Bluffer's Guides Series

Instantly acquire all the knowledge you need to pass as an expert in the world of university. Know how to get in, where to get in, how to stay in, what to say, where to say it, what not to say, where to be seen, what to eat, and even what to wear. Never again confuse a Desmond with a Douglas, an MA (Oxon) or (Cantab) with a genuinely hard-earned Master’s degree, a PhD with a DPhil, or a cleaning rota with a clean student flat (otherwise known as an oxymoron).

The Bluffer's Active Collection

by David Allsop, Simon Whaley, and Rob Ainsley

Published 1 November 2013

The Bluffer's Guide to Dogs

by Simon Whaley

Published 1 July 2013

Instantly acquire all the knowledge you need to pass as an expert in the world of canine canniness. Never again confuse your BARF with your bite, your BAER with your bark, or your British bulldog with your Bavarian boarhound. Bask in the admiration of your fellow dog lovers as you pronounce confidently on the evolution of the family known as Canidae and hold your own against the most dogmatic of self-professed dog professionals.

Written by experts and offering readers the opportunity to pass off appropriated knowledge as their own, the Bluffer's Guides provide hard fact masquerading as frivolous observation in one witty, easy read.

Author: Simon Whaley - At the age of 14, Simon Whaley wrote to the playwright and author Alan Bleasdale to ask his advice about becoming a writer. 'Don't', replied Bleasdale. 'Become a brain surgeon instead. It's easier.' Fortified by these encouraging words, Simon went to work for Barclays Bank for eight years, followed by a stint in local government. None of these career paths led to an obvious future as a writer, or even as the bestselling author of a number of books on dogs, but he got there eventually. His literary pedigree includes One Hundred Muddy Paws for Thought, and One Hundred Ways for a Dog to Train Its Human.

The Bluffer's Guide to Cycling

by Rob Ainsley

Published 1 January 2013

Instantly acquire all the knowledge you need to pass as an expert in the world of cycling. Never again confuse a MAMIL with a MTBER, a fixie with a folder, or a Boris bike with a 'bonk'. Bask in the admiration of your fellow bike enthusiasts as you pronounce confidently on the difference between a hobbyhorse and a draisienne, and know exactly what position to take on the contentious issue of whether cyclists should be obliged to pay road tax. Most of all, effortlessly learn how to puncture countless modern cycling myths (not to mention more than a few tyres).

Written by experts and offering readers the opportunity to pass off appropriated knowledge as their own, the Bluffer's Guides provide hard fact masquerading as frivolous observation in one witty, easy read.

Bluffer's Guide to Maths

by Rob Ainsley

Published 26 August 2021

Maths - for decades thought obscure, dusty and irrelevant - is now hip and trendy. Who'd have predicted that? Well, mathematicians, obviously, using probability theory and algorithms and all that stuff. The Bluffer's Guide to Maths will show aspiring mathematicians how to solve imponderable problems such as dividing a dinner bill into seven (two diners not drinking, three with tiramisu) to how to explain the world's greatest mathematical conundrums in three easy pieces.