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Staggering Hubris
- The Memoir of Boris Johnson’s Most Classic Spad (The ‘Rona Years, Vol. 1)
- Narrated by: Josh Berry
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
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Staggering Hubris
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Summary
Unless you're a woman on Tinder between the ages of 19 and 30 in the Clapham area or a high-end cocaine dealer operating in South West London, you probably won't have heard of Rafe Hubris, BA (Oxon).
Despite that, he's a crucial figure in the life of our nation. As Boris Johnson's most classic special adviser (spad) at Number 10, he helped the UK government skillfully and efficiently control the COVID crisis, containing it for good by the end of 2020.
In the first of what will doubtless be many memoirs as Rafe travels his own inevitable journey to the premiership, this fly-on-the-wall account documents his Year of 'Rona in its entirety (and iniquity).
Even non-Oxbridge audiences (for whom the author has taken care to keep his language as accessible as possible) will come away from this volume struck by how lucky we are to have him. Floreat Etona!*
*Note for non-Oxbridge listeners: this means "May Eton flourish" in Latin.**
**Latin is the language of ancient Rome and its empire.
Critic reviews
"A pitch-perfect send-up." (Evening Standard)
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What listeners say about Staggering Hubris
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- East Yorks
- 11-12-21
Staggering haha
Absolutely loved this diary entries by Rafe - hilarious, witty and easy to listen to. Can’t wait for the next instalment Mr B!!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Mr
- 05-10-23
We Absolutely Love to Hear It!
Documentary account from inside No 10 during the Corona Virus emergency. Classic and we love to hear it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 13-12-21
Fucking classic
Couldn’t stop laughing throughout. Thank you Rafe I am keeping my fingers crossed for a 2021 edition
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- Robert H
- 15-02-22
Trés strong
Thought this would be good but the clever weaving of fiction (or is it?) and truth paired with the exceptional delivery and personification of the “characters” meant it exceeded expectations and is truly worthy of a 5* review.
Eagerly anticipating vol 2.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anthony Dempsey
- 06-12-21
Basically a 9 hour version of his Instagram. Perfection!!
If you love Josh’s Instagram videos, you simply must download this! On my second listen already, phenomenal.
You absolutely love to see it.
Can’t wait for more.
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- Max Deeley
- 15-12-21
I didn’t think it would make me feel!
Like all of comedy’s most loathsome protagonists (Blackadder, B’stard, Partridge, Brent/Scott,
Tucker et al.), Rafe is a deeply unlikeable character, who epitomises everything wrong with society. But as our hero’s story reaches Its climax (classic Rafe), I’m moved by this deeply flawed individual’s reconciliation with an old flame, and find myself wishing things had worked out better for him.
Sure, it’s hilarious (in a deeply unsettling way in light of how close to the mark the world it portrays actually is). And the growing contempt Rafe feels for the vast array of incompetent morons supposedly running the country inevitably mirrors our own feelings towards this government. But I was expecting that.
What I wasn’t expecting this book to do was to make me feel. Rafe doesn’t know it, but he is an absolute - and this is his word - ‘wetty’. And you feel genuinely sorry for him, in spite of what a vindictive little prick he is throughout most of the book.
You’re supposed to hate him. But in the end, you’re kind of rooting for him. And it’s my strong desire that by the end of his character arch, Rafe and Poppy actually end up together. Really not the key takeaway I was expecting from a satirical comedy book. But then that’s what makes it good comedy, because Rafe Hubris isn’t disposable. He isn’t half as clever, funny, or charming as he thinks. And none of us ever are.
Bene lusit Hubris. Bene lusit.
If this isn’t immediately turned into a screen play and a BAFTA Award winning TV series immediately, we riot.
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- Cath Jackson
- 10-02-22
Vary, vary funny
The last two years have been utterly grim in all sorts of ways - but this made me out loud. Loved it.
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- Matt Abrams
- 25-08-22
The funniest book I have ever listened to
Cannot rate this book more highly. I finished it in two stints. Unbelievable word play and humour.
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- alan
- 08-03-23
Hilarious!!
Guy does the voices of Johnson, Hand on cock et al superbly.....Depressing thing is you can imagine this was exactly how the Johnson government functioned in 2020.....Even more so now the Whatsapps are out.
Never heard of the guy before but highly recommended 🤣👍🏼
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- Puneet Rai
- 21-02-22
Brilliant and funny
This genuinely made me laugh out loud. Hard to believe it’s not real: brilliant satire of a difficult subject. Highly recommend.
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