Before & Laughter: The funniest man in the UK’s genuinely useful guide to life

· Hachette UK
82 reviews
Ebook
368
Pages
Eligible

About this ebook

*A memoir and self-help manual by one of the country's most treasured comedians - for anyone who feels stuck in a rut but doesn't have the tools or self-belief to shake things up*

In his mid-twenties, Jimmy was bored, boring, unfulfilled and underachieving. He wasn't exactly depressed, but he was very sad. Think of a baby owl whose mum has recently died in a windmill accident. He was that sad. This book tells the story of how Jimmy turned it around and got happy, through the redemptive power of dick jokes.

Written to take advantage of the brief window between the end of lockdown and Jimmy getting cancelled for saying something unforgivable to Lorraine Kelly, this book is as timely as it is unnecessary.

Because you might be interested in Jimmy's life but he's damn sure you're a lot more interested in your own, Before & Laughter is about both of you. But mainly him. It tells the story of Jimmy's life - the transformation from white-collar corporate drone to fake-toothed donkey-laugh plastic-haired comedy mannequin - while also explaining how to turn your own life around and become the you you've always dreamt of being. At just £20, it's cheaper than Scientology, quicker than therapy, and significantly less boring than church.

Before & Laughter contains the answers to all the big questions in life, questions like:
· What's the secret to happiness?
· Is Jimmy wearing a wig?
· What happened with that tax thing?
· What's the meaning of life?
· Is Jimmy's laugh real?
· Can those teeth bite through vibranium?

And for readers in the West Country: yes, there are pictures (actually, sorry, there are no pictures, but there's a book about a hungry caterpillar you'll love).

Because it's Jimmy Carr - recently scientifically proved to be the funniest comedian in the UK - there are jokes, jokes and more jokes throughout. If laughter really was the best medicine, the NHS would be handing out this book in Nightingale Hospitals.

Fascinating, thoughtful and insightful - are all words that appear in the book.

*A memoir and self-help manual by one of the country's most treasured comedians - for anyone who feels stuck in a rut but doesn't have the tools or self-belief to shake things up* In his mid-twenties, Jimmy was bored, boring, unfulfilled and underachieving. He wasn't exactly depressed, but he was...

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Ratings and reviews

82 reviews
Muthu Achary
August 24, 2022
Atrocious. I used to be a big fan of Jimmy's stand up and television appearances. I used to think if I ever met him, he'd actually be quite a nice guy. He's not. This is supposed to be his life story but instead he opted for some life story (he didn't have a girlfriend because he was a surrogate boyfriend to his mother, he knows no one likes Clarkson but he considers him a good friend, and his only regret about the tax scandal was getting caught) and the rest of the book is preachy, self help style utter drivel (roughly a tired cliché every other paragraph) interspersed with old jokes. O and he went to Cambridge which he makes a point of repeating and worked for Shell. If you like him, don't read this. If you like yourself, don't read this.
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Stall Patrick Hester Norway
March 2, 2026
Thank you Jimmy for the life hacks and insights into how you have become the man you are today and giving vision to all readers in what direction we should be heading. Now i go to work, working in me!
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Mark Feva
December 27, 2021
One of the best books you'll ever read. It's not a typical comedians biography. Jimmy is a genius when it comes to making you reassess how you view things and life in general. I'm going to re read this.
3 people found this review helpful
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About the author

Jimmy Carr is one of the world's most successful stand-up comedians. He has hosted numerous TV shows, recorded 5 Netflix specials and plays to 1.5 million people in 50 countries on every tour. He's doing just fine thanks.

Jimmy Carr is one of the world's most successful stand-up comedians. He has hosted numerous TV shows, recorded 5 Netflix specials and plays to 1.5 million people in 50 countries on every tour. He's doing just fine thanks.

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