In any backyard, in any suburb of Australia, on any day of the week you’ll hear a nag. It’s as Aussie as the cricket in the summertime or sausages on the barbecue - hell, it’s practically a sport for some people. But a nag isn’t just a nag. No, no, no, there’s much more to it than that - it’s an art.

For a start, there’s all the different kinds of nags (the classic nag, for example, or the variety nag); different people to nag (everyone from one’s spouse to the local tradespeople); different occasions for nagging (after sex, on Christmas Day, etc); and then there’s the ways in which technology can increase the reach and effectiveness of nagging (think of SMS-ing or faxing your nags, using them in your blog, even utilising small Post-It notes which can usefully be left around the house …).

Wendy Harmer, Australia’s best-loved comedienne (and a long-time connoisseur of a good nag) has assembled the very best nags in this charming little book which is guaranteed to provide hours of amusement and inspiration.

example of the Variety Nag: a list of complaints made without drawing breath.