I just stumbled upon a nice post (http://blogofthecourtier.com/2012/09/07/one-is-never-enough/) regarding books and British series about a second bookshop keeper, who is rather misanthropist  than friendly to his customers. The post is well written and is about a British series I never have heard of before (how come? my series supply source must be audited somehow…) : “Black Books” (Channel 4, 2000-2004). The title in itself gives some clues about what to expect, only to twist your expectations and dip them into comedy (black comedy anyone?). And Mr Black wears…well…Black. Has black disheveled hair and is irascible to his potential customers. I let you imagine the results.

Photo  source : Wikipedia.

So as I read the article, my interest grew. Next thing, I found myself  searching the web, and watching patches of episodes on youtube. The series bears all the requirements to qualify to be eligible for the top-ten list (I’ll need to fix that and adjust  to a top-15 list, now, I suppose).

Apart from the canned laughter which spoil the delivery of the lines (don’t they know by now how  exasperating and annoying it is, particularly when the lines are good and need no support to make us laugh?), the show is witty, funny, eccentric, lines are just brilliant and hilarious, actors are perfect and above all, if you are a book worm sneaking guilty pleasures (I mean, like browsing one entire hour among books) from time to time in a second hand book shop, you have probably experienced such book keepers and you’ll recognize the situations.

The girl working next door is also funny both in her ways, and in her name (provided you know a little useful day-to-day German ). She’s named Fran Katzenjammer.

In Germany (and I’ve lived there and enjoyed some outings with friends in pubs), when you’ve had too much beer the day before, the morning after is usually a Katzenjammer day, because of all the “cats screaming” (literal translation), meaning you’re severely hung over. It wouldn’t be so funny if she didn’t pop in the shop every other scene  into the bookshop with a bottle of wine and glasses, or if she didn’t go into Bernard Black’s kitchen to fetch those items to toast to Black’s mishaps with either his customers or his co-worker Manny (seen also in the funny film Saving Grace)

As for me, last timeI went in such a shop was in Vienna, 6 weeks ago. British second hand book shop, keeper buried in his book, chain-smoking at his desk, barely answering. The shelves were seemingly organised and piles of books jammed the areas,  disheveled newspaper stood on racks… It had a a real atmosphere per se.

So, you know they can really be like that.

And having a series revolving around this fact is utterly hilarious.

I’m returning on my techno-thriller (25 p to go now and it’s good, because all the previous proof-reading increments seem to have to been taken into account by the software Word, and I had to catch up) *sigh*.

Good day to you, readers and bloggers. Share a laugh : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ip9LXmPysk

Floreva

Thanks to William from the Blog of the Courtier. (http://blogofthecourtier.com)