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The Moaning of Life: The Worldly Wisdom of Karl Pilkington
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'I've been on the planet for forty years now, and I'm still none the wiser as to what it's all about really. I've never worried about life's big questions. People at my age sit about pondering "why are we here?" The only time I ever asked myself that is when Suzanne booked us a surprise holiday to Lanzarote.'
Karl Pilkington is forty years old. He's not married, he doesn't have kids, and he's got a job where he's known as an 'idiot'. It's time for him to take stock and face up to life's big question - what does it all mean?
Karl is no stranger to travel, and now he's off on a series of adventures around the globe to find out how other cultures approach life's big issues. Travelling from far-flung tribes to high-tech cities, Karl experiences everything from a drive-thru wedding in Las Vegas to a vocational theme park in Japan, he meets a group of people in Mexico who find happiness through pain, undergoes a plastic surgery procedure in LA, and even encounters a woman in Bali who lets him help deliver her baby.
Have his experiences changed him? Find out in this hilarious new book where Karl shares his stories (and opinions) in his inimitable style. Karl Pilkington is back on the road, and this time he's on a journey of self-discovery...
Karl Pilkington is forty years old. He's not married, he doesn't have kids, and he's got a job where he's known as an 'idiot'. It's time for him to take stock and face up to life's big question - what does it all mean?
Karl is no stranger to travel, and now he's off on a series of adventures around the globe to find out how other cultures approach life's big issues. Travelling from far-flung tribes to high-tech cities, Karl experiences everything from a drive-thru wedding in Las Vegas to a vocational theme park in Japan, he meets a group of people in Mexico who find happiness through pain, undergoes a plastic surgery procedure in LA, and even encounters a woman in Bali who lets him help deliver her baby.
Have his experiences changed him? Find out in this hilarious new book where Karl shares his stories (and opinions) in his inimitable style. Karl Pilkington is back on the road, and this time he's on a journey of self-discovery...
358 pages, Hardcover
First published September 26, 2013
234 people are currently reading
1545 people want to read
About the author
Karl Pilkington
35 books557 followersKarl Pilkington is a Sony Award-winning English radio producer, poet, podcaster, raconteur and author, best known for producing and co-presentingThe Ricky Gervais Show on London radio station Xfm from 2001 to 2005 and later in the form of podcasts and a television show on HBO. In October 2006, Pilkington's first bookThe World of Karl Pilkington was published, featuring original ideas and drawings by Pilkington, based upon the subject matter discussed in the podcasts. His second book,Happyslapped by a Jellyfish, was published in October 2007, and he was the subject of the Comedy Lab episode "Karl Pilkington - Satisfied Fool", which aired in October 2007. His third book,Karlology, a musing on his views on his own intelligence, and attitude to learning, appeared on 1 October 2008.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 209 reviews
December 1, 2017
I feel the older I get, the more I turn into Karl Pilkington – so it’s only natural that I read his bestseller,The Moaning of Life. Plus, I desperately needed some laughs in a difficult time of my life!
If you’ve seen his TV series of the same name, then the content of his book will be incredibly familiar. So familiar, that at times you’ll probably feel like you’re just reading the script to his show. Still, reading Karl’s opinions on life always makes for entertaining and hilarious reading. Here he tackles Marriage, Kids, Vocation and Money, Happiness and Death. His explorations of these subjects see him traveling the world, just like in hisAn Idiot Abroad series.
It’s filled with pictures and cartoons throughout, which break the book down into a seemingly quick read even though it’s 350+ pages. It’s always easy to picture what he’s talking about or where he is – because you literally see it as you read it! I really loved the “Karl’s Facts" boxes which popped up occasionally; always with an amazing or hilarious fact. For example:
“An elephant’s penis can grow up to five feet long, and they use it as an extra leg to swat away flies and to scratch their stomachs.”
Karl’s analogies are both the highlight of his writing style and his shows. It’s either instantly relatable or helps break down a heavy topic in a fun way. Karl is more genius than idiot in my opinion. He has an incredibly unique perspective on life, experiences and people which is what makes him a success and his books entertaining to read.
At the end of each chapter, Karl conducts his own social experiments – often hilarious and politically incorrect. Such as helping a couple experience what it would be like to have toddlers, by hiring two dwarfs to play the roles for 24 hours.
“There’s non-stop movie work for dwarves these days if they want it. I think it’s because a lot of people are watching movies in iPads – they fit in the screen better.”
Could definitely relate to the Kids chapter as I don’t want them anytime soon, having lost numerous friends due to them starting families.
“They say having kids is a life changing experience. But so is losing a leg.”
Found it hard to get into rhythm of the book sometimes. It often went a bit like: 1) Karl thinks about a life subject, 2) Travels to a place, 3) Talks to a unique individual 4) Repeats. Sometimes found it to drag, maybe because I'd seen the TV series. I was reminded why I didn’t enjoyThe Moaning of Life quite as much asAn Idiot Abroad.
The Happiness chapter was an interesting read, especially meeting ‘the guy who gave up money’. It made me want to give up my possessions and shed “useless” aspects of my life in order to have my thoughts and surroundings less cluttered. No dumpster diving for me though!
Naturally, the book finishes with a chapter on Death;“the world is just one big waiting room until we die”. Karl’s humour becomes best when dealing with the heaviest topics, because this final chapter was great and laugh-out-loud as he encounters dead bodies, people digging up the dead and coffin makers. It was just too brief without much of a climax.
Overall, I recommend this book to fans of Karl Pilkington. But to those who haven’t read or encountered his work before, start withAn Idiot Abroad.
If you’ve seen his TV series of the same name, then the content of his book will be incredibly familiar. So familiar, that at times you’ll probably feel like you’re just reading the script to his show. Still, reading Karl’s opinions on life always makes for entertaining and hilarious reading. Here he tackles Marriage, Kids, Vocation and Money, Happiness and Death. His explorations of these subjects see him traveling the world, just like in hisAn Idiot Abroad series.
