Humor Books

I met Lolly Anderson when she opened her home to law students of her alma mater to share the passion for life she expresses in this book. Single, 20 something and in law school can be overwhelming for a woman. Inspiration is much needed in my life, and this book gave me what I needed. Lolly's refuse to give up spirit that led her through most people's worst nightmares (cancer, divorce, bankruptcy)allowed me to appreciate each day. My friends and I even went and got the Statue of David on our fridge in hopes of finding a prince charming.

I am very impressed w/Lolly's book and plan to purchase many copies of it for my friends and family for Christmas! Her words are music to my ears and I want to tell everyone of her wonderful wisdom. I carry her book in my purse and take it out and re-read it b/c it is full of positive affirmations I can always use in my everyday life. I can relate to the heartaches life hands out (divorce, death, etc.) and still do my very best to maintain a healthy and happy attitude. Everyone needs to know they deserve to be happy in life and this book will do it! Well done Lolly! Please write another book b/c your viewpoint feels like home! Laurie R. Gillespie

Lolly's example is one of triumph beyond what our natural vision can bring and the reliance on the unseen goodness that awaits anyone who's willing to venture to that place of audacious wonderment. She had many "reasons" not to believe things would come to her or work out, but she held on to the dream and was not averted by fear, which can derail many dreams. This book will show you how to move through any situation and to create dreams that will allow you to live to your fullest potential. Thank you, Lolly! - Gina Rowsam

Lolly's zest for life, refusal to stay down when the hard times come, and her desire to go for what she wants until she gets it - or something better comes along! - entertained, inspired and left me reassessing my own aspirations and taking a look at what I needed to do besides just "sit and wish."

Charlotte Lankard, Oklahoma City

Lolly Anderson writes as she is, positive, uplifting, and always with an eye on the future. To most of us, the difficult times in her life would have been crippling, but Lolly always expects good to come from challenges. This is a book that gives you hope, and is a romping good read.

The idea for this book came from all the fun, interesting and informative emails Patty had written to us. I'm so glad she listened to Roswell Park and not her husband. Buy it - you will LOVE it!

I read Patty Gelman's book to better understand my mother- in -law's struggle with chemo, I ended up making a friend. You'll finish this book feeling like you just hung up the phone with a treasured girlfriend from college, or from your first job in the City. You know, the one who could always make you laugh.

Patty Gelman leaves you feeling hopeful; about marriage, about having kids, about middle age, without sugar coating a thing.
She's funny, unflinching and funny, and I can't wait till I hear from Patty again.

If one finds themself on Cancer Road personally or because of a loved one, they need to read this book. Patty provides a detailed map on how to cope, laugh, and most importantly...be informed. She revealed so much of what she went through...we had no idea!!! Thanks Patty, for helping others.

Best Lesson....ASK QUESTIONS!!!!
What exactly is this poison going to do to my cancer cells and my body??????

This book is will make you want to hug Patty Gelman or anyone as funny as she is! It makes one feel great about family, friends, and conquering adversity. Patty Gelman is a beautiul writer who portrayed in this book what it means to not take yourself too seriously - a very important lesson for all of us!

This is compulsory reading for anyone who has been touched by breast cancer. It provides a perspective that supports patient, family and friends. It transcends medical application and bridges generations.

I really enjoyed the book, it was fun and made me laugh. But more so than making me laugh, it also taught me. It taught me about running and how strange we runners can be. It also reminded me not to take myself too seriously as a runner.

The chapters are short, making it an easy read! Whether you are a hard-core runner or a newbie (like me) you should enjoy it!

I was looking for a little humor to go along with training for my first marathon, and I found it in this book! Schwartz takes all the small quirks of a runner, things you may not even think twice about, and has you laughing all day. Nice, light, fun reading.

I may be one of the few runners who had not yet heard of Bob's wonderfully written book. Thankfully I came upon it at the bookstore and I could not put it down. It's filled with rip roaring laughter as Bob takes us on a hilarious romp through all things (and then some) near and dear to runners and provides some insight as well. I enjoyed all the many chapters but some stand out so well that just thinking of them makes me break out in laughter (from Introduction to Ingurgitation to Trick or Feet to Lifetime Taper for a Masterful Peak).

If you want to laugh, this is the book for you. Tremendous!

This is a fantastically funny book and although dealing with running, it provides a lot of laughs for non-runners as well. Bob presents a terrifically humorous look at runners and races and training and lots of other subjects associated with running. The book makes a great gift and the accompanying illustrations are a perfect compliment to each chapter.
It's rare to find a book presented so very well and Bob should be highly commended for this welcome addition to a runner's library. The chapters on stretching and cross training and his satirical look at rules to run by are simply hilarious!

