This play is the second I read in my life, but I am sure it is one of the best ever written!
It is witty and funny, a social satire everybody should read.
Wilde played with words and stereotypes in a wonderful manner.
Two thumbs up!

This fantastic collection of Humphries' satirical monolgues spanning over three decades is essential reading for his fans. See the birth of Mrs Everage as a 1956 housewife offering accomodation to Olympian athletes and read her early tips on interior decoration. Relive the time when Sandy Stone was a working husband having a 'bit of strife parking the vehicle' on a Saturday morning and witness Les Patterson's definitive tribute to "The Yartz". Best of all, this book will introduce you to Humphries lesser known characters such as Rex Lear (a father of the bride), Lance Boyle (a Trade Unionist) and Neal Singleton (a trendy artist). The wide-ranging list of characteristics that make Humphries' work so distinctive is exhibited here - from the outrageous flamboyance of our alternative cultural ambassadors to the aching pathos of 'the little man of the suburbs' feeling the chill of being on 'the outer'.

Barry Humphries admirably fleshes out the life of his most famous comic creation - Dame Edna Everage from Moonee Ponds housewife to beaming megastar. Like on TV, Edna is an outrageously egotistical tyrant who we find out has bullied Madge Allsop since High School and even danced with her cultural compatriate Les Patterson at a teenage formal. Here you will see how Edna saved Barry Humphries stage debut and has had him under her solicitors thumbs for several years.For sharp Edna/Barry enthusiasts there are a few questionable moves Humphries has made in the book though - 1) He is cheeky in that he leaves out a number of years in Edna's life as he did in his own biography. Why? 2) Edna started off as shy and genteel in the 50's. Here she is as bold as brass all the way. No real character change. 3) Her nephew "Barry McKenzie" is never mentioned. They did go to England together and do two movies together after all. Yet, despite these quibbles, there is Humphries characteristic razor sharp wit throughout and even a moving epilogue where Edna visits her husbands grave. In this there is a wonderful pathos which makes Humphries dedication to his character and his audience first class. Fans should look for other out of print Edna titles such as "Dame Ednas Coffee Table Book" if they enjoy this.

I've been a fan of Dame Edna's for years and I have to say that this faux autobiography is one of the funniest books I have ever read. Starting from her humble beginnings (with mauve hair even then) we see our lovely Edna blossom into womanhood, marriage and motherhood---though she rarely has time to properly look after the kids because of her hectic and famous life. As an advisor to the rich, famous and royal (a spin doctor, in her words, to the Queen), Edna becomes a superstar in her own right---struggling with her troublesome childhood friend, Madge Allsop, who Edna lets us know, is a burden a good deal of the time! Edna deals with many dramas----her eccentric children, her husband with his desperate prostrate problem and the trials of being so easily recognizable to the general public. If you wanna read a book with a great deal of laughs, try to find a copy of this book. You won't be disappointed.

This is one of my all-time must-haves in the car...so that I can relisten to it any time LIFE gets a little too real, and I need a mini-mental vacation while driving. (It's an ideal gift too.)

It's a joy, and Dame Edna never fails to bring me back to a gentler reality.

I'm sorry to say that it hasn't been rereleased in Audio CD. I'm hoping that it will be available in that format in the future.

A very witty tale by Australia's master of satire
which must in some way reflect the oddities of its authors celebrity lifestyle despite the disclaimer. It makes you feel that you're in the real world of this author. It has wry social observations and is
easy to read.

Some very witty insights, including: "This young man had .. made the rather useful discovery that people can usually be persuaded to accept you at your own estimation of yourself."

I personally don't approve of Humphries using his fine intellect to make so many awful comments about people's appearances, but other people might like those bits best.

Also, you must have an interest in sex to get full value from this book.

Long before the current vogue for "reality TV", goth music, and even before the expurgated edition of "Hollywood Babylon", there was "Bizarre", a curious anthology of fin-de-siecle literature, photography of sideshow freaks, Symbolist and Surrealist art, and the like. Fashionably (for the time) underedited, its uneven quality (a page of "creative destruction of the Mona Lisa" -- by burning, stapling, "puerile manipulation", etc. of a small print) or a full-page, unflattering photo of Sophia Loren eating a banana abuts such fascinating material as the short story "Earl Lavender" and the novella "Count Fanny's Nuptuals", a small, forgotten masterpiece, here given in full.