It’s filled with pictures and cartoons throughout, which break the book down into a seemingly quick read even though it’s 350+ pages. It’s always easy to picture what he’s talking about or where he is – because you literally see it as you read it! I really loved the “Karl’s Facts" boxes which popped up occasionally; always with an amazing or hilarious fact. For example:
“An elephant’s penis can grow up to five feet long, and they use it as an extra leg to swat away flies and to scratch their stomachs.”
Karl’s analogies are both the highlight of his writing style and his shows. It’s either instantly relatable or helps break down a heavy topic in a fun way. Karl is more genius than idiot in my opinion. He has an incredibly unique perspective on life, experiences and people which is what makes him a success and his books entertaining to read.
At the end of each chapter, Karl conducts his own social experiments – often hilarious and politically incorrect. Such as helping a couple experience what it would be like to have toddlers, by hiring two dwarfs to play the roles for 24 hours.
“There’s non-stop movie work for dwarves these days if they want it. I think it’s because a lot of people are watching movies in iPads – they fit in the screen better.”
Could definitely relate to the Kids chapter as I don’t want them anytime soon, having lost numerous friends due to them starting families.
“They say having kids is a life changing experience. But so is losing a leg.”
Found it hard to get into rhythm of the book sometimes. It often went a bit like: 1) Karl thinks about a life subject, 2) Travels to a place, 3) Talks to a unique individual 4) Repeats. Sometimes found it to drag, maybe because I'd seen the TV series. I was reminded why I didn’t enjoyThe Moaning of Life quite as much asAn Idiot Abroad.
The Happiness chapter was an interesting read, especially meeting ‘the guy who gave up money’. It made me want to give up my possessions and shed “useless” aspects of my life in order to have my thoughts and surroundings less cluttered. No dumpster diving for me though!
Naturally, the book finishes with a chapter on Death;“the world is just one big waiting room until we die”. Karl’s humour becomes best when dealing with the heaviest topics, because this final chapter was great and laugh-out-loud as he encounters dead bodies, people digging up the dead and coffin makers. It was just too brief without much of a climax.
Overall, I recommend this book to fans of Karl Pilkington. But to those who haven’t read or encountered his work before, start withAn Idiot Abroad.
May 19, 2015
This was my first Karl Pilkington book purchase after watching and listening to him for a few years. The Moaning of Life ties in with his new TV series; I read each chapter after watching the corresponding episode on television.
Karl's unique brand of intelligence and down to earth approach makes exploring the human condition incredibly eyeopening. He covers issues such as happiness, vocation and death by investigating how and why humans deal with these issues. The book is an incredibly fun read: I found myself highlighting over twenty passages (in the eBook) that I just had to save for later, as they were funny yet very accurate and thought-provoking as well.
For those wondering whether the book contains any benefit over just watching the TV series: not only does it contain more experiences not caught on camera, but Karl is able to express himself in a way that isn't shown on the television. While the two compliment each other well, Karl is also able to share some of his own life history in the book, which gives the reader a better understanding of who he is and his infectious attitude to life.
Overall, a terrific travel/non-fiction/humour book in an extremely accessible and easy-to-read package. Prepare to laugh, and then tilt your head up from the pages as you think about the accuracy of some of his comments on life's biggest issues.
Karl's unique brand of intelligence and down to earth approach makes exploring the human condition incredibly eyeopening. He covers issues such as happiness, vocation and death by investigating how and why humans deal with these issues. The book is an incredibly fun read: I found myself highlighting over twenty passages (in the eBook) that I just had to save for later, as they were funny yet very accurate and thought-provoking as well.
For those wondering whether the book contains any benefit over just watching the TV series: not only does it contain more experiences not caught on camera, but Karl is able to express himself in a way that isn't shown on the television. While the two compliment each other well, Karl is also able to share some of his own life history in the book, which gives the reader a better understanding of who he is and his infectious attitude to life.
Overall, a terrific travel/non-fiction/humour book in an extremely accessible and easy-to-read package. Prepare to laugh, and then tilt your head up from the pages as you think about the accuracy of some of his comments on life's biggest issues.
December 15, 2015
Without Ricky and Steve, Karl is able to choose where he goes and what he does and unsurprisingly we get much more happier Karl. :)
The book has five chapters: Marriage, Kids, Vocation & Money, Happiness and Death. In each chapter Karl visits various countries and meets different people. He also saves Tony the turtle in Japan and a goat in Mexico.
I learned about Ghanaian coffins, sea gypsies in Wakitobi, the Primopuel doll, Hanging coffins at Sagada, the Manila North Cemetery and what is Aunt Nora's favourite colour.
Daniel Suelo and Yoshiro Nakamatsu aka Dr NakaMats were my favourites from all the people Karl met.
The book has five chapters: Marriage, Kids, Vocation & Money, Happiness and Death. In each chapter Karl visits various countries and meets different people. He also saves Tony the turtle in Japan and a goat in Mexico.
I learned about Ghanaian coffins, sea gypsies in Wakitobi, the Primopuel doll, Hanging coffins at Sagada, the Manila North Cemetery and what is Aunt Nora's favourite colour.
Daniel Suelo and Yoshiro Nakamatsu aka Dr NakaMats were my favourites from all the people Karl met.
October 25, 2013
I've read all books by Karl Pilkington and this just might be my favorite. It's the same Karl, hilarious, unique, honest, grumpy and confusing. I laughed out loud on every single page and sometimes actually touched by Karl's unintentionally-romantic words about his longtime girlfriend Suzanne: "If Suzanne left me I don't think I'd bother looking for someone else either. I would drive them up the wall always talking about Suzanne and how she used to do things a certain way."
