Ronald Searle and punny text. Winning combo.

Every ten years or so, I re-read this, and the older I am the funnier it gets. This is the kind of humour that makes Monty Python look conventional. nigel molesworth, who as any fule kno is the curse of st custards, fights a non-stop battle against mad maths masters, combative maters, his younger brother and the vagaries of the skool curriculum (I admit that I am still no more convinced of the importance of Latin than Sir n. molesworth, QC.) And for a bonus: the first use of the name 'Hogwarts' in education that I know. That's a mystery that I would love to have explained, and alas, I'll probably never get to the bottom of it.

One of the all-time classics. ( )

This is one of the great classics of comic writing, as any fule kno.

A sequel to Down With Skool, it's the first Molesworth book that I ever read. And it is still hilarious. The illustrations by Ronald Searle are essential. The humour does rest on a small amount of knowledge of English boarding schools. But even a GURL not even born in the 1950s will probably recognise most of it from the Enid Blyton et al boarding school novel.

It's packed with hints and tips on how to do well in various subjects, like Latin Alg Geom Hist etc, as well as how to divert or play tricks on the masters. With a fake report card ready to copy, and a guide to your fellow students: cads, oiks, goody-goodies, bulies and snekes.

My favourite chapter is the one on French. I'm sure we'd all find that the guide to French as spoken by grown-ups (a-vay voo ash-et-ay le gin?) is most helpful. And the review of the French reader is hysterical. Will Papa thro the sissy wet Armand to the lions? We can only hope. ( )

The second book in the Molesworth series of satires on life in an English boarding school. Wonderful cartoon illustrations by Ronald Searle.
Chapters include
How to succeed as a New Bug,
how to be topp in Latin,
descriptions of other types of pupils
how to be topp in English
Wizz for Games
How to be topp in French
Extra tew: optional subjects
How to be Topp in all sujekts
How to cope with Grown-ups
and a hilarious Christmas survival guide.
Although dated, very funny for young high school students. ( )