I'm a big fan of Humph on I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, so when I discovered from a friend's LT library that he had recently published this memoir, I put it on my wishlist, and received it as a late birthday present.

I started the book on Monday night. Only read a few pages. Didn't really get into it at all. I tried again on Tuesday night. Got up to page 14. I really wasn't getting on with the stream of consciousness thing - no chapters, one anecdote after another, jumping from place to place. I started to despair that I just wouldn't "get" this book. But this afternoon, I sat down with a big pint mug of tea and started to read. I read solidly for an hour and a half, and got into the swing of things. After 100 pages, I stopped for dinner, but soon returned to finish the book (it's not long, 170 pages).

It was amusing in places, a few interesting anecdotes, and I learnt some stuff about jazz. It really didn't tickle me the way Humph does on ISIHAC, though. I would recommend it to fans of the man, but make sure you sit down and read it in one or two sittings - it just doesn't work as something to read in snippets. ( )