If you don't know much about Karl Pilkington you can still enjoy the book, but it will be much more fun if you listen/watch The Ricky Gervais Show, and Karl's other appearances on YouTube first. I'm hoping there will be a new book by Karl in the next years.
If you don't know much about Karl Pilkington you can still enjoy the book, but it will be much more fun if you listen/watch The Ricky Gervais Show, and Karl's other appearances on YouTube first. I'm hoping there will be a new book by Karl in the next years.
January 7, 2014
This book is about Karl Pilkington going to different cultures to see how they deal with death and marriage and happiness etc.. I love the other 2 books I have read of his and this was no different. I loved it. I like how he writes it how he would talk and how he thinks, it almost as though he just rights and not think about it so its very honest and it's what he's thinking. it's also interesting that there are random facts throughout the book about how different cultures deal with things like death. I just like that he thinks abit differently than most people and I can relate to some of the things he says as I have a very open mind about different things. I will definitely be getting the other 2 books he has written and will be reading them as soon as possible.
January 31, 2020
“If you’re worrying about the colour of your anus, things must be good, as you can’t have proper worries in your life.”
January 6, 2014
I first met Karl Pilkington via his globetrotting BBC series An Idiot Abroad 2: The Bucket List. In that gem of a show, hapless homebody Karl travels the far reaches of the earth to dive into adventures that most people can only dream about—and he hates it. That’s the show’s appeal—a grumbly moaner who’d be happier eating biscuits in front of the television is forced into situations and experiences that he often finds torturous. The results are hilarious.
To be honest, I only initially tuned into the show because of Ricky Gervais—I do love me some Rickey Gervais—who, along with Stephen Merchant, acts as Karl’s devilish travel agent, casting Karl into unexpected escapades with impish zeal. At the time, I had no idea who Karl was, and my first impression of him wasn’t a good one. “My god, what a little whiner!” I said to my wife. “Who’d want to watch THIS guy?!” But his unique perspective, appalled reactions, and effortless quips won me over, and I was dying to see what he hated next. My absolute favorite moment was when he traveled to Vanatau—birth place of the bungee jump—and he land-dived from a rickety wooden tower while surrounded by tribesmen who had “their knobs in wicker.” I was in tears after that “dive,” and I laughed about it for hours later.
Needless to say, I became a huge fan, devouring all three seasons of Idiot Abroad. And when I heard about Moaning of Life, I snatched up the book, eager to see if Karl’s worldly exploits would translate to the written word.
For the most part, the book succeeds in capturing the essence of Karl’s quirky travels as he cavorts among various cultures and customs. There are full page images of the interesting people he meets along with conversation excerpts where you can almost hear their accents. He tags along with a private investigator in India, he refuses to eat off a half-naked woman’s body in Africa, he darts across hot coals in Nevada—all the while providing commentary that is uniquely Karl. For fans of Idiot Abroad, it is a continuance of that show and provides nearly as much entertainment, the major change being that Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant are no longer pulling the strings. Karl is flying solo here, free to delve into experiences of his own choosing and eliminate the things that “do his head in.” For that reason, I feel that Moaning lacks a little of the bite that Idiot had, but it is still an amusing and horizon-expanding romp across this big blue marble.
Bravo, Karl.
To be honest, I only initially tuned into the show because of Ricky Gervais—I do love me some Rickey Gervais—who, along with Stephen Merchant, acts as Karl’s devilish travel agent, casting Karl into unexpected escapades with impish zeal. At the time, I had no idea who Karl was, and my first impression of him wasn’t a good one. “My god, what a little whiner!” I said to my wife. “Who’d want to watch THIS guy?!” But his unique perspective, appalled reactions, and effortless quips won me over, and I was dying to see what he hated next. My absolute favorite moment was when he traveled to Vanatau—birth place of the bungee jump—and he land-dived from a rickety wooden tower while surrounded by tribesmen who had “their knobs in wicker.” I was in tears after that “dive,” and I laughed about it for hours later.
Needless to say, I became a huge fan, devouring all three seasons of Idiot Abroad. And when I heard about Moaning of Life, I snatched up the book, eager to see if Karl’s worldly exploits would translate to the written word.
For the most part, the book succeeds in capturing the essence of Karl’s quirky travels as he cavorts among various cultures and customs. There are full page images of the interesting people he meets along with conversation excerpts where you can almost hear their accents. He tags along with a private investigator in India, he refuses to eat off a half-naked woman’s body in Africa, he darts across hot coals in Nevada—all the while providing commentary that is uniquely Karl. For fans of Idiot Abroad, it is a continuance of that show and provides nearly as much entertainment, the major change being that Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant are no longer pulling the strings. Karl is flying solo here, free to delve into experiences of his own choosing and eliminate the things that “do his head in.” For that reason, I feel that Moaning lacks a little of the bite that Idiot had, but it is still an amusing and horizon-expanding romp across this big blue marble.
Bravo, Karl.
January 6, 2018
I read this book when I got it as a gift the year before last, and if anyone has watched An Idiot Abroad on Netflix, or if you have the channel it aired available to you, then you know the hilarity that is Karl Pilkington.
This book did not disappoint. It had me laughing out loud at his absurdities. It truly warmed my heart when I finished reading this glorious book.
I obviously gave this book a 5/5 due to my enjoyment, and implore everyone who enjoys a laugh, to first watch him, then give this ago!!!
This book did not disappoint. It had me laughing out loud at his absurdities. It truly warmed my heart when I finished reading this glorious book.
I obviously gave this book a 5/5 due to my enjoyment, and implore everyone who enjoys a laugh, to first watch him, then give this ago!!!
April 1, 2017
Hilarious, of course. Gotta love Karl and his unique outlook on everything. I'd gladly let him officiate my wedding at a laundry mat.
