Review: Long Leggety Beasties by Alienora Taylor.
When I first picked up Long Leggety Beasties I didn’t really know what to expect… school memoirs, I thought, are not really my cup of tea. But I knew Alienora, know her sense of the ridiculous and her inimitable way with words. This woman has a turn of comic phrase more convoluted than a corkscrew.
I started reading.
“…resembled nothing so much as a brace of hamsters in a particularly vicious blender.”
This simple phrase sets the tone for pages of untold delight in the creative misuse of imagery. To say the contortions of the writer’s mind resemble those of a pretzel would be, I feel, both a gross understatement and a deep injustice. She is utterly twisted.
A sense of the ridiculous pervades this book, with deep appreciation of the lunacy of her fellow man, woman and child… keenly observed and relayed with loving laughter. It does not lampoon lunacy, it celebrates it.
The school appears poised somewhere between St Trinians and Bedlam; the staff are, we are told, the archetypes of teachers we have all known. Nor does the writer hide behind the role of heroine. Though not strictly an autobiography, there are clearly Moments. Those familiar with her blog may well recognise the location of an odd bush or two.
Half hidden between the comedic cameos nestle moments of deep sadness, a fragility as a young teacher comes to terms with a world that is neither funny nor pretty.
There are the tragedies of forgotten and abused children, the ludicrous system within which a teacher must work, the politics of personality in the staff room….
…. and a goat.
Yet through it all is a deep sense of satisfaction and joy as the author condenses a career into a highly readable and hugely funny tale.
Worth every penny and the box of tissues.
Long Leggety Beasties is now available in paperback as well as for Kindle via Amazon.
You can follow Alienora’s Blog here. She writes from the heart, sharing her personal journey and her bawdy humour.
‘LONG-LEGGETY BEASTIES’
and her irreverent erotica are available in paperback and for Kindle via Amazon UK and Amazon.com worldwide.
Sue Vincent's Daily Echo 
Sounds like good fun. Laughs are always welcome.
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It is, Olga. A good read.
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Thanks very much for this, Olga – much appreciated. xxx
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Thank you SO much, Sue – hugely appreciated. xxx
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My pleasure, Ali xxx
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Pingback: Teaching – and Bonking! Two books now out! | ALIEN AURA'S BLOG: IT'LL BLOW YOUR MIND!
Sounds like a book I’d enjoy, Sue. That’s for the great review,:)
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Yes, I think you would, Suzanne.
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Oooh, I do hope you would and will enjoy it, Suzanne! xxx
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Congrats, Alienora! The writing bug transforms another soul. I love it.
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Thanks so much. It has been a dream for so many years – and now it has manifested! xxx
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Lovely review that gives the reader a real feel for the book. The title alone gets me!
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It really is well worth a good read, Noelle 🙂
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Thanks so much, Noelle. Glad to hear this. xxx
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Lovely review, Sue!
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Thanks Ali, it’s a darned good read 🙂
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Yes, I got that message loud and clear! I enjoyed her guest post too but for some reason I cant get onto the page to comment. Think the snow is affecting the connection!
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Why does everyone keep peppering their comments with that four letter word ‘snow’?? 😀
Any other time I wouldn’t mind. Snow me in. But at least let me get gone north first! 🙂
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I know… you’d think we’d never seen the white stuff before… I mean, it IS January, why are we so surprised???
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Not surprised… just anxious… I have plans 🙂
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Thanks so much, Ali – connections are sloth-like at the moment, I am finding. Makes me want to bang my head against the nearest monolith! xxx
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LOL! I know the feeling! Good luck with your book!
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Thanks very much, Ali. Ali xxx
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You’ve convinced me to buy it Sue and I have. Its on the IPad and I will begin soon. My big regret as a teacher of 32 years was not keeping a detailed journal of all the bits and pieces, scandals, characters, incidents etc etc. A school is such a bizarre yet wonderful place to work, socially interact eat and breathe in. What lunacy it was and still is to shut 25 pre-pubescent mixed gender adolescents of individual personality in a room together for 50 minutes, seat them down and expect productivity and order. I think Alienora might just kick start my memories and generate some satirical writing.
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I think you will enjoy it, Denis. I did.
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Thanks you very much for this, Denis – much appreciated. Sounds as if you have a story or fifty to tell too! x
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Reblogged this on ALIEN AURA'S BLOG: IT'LL BLOW YOUR MIND! and commented:
And this, also reblogged, is Sue’s lovely review of ‘LLB’ – do read it! And then read the book – ooh, aren’t I getting cheeky?!
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Reblogged this on Mindocr’s Weblog.
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