First, of course, when reviewing a tome such as The Pocket Book of Boosh some important questions must be answered.  To set everyone’s minds at rest, it does, indeed, come in its own pocket: a snazzy, jean (and jazz, it is assumed) inspired pocket. That query aside, Bollo, Vince, and Howard have put together a fun companion to the TV and live shows, and one where the decision to stay in the voice of their creations is completely justified and quite hysterical.

It seems best to begin the review of the book with some of its own words.  These, from Howard, make it clear that:

No editing, no censorship, just raw undiminished Moon.  Prepare yourself, clear your mind, indulge in a mantra of choice, pray to whatever gods you hold dear and dive into the plasma pool. With kindest, deepest, throbbing regards…

Luckily, Vince doesn’t let that intro stand alone and adds his own words:

Hope you dig the Boosh book and all the groovy photos Bollo took. Skip past Howard’s bits though. Well dry.

The rest of the book follows in a similar vein with interludes devoted to each of the characters. And, although the bulk of the book is about Howard and Vince, Naboo, Bollo, and the rest of the cast get their chances to shine as well.  Naboo and Bollo, especially, contribute some hysterical pieces. Naboo’s Tarot cards and Bob Fossil’s guide to dance moves (warning, not necessarily safe for work), especially, are worth reading and then reading out loud to anyone around at the time.

Some of the pieces will seem familiar to viewers of the series and the stand up show. Howard Moon’s Arctic Diary makes an appearance and the comic version of some of Howard and Vince’s more shamanistic adventures echo bits from the television show. That said, the artwork (many of the character contribute ‘original’ artwork), stories, and marginalia do allow for a further glimpse into the back-story and soul of the Boosh and expand many of the bit characters.  There are a series of behind-the-scene emails between various shamans that highlight the unmistakable hilarity found in those characters, and the importance of clear hierarchy when it comes to booking meeting rooms.

The questions with a book like the Pocket Boosh (and it’s alternative, friendly to coffee-table sized Mighty Book of Boosh) is whether there is enough additional and fresh material to make the purchase worth it.  Luckily, this book doesn’t disappoint.  There is enough familiar material to make the book feel like an extension of the DVD/tour and series and the additional pieces are both within character and funny.  There is no feeling, here, of stretching an idea until it has broken or the fun has gone out of it.  The surreal, wacky, and bizarre tone that characterized the Boosh so far is present and hysterical.  What this book is not is an analysis of how Fielding, Barratt, and the rest of the crew created the Mighty Boosh.  Although some of the photos are clearly from backstage on the set and the tour, the emphasis here is on letting the characters speak, write, and draw for themselves. This may disappoint some who wished for more of a creative biography of the characters, but it does allow for the “journey through time and space” promised on the back–even if Vince is disgruntled because:

I put it in my pocket and frankly it ruined the silhouette of my drainpipes.

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