Michael Gerber
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First British Edition Gollancz (2006) |
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Barry Trotter and the Shameless Parodies
Omnibus Edition
As Unauthorised as it is unfortunate
Brought together for the first time in one ‘bumper’ volume, here are Michael Gerber’s hilarious parodies,
Barry Trotter and the Shameless Parody
Barry Trotter and the Unnecessary Sequel
Barry Trotter and the Dead Horse
Relive the whole ghastly tale of Barry Trotter, Lon Measley and Ermine Cringer. Amusingly, the story starts when Barry is 22 and shiftless, goes on to tell what happened when he was 39 and pathetic and then, because we couldn’t think what to do next but needed to crank out one more book, zips back, via a supremely unlikely plot device, to when he was 9 and just plain vile.
Laugh! At Lord Valumart’s bizarrely inept attempts to kill Barry. Wonder! Just how Bumblemore got to be headmaster. Heave! At Lon’s toilet habits. Sigh! When you realise that it isn’t a Harry Potter book after all. What? You’ve only just worked that out? And now you’ve bought this book? And you can’t find the receipt? Oh dear, oh dear.
Witty. Cultured. Erudite. Thought-provoking. Brilliant. None of these describe Michael Gerber.
Foolish. Naïve. On the run. Given that he has just taken it upon himself to pour scorn on Christian fundamentalists with The Chronicles Of Blarnia, his parody of the Narnia books, some of these might.
Three Barry Trotter parodies in one fantastic value volume - the ruthless exploitation of the reading public goes on!
• Sales of the individual Barry Trotter titles now at more than half a million
• The Barry Trotter books spent more than six months he Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller lists
• A publishing phenomenon all of its own
• These `bullet points’ look quite good don’t they?
• It’s a sort of marketing thing isn’t it?
• Apparently.
Obligatory Legal Mumbo-Jumbo. This book has not been authorized or endorsed by J.K. Rowling or the publishers of the Harry Potter books. Harry Potter is a registered trademark of Warner Bros. `Yes! Now, now,’ she panted.
`Gerber has succeeded in creating a marginally grotesque, bouncing beauty of a throwaway tome. Down with Potter! Trotter is the real thing’ The Morning Star
Paperback - Gollancz (2006) |
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Barry Trotter and the Dead Horse
Find out just how awful Barry was when he first came to Hogwash.
The previous two Barry Trotter books have sold 600,000 copies, to people all around the world who really should know better. So when Mike said he wanted to do a prequel (technical terminology for `artistically, unjustified but financially sound hasty last-minute addition to an unexpectedly successful series of books’) you can be sure we put on our best ‘what-a-great-idea’ faces, and agreed.
And because this is a ‘prequel’ (see above) you really don’t have to have read either Barry Trotter and the Shameless Parody or Barry Trotter and the Unnecessary Sequel (even though we’re taking this opportunity to remind you just what great books they really are) before you buy this book.
OBLIGATORY LEGAL MUMBO JUMBO
Ahem (must get this cough looked at). This book has not been authorised or endorsed by J. K, Rowling or the publishers of the Harry Potter books. Harry Potter is a registered trademark of Warner Bros.Thank you. Now buy this book.
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First British Edition Gollancz (2002) |
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Barry Trotter and the Shameless Parody
Utterly Unauthorised and Totally Exploitative
The Hogwash School for Wizards is the most famous school in the wizarding world and Barry Trotter is its most famous pupil. It’s been that way ever since J.G. Rollins’ Barry Trotter and the Philosopher’s Scone (released in the USA as Barry Trotter and the Magic Biscuit) broke publishing records worldwide.
So important has Barry become to the school’s reputation - not to say finances that it has been agreed that he can stay at Hogwash for as long as he likes. Barry Trotter is 22.
Life is good for the perpetual student. He doesn’t have to do any work and the wizard pipe he bought in London’s Catty Corner lends him the air of mystery and maturity required to impress girls (well, Muddle girls . . . well, stupid ones).
But now disaster looms. The movie Barry Trotter and the Inevitable Attempt to Cash-In has gone into final production and the marketing machine at Wagner Bros. is going into overdrive. Hogwash is going to be submerged under a tide of souvenir-crazed Muddle fans, torn apart and sold on eBuy, stone by mossy stone.
The movie must be stopped. Barry, Ermine Cringer and Lon Measly must find a way to defeat the most powerful force of grasping sleazoids the world has ever known: Hollywood.
‘Stop that movie,’ Headmaster Alpo Bumblemore said, ‘or Hogwash is history!’ He moved to the door, then turned back and said, in an almost fatherly way, ‘Barry, the school is depending on you. If you ever get into a tight spot and think you might not be able to stop the film, I want you to remember one thing . . .’ He put a eczema-ravaged hand on Barry’s shoulder.
‘. . . if Hogwash closes you’ll have to get a job.’
Obligatory Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Ahem. This book has not been authorised or endorsed by J.K. Rowling or the publishers of the Harry Potter books. Harry Potter is a registered trademark of Warner Bros. Thank you. Now buy this book.
About The Author
Michael Gerber is 32 and an American, but that’s alright because he likes Peter Cook and Monty Python and thinks most American comedy is utter crap - present book excepted (or not, but you’ll have to buy it to find out).
In fact he thinks Bill Hicks would’ve loved this book, especially the dirty parts, and would’ve particularly appreciated his memory being used to hawk a cheesy parody.
His writing has appeared in, amongst others, The New Yorker, Playboy and The Wall Street Journal. This is his first book. And it shows.
Michael Gerber would like to make it clear that while he expects you to blame him for this book the state of Britain’s railways really is down to some other guy.
Bibliography
N.B. dates and publishers in dark red indicate British First Editions. Dates and publishers in black indicate recent reprints.
Barry Trotter and the Shameless Parodies
(Gollancz,
2006)
Barry Trotter and the Dead Horse
(Gollancz,
2004)
Gollancz Pbk Aug 06
Barry Trotter and the Shameless Parody
(Gollancz,
2002)
Barry Trotter and the Shameless Parodies
by Michael Gerber
