Humor Books

I was so involved in this book I neglected my friends and family until I could finish finding EVERY SINGLE THING on the lists! I loved it, and even though it's almost useless to ME now that I've found everything, I'll keep it on the shelf and show/lend it to others who come to visit. Maybe in a few years I can pick it up again and start over; my senior moments are becoming more frequent, and I might just forget where everything was hiding!

This was another great I spy book. Keeps the kiddies interested.
I loved it too.

Item as described and received in a timely manner... an excellent buying experience!

Very difficult book, but one you can't stop playing. Great person that I bought it from.

My grandson and I spend hours on these I Spy books. What I love is that even if we finish finding everything in the book (which we haven't on this particular book in the I Spy series), a couple months later, we have just as much fun doing it all over again!

I've been coaching Little League for five years now, and loved reading this account of Little League from about 20 years ago. The stereotypical depictions of coaches that Geist uses are still dead-on accurate, as are his descriptions of how bad the catching equipment is, and how to hide a bad ballplayer that you have to play in the infield. This is a priceless look at Little League ball that anyone who has ever coached should enjoy.

There are lots of laughs to be had, and you'll find yourself sharing parts with other coaches you know.

I am sure the book is great-the book was purchased for a gift.

I do a ton of reading and just went back and re-read this book. This is probably my favorite all-time book. This book has to be the funniest one I've ever read. Geist is not only a gifted writer, he tweaks all the right people and no irony goes unnoticed.

The humorist columnist Bill Geist had many years of experience coaching his son's little league baseball and kids basketball and his daughter's softball team. He relates his experiences with his usual wit, sarcasm and humor. The book focuses on a particular season of little league baseball where he was able to work with his son Willie's team and actually win the league championship by upsetting Knavery's team in the final game of the season. The tale tells how he bends the rules (though not as much as some other) in a way that still allows the weak players to have fun and yet stay competitive. There is a large degree of truth to the various caricatures of players, coaches and parents that he presents in this tale. But some of the stories are so incredible and it seems like fiction is mixed with reality but clearly it is based on real experience. I relate to many of the issues he brings out. ...
In the epologue Geist confesses that he want his son Willie to be a star player but was satisfied that he made the high school varisty teams. In the end no matter how good or bad they are in little league they all eventually stop playing to do other things that interest them more or they find to have more success and rewards.

To illustrate the humor in the final game losing 12-4 Geist gives the kids sugar treats to pick up their energy. A rally starts but thinking ahead with the worst hitter Monique likely to come up with two outs, Geist gets a 40 ounce drink and gets her to leave on a bathroom break. ... This book has short easy to read chapters and integrates Geist's softball and basketball experiences in the theme of the little league season whereas Dunow had long chapters going back and forth from little league with his son to his childhood experiences with his father. Both books are good in their own way. But this one is much easier to read and more light hearted.

At least, I'm half of Mean Gene Huffman. Gene Ret and I were conglomerated into one large, gawky intimidating Little Leaguer. Who was the more large, gawky, and intimidating is one of the great debates of our time.

Great story. I never knew my drunken high school antics were witnessed by Bill Geist until I got to the end of the book. Geist saw me crash through his bushes and play some sloppy basketball with his son and friends for a few minutes while reminiscing about the old Little League days. And, he parlayed my mishap into a convenient parable on lost youth to wrap up his story.

Well, he's just lucky they were playing basketball that night and I wasn't trying to unload my ferocious fastball or swing a bat. Stay young, eat flax, and long live the glory days of Little League.

If suspension of disbelief is required for most movies and books of fiction in order to entertain us, prepare to be both hugely entertained and greatly surprised by unbelievable incidents from real life.

The 26 short stories form a true page-turner of a collection: some I loved, most I liked - and the few I did not care about were over quickly. The stories are amusing, the writing is witty and the overall result is guaranteed to improve a bad mood. After all, we all have had one of those days: if they do not make us wiser, at least they can make us laugh.

RECOMMENDED!

