Modern Classics Molesworth

I read "How to be Topp" years ago when I was a schoolkid (USA publics...). Everyone should read these-- and I mean your kids, while they are in elementary or Jr High school. "Molesworth 2 start blubbing because he have not got the reel RollsRoyce he wanted.." plus the picture of the trap for St. Nick: priceless.

All four Molesworth books in a single volume. Brilliant! Nigel Molesworth reveals the Awful Truth behind one of Britain's most obscure public schools (St Custards) in his own unique style, wit and spelling. Very funny indeed.

Moved to: Molesworth by Geoffrey Willans, Ronald Searle Reprint - Penguin Classics - 2000

As for whether this is a "good book" I neither kno nor care. Molesworth et al are still quoted by mi famile and we are nerly as old as davy crockitus (rex of the wild frontier). Even Fotherington Thomas, the weedy wet, is popular and oft quoted. How to be Topp & Down with skool should be on the nat. curric. of evere country.

The original Molesworth books bore titles like "Down With Skool" and had (at a guess) every third word within incorrectly spelt. They were written from the viewpoint of an English schoolboy who did little but echo the sentiment expressed in the aforementioned title. You'd think they'd be terrible, wouldn't you? You'd think they'd do little but tell feeble jokes to young and particularly brainless children, in the manner of most such books of purported humour - wouldn't you?Well, you'd be wrong. The presence of illustrator Ronald Searle ought to indicate as much. The books are in fact very funny, screamingly funny, surprisingly subtle in places, and they capture the horrible atmosphere of what is (I hope) a bygone age of education very well indeed. Willans is astute enough to realise it's not just the schools that were horrible. He knows that the children were horrible as well. Nigel Molesworth is as horrible as any of them, however hard it may be to dislike him. It's impossible to tell if these books were written with children or adults in mind. Most probably both.