THE LITTLE BOOK OF MORNINGTON CRESCENT

Rating:
Summary: The only Mornington Crescent Guide you'll ever need! Or get.
Review: Well, I'll start out the game with a bold, unorthodox move: Lancaster Gate. Your turn, and please remember that choosing alternate Sunday-only stations are not valid in the Amazon.com championship versions of the game, that Aldwych Station, though closed, is still a valid choice when backed into one of Mr. Garden's patented cross-hatch ploys, and of course I shouldn't need to remind you that choosing Jubilee Line Extension stations is still regarded as hopelessly amateur; should you choose to counter with Canada Water, you will be met with derisive giggles. Your move.

If the above doesn't mean anything to you, you're not a fan of the bewildering game of Mornington Crescent, and this is not the book for you. Go pick up a Bill Oddie birding book instead. On the other hand, if the above inspired you to snap out "Gants Hill" with authority and a smirk, then sprint, don't crawl, to pick up the only *authorized* Mornington Crescent companion (all others are mere shadows).

Seriously (and at the risk of ruining the joke) this is a humor book based on the popular BBC radio quiz show "I'm Sorry, I Haven't A Clue." British quiz shows like these, far from being a challenge to ordinary citizens to answer tough trivia, are more frequently a showcase for celebrities to show off their comic skills (think "Whose Line is It Anyway" rather than "Who Want to Be a Millionaire"). By far the most cheer-eliciting segment of ISIHAC is "Mornington Crescent," a round-table game in which the panelists must name London Underground stations, and the first to name Mornington Crescent is the winner. Sound simple? Well, it would be...if there were truly any rules other than to be funny while doing so...

If you're a fan of BBC radio comedy and you're in on the joke, this book is a must have, with Mornington Crescent history, Q&As, recipes, profiles, short stories (Charles Dickens versus Lewis Carroll in an especially ruthless and deadly game of MC)--everything a serious player of the game needs to know.

Except the rules.

Well, you can't expect them to give away *all* the answers, can you?