On The Table Read Magazine, “the best book magazine in the UK“, David Withey’s new audiobook, Beware Of The Old Bull, is a tale about how bulls**t management speak is denigrating the English language.
Beware Of The Old Bull
David Withey’s new audiobook, Beware Of The Old Bull, brings into the limelight one of the aspects of life we most take for granted, our language. As well as making you laugh, Beware Of The Old Bull is a satirical comedy about the English language that will make you reflect on the vocabulary we use, and cherish it more.
Beware Of The Old Bull puts characters like Smart Alec, Bobby Dazzler and the Friends of the Subjunctive language group centre stage.
While readers will appreciate that language is a dynamic and living entity that naturally changes over time, just like the characters within they will be split in terms of how new words, including management speak and shifts in grammar detract from its perceived purity.
Alan, a businessman, is concerned at the way the language is being abused and hates the way some businesses use jargon, grandiose verbiage and ostentatious hype, which is often meaningless, to impress others and make sales. At the top levels in business, ‘management speak’ seems to predominate. He visits the British Library where, stumbling across on a hidden passage, he encounters some surprising supporters – from within the English language itself!
Alan meets idioms like the Man in the street, Jack Robinson, the Man about town, Tom, Dick and Ariadne (we never talk about Harry), Clever Dick, Smart Alec, Bobby Dazzler, the Female of the Species and many others. He also meets other characters, including the Friends of the Subjunctive language group, and the letter F from the ‘alphabet people,’ who wants the F word banned.
There is some conflict between these characters, as some agree with Alan about the language, while others think that the use of exaggerated hype is legitimate to assist with sales and commerce that keep the economy going.
Please note that this audiobook contains no bad language, no swearing, sex or violence. We must apologise for this, and hope that it does not spoil your enjoyment.
David Withey
I’m an ex-local government officer who has enjoyed writing for amateur dramatics over the years, reflecting my knowledge of office life.
First came ‘The Management Seminar Business’ where a boss encouraged senior executives to tell the brutal truth about the business – until they did! Next was ‘Funny Business’ where the office workaholic suddenly dropped down dead, and everyone else attempted to look keen to take up the vacant post, while trying desperately to avoid it.
‘Management Games’, about rival firms, followed this, and then came ‘The University of the Fuchsia’ where a university was set up in someone’s front room. The follow-up was called, inevitably, ‘Back to the Fuchsia’.
-David Withey
Find more from David Withey now:
Available in audiobook format, Beware of the Old Bull is available to purchase priced £7.99 from Rakuten Kobo at http://tinyurl.com/4tj8fz8s
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