William Douglas Little
Author House, 2008
ISBN: 9781434382580
5 Stars
Humorous...
William Douglas Little has enjoyed writing since he was a child. When he saw his first article in print, he was hooked. He continued writing and landed a monthly column with MPN. Mexican bowl Fishing and Other Tales of Life is a collection of his short stories. Each of the 26 stories are filled with humor and written in a conversational style.
From Superglue to little old ladies driving a Cadillac to parking tickets, what seems improbable really can happen. While these stories may seem over-the-top, "truth is better than fiction." The best story in this book has to be the one about Superglue. The second best one is the little old lady and the Cadillac. I was laughing out loud at both. Mexican bowl Fishing and Other Tales of Life is a great read.

I sat down to read this and could hardly put it down. As I laughed at the things that happened to WL; I remembered many things that happened to me while growing up.

These stories are hilarious! Be sure you have lots of time when you sit down to read the book. Good light reading. Just one funny story after another.

I have no doubt you will love it like the rest of us did. I cannot wait for book 2. I would highly recommend it to anyone. :)

William Douglas Little is a columnist for Motorcycle Product News. This book of short stories is based on that column. The stories are humorous and based on true events. Some of the subjects covered in the book include how not to use Super Glue; car problems; the art of shopping; growing up; animals; phishing; and waiting for the satellite TV guy. All of the stories are funny and several have little life lessons summarized at the end.

"Mexican Bowl Fishing and Other Tales of Life" is author William Douglas Little's very funny, somewhat exaggerated look at his life. Some of the stories are about things he's done as an adult, others about what he did when he was young and all are equally funny. The very first story, "Eddie's Bad Day" is a very funny story that sets the tone for the rest of the book. Other funny stories include "The Snowball Effect", "Shopping Abroad", "About Ten Minute", "Confessions of a Reformed Delinquent", "Possum in the Cathouse" and "Bury the Cat Slowly". While some of the stories are obviously fiction based on fact, readers will certainly identify with stories about trying to get as much mileage out of your tires as you can, a spouse complaining about your driving habits, pranks you pulled as a teenager, and the unpredictable behavior of pets. A few of the stories are more serious than others - "Life Lessons of Childhood" is a thoughtful essay on trying to recapture the joy of childhood and not letting stress overtake our lives; "Grabbing Branches" is about the tendency to rush through life without paying attention; and "Saying What We Mean" is about disclaimers companies put on things we buy. The serious stories were a nice break from the humor, although "Saying What We Mean" didn't quite fit in with the overall tone of the book.

"Mexican Bowl Fishing and Other Tales of Life" is a delightful short story collection.

I was a big fan of The Darwin Awards in an earlier, more misanthropic phase of my life. Nothing was funnier than some of the idiotic escapades of people who "do a service to humanity by removing themselves from the gene pool." Now, older and wiser, I'm more likely to wince in sympathy and look for a lesson to be learned.

Author William Douglas Little's hugely entertaining MEXICAN BOWL FISHING: And Other Tales of Life bridges the gap between these two mindsets. Billed as "a collection of short stories," the book reads more like a set of essays in which we find people -- often the author -- behaving mindlessly with disastrous results. Test your dog's shock collar on yourself? Buy a series of ever-more-expensive self-immolating cars? Play chicken on the highway with your wife and mother-in-law in your vehicle? Super-glue yourself into four-point restraint while naked in your bathroom? These stories and more are told with wry humor, but the payoff is the life lesson woven into each disaster.

My favorite tale is "A Dog's World," in which Little matches wills with his Malamute, the incongruously named Joy, and loses badly (refer to the shock collar incident). I laughed out loud at "Panic Situations," in which Little and his family were involved in an "EVAC situation" at Disney World's Splash Mountain. "Lessons of Childhood" is a primer on "approaching your work witih the enthusiasm and new-world interest that you had as a child." The title story, "Mexican Bowl Fishing," describes a church mission trip to build houses in Juarez, but Little manages to infuse that heart-warming tale with hilarious self-revelation; you'll have to read it for yourself to find out what kind of fishing he did in Mexico!

Little is a motorcycle dealer and a monthly columnist for an industry publication. This is his first book -- a lifelong dream turned into reality -- and you can't help cheering him on. He's a terrifically engaging writer and we all want more! He finishes his book with these wonderful words: "Reading is a passion, a pastime, and a sport that exercises the mind and the imagination. I'm honored that you've included my book in your most sacred of activities..." Believe me, the honor is ours; and by the way, do you need to ride a motorcycle to subscribe to Motorcycle Product News?

Linda Bulger, 2008

Miss Mapp rules the tiny English village of Tilling- that is she rules those who matter. It is a tiny circle of people who have enough class to rate her attention - but she manipulates and lauds over them with machiavellian schemes, and intelligent surmises - and she is intelligent.

Benson has written a village with a range of gorgeous characters - from Diva who is Miss Mapp's great rival, to Irene the local artist who keeps embarrassing Miss Mapp with her prosaic pronouncements. Then there is the local Vicar who talks in a combination of Shakespearian English and Burnsian dialect. There is also Mrs Poppit who is an up and coming social climber (hardly worthy of Miss Mapp's notice) and the novel begins with Miss Mapps machinations to the Poppitt Bridge party.

Village life you see seems to run around Bridge parties. In this petty world of card games there is a great deal of opportunity to expose one another's weaknesses and Miss Mapp, in order to be the center of village life in Tilling finds no object too petty to exploit. This is a novel of small things made into huge issues because of the smallness of the village. There is Miss Mapps constant running battle to dress better than Diva, the competition over Mr Wyse's attentions (with his supposed comtessa sister), and the ever pressing desire to be the First To Know all the gossip in town.

The physical descriptions both through the characters minds and from Benson's pen are wonderful for instance Diva is always depicted as whirling around the place - her legs circling. Mrs Poppit is ever present in a huge and weighty sable coat.

This is a wonderful book, and beautifully written. Benson seems to me to be very influenced by Austen - there is the small and claustrophobic atmosphere of village life - the characters (Miss Mapp seems so like Mrs Norris of Austen's 'Mansfield Park') to me - and then there are the odd Austen Names (in this case the Coles feature strongly as a family that is not quite up to snuff - just as the Coles are in 'Emma'). If nothing else Benson writes of English village life in the 1920's with the same Ironic pen as Austen did of village life in the early nineteenth century.

Highly recommended if you want a couple of days of laughter.

Miss Elizabeth Mapp lives in the English village of Tilling and there she attempts to be part of the cream of Tilling's society. With a steady diet of gossip, Miss Mapp and her circle of fellow residents flavor their lives with eyes on the goal of status. Benson's sharply observed and satirical tale is part of the Mapp & Lucia series, which pokes fun at English society of the times. Like an early ancestor of "Dynasty" or anything else produced by Aaron Spelling, the Mapp and Lucia stories are big fun for any Anglophile or fan of camp literature.

This book from the hilarious pen of Benson, is odd in a certain way. After all, Miss Mapp is the queen of Tilling in the book, and undisputed depot who rules with an iron tongue! Where is our dear Lucia, Mapp's sworn enemy, and the pretender to the throne? Well, she is back in her original home of Riseholme, with her dear husband Peppino. Those who know the Mapp and Lucia Saga from the wonderful television series, might find it strange to have Mapp ruling the roost without interference, however it makes for a delightful read (with one oblique allusion to Lucia), and shows that Miss Mapp is a strong enough character to carry her own book. The most significant event (though hardly significant at all really) is the rumored duel between Puffin and Flint over the affections of Miss Mapp. What really occured on that misty morning? Read this brilliant piece of humor to find out. I love it!

Well, after meeting Queen Lucia, I quite enjoyed learning all about Tilling and its dear Miss Mapp. You will wonder who she visited in Riseholm, and you will die from the anticipation of the two ladies meeting up in subsequent books (you won't be disappointed!). The characters are fantastic, the situations are comic, and I absolutely loved this book! I am officially hooked on the entire series! I hope you will try it and love it just as much as I.

Not only will the Reader of today recognize Miss Mapp amongst her acquaintances, dear Reader is only too likely to see *herself* in caricature. (I, for one, am Diva Plaistow; no getting round it.) A delight from the first paragraph, "Miss Mapp" is even more enjoyable if you've read the first two in the Lucia chronicles. Librarina@netscape.net

I have never read a Maureen Childs book before I read More Than Fiends and I must say I couldn't put the darn thing down! I finished the book in 2 days and anxiously awaited the arrival of a Fiend In Need which I have just finished reading yesterday....both books are hilarious and in my opinion must reads! Can't wait for the next one!!! Keep em coming Maureen!

I love Maureen Child and her contemporary romances, especially THE MARCONI SISTERS trilogy and the CANDELLANO FAMILY trilogy.

Unfortunately, I didn't like this book a bit.

I don't know if it was the first-person narrative, the paranormal elements that were more irritating than funny, or the fact that Ms. Child introduced TWO fairly likable heroes for the heroine to decide over, but MORE THAN FRIENDS just wasn't for me.

Hopefully, other readers will enjoy it a whole lot more than I did!

This book is wonderful! Cassidy had me holding my stomach laughing. She is a cross between Julie Kenners Demon hunting soccer mom and stephanie plum. Trying to raise a teenage daughter and fighting demons would make any woman grab the pop tarts and chocolate kisses. This series is a must read and I can't wait for the next book.

This was a fast pace easy read - perfect for the beach or by the pool. Wow- what hot guys and loved Thea....the interaction of her with her parents is to much.

This book reminded me a lot of Julie Kenner's Carp Demon series- if you haven't read them- do so.

You will not be disappointed in this book.

If you love Stephanie Plum, you will LOVE Cassidy. I love the premise, but more than anything I loved the characters. Funny and sexy, who could ask for anything more.

The back of The Most of P. G. Wodehouse declares this to be the "most lavish P. G. Wodehouse collection ever published," and when one considers the breadth of selection crammed into just over 700 pages, it's hard to argue with the publisher's assertion. Wodehouse's writing career spanned over forty years, and while I am far from being able to claim that I've read even a third of his output, in my opinion his genius and comic timing rarely faltered. Probably Wodehouse's best known creations are Bertie Wooster and his indefatigable valet, Jeeves (memorably portrayed by Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry, respectively). The pair is represented here by five short stories. As I recently acquired Jeeves & Wooster - The Complete Series, I have to say that Laurie and Fry captured the characters so perfectly that I now hear their voices in my head when I read the J&W tales. Wooster's cronies at The Drones Club are represented by seven stories - "Tried in the Furnace" and "Goodbye to All Cats" are particularly hilarious. There are seven Mr. Mulliner stories, where he sagely dispenses his life wisdom based on the experiences of various and sundry members of his incredibly large family - I especially liked the story "Mulliner's Buck-U-Uppo." In five stories one can read five of Stanley Featherstonehaugh Ukridge's wildly whacky money-making schemes, and there's a brief stop at Blandings Castle, home of Lord Emsworth and his prized pig the Empress of Blandings. There are five of the Golf Stories, and they were an absolutely revelation - so hilarious, and I am not a fan of golf in the least. The one complete novel, Quick Service, is a solid representation of Wodehouse's full-length fiction, full of romantic entanglements and comic misunderstandings. Wodehouse's sense of humor and command of the English language make his stories and novels an absolute joy to read, and this anthology is probably one of the best introductions out there. Read, enjoy, and laugh till you cry.

The best distillation I've found of Wodehouse's amazing body of work. Great introduction to his variety of characters and situations. One of the few authors that can make me laugh out loud, even on the second or third reading.

Like the last Wodehouse anthology I read (and the first Wodehouse book I had taken the time to read) this book is a splendid collection of humorous stories by Wodehouse, all of them really first rate. However, where the Bestiary only had one or two samples of each of the different "genres" of Wodehouse this one has grouped several into chapters. It really is a marvelous book!

"The Most of P.G. Wodehouse" was the first book of his that I've read, but you can be sure that it won't be the last! Though Wodehouse was first brought to my attention because of the Jeeves stories, I started in with the Drones Club and was immediately hooked. This book is hysterical. Who knew there were so many things in life to place bets on?!

Having read other short story collections in the past, I was ready for the typical couple thousand word stories that were good, but not exceptional by and large. Wodehouse's short stories, however, are brilliant.

This collection is fantastic. It's perfect for those times when you just want a quick, entertaining, light read. My wife always knew when I was reading this book because I couldn't stop laughing.

This collection is a fantastic introduction to Wodehouse, who is known as a master of the English Language and a brilliant plotter. Includes the hilarious "Uncle Fred Flits By," a short story that fires on all cylinders, and the complete text of "Quick Service," one of my favorite Wodehouse novels. Other well-known stories like "The Great Hat Mystery" and "The Great Sermon Handicap" are here as well. You'll get a good sense of what Wodehouse was all about and have fun while you do it. Pick it up today!

We bought this book for our child who, at 7 years old, doesn't realize that she can beatbox with the best of them... For some crazy reason, she loves and has a talent for making mouthsounds and doing imitations.

This is a really fun book. None of us (child, mother, father) can put it down. It's provided hours of entertainment and laughter.

This book is simple, harmless, good clean fun. What more could you ask for? Even if you aren't a beatboxing whiz -- this book is just plain fun for anyone!

Oh, and one more thing -- our child loves to use it with the babysitter. It's just great for anyone, anytime!

Being amazed for a long time by the ability some people show of imitating sounds and voices, and after not having found any websites that offers any ideas on how to imitate sounds, voices and to produce mouth sounds, i came to know Mr. Newman's fantastic work through a pdf document in which he is interviewed, and i decided to buy the book and the truth is that i found it very helpful and full of surprises, for example i didn't know that to bark like a dog you have to inhale, and that the duck quack comes from the cheek! The book is very educating in the sense that it not only gives a nice introduction about how sounds are generated, but also gives detailed step-by-step instructions on how to produce specific sounds.
i think that with practice and fine tuning anybody can learn something interesting and fun from this book.i do recommend it for sound lovers.

I ordered MouthSounds for my daughter after she got her masters in speech. It's been a blast to have around.

This is a great book, detailed and humourous but I still can't do the hands free, loud whistle!

This is a fun book. Listening to the CD in the car was also fun and easier for me to make a funny sound. It makes you realize how many mouthsounds you can already do--you just need a context to make it special. The author will tell you that making various mouth sounds is like aerobics for your voice--so you don't end up with an old lady or old man voice when you get to your 70's or 80's.

I have waited for several years to buy this book and when it came not too long ago in the mail, it came just at the right time. Tired of the holiday frenzy and tired of working, this little gem of a book really helps uplift my mood. Of course, my kids are not infants or toddlers anymore, it still brought a smile to my lips and heart. I love being a SAHM even though there have been days when I just wanted to climb the walls. This author definitely has a gift of sharing her outlooks with humor and sweetness.

She covers everything, from raisin poop under the Christmas tree to traveling 800 miles with a sick baby. She shares her thoughts on child rearing from a personal persepective and with humor as well. This book is definitely not a preachy book. It is a book that invites you to sit down and have a cup of tea as you read about another mom's thoughts and stories. It is definitely an uplifting read. You realize among the chaos in your house that you're not alone in this fun and zany adventure called motherhood!

1/8/08

As a parenting humor author in the same genre, I enjoyed Lima Beans very much. There can't be too much parenting humor around. It forges a priceless connection that we all crave. This is a great read!

This book will touch your life if you have kids and can use a good laugh. We got it as a shower gift along with another really funny book called, "Stop and Smell the Asphalt." Both books are fantastic. We got a lot of stuff for the baby, but these two books were the best gifts we received, because they touch the heart, made us laugh and really helped us appreciate our new roles in the world. Hey, parenting is a touch into eternity, you know...

Making the transition from working girl to stay at home mom is such a difficult one. You feel so alone most days. After reading this witty and thoughtful book, I don't feel so alone anymore! I felt as if Mrs. Boehme was writing about me! My husband had to ask me to leave the room because I was chuckling so much he couldn't concentrate on his book. Even if you are a veteran mom, you'll get a kick out of these stories. My favorite was the shopping cart story! LOL! I highly recommend this book to all moms!

I ordered a copy of this book because someone told me that it was a great read. Well, I normally purchase books and never get around to reading the entire book.
This one was different. I didn't want to put it down! I was so immersed in the stories, and I found myself laughing through one chapter, and crying through the next one. It was like I was writing some of the pages. I felt so affirmed on so many levels of Motherhood and of just being a woman in general. It was wonderful to see such rawness on paper. It feels good to know that we all go through these things and that we can talk about them, laugh about them, and learn something along the way.
I loved the book, and I can't wait to read Mrs. Boehme's next book.

I was expecting this book to be touching and sad. I was feeling a little down and decided, what the hell... cry a little. Um. Not so much. I realize that what the author goes through each day is very serious and I'm sure sad in it's own right. But ya know what? He is living - LIVING - proof that life goes on and you just have to keep getting on with the getting on of living life to the fullest. He's funny - oh, he's got some dark humor about him - but he's really funny. I don't think I've laughed so much at a memoir EVER.

Shawn made me laugh - and yes, cry a little - for him, for his mother, for his wife, but mostly it was tears from laughing so hard. He's a bit twisted and well, I like that.

I did, however, learn a lot about his myriad of illnesses and about what it must be like living with them. He did an amazing job of educating his readers while being entertaining. A dark, serious subject has a bit of light to it. This is an absolute wonderful read. Read it.

Just finished the book in one sitting and I could not put it down! Shawn and Gwenn's story is so inspiring and the book is incredibly funny!

I had seen the two of them speak while I was a student at UVA and was inspired the first time too. Shawn has been an advocate, friend, Homecoming King, musician, husband, and author in 30 years on this planet. Much more than most people will ever do in 90. Do yourself a favor and buy this book right now! And then join me in anticipation of the next one!

Despite the hardships that he has faced throughout his life Shawn Decker has shown that it is possible to be positive, happy, and accepting- even when those around him did not understand or accept him themselves. Through this book Shawn uses his humor and intelligence to teach not only about HIV but about how to be a better human. As someone who has suffered through hardships of their own I know what a difficult task this can be yet Shawn pulls it off effortlessly and with grace. This book so captured my mind and my heart I read it in one sitting. I laughed, I cried, and I learned. Everyone should read this book.

This is a well-written book about living with a life-threatening disease. Decker writes with humor about the fear and adjustments he and his family go through as they come to terms with his disease. At times hilarious, often poignant, I loved it. I bought it for the people I love who are going through the same thing.

Simply a great book. The author is my age and I felt a connection in his stories. It didn't matter that I have not been directly connected to someone with HIV or Aids. The story has an amazing love story built in to a life full of love, support and true creativity. Excellent read!

A beautiful books reminescent of Dr Seuss but a little darker. I love it.

Que placer tan grande da el encontrar un tesoro. Eso es lo que siento al leer este bello libro: un gran placer. Una historia que motiva y estimula el alma y la vista. No me deja de imprecionar el estilo tan unico y avanguarda de las imagenes.

Esta obra continua la exploracion en diseno, tematica y conceptuos visuales que empezo el autor en su primer libro. Solamente por su contenido grafico, este libro es una obra de arte moderno digno de ser incluido en museos y estudiado en escuelas de arte.

Illustrations were well done, however the Dr. Seuss wanna-be writing style lacks interest and fluidity. His attempts at the child-like poetry, ala Dr. Seuss with a Tim Burton twist, only prove that writing simple poetry with rhythym isn't as easy as it looks. All is not lost though, it did make a good beverage coaster.

This book delivers an AMAZING message on acceptance, and the art work is EXCEPTIONAL. A MUST HAVE BOOK!

This book offers the unique and witty humor of Michel Gagne' and lets us in on the insight to his imaginative mind and artwork. The story is that of darkness yet with a twist of humor and morals playing on the artwork that is both creative and very much his own. Highly recommended to anyone who is looking for the not so typical childrens books that we have all grown so weary of.