Finally, a humorist who is a runner takes a wonderfully funny look at all runners. This book had me laughing out loud from the moment I opened it as each of the short, snappy chapters are filled with wonderful humor in a very well written, easy flowing and creative manner.
Bob is a skillful author and very funny and entertaining. I've read many of his articles on family life as well and would love to see a similar book on that subject.
I highly recommend I Run, Therefore I Am - Nuts! to all runners. The book is simply great! I've actually read it twice now and had the same amount of laugh out loud chuckles along the way.

Suffering is the proper word. Anthropology should be totally, completely fascinating -- it's the study of human cultures, for heaven's sake -- but it's often a dry-as-dust class for college students.

This book is not dry. In fact, it's probably the only anthropology book that can bring the reader to tears of laughter.

Which is not to say that the book is a comedy. It's not. The book is a sympathetic and interesting take on the writer's study of the Dowayo people. But the Dowayo people -- like any other ethnic group or people -- have quirks that the people themselves cannot see. Nigel Barley lives among the Dowayo and documents their lives, tells how he does anthropology, and manages to do so in a way that makes the book one I sometimes pick up, open at random, and enjoy.

Stumbling upon this book was total luck! The only motive I had to get this book was a desire to learn more about Anthro as informal as possible- yet have it be completely nonfiction.

I just want people to know that this is my first actual review. That being said, everyone who reads this review should understand that I liked this book SO much that I not only sent it from my house in Japan to a friend in the states, but I also came back here to write a short blurb on it.

I promise any future reviews won't be such a waste of everyone's time! Take a chance and get this book!

I borrowed this book in the early 90s from a British friend (thanks Mark!) and it fast became one of my favorites (a close second to Brave New World). Witty, touching, and hilarious - I would love to have Nigel Barley over for a dinner party! I just wish he had written more books like this one!

Nigel Barley is a social anthropologist and this is his account of his first fieldwork, a year living and studying the Dowayo people of Cameroon. Social and cultural anthropologists (also known as ethnographers) travel to exotic locales (sometimes in our own backyard) and live among a group of people for a year or more in order to come to know their way of life intimately and write about it. Most every Ph.D. student in the field will face this "rite de passage" in order to become "a real anthropologist," and is generally given precious little guidance in the matter, which seems cloaked in mystery and is therefore commonly a source of considerable anxiety. In recent years, the situation has been partially remedied with the publication of some texts on methods and techniques, as well as the development of courses on field research methods, but there is still little written on the human dimension - namely, what is life like "in the field"? This book joins a small club, which includes Malinowski's diary and Return to Laughter. What sets Barley's book apart is his wit. He faces some serious problems but - in retrospect at least - laughs at them. It is a very entertaining read. You will learn a lot about what to expect in the field. It will also be useful for anyone who will be living in Africa and possibly other developing regions, such as Peace Corps volunteers and missionaries. I was, however, uncomfortable throughout the book because the author seems to be very distant and detached from the people he lived with and studied. It is hard to find anything very positive about the Dowayo, and the book therefore serves to reinforce negative stereotypes about Africa and bolster Western superiority. I prefer the eloquence and wisdom of Return to Laughter.

This is a budding anthropologist's account of his experience with an obscure and previously unstudied people in the Cameroons. If you thought you might want to be an anthropologist, this will either inspire you or turn you to some more comfortable calling. The innocent Englishman describes in hilarious detail his dealings with bureaucrats, missionaries, village chiefs, and rainmakers, while trying to maintain anthropological distance. You learn a little bit of anthropology from the book; you learn much more about the anthropologist. He may have embellished his story in places, but he probably didn't need to. It would make a great film, but don't wait for that. It's one of the funniest books you'll ever read.

I expected this parody book to make me laugh, which it did, but I never expected it to make me think. Laughter and thinking, what's better than that. This book is so much more than a parody!

This psuedo-catalog is a riot! As a fan of the real J.Crew brand, I thoroughly enjoyed Racz's poke at the pretention and absurdity of American trends. Well done! Coffee tables all over the globe will envy this one.

Blow me from starboard to bow! This book had me all over the place. A book like this needs so much greater attention! Here in China, even my local friends enjoy reading the book to discuss nuances in American culture. How do I buy a wedgie pick?

Pure genius. I'm giving it to all my friends. I just can't stop laughing!

VERY FUNNY. MAKES A TERRIRFIC GIFT FOR SOMEONE YOU DON'T KNOW VERY WELL

We are big Doctor Seuss fans and are attempting to get the entire collection for our daughter. Like the book, just too similar to Fox in Socks. Nothing but tongue twisters and no real story.
Great to have if your trying to collect all Dr Seuss books. If completing the collection is not important to you, I would only chose this if you don't already have Fox in Socks

Great book for my 1st grader, he loves the rhyming words throughout.

This book captures literary genius in the form of childish tongue twisters. It proves to be an excellent practice of diction and reading rhythm while providing extreme entertainment for