Steve Hili’s ‘State of the Nation’

We all need a good laugh at the moment. And, this Christmas, comedian Steve Hili is helping us to have exactly that – a healthy, hearty laugh at our beloved country and fellow man, in his hilarious new book, State of the Nation.

Hili, who is one of Malta’s bestknown funny, stand-up comedians and a member of the popular Comedy Knights troupe, moved to London in 2014 and admits to missing his homeland. “I wouldn’t say I was homesick exactly,” he says. “But the island was often on my mind.” He also realised that there was a serious lack of “comedy” books about Malta, so he decided to pen one. The process took him a few months and the result is a no-holdsbarred look at Malta – from politics to religion via social media, the Eurovision, massage parlours, government offices, and… booze.

“It’s 176 pages of my thoughts on Malta. What do I think of Maltese politics? How can we solve the traffic problem? And what could our equivalent to the moon landings be? All of it is done in a playful and mischievous way. People have said that they can imagine me performing these words as part of a standup set. Especially as there are a few personal ‘secrets’ in there too,” the comedian quips.

It’s a book that is designed to be enjoyed by the Maltese or those who love Malta, wherever they may be in the world. “If they can take a joke, it will definitely be a great Christmas pressie! If, on the other hand, they are one of those people who don’t take kindly to having their politics or traditions chuckled at, then they may want to stay away…” Steve says with a cheeky grin.

State of the Nation, which is on sale now, was published by Midsea Books. Publisher Joseph Mizzi says: “When I was presented with the manuscript I immediately saw its potential as a humorous take on the Maltese way of life. It deals with some serious issues as well as other not-so-serious ones, but the whole book is a fresh, funny read with plenty of tongue-incheek comedy. I have no doubt that local readers, as well as readers who love Malta, will really enjoy it!”