Tuesday 12 July 2011

Book Reviews

God Collar
Marcus Brigstocke
Bantam Press

Available Now - £11.99 (Digital Download, Trade Paperback) & £20.00 (Audio Download)
Review by Brad Harmer

Based on Marcus Brigstocke's award-winning Edinburgh and West End show, God Collar focuses on the ‘God-shaped hole’ that opened up in Marcus’s life following the death of his best friend. Exploring his own issues surrounding faith – his lack of it, his need for it, some people's waste of it and what good purposes it might serve if he could get hold of it – he rails against the holy trinity of Abrahamic religions (Islam, Christianity and Judaism) while atheists, agnostics and believers of all faiths get it in the neck too.

Unlike a lot of comedians, Brigstocke has managed to transpose the pleading, ranting tone of his stand-up performances perfectly. As a matter of fact, it’s all but impossible not to hear his voice in your head while reading God Collar.

Brigstocke manages to connect with the reader in a very clever way, no matter what your faith may be. His parody of arguing with a creationist is so sharp I think I actually cut my eyeballs on it.

As he works his way through all of the various religions and beliefs, the original idea of searching for some kind of truth remains. It’s this single point that manages to frequently save God Collar from being offensive. He never judges – he merely questions, openly and innocently.

If you’re a fan of Marcus Brigstocke’s comedy in general, or just fancy something easy to read, but still thought provoking, this summer, then you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of God Collar.

The Emotionally Fourteen Rating
Violence:
None. Occasionally discussed.
Sex/Nudity: None. Occasionally discussed.
Swearing: Frequent and strong.
Summary: Intelligent, enjoyable and full of wit, this is an essential read this summer. The world needs more comedy this clever. Recommended to believer, agnostic and atheist alike. 9/10

1 comment:

  1. An interesting review, I must admit I disagree slightly with the quality of the intellect displayed, but the comedy is certainly top notch. If you're interested I noted my own thoughts here http://bit.ly/oLpWMj

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