A child of poor Jewish parentage, educated in the roughest part of the East End of London, worked his way to Balliol College, Oxford and the Rabbinate to become a star of radio and stage. His "Thought for the Day" broadcasts enchanted and invigorated millions of listeners. The Rabbi's humour became celebrated making it even a regular feature of "Private Eye", the satirical magazine. The Rabbi's opening gambit of 'Good morning Peter, good morning Sue and good morning everyone' became as famous as the opening gambits of broadcasters, such as David Frost or Dixon of Dock Green. Now in his early seventies, Lionel Blue has decided to present the very best of his writing for a wide public. Much of this has never been published in book form before including articles for "The Tablet and Saga" magazine. The book sparkles with Lionel Blue's characteristic and idiosyncratic humour. It is through this that his profound wisdom has touched the hearts and minds of millions of appreciative listeners. In 1972, Lionel Blue was a little known Rabbi in London. Spotted by a perceptive publisher, he then published his first book "To Heaven with Scribes and Pharisees". Many still consider this his best. But the range of books that followed was incredible - cookery books, books of Jewish jokes, the "Blue Guide to Eternity" and "Jewish Prayer Books for High Days and Holy Days". This whole range is represented in this charming new collection.

About the Author
Rabbi Lionel Blue now lives in North London. He continues to appear frequently on radio and television. He is an honorary fellow of Grey College, University of Durham. He was once Chairman of the Beth Din of the RSGB

Reviews
'Blue fans will love it...The tone is...light and chatty, and recounting anecdotes of everyday life in which God is announced in unexpected places and people. There are some memorable moments, such as the occasion when on which God said "Strewth". ~ Stephen R.White, Church of Ireland Gazette, 27/10/2006 -- Stephen R. White
"Religion can either make you very nice or very nasty" (Rabbi Lionel Blue) "One of the places I get my own religious experience from is in the departure lounge of an airport or else sitting on the concourse of Euston Station. Seeing the arrivals and departures of people in some big London station makes you want to go up to them and cuddle them." (Rabbi Lionel Blue) Camden New Journal, 19th October 2006
'a unique voice on BBC Radio 4...with his idiosyncratic humour and profound wisdom. This is a charming, refreshing collection of his stories.' East Riding News, December 2006
'This is a charming, refreshing collection of his stories.' ~ Driffield Leader, Dec 2006
"Rabbi Lionel Blue bridges past and present biblical texts and speaks across diverse faiths, too." Appeared in Woman's Weekly, 2008
"[T]here is much here for his fans to enjoy and reflect on." Reviewed by Merly Hill in Baptist Times, 2008
'He is undoubtedly "an original". You have only to read a page of this book to realise it.' Mount Carmel
"At the moment, those in the ministry are keen to find a contemporary idiom for the gospel. Maybe some of those who go to the West Coast at considerable expense in order to discover this elusive argot would do better to get this book and find a quiet corner on Boars Hill with Fr Livinus' imprint (cf. p. 108), to read it." -Nicholas Madden, Mount Carmel, July-Sept. 2010
'homely, everyday stories, disarmingly honest, and free of cant. They ae often funny - and so can be all the more poignant.' -- John Armson * Church Times *
'a collection of more than 60 of Lionel Blue's stories, talks, broadcasts and articles...each one infallibly containing a nugget of wisdom leavened with humour.' ~ Methodist Recorder, 09/11/2006 * Methodist Recorder *



Book Information
ISBN 9780826490452
Author Rabbi Lionel Blue
Format Paperback
Page Count 224
Imprint Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd.
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Weight(grams) 290g