian not the skateboarder) book is that he hitchhikes round Ireland with....a fridge, and writes about it. It's a task anyone could undertake, and yet it's an excellent read.

Tony Hawks is a bit Z List celebrity these days, but you may remember him from TV appearances, odd books, and even a chart single (oh yes). You don't need to know him to enjoy the book though.

For me, the beauty of this book is that it is very funny, and describes a lot of interesting people. The travel aspect of the book comes a distant third; what I loved reading was the annecdotes, the accounts of interacting with some very odd people, and even a bit of sex in a tent! There is plenty of description of Ireland, but I don't see it as a travel book about Ireland, more a 'look what happened to me when I did this' book.

Hawks' vulnerability and openness is endearing in this book, and you get to feel like you know this genuinely nice guy, which is a big part of the reason it's so enjoyable.

It's not fair to say fans of Bryson should like it, as it's less travel oriented, but fans of comedy, Ireland, and reading about people will certainly love it.

If you liked the book you should try 'McCarthy's Bar', another funny book about travelling around Ireland. However, I don't recommend 'Playing Tennis with the Moldovans' by Tony Hawks - a much poorer attempt at a funny book.

Summary: read it