JOHN LAWS' BARBECUE COOKBOOK
By John Laws

Until his recent retirement, John Laws was one of Australia's top 'shockjocks' with a nationwide radio audience made up largely of people you would not have in your own home because of what they might do to your pets and the furniture.

A few years back, the king of the good 'ol boys had a spot of bother with the Australian Broadcasting Authority which launched an inquiry into the links between what he says on air and how much he is paid by public relations practitioners, lobbyists and other bottom feeders representing major banks, property developers, airlines etc. It is dubbed 'cash for comment' and has been illegal in the US for many years.

The book is a lot like his radio program - superficial. It is made to look strong, simple and no-nonsense with a typewriter-style typeface and recipes that appear to be stuck on pages with pins and bits of tape. His listeners will - without question - believe that good 'ol John typed it with his own two fingers on a 1929 Imperial and then assembled the pages by candlelight in his rustic log cabin.

Not surprisingly, it is infested with personal endorsements. These range from dozens of restaurants (including Harry's Bar in Venice) to John Laws' brand grillers, the products of John Laws' vineyard, insect repellants (not John Laws' brand), John Laws' brand barbecue sauces and last, but far from least, the John Laws' barbecue album with 20 sizzling hits - the perfect music to accompany any barbecue!

ORIGIN: Australia
FIRST PUBLISHED: 1996
VERDICT: If barbecue books were people, this one would be a slut.