April 22, 2019
As a big fan of Karl Pilkington and his shows, this book was quite an enjoyable read. Though it was quite different to what I would normally read, in regards to genre and writing style, this did not impede my enjoyment.
Overall, the majority of subjects explored were interesting and unique. I was fascinated to learn about cultures and cultural artefacts not often covered by media or traditional schooling. I felt that the show’s experiences translated to a written format seamlessly, with Karl’s reflective perspective adding another dimension of comedy. However, not all jokes landed (namely those which were British references), and the casual writing style could get a little tiresome at times.
That being said, I would only recommend this book to those who have either watched ‘The Moaning of Life’ or are familiar with Karl’s other works.
Overall, the majority of subjects explored were interesting and unique. I was fascinated to learn about cultures and cultural artefacts not often covered by media or traditional schooling. I felt that the show’s experiences translated to a written format seamlessly, with Karl’s reflective perspective adding another dimension of comedy. However, not all jokes landed (namely those which were British references), and the casual writing style could get a little tiresome at times.
That being said, I would only recommend this book to those who have either watched ‘The Moaning of Life’ or are familiar with Karl’s other works.
February 25, 2023
Every time I picked it up, it made me laugh and giggle and brithen up. I loved this book and I love this idiot!
July 4, 2024
3.5*. Nice easy going read to have a little chuckle at. He’s the most ridiculous man but I honestly just get it
February 6, 2014
I will purchase anything by Karl Pilkington as I have loved most of his worked since I accidentally stumbled upon him one night while flicking through late night tv. I was homeless at the time, crashing on a friends couch. My friend had work the next morning so as she handed me the remote she reminded me to keep it down. News, flick, late night music, flick, game shows, flick, inappropriate adult advertisements, irk, flick! Wait on.. bold white guy sitting on a piece of tree sliding down an ashy mountain with a fellow wearing nothing but some material as a skirt?! Can this be real?! Oh it was, and I have been hooked ever since.
For the first time in a long time I had encountered someone who had me cacking to the point of wetting myself. My family are English (though they have since migrated) and I have to listen to them moan quite frequently. I wish they had the comedic undertones that Karl seems to have. Though perhaps if you had to live with it it wouldn't be like that at all. In fact, it'd probably just wear off and you piss you off after a while. You know, too much of a good things ruins it and all - like Karls cake philosophy.
Anyways, this book was one of my favourites and I highly recommend it. I started reading Karlology and even though I didn't enjoy it all that much (so much so that I haven't been able to finish it :/ sorry Karl, I've heard you tell most of those stories in your podcasts before mate. I don't wanna read about them too)I still continue to purchase his others. This one though, was a gift. So I knew even if I did get bored I had to finish it.. so they didn't waste their money of course. I didn't however dislike it! In fact I loved it! It's been a while since I've had cable and Karl doesn't air on free tv out here anymore so I hadn't seen The Moaning of Life tv series. All of this was new and I quite thoroughly enjoyed it. As much as I enjoy hearing about Karl's encounters with giant pandas and traveling gypsies or villagers trying to get him to jump of a bamboo ladder, it's nice to see he thinks about the real issues to. Love, money, happiness, death. They're all things I think about all the time so it was nice to hear a new perspective.
I really wanted to point out how much I was dreading the last chapter though. I hate the idea that I'll be dead one day. What a cope out. I'd rather live for eternity than be remembered for eternity. So I was dreading the ending. I was expecting it to plant little thought bubbles that kept me up all night with anxiety, but it didn't. He managed to make the whole thing so light-hearted. I found myself laughing my butt off and picturing myself living inside of a chocolate bar in a few decades. Please, wrap my in foil and chuck me in a 'favourites' themed coffin. At least then if I happen to wake up one day at least I'll have a blanket to keep me warm til I figure out how to dig myself out. Maybe you should leave me a little spade too, but just a spade, I don't wanna end up like Suzanne with the entire kitchen sink with me haha.
Anyways, if your a fan of Karls give this a read. If not, get on board and give it a read anyways! Karl seems to be much happier without Ricky and he's covering things with a lot more depth to them. Don't get me wrong, he still has a moan and some things he's doing is well outside of the norms so the stories are still very exciting, don't be put off by the changes. I never really liked Ricky to begin with. The only good thing he's done in my liking is introducing the world to Karl, so I guess we owe him that.
Fun drinking game for while you read Karls books alone, curled up on the couch on a Friday evening? Easy! Take a sip every time he says 'crisps' or 'twix'. Trust me, you'll be waking up with headaches every Saturday as if you spent the day with him listening to him moaning. Very authentic, ha!
For the first time in a long time I had encountered someone who had me cacking to the point of wetting myself. My family are English (though they have since migrated) and I have to listen to them moan quite frequently. I wish they had the comedic undertones that Karl seems to have. Though perhaps if you had to live with it it wouldn't be like that at all. In fact, it'd probably just wear off and you piss you off after a while. You know, too much of a good things ruins it and all - like Karls cake philosophy.
Anyways, this book was one of my favourites and I highly recommend it. I started reading Karlology and even though I didn't enjoy it all that much (so much so that I haven't been able to finish it :/ sorry Karl, I've heard you tell most of those stories in your podcasts before mate. I don't wanna read about them too)I still continue to purchase his others. This one though, was a gift. So I knew even if I did get bored I had to finish it.. so they didn't waste their money of course. I didn't however dislike it! In fact I loved it! It's been a while since I've had cable and Karl doesn't air on free tv out here anymore so I hadn't seen The Moaning of Life tv series. All of this was new and I quite thoroughly enjoyed it. As much as I enjoy hearing about Karl's encounters with giant pandas and traveling gypsies or villagers trying to get him to jump of a bamboo ladder, it's nice to see he thinks about the real issues to. Love, money, happiness, death. They're all things I think about all the time so it was nice to hear a new perspective.