At the time I first read it (at about the age of 14 or so) this book had the allure of patchouli oil, nose snuff, and poison rings. The freaks were the real draw...the literature was gravy. Nowadays, I'd be more interested in the lit...so little of this is reprinted. Still, I wouldn't mind having a copy...my mom made me throw it out. (It's that good!)

A terrific account of the life of Australia's most famous and controversial satirist. The biography is more satisfying than Humphries own autobiography "More Please" as it covers till the end of the 1980s and pays more attention to his numerous achievements. The language is not as poetic as Humphries writing but is clear, precise and poetic. In this biography you will discover the social and satirical content of Humphries shows since the 1960s, the Barry McKenzie comic strip and films of the 1960s and early 70s and more clever slang than you can poke a stick at. A must for Humphries enthusiasts.

If you're looking for an intelligent, open-minded book, look elsewhere. This book is an utter failure.

John Lahr writes with such care for his subjects and this book is no exception. Reading this book is like standing next to Barry Humphries as he is preparing to go on stage. It also gives a good background of Humphries' work from its earliest days. Quirky, humorous and consistently engaging.

This book is an amazing tale of an amazing man. If you've ever seen Dame Edna live or on T.V. you know she's a hoot. This well-written bio of her creator, Barry Humpheries, is truly fascinating. It actually had me laughing out loud time after time. He's a brilliant man who's carved a truly unique place for himself in the world of clowns.

Much as I have admired Barry Humphries work and laughed at his shows,"More Please" is an example of his total self absorption and prediliction for under graduate humour. One always expects undergrads to become instant experts on world affairs and the arts, once they attend university (hopefully, they grow out of this eventually) but B.H.seems happiest when playing the Enfant Terrible who is out to shock and disparage the very milieu in which he was raised.Okay-so his mother was always trying to put him down and bring him to heel! So whose mother hasn't done this?Big deal and get over it!! I also found his deliberate use of more obscure words to be patronising and annoying in the extreme. He is a brilliant man and doesn't need to do this childish,smart-arsey stuff!

On the positive side, Humphries wonderful use of language is evident in his autobiography. The sections describing his childhood are wonderfully evocative but I must agree with the previous reviewer that scant attention is given to the evolution of Edna and Les. The biography really only covers till 1976. This could have been a 5-star piece of work if it had had more interesting detail. Eg: Behind the scenes details on the Barry McKenzie films and other movies he was in such as The Naked Bunyip (1970) More information on the books he's published. More detail on The Barry Humphries scandals and other TV appearances. What would be really nice is 'more please!', say information from 1976+ and the brilliant plethora of work he produced in these years.

As the previous reviewers said, if you're after information on Edna Everage, Les Patterson, Sandy Stone, and people like them, "More Please" is not for you. But, then, if you're after information on them, why are you reading Barry Humphries' autobiography? Edna Everage is not Barry Humphries. Les Patterson is not Barry Humphries. Sandy Stone is not Barry Humphries. Get those facts clear, and you'll be better able to understand Barry Humphries and his work.

"More Please" is a wonderful journey through Australian society, and Mr Humphries is a wonderful guide on that journey. As an American living in Australia, I felt better able to understand the people around me after reading this book.

If you want to know about Barry Humphries and the country that produced him, read this book. If you want to know about Dame Edna, Sir Les, or Sandy, read their books.

This book profiles four well-known Australians who have lived abroad for most of their adult lives. The book sets out to "concentrate on the reasons for their expatriatism and consider what aspects of their Australian identity they have retained". Sadly, the author relied totally on secondary sources, and did not speak directly to any of his subjects. This limited his ability to peer into their souls; to discover what effect their lives as expatriates have had on their work, and on them as people. In spite of this serious weakness, the author obviously spent a great deal of time studying his subjects. For anyone looking for an introduction to the lives of these incredibly talented Australians, the book is worth reading.