Like Mrs Beeton, but with metaphors! A bumper omnibus edition of Mark Crick's three sparklingly funny books of literary pastiche.
Mark Crick Book order
Mark Crick is a British author celebrated for his literary parodies, which cleverly recast recipes and DIY instructions in the distinctive styles of renowned writers. His unique approach transforms mundane activities into literary exercises, offering readers a fresh perspective on both famous authors and everyday tasks. Crick's work invites contemplation on how form and language shape our perception of the world and art.
- 2011
- 2008
For too long DIY books have suffered the neglect of the literary establishment. Finally, here in one volume, are the essential DIY tips of the world's greatest writers. Dostoyevsky tells of a young man employed by an elderly lady to retile her bathroom; Caesar puts up a shelf for his rebellious tribe of adolescenti; the existentialist hero of the Sartre pastiche is both disgusted and nauseated to discover in a blocked sink the revelation of his own condition. We also learn how to repair a dripping tap under Conrad's eyes, replace a window pane with a voyeuristic Milan Kundera, and hang wallpaper under the watchful eye of Mark Twain. Other handy hints include how to: replace a roof tile; remedy a squeaking floor board; remove a carpet stain and bleed a radiator, by writers including Bronte, Shakespeare, Duras, Salinger and Paul Auster. As in the companion book, Kafka's Soup, each piece is illustrated by a famous artist, including da Vinci, Hokusai and Rembrandt.
- 2006
I needed a table at Maxim’s, a hundred bucks, and a gorgeous blonde; what I had was a leg of lamb and no clues. I took hold of the joint. It felt cold and damp, like a coroner’s handshake. I took out a knife and cut the lamb into pieces. Feeling the blade in my hand I sliced an onion, and before I knew what I was doing a carrot lay in pieces on the slab. None of them moved. —from “LAMB WITH DILL SAUCE À LA RAYMOND CHANDLER” If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to make dinner with Franz Kafka, Jane Austen, or Raymond Chandler, this is the chance to find out. Literary ventriloquist Mark Crick presents fourteen recipes in the voices of famous writers, from Homer to Virginia Woolf to Irvine Welsh. Guaranteed to delight anyone in love with food and books, these witty pastiches will keep you so entertained in the kitchen that you’ll be sorry when the guests arrive.
