Oval Books is a British publishing company responsible for the publishing the critically acclaimed Bluffer's Guide and Xenophobe's Guide series. The books are written by experts on the subject in an off-beat but informative way, verging on spoof

Parody

A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...

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Bluffer's Guide Series

• The Bluffer's Guide to Accountancy
• The Bluffer's Guide to Archaeology
• The Bluffer's Guide to Astrology & Fortune Telling
• The Bluffer's Guide to Ballet
• The Bluffer's Guide to Bond
• The Bluffer's Guide to Chess
• The Bluffer's Guide to the Classics by Ross Leckie
  Ross Leckie (Scottish writer)
  Ross Leckie is a Scottish writer of historical novels, best known for his Carthage trilogy. He is not to be confused with the Canadian poet of the same name.-Biography:...
  
  
• The Bluffer's Guide to Computers
• The Bluffer's Guide to Consultancy
• The Bluffer's Guide to Cricket
• The Bluffer's Guide to Divorce
• The Bluffer's Guide to Doctors
• The Bluffer's Guide to Economics
• The Bluffer's Guide to the Flight Deck
• The Bluffer's Guide to Football
• The Bluffer's Guide to Genetics
• The Bluffer's Guide to Golf
• The Bluffer's Guide to Jazz
• The Bluffer's Guide to Law
• The Bluffer's Guide to Management
• The Bluffer's Guide to Marketing
• The Bluffer's Guide to Men
• The Bluffer's Guide to Men & Women
• The Bluffer's Guide to Middle Age
• The Bluffer's Guide to Music
• The Bluffer's Guide to Opera
• The Bluffer's Guide to Philosophy
• The Bluffer's Guide to Psychology
• The Bluffer's Guide to Public Speaking
• The Bluffer's Guide to the Quantum Universe
• The Bluffer's Guide to Relationships
• The Bluffer's Guide to Rugby
• The Bluffer's Guide to Science
• The Bluffer's Guide to Seduction
• The Bluffer's Guide to Sex
• The Bluffer's Guide to Skiing
• The Bluffer's Guide to Small Business by John Winterson Richards
  John Winterson Richards
  John Winterson Richards is a Welsh entrepreneur, writer, and former local councillor.-Biography:Born in St David’s Hospital, Cardiff, he is the son of the late Alun Thomas Richards, a solicitor, and the late Patricia Winterson Richards, an antiques dealer...
  
  
• The Bluffer's Guide to Stocks & Shares
• The Bluffer's Guide to Tax
• The Bluffer's Guide to Teaching
• The Bluffer's Guide to University
• The Bluffer's Guide to Whisky
• The Bluffer's Guide to Wine
• The Bluffer's Guide to Women

Xenophobe's Guide Series

A series that explores the unique characteristics and behaviour of different nations and cultures. Frank, irreverent, funny – almost guaranteed to cure Xenophobia.

• Xenophobe's Guide to the Americans by Stephanie Faul; first published 1 March 1999; ISBN 1-902825-16-0.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Aussies by Ken Hunt and Mike Taylor; first puiblished 30 September 2004; ISBN 1-903096-86-3.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Austrians by Louis James; first published 20 March 2000; ISBN 1-902825-18-7.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Belgians by Antony Mason; fist published 1 March 1999; ISBN 1-902825-19-5.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Californians by Anthony Marais; first published 20 June 2000; ISBN 1-902825-20-9.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Canadians by Vaughn Roste; first published 31 October 2002; ISBN 1-902825-21-7.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Chinese by J. C. Yang; first published 1 April 1999; ISBN 1-902825-22-5 .
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Czechs by Petr Berka, Ales Palan and Petr Stastny; first published 20 Feb 2008; ISBN 13-978-1-902825-23-6.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Danes by Helen Dyrbye, Steven Harris and Thomas Golzen; first published 1 March 1999; ISBN 1-902825-24-1.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Dutch by Rodney Bolt; first published 1 March 1999; ISBN 1-902825-25-X.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the English by Antony Miall and David Milsted; first published 1 April 1999; ISBN 1-902825-26-8.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Estonians by Hillary Bird, Lembit Öpik and Ulvi Mustmaa; first published 31 August 2010; ISBN 1-906042-30-1.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Finns by Tarja Moles; first published 13 May 2011; ISBN 1-906042-31-8.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the French by Nick Yapp and Michel Syrett; first published 1 September 1999; ISBN 1-902825-28-4.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Germans by Stefan Zeidenitz and Ben Barkow; first published 1 November 1999; ISBN 1-902825-29-2.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Greeks by Alexandra Fiada; first published 30 September 2003; ISBN 1-903096-32-4.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Hungarians by Miklós Vámos and Mátyás Sárközi; first published 1 April 1999; ISBN 1-902825-31-4.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Icelanders by Richard Sale; first published 20 June 2000; ISBN 1-902825-32-2.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Irish by Frank McNally; first published 29 April 2005; ISBN 1-902825-33-0.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Israelis by Aviv Ben Zeev; first publishes 31 July 2001; ISBN 1-902825-34-9.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Italians by Martin Solly; first published 1 March 1999; ISBN 1-902825-35-7.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Japanese by Sahoko Kaji, Noriko Hama and Jonathan Rice; first published 1 August 1999; ISBN 1-902825-36-5.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Kiwis by Christine Cole Catley & Simon Nicholson, first published 1 March 2005; ISBN 1-903096-87-1.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Poles by Ewa Lipniacka; first published 1 June 2000; ISBN 1-902825-40-3.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Russians by Vladimir Zhelvis; first published 31 July 2001; ISBN 1-902825-41-1.
  • First for Ravette Books as Xenophobe's Guide to the Russians by Elizabeth Roberts; first published 1 January 2000; ISBN 1-85304-737-6.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Scots by David Ross, first published 1 October 1999; ISBN 1-902825-42-X.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Spanish by Drew Launay; first published 1 March 1999; ISBN 1-902825-43-8.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Swedes by Peter Berlin; first published 1 March 1999; ISBN 1-902825-44-6.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Swiss by Paul Bilton; first published 1 March 1999; ISBN 1-902825-45-4.
• Xenophobe's Guide to the Welsh by John Winterson Richards
  John Winterson Richards
  John Winterson Richards is a Welsh entrepreneur, writer, and former local councillor.-Biography:Born in St David’s Hospital, Cardiff, he is the son of the late Alun Thomas Richards, a solicitor, and the late Patricia Winterson Richards, an antiques dealer...
  
  ; first published 1 April 1999; ISBN 1-902825-46-2.

Xenophobe's Lingo Learners Series

A quick and easy way to learn a foreign language, using English words, without having to go to all the trouble of understanding or learning.

• French for Xenophobes by Drew Launay; first published 30 July 2003; ISBN 1-903096-14-6.
• German for Xenophobes by Drew Launay; first published March 2006; ISBN 1-903096-15-4.
• Italian for Xenophobes by Drew Launay; first published March 2006; ISBN 1-903096-18-9.
• Spanish for Xenophobes by Drew Launay; first puiblished 30 July 2003; ISBN 1-903096-19-7.