Ramble Book
Musings on Childhood, Friendship, Family and 80s Pop Culture
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4.4 • 37 Ratings
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- £4.49
Publisher Description
A RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK
‘An affectionate and revealing account … Funny, sad, real, rueful.’ The Times
‘Warm, rambling and self-aware’ Guardian
The long-awaited, rambling, tender, and very funny memoir from Adam Buxton
Ramble
/ˈramb(ə)l/
Verb
1. walk for pleasure in the countryside.
‘Dr Buckles and Rosie the dog love rambling in the countryside.’
2. talk or write at length in a confused or inconsequential way.
‘Adam rambles on about lots of consequential, compelling and personal matters in his tender, insightful, hilarious and totally unconfused memoir, Ramble Book.’
Ramble Book is about parenthood, boarding school trauma, arguing with your partner, bad parties, confrontations on trains, friendship, wanting to fit in, growing up in the 80s, dead dads, teenage sexual anxiety, failed artistic endeavours, being a David Bowie fan; and how everything you read, watch and listen to as a child forms a part of the adult you become.
It’s also a book about the joys of going off topic and letting your mind wander.
And it’s about a short, hairy, frequently confused man called Adam Buxton.
Reviews
‘I recommend Ramble Book… There are wonderful, melancholy passages about his father, and Bowie, and 80s nostalgia, perfect for those of us who get teary-eyed remembering the first time we heard Dexys Midnight Runners or whatever.’ Jon Ronson
‘Give yourself some love with Adam Buxton’s funny and moving Ramble Book.’ Stylist
‘Had me guffawing and bawling simultaneously.’ Daily Telegraph
‘Like listening to your most goofily funny friend on his finest form.’ Daily Mirror
‘A work that feels spontaneous and fresh… The triumph of the book is Buxton’s account of his relationship with his father. The ways in which Adam’s expectations of an emotional reconciliation fail to match reality make for some beautifully tragi-comic scenes.’ Daily Express
‘An extremely funny and insightful coming-of-age story.’ Mail on Sunday
‘Eminently relatable and effortlessly readable with a penchant for sly jokes just when you don’t expect them.’ Chortle
About the author
Adam Buxton is a British comedian, podcaster, actor and director who has appeared in films such as Hot Fuzz, Stardust and Son Of Rambow as well as a variety of TV shows in the UK.
He is the host of The Adam Buxton Podcast, in which celebrity interviews are bookended with walks in the Norfolk countryside, where he lives with his wife, three children and dog Rosie.
Since 2007 he has hosted BUG, a regular live show that combines music videos and original comedy. BUG became a TV series on Sky Atlantic in 2012.
Along with lifelong friend and director Joe Cornish, Adam is one half of TV, radio and podcast duo Adam & Joe who have worked together since 1995.
He is writing this himself in the third person and hasn’t mentioned all the awards he’s got and other fascinating stuff he’s done because he doesn’t want to appear conceited, but trust him, he’s amazing.
Customer Reviews
Buckles magic
I’ve followed Adam Buxtons career with delight, since watching the Adam and Joe Show in my youth. His podcasts are like honey for the ears, so witty, sometimes hard-hitting but always delivered by someone I admire and imagine would be my friend if ever we meet. We’d be socially awkward together, sure, but we’d soon get over that. But I digress, sorry. This book was interesting to find out more about Buckles’ life, and his relationships. Personally, though, I think there was a little too much about his younger life, rather than fun stories about him and Joe and Louis, which is what I would have liked to read. Stuff about the radio shows and podcasts. I sure hope there is a follow-up. The reason it’s not 5-stars is quite simple. Many stories basically told the reader what he was listening to at the time (Bowie, quite often) and that he heard it, didn’t like it at first but it grew on him. The music he spoke about was really not my sort of thing (hardly Adam’s fault, of course) but I just didn’t fijd those parts especially interesting. Ho hum. Anyway, it was still a great read, and I even read it in his voice, which is a fascinating phenomenon, isn’t it? Give it a try.
Fantastic Read
Adam has a great writing style and really showcases his personality here. This book is hilarious, insightful, and sad at times too. Really recommend this to any podcats out there
Not like other books (in a good way)
For me, the fact that Adam doesn't try to make this book follow the usual book rules (whatever they are) is part of what makes it the best thing I've read in a long time!
Honest and funny. Also proof that some people can go to private school and not turn into Boris Johnson or Jacob Rees Mogg.