Book Review: The Haggis-on-Whey World of Unbelievable Brilliance (vols. 1-3)
The Haggis-On-Whey World of Unbelievable Brilliance volumes 1-3 are sheer, glorious nonsense. Done in the style of retro textbooks that echo the art of the trustworthy school books such as the How and Why series of the fifties and sixties, but without a leg of fact to stand on.I get the feeling that perhaps without trying, Dr. Doris and Benny (the eccentric couple/authors of this set) offer a valuable lesson in healthy skepticism for the younger set. Each page chock full of cheeky lies of all sorts and kinds that may dupe the young and gullible for a split second, till they can scratch their heads and go on to revel in the silliness. Did you know giraffes came to earth on a conveyor belt? Did you know the Meatus is the best part of your disgusting head? Are you being eaten? The Squid installment offers a helpful questionnaire to help you determine whether or not you are, in fact, being eaten. It’s right next to the page on Squid History.
These books are in excellent style. They impart the wisdom of skepticism in a light hearted way. Teach your children not to believe everything they see or read, even if it looks slightly historical. I would recommend these books to anyone, even my grandmother. However, they are astonishingly popular among twelve year-old boys.
Authors: Dr. Doris Haggis-on-Whey and Benny Haggis-on-Whey
(This three volume set includes Giraffes? Giraffes!, Your Disgusting Head, and Animals of the Ocean, in Particular the Giant Squid. –Ed.)