It’s not culled from the world of nature but what I’m reading at the moment, which I wished I’d saved for a sylvan glade somewhere, is ‘How I Escaped My Certain Fate’ (Faber & Faber) by the comedian Stewart Lee. Ostensibly, it’s but three transcriptions of Lee’s stand-up routines from the past ten years, in a book, for £12.99. A shocking liberty, you might think. But Lee, the 21st Century comic master of pause, intellectual zig zag and theoretical sally, has bolstered these baggy-pants photostats with profound forewords, self-mocking footnotes and painfully honest asides, resulting in a brutally funny masterpiece of Brechtian autobiography. I kid you not.
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Danazawa, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Idrie, Youtube
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Fowkes81, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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John Robins, Comedian
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net