The cover of this book proclaims, in typical Carry On style; "It's 9" long, nearly 1" thick and it'll bring tears to your eyes". Well, not quite, but at least it tried...

Carry On Laughing is a well presented tome. It traces the history of the Carry Ons, from the initial meeting between mssrs Rogers and Thomas, through to the disappointment of Carry On Columbus, taking in along the way all 31 films, plus snippets of interviews with various stars. It's clear the author has done his homework; there are enough anecdotes and trivia in there to keep even the most jaded Carry On fan interested. My main quibble with the text is that it reads a little too much like a narrative; it would have benefited from a bit less prose, and better structuring. Nevertheless, it's a valiant effort. Where Carry On Laughing really scores, though, is with its pictorial material. This book is packed with rare and in many cases unseen photos, culled from the archive. To a certain extent, the wealth of pictures contained in the book dwarf Rigglesford's text.

Whether you buy this book should really depend on what you're after. If you want an in-depth critique of the films, this isn't it. However, if you fancy a meandering ramble through happier times, accompanied by some truly wonderful pictures, then Carry On Laughing is spot on. Lightweight, but immensely entertaining. My only real complaint, and I'm surprised that no-one has picked the publishers up on this, is that on the cover it proclaims to be "A hilarious history of the Carry On films, TV series and stage shows". Well, the films are all there, but the rest barely get a mention. Indeed, the final paragraph in the book reads:

"Finally, this book only deals with the Carry On films. All other spin-offs, TV programmes and specials are not mentioned here".

It looks like a case of an over-enthusiastic copy writer. Nevertheless, if you've bought this book and you regret it, at least you have a legally valid reason for getting your money back.