I really wanted to point out how much I was dreading the last chapter though. I hate the idea that I'll be dead one day. What a cope out. I'd rather live for eternity than be remembered for eternity. So I was dreading the ending. I was expecting it to plant little thought bubbles that kept me up all night with anxiety, but it didn't. He managed to make the whole thing so light-hearted. I found myself laughing my butt off and picturing myself living inside of a chocolate bar in a few decades. Please, wrap my in foil and chuck me in a 'favourites' themed coffin. At least then if I happen to wake up one day at least I'll have a blanket to keep me warm til I figure out how to dig myself out. Maybe you should leave me a little spade too, but just a spade, I don't wanna end up like Suzanne with the entire kitchen sink with me haha.
Anyways, if your a fan of Karls give this a read. If not, get on board and give it a read anyways! Karl seems to be much happier without Ricky and he's covering things with a lot more depth to them. Don't get me wrong, he still has a moan and some things he's doing is well outside of the norms so the stories are still very exciting, don't be put off by the changes. I never really liked Ricky to begin with. The only good thing he's done in my liking is introducing the world to Karl, so I guess we owe him that.
Fun drinking game for while you read Karls books alone, curled up on the couch on a Friday evening? Easy! Take a sip every time he says 'crisps' or 'twix'. Trust me, you'll be waking up with headaches every Saturday as if you spent the day with him listening to him moaning. Very authentic, ha!
October 14, 2016
Karl Pilkington, you magnificent bastard. The idea of your views on the world been put on a book is brilliant.
Now if you don’t know this man, Karl Pilkington is the star of “A Idiot Abroad”, which is the show where Ricky Gervais sends Karl to other parts of the world to make his life that little bit more interesting. It’s funny stuff and it’s even a book (two if I remember correctly). Karl is one of those guys where his idea of a holiday is going to the countryside and not doing anything. Karl is the guy who complains about temples being so high up on a hill and cultures been that little bit weird. He has tons of other books, so you can read even more of him if you want to. Which you should.
Some hate him, I like him. Not everyone can be like him (and we probably are better off with that) but there always needs to be someone who sees the world a different way.
This book is about him dealing with just who the world is. On his fortieth birthday, he decides to go and see what the world is like and how other people view there life, while on the way learning (and complaining) about marriages, children, money, death and the woes of life. I have no idea why I’m reading this, but it all makes sense to me, so I think I’m alright.
Its straight forward stuff, yet that’s part of the charm. Karl always puts everything bluntly and its funny reading his thoughts. I laughed a lot and thought deeply in others. It comes with some interesting facts and since he did this with a film crew (it’s also a miniseries on TV somewhere) someone could take pictures for him. So you can see everything.
If you don’t like Karl, that’s ok, not everyone can like him and I think that if I knew him he would drive me up the wall. He may have Asperger Syndrome if that makes you feel any better, but I think he just is a normal guy and a simple downer. That can make you laugh until you can’t breathe.
All in all, Karl’s funny and so is the book. I didn’t like one bit, but that wasn’t Karl’s fault. It was just that he went to a party where people try to hurt themselves as much as possible and there were pictures. I’ll just leave it at that.
But buy this book. You won’t regret it. It’s a small book anyway, so really you don’t have a excuse not to. It will enlighten you.
Now if you don’t know this man, Karl Pilkington is the star of “A Idiot Abroad”, which is the show where Ricky Gervais sends Karl to other parts of the world to make his life that little bit more interesting. It’s funny stuff and it’s even a book (two if I remember correctly). Karl is one of those guys where his idea of a holiday is going to the countryside and not doing anything. Karl is the guy who complains about temples being so high up on a hill and cultures been that little bit weird. He has tons of other books, so you can read even more of him if you want to. Which you should.
Some hate him, I like him. Not everyone can be like him (and we probably are better off with that) but there always needs to be someone who sees the world a different way.
This book is about him dealing with just who the world is. On his fortieth birthday, he decides to go and see what the world is like and how other people view there life, while on the way learning (and complaining) about marriages, children, money, death and the woes of life. I have no idea why I’m reading this, but it all makes sense to me, so I think I’m alright.
Its straight forward stuff, yet that’s part of the charm. Karl always puts everything bluntly and its funny reading his thoughts. I laughed a lot and thought deeply in others. It comes with some interesting facts and since he did this with a film crew (it’s also a miniseries on TV somewhere) someone could take pictures for him. So you can see everything.
If you don’t like Karl, that’s ok, not everyone can like him and I think that if I knew him he would drive me up the wall. He may have Asperger Syndrome if that makes you feel any better, but I think he just is a normal guy and a simple downer. That can make you laugh until you can’t breathe.
All in all, Karl’s funny and so is the book. I didn’t like one bit, but that wasn’t Karl’s fault. It was just that he went to a party where people try to hurt themselves as much as possible and there were pictures. I’ll just leave it at that.
But buy this book. You won’t regret it. It’s a small book anyway, so really you don’t have a excuse not to. It will enlighten you.
February 9, 2017
Without Stephen and Ricky steering the conversation, we get a much more relaxed Karl who is able to lay out his thoughts in a clearer manner, with some backstory to explain his thought processes, and we are all the better for it. This book is an easy read, and though slightly whimsical, no less an insight into Karl's special brand of philosophy. Definitely recommended for anyone who has had a dose of Karl through TRGS or An Idiot Abroad.
