Blimey! Ever finished a book and then lowered it to your lap, shut your eyes and continued to imagine the characters existing just a bit longer? I just finished reading Shopgirl by Steve Martin (yes, that Steve Martin) and it was delicious. A tale of low-self-esteem dating, LA shopping and proof that love is a psychological necessity we all seek to complete our puny existence. Right up my strasse and not at all funny.
Unlike Shrek 2, which was hilarious and bombarded us with jokes and sight gags to the point where I didn't want to take my eyes off the screen to reach for the popcorn. The gags fly past so fast and furious that it's impossible to catch them all without a pause button. Just like The Simpsons, Shrek 2 is a gold mine of high volume, knowingly self-referential humour destined for repeat viewings on DVD. Bloody brilliant.
As was Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre which I also recently finished reading. This filthy swear-fest will make a great movie one day. Written with no regard for the English language (some bloggers will be appalled if they ever pick it up) but packed full of hilarious and tragic moments that define its description as satire. The overiding message of the book is to be applauded too;
Don't wait for God to intervene, be your own God.