A VERY FUNNY BEANO BUSINESS ROOM (OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT)...

Image copyright REAPER BOOKS

I once asked LEO BAXENDALE (in an email) why

there had been no further WILLY The KID books after

the third one.  He replied that the details were included in his

book The BEANO ROOM & Other Places.  Guess what?

I acquired an autographed copy of the book yesterday (from

a friend), and although the topic is referred to, there isn't any

specific reason given why the Willy books didn't continue,
nor any explicit mention of Leo being informed that
there would be no more of them.

So I'd feel slightly cheated if I'd bought the book
on Leo's say-so that something would be explained only
to find that it really wasn't (especially as it cost £55), but
as I was given the book as a present, I don't suppose I've got
any serious grounds for complaint.  It's an interesting read,
but mainly a retread of his 1978 autobiography, A VERY
FUNNY BUSINESS, updated to the time of publication
in 2005.  However, it's not as lavishly illustrated as
its illustrious and celebrated predecessor.

The book is still on Leo's website (here) as being
available for £55.50 (which includes  p&p).  However,
you can yet obtain decent condition copies of his '78 auto-
biography on the internet for under £30 and, visually, it's a
much better looking book, so I'd say that would be the one
to go for.  On the other hand, the 2005 book will probably
be autographed (and f not, I'm sure Leo will sign it if you
ask nicely), so you might prefer to have that one in
  your collection.  Decisions, decisions, eh?

 

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