Product Description

I hereby bet Tony Hawks the sum of One Hundred Pounds that he cannot hitchhike round the circumference of Ireland, with a fridge, within one calendar month'. A foolhardy attempt to win a drunken bet led to Tony Hawks having one of the most unforgettable experiences of his life. Joined by his trusty travelling-companion-cum-domestic-appliance, he found himself in the midst of a remarkable, inspirational and, at times, downright silly adventure. In their month of madness, Tony and his fridge surfed together; entered a batchelor festival; and one of them had sex without the other knowing. The fridge got christened, and they even met the poorest king on Earth. An absurd story of an extraordinary adventure, Round Ireland with a Fridge follows the fearless pair as they battle towards Dublin and a breathtaking finale that is moving, uplifting, and a fitting conclusion to the whole ridiculous affair.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2069 in Books
• Published on: 1999-05-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
On his only prior visit to Ireland, songwriter/comic Tony Hawks had seen a man hitchhiking with a refrigerator. For years, he was wont to tell the tale during late-night drinking matches, and after one particularly heavy-duty night of partying, he awoke to find a bet scrawled pillow-side: a friend wagered 100 pounds that Hawks wouldn't travel Ireland for a month with a refrigerator at his side.

Out of this stupid premise, a ridiculously amusing book was born. Quickly discovered by the Irish media, the thumbing Englishman finds that he and his box fridge are elevated to celebrity status, and there's no dearth of rides, places to stay or goofy people to meet, from kings to spoons players to locals who take his fridge surfing. As insightful about the strange inner workings of Hawk's mind as it is about charming peculiarities of Irishmen--it's doubtful that Hawks would have been similarly embraced by Germans, Italians, or the French--Round Ireland with a Fridge is an entirely silly, heart-warming tale told in a rollicking funny and refreshing style. --Melissa Rossi

From the Back Cover
Whilst in Ireland for an International Song Competition, Tony Hawks was amazed to see a hitch-hiker, trying to thumb a lift, but with a fridge. This seemed amazingly optimistic - his Irish friends, however thought nothing of it at all. 'I had clearly arrived in a country', writes Tony, 'where the qualifications for 'eccentric' involved a great deal more than that to which I had become used'.

Two years pass but the fridge incident haunts our author. Until one night, heavy with drink, he finds himself arguing about Ireland with a friend. It is, he insists, a 'magical place', so magical in fact, that a man could even get a lift with a fridge. The next morning there is a note by the bed. 'I hereby bet Tony Hawks the sum of One Hundred Pounds that he cannot hitch-hike around the circumference of Ireland with a fridge within one calendar month'. The document was signed. The bet was made. This audiobook is the story of Tony's adventures through that incredible month. The people he meets, the difficulties, the triumphs. The fridge.

About the Author
Tony Hawks lives in London. He leads a diverse life and has various 'jobs', such as performing stand up comedy, appearing as a panellist on TV and radio (Have I Got News For You, Just A Minute, I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue), acting, writing, playing tennis, and making music.

Customer Reviews

The Funniest thing you'll read.
I bought this book on one of my many wanders through Amazon largely because of the title. The absurdity of the premise that somebody would hitch hike around Ireland with a fridge, touched the maverick side of me and so I bought it.

Simply, it is one of the funniest books you'll read. It combines the day to day adventures of Tony along with the ridiculous situations that he finds himself in. The reaction of the Irish people that he comes across is irrational and typical at the same time. It is very laugh-out-loud funny as well as touching and moving, acting as a metaphor for life - and all written brilliantly.

If you're reading this review it means that you want persuading before you commit to buying the book. Then do yourself a favour and take the punt and stick it in your basket. You won't be sorry.

Hilarious
I've not read anything this funny in a while. Tony manages to tell the story of his travels around Ireland whilst being extremely witty and funny at the same time. I know it is a cliche, but this book really will have you laughing out loud, the passengers on my train will testify to that! A great read.

Buy the book and laugh out loud from cover to cover!
Read the reviews and bought the book. How anyone can give this book a bad review, I don't know. Once I started it and began laughing just from the introduction; as well as driving my wife mad with my laughing, I couldn't put it down.

Tony Hawles, despite being on the telly, seems to be a regular sort of guy doing something particularly stupid and the people of Ireland warming to him and vice versa. There is humour, heartbreak and even sex in a dog kennel!

Wary of many people cashing in on dreamed up ventures, Tony Hawkes is not one of them and there appears to be genuine warmth and writing from the heart throughout the book. A happy tale and an absolutely superb read. BUY BUY BUY!