June 26, 2014
I love Karl Pilkington since stumbling across him on the show An Idiot Abroad. I basically can't believe how much I agree with him on things. We are some kind of weird kindred spirit or something. So friends who were in London waited in a ridiculously long line to get this book personally autographed for me because THEY ARE THE BEST. And the book is delightful. It isn't as hilarious as "The World According to Karl Pilkington," which is just my favorite, but it still made me irresistibly giggle, even when I was trying not to. Basically, a nice, light read for when you just want to amuse yourself.
April 3, 2015
Suomeksi Elämän valituisveisu. Niin hauska kirja että oli vaikea lukea kun koko ajan olisi halunnut lukea pätkiä ääneen lähellä olevilla ja hihitytti ajoittain kovastikin. Saman tyypin kirjoittama joka on aiemmin kirjoittanut kirjat Ääliö ulkomailla ja sen jatko-osan. Nämä kaikki kirjat perustuvat tv-sarjoihin jossa tämä kirjailijahahmo Karl Pilkington seikkailee ulkomailla haastaen omat näkemyksensä. Tässä kirjassa hän perehtyy muunmuassa onnellisuuteen, kuolemaan, työntekoon ja muihin elämän aspekteihin. Voisi vinkata tietokirjana vaikka nuorille :)
December 24, 2014
I first fell in love with Karl watching the show Derek on Netflix, which is a great show! Then I found Karl on Netflix again in An Idiot Abroad. He is freaking hilarious and is a really smart man on his philosophies. Then...I found some of his books. So far this first book I have read is typical Karl and I loved it!
November 13, 2014
Ainakaan Karl Pilkingtonin kanssa ei olisi tylsää. Päätä voisi usein tulla taottua seinään, mutta tylsää tuskin olisi. Paitsi jos Karl siivoaisi.
Tykkään kirjoitustyylistä ja tarinoinnista. Tätä lisää.
Tykkään kirjoitustyylistä ja tarinoinnista. Tätä lisää.
October 23, 2013
Hilarious, as always. I enjoy Karl's straight-forward, no nonsense attitude. It was very interesting; shedding light on various cultures all over the world. Light and easy read.
August 23, 2014
of course it's great fun to see Karl moaning and suffering around the world, but reading this now-seasoned traveler's account of looking for life meanings in different cultures was a great read.
January 25, 2016
Possibly the most entertaining thing I've ever read! For a professional 'idiot', Karl sure makes a lot of sense. I can't wait to read more of his books.
September 29, 2023
96%
"I'd prefer to have a world of grumpy considerate people than happy selfish ones."
I've seen both of his shows, so I wanted to see what extra stuff Karl had to add about his experiences in the book. To be honest, I think he's a genius; I know in the show(s) they try to paint him as a fool, but while the things he says may sound 'simple', they're incredibly (and hilariously) accurate. There's that saying "if you can't explain something simply, you don't understand it well enough", and I think he's proof of that. I think he could probably start his own religion and people would join, just because the shit he says makes sense. He inspires me to look at the world differently, with gentleness and honesty.
"Kids are like farts in that way. They never seem to bother the owner as much as they bother everyone else."
"All the kids seem to struggle, as they try to teach you too much in secondary school. If one teacher couldn't remember it all what hope did I have!"
"When the stewards came round serving different types of juices she picked the guava juice, as she said she'd ever tried it before, yet these days kids have had everything by the time they're ten. I don't know why this is happening when we're living longer than ever. Wouldn't it be better to spread all the fun stuff out so you can have things to look forward to?"
"It annoys me when contestants on Britain's Got Talent say, 'I was born to do this,' then start juggling chainsaws that are on fire. Really?! That's what they were born to do, is it? What winds me up the most is the fact that I've got a tree outside my house that's blocking light from the front room. the council said they won't be able to get round to sorting it for three months and yet here's a bloke who has the equipment but is too busy juggling it."
"I suppose the more you have, the more there is to lose and the more paranoid you get. I used to think money gave you freedom and power, but in an odd sort of way it takes a bit of it away."
"The amount of times I've been paying for something and the person on the till asks me if I want to extend the warranty for a small fee. It's brand new and they're already talking to me about when the thing breaks."
"She trimmed the nails and popped some stuff on them to make them shiny. I noticed how bent a few of my toes were, but this is what happens if you have too much money. You start worrying about daft things like bent toes and baldness and spend money trying to make yourself 'perfect'."
"I sat and watched a few of the models. The women has legs like giraffes and wiggle their hips as they walked as if they were chewing a toffee with their arse cheeks."
"Dung beetles don't have career advisors, they just get on with shifting balls of shit."
"I don't want for much, and I find happiness in simple things like cutting my toenails. I was doing this in the garden a few weeks ago while Suzanne was messing about with some plants. When you have time to look over your feet, life must be good. It's like whistling - it's not something you do when you're in a bad mood."
"I wouldn't say I was greeted with the happiest faces I'd ever seen. Saying that, maybe I shouldn't judge, as I don't put much effort into smiling for no reason either. We seem to live in a world where you have to walk around grinning like a loon. I can't understand all the fuss about the Mona Lisa painting, everyone wondering why she's not smiling, if she's depressed or heartbroken. No, she was just normal!"
"The best thing about me is probably my eyes, but then I suppose my eyes would think that, as it's them that are looking at them."
"I think getting old is like getting to the end of a packet of Maltesers - it's not until I realize I've only got a couple left that I really enjoy them. I start to eat them slower, making them last by nibbling the chocolate off before sucking on the honeycomb. Weirdly, the last few always seem to taste better too. If it was an ever-lasting bag, I'd never get that moment."
"I'd prefer to have a world of grumpy considerate people than happy selfish ones."
I've seen both of his shows, so I wanted to see what extra stuff Karl had to add about his experiences in the book. To be honest, I think he's a genius; I know in the show(s) they try to paint him as a fool, but while the things he says may sound 'simple', they're incredibly (and hilariously) accurate. There's that saying "if you can't explain something simply, you don't understand it well enough", and I think he's proof of that. I think he could probably start his own religion and people would join, just because the shit he says makes sense. He inspires me to look at the world differently, with gentleness and honesty.
"Kids are like farts in that way. They never seem to bother the owner as much as they bother everyone else."
"All the kids seem to struggle, as they try to teach you too much in secondary school. If one teacher couldn't remember it all what hope did I have!"
"When the stewards came round serving different types of juices she picked the guava juice, as she said she'd ever tried it before, yet these days kids have had everything by the time they're ten. I don't know why this is happening when we're living longer than ever. Wouldn't it be better to spread all the fun stuff out so you can have things to look forward to?"
"It annoys me when contestants on Britain's Got Talent say, 'I was born to do this,' then start juggling chainsaws that are on fire. Really?! That's what they were born to do, is it? What winds me up the most is the fact that I've got a tree outside my house that's blocking light from the front room. the council said they won't be able to get round to sorting it for three months and yet here's a bloke who has the equipment but is too busy juggling it."
"I suppose the more you have, the more there is to lose and the more paranoid you get. I used to think money gave you freedom and power, but in an odd sort of way it takes a bit of it away."
"The amount of times I've been paying for something and the person on the till asks me if I want to extend the warranty for a small fee. It's brand new and they're already talking to me about when the thing breaks."
"She trimmed the nails and popped some stuff on them to make them shiny. I noticed how bent a few of my toes were, but this is what happens if you have too much money. You start worrying about daft things like bent toes and baldness and spend money trying to make yourself 'perfect'."
"I sat and watched a few of the models. The women has legs like giraffes and wiggle their hips as they walked as if they were chewing a toffee with their arse cheeks."
"Dung beetles don't have career advisors, they just get on with shifting balls of shit."
"I don't want for much, and I find happiness in simple things like cutting my toenails. I was doing this in the garden a few weeks ago while Suzanne was messing about with some plants. When you have time to look over your feet, life must be good. It's like whistling - it's not something you do when you're in a bad mood."
"I wouldn't say I was greeted with the happiest faces I'd ever seen. Saying that, maybe I shouldn't judge, as I don't put much effort into smiling for no reason either. We seem to live in a world where you have to walk around grinning like a loon. I can't understand all the fuss about the Mona Lisa painting, everyone wondering why she's not smiling, if she's depressed or heartbroken. No, she was just normal!"
"The best thing about me is probably my eyes, but then I suppose my eyes would think that, as it's them that are looking at them."
"I think getting old is like getting to the end of a packet of Maltesers - it's not until I realize I've only got a couple left that I really enjoy them. I start to eat them slower, making them last by nibbling the chocolate off before sucking on the honeycomb. Weirdly, the last few always seem to taste better too. If it was an ever-lasting bag, I'd never get that moment."
April 18, 2020
Had this book on my list to read for a while, but I’m happy I hadn’t read it up to now. That’s because I had planned to read it immediately after watching the show, which would have probably been a bit repetitive. But now it’s been five years since I watched season two (wait, what the fuck?), so I don’t remember a lot of it, meaning it’s great to experience Karl Pilkington again. In a way, Karl is great in written form, because the producers are not constantly trying to put Karl in wacky, hilaaaaarious situations. Karl is best when it’s just Karl.
He unironically has good views on things, and his perspectives on different cultures and places he visits are refreshing and honest. Like, this line, “I like to have money, not to waste and buy things I don’t need, but just so it’s there for when I need it.” That’s almost exactly how I am regarding money and it’s great to read it.
Or this:
“I remember playing Pac-Man as a kid and I typed in a cheat code that meant I had endless lives to play with, and it was rubbish. I ended up feeling sorry for Pac-Man. His whole existence was spent running away from those ghosts that chased him around the maze. He only had a few moments of happiness when he gulped a power pill, but when that eventually wore off he was back to being chased again. I think the only time Pac-Man was stress-free and happy was when he died, and I’d taken that away from him.”
Also this, “After having some rime to think about the gravestone message, I now think I’d have ‘I was what I was meant to be’. That seems to work”
It does, Karl.
He unironically has good views on things, and his perspectives on different cultures and places he visits are refreshing and honest. Like, this line, “I like to have money, not to waste and buy things I don’t need, but just so it’s there for when I need it.” That’s almost exactly how I am regarding money and it’s great to read it.
Or this:
“I remember playing Pac-Man as a kid and I typed in a cheat code that meant I had endless lives to play with, and it was rubbish. I ended up feeling sorry for Pac-Man. His whole existence was spent running away from those ghosts that chased him around the maze. He only had a few moments of happiness when he gulped a power pill, but when that eventually wore off he was back to being chased again. I think the only time Pac-Man was stress-free and happy was when he died, and I’d taken that away from him.”
Also this, “After having some rime to think about the gravestone message, I now think I’d have ‘I was what I was meant to be’. That seems to work”
It does, Karl.
July 15, 2024
The Moaning of Life follows Karl on his journey looking into Marriage, Kids, Vocation & Money, Happiness and Death.
I picked the book up, not when I was in slump so to speak but I needed something different.. something humorous.. something more real than my typical genere.
We travel with Karl as he heads around the world looking into different customs and views of life, giving the reader his typical humour and wit that we’ve come to know and love.
This is a book you’ll pick up if you’ve seen anything of Karl’s before for sure but if for any reason if you are unfamiliar you might be wondering who Karl is.. or why should you get the book. Well Karl has become well known to many for being the butt of many a joke for Ricky Gervais and has had some decent shows on TV, this book being a supporting novel.. but what’s his attraction? Quite simply he’s humorously blunt. He speaks as he sees and many resonate with his thoughts.
The book itself is broken up into easy sections, plenty of visual breaks and the odd picture thrown in, each perfectly designed to aid the flow for the reader and it works perfectly.
As a supporting book for the TV show I can’t really comment too much as I never actually watched it... I’m not a massive tv fan any longer but what I can say is that I don’t think I’ve missed anything.. the book has it all! The detail and descriptions are super informative, and I very much enjoyed it!
Karl is so funny with his bluntness and for that reason I’ll give it a 4*
I picked the book up, not when I was in slump so to speak but I needed something different.. something humorous.. something more real than my typical genere.
We travel with Karl as he heads around the world looking into different customs and views of life, giving the reader his typical humour and wit that we’ve come to know and love.
This is a book you’ll pick up if you’ve seen anything of Karl’s before for sure but if for any reason if you are unfamiliar you might be wondering who Karl is.. or why should you get the book. Well Karl has become well known to many for being the butt of many a joke for Ricky Gervais and has had some decent shows on TV, this book being a supporting novel.. but what’s his attraction? Quite simply he’s humorously blunt. He speaks as he sees and many resonate with his thoughts.
The book itself is broken up into easy sections, plenty of visual breaks and the odd picture thrown in, each perfectly designed to aid the flow for the reader and it works perfectly.
As a supporting book for the TV show I can’t really comment too much as I never actually watched it... I’m not a massive tv fan any longer but what I can say is that I don’t think I’ve missed anything.. the book has it all! The detail and descriptions are super informative, and I very much enjoyed it!
Karl is so funny with his bluntness and for that reason I’ll give it a 4*
May 17, 2021
"Yes, I'm sure there can be plenty of nice moments when you have a child, but there's another side to everything. Hearing a baby laugh might be a lovely thing, but if I was woken up in the middle of the night by my baby laughing to itself, it would bloody terrify me." (pg. 131)
Another great offering from Karl Pilkington, who is as hilarious and absorbing as ever. Initially, I was worried that the material wouldn't be fresh as I have seen the television series that complements the book (or rather, the book complements the show). But the book was great, going into a bit more depth than the show was able to, and even the bits I knew were still funny.
I also think Karl might be getting smarter, or at least more eloquent in presenting his ideas to his readers/listeners/viewers. He writes well; the book is a breeze and a joy to read. It is also very well-presented, with illustrations that complement the text. The section on 'Happiness' is particularly good, demonstrating Karl's greater open-mindedness and self-awareness whilst still remaining extremely funny. He also seems to be able to quickly strike up a rapport with the people he meets, and comes across as a thoroughly likeable bloke. He's also always trying to save various animals, whether it is the goat in Mexico or Tony the turtle in Japan. If you're a Karl fan, you'll love it, and if you're not (yet), this is as good a place as any to start, aside from the TV show itself.
Another great offering from Karl Pilkington, who is as hilarious and absorbing as ever. Initially, I was worried that the material wouldn't be fresh as I have seen the television series that complements the book (or rather, the book complements the show). But the book was great, going into a bit more depth than the show was able to, and even the bits I knew were still funny.
I also think Karl might be getting smarter, or at least more eloquent in presenting his ideas to his readers/listeners/viewers. He writes well; the book is a breeze and a joy to read. It is also very well-presented, with illustrations that complement the text. The section on 'Happiness' is particularly good, demonstrating Karl's greater open-mindedness and self-awareness whilst still remaining extremely funny. He also seems to be able to quickly strike up a rapport with the people he meets, and comes across as a thoroughly likeable bloke. He's also always trying to save various animals, whether it is the goat in Mexico or Tony the turtle in Japan. If you're a Karl fan, you'll love it, and if you're not (yet), this is as good a place as any to start, aside from the TV show itself.
March 10, 2018
I fucking love this book.
I really, really, really fucking love this book.
Every single page is completely enthralling. As it goes, it's a pretty unique book, too. Sure, it's a TV tie-in. Why read the book when you can put your feet up with a cuppa and watch the telly?
Because the book is great, and I shall tell you why.
It's bloody hilarious. It is laugh unabashedly on your own in public at Birmingham New Street station funny. In fact, it is laugh out loud absolutely anywhere in the world funny.
The presentation is beautiful. The formatting, the illustrations, the photographs, and the way they're put together is so lovely, like a real travel scrapbook.
And it is so, so insightful. It's hard to believe it's non-fiction sometimes, but from the interspersed trivia to the different cultures and traditions visited and explored, it is honestly completely fascinating. Of course, by covering the 'big topics' of life, it's going to be. I adore any book that can give me words for the things I've felt and never been able to voice. It's pretty indicative of who I am as a person that I'd find such wisdom written by Karl bloody Pilkington.
It's totally not for everyone. But no book is for everyone. This one was definitely for me.
Five stars. I'm drawing up ideas for my coffin right now.
I really, really, really fucking love this book.
Every single page is completely enthralling. As it goes, it's a pretty unique book, too. Sure, it's a TV tie-in. Why read the book when you can put your feet up with a cuppa and watch the telly?
Because the book is great, and I shall tell you why.
It's bloody hilarious. It is laugh unabashedly on your own in public at Birmingham New Street station funny. In fact, it is laugh out loud absolutely anywhere in the world funny.
The presentation is beautiful. The formatting, the illustrations, the photographs, and the way they're put together is so lovely, like a real travel scrapbook.
And it is so, so insightful. It's hard to believe it's non-fiction sometimes, but from the interspersed trivia to the different cultures and traditions visited and explored, it is honestly completely fascinating. Of course, by covering the 'big topics' of life, it's going to be. I adore any book that can give me words for the things I've felt and never been able to voice. It's pretty indicative of who I am as a person that I'd find such wisdom written by Karl bloody Pilkington.
It's totally not for everyone. But no book is for everyone. This one was definitely for me.
Five stars. I'm drawing up ideas for my coffin right now.
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