Rants, Rhymes and Reportage from the Original Grumpy Old Man. Comedian, compere, playwright, panelist, performer, voiceover artist, singer, poet and writer, Arthur Smith was an instant hit in the popular TV series Grumpy Old Men. This, his first book for many years, brings together 100 stories, poems and articles gathered over a colourful lifetime making a living on the comedy circuit. Covering a huge range of subjects and emotions, tales of hilarious, chaotic antics are juxtaposed with gentle, bittersweet stories about love affairs that ended badly and his mother's journey into dementia, making this a cornucopia of delight for Arthur Smith fans.