I started reading the book, began laughing out loud from the first few pages and didn’t stop giggling until the very end. Totally hilarious from start to finish. Wholly believable everyday eccentric characters you could meet in your local pub. Written in a fast flowing, easy style. Endless double entendres that I loved. Extremely witty. Slapstick at times. Refreshingly non-PC. What more can I say? Amongst all the doom and gloom of the coronavirus lockdown this book was just what the doctor ordered. A fantastic first book from a new author. Can’t wait to read the follow up book. Tony Byrne.
A rollicking manual of one-liners in story format . No other book has had me laughing out loud every 30 seconds. A great afternoon’s read. Peter W.
There ain’t much to laugh at right now in the middle of this Covid-19 scare. Turn on the wireless and most so-called comedians are about as funny as haemorrhoids. Instead of telling us rib-tickling jokes, they just mutter “Bloody Boris Johnson” or “Daft Donald Trump?” While studio audiences fall about laughing. Makes me want to cry.
But amid all this gloom, new author Howard Martin has written the funniest book set in sleepy Beds since H E Bates penned “Uncle Silas” 80 years ago. His “Learning to Fly; Fun and frolics at the Linton Flying Club” had me chuckling all the way through the far-too-few 50 chapters.
Politically-correct, it certainly ain’t. And some of the humour is a bit near the knuckle. So if you’re a “snowflake”, prepare to blow a gasket. But if you used to giggle at the Carry On movies, snigger over Brian Rix bedroom farces and guffaw at the antics of Benny Hill, then you’ll love it.
The action starts when married Roger Moore (a man who believes his name entitles him to do exactly that) signs up for flying lessons and falls for randy Mandy the receptionist, who obviously has a soft spot for pilots and their joy sticks.
Swirling round them in the club’s laid-back bar are the sort of crazy characters we all recognise from our local boozers – there’s Prince Charles impressionist Guy, who can’t string more than two sentences together without telling a bawdy joke, Kyle, the gay flight attendant with a taste for false bottoms, and Steve, who always disappears to the loo when its his round.
Things soon start to go wrong. First the club’s brash new owner upsets regulars by installing a rather coarse fat lass called Chantelle behind the bar, doubling the price of drinks and starting to play loud music which drowns out conversation and attracts “the wrong sort of customer”. Then Roger and Mandy’s spouses start to cotton on what’s happening. After that … well, flaps away, it’s bound to end in disaster. Charlie Garth
If you enjoyed the Carry On Films you will like this. Very un PC but so funny. Based around a flying club and relatable to anyone who has visited one. Had to download the next book straight away to see what happened next in the saga. Clare M
A good read if you like traditional comedy (i.e. funny) with some slightly 😳 risque jokes, that even I hadn't heard, and some laugh out loud moments. Almost spat my G&T out at one point but obviously not wasting that at the moment! Nice book cover too! Mrs L.H.
Very good book, reminds me of when I did my pilots licence. Brought back a lot of memories. Simple easy reading with short chapters, can't wait for next book. Lis
Sexual intrigue mixed with factual flying information, told in a fast paced easy style. Looking forward to the next instalment. Janet G.
I found this book to be fabulously entertaining and is a true reflection of a good old fashioned sense of humour! This was particularly refreshing due to the absence of this kind of material available in current times. Angela Pryce
Full of good old fashioned jokes and sexist remarks! Takes you right back to the seventies. Should be a sitcom!. Cookie
Fantastic, old school and wonderfully un-pc! Sandrew
Funny! Not for snowflakes. E.B.
Fabulous UnPC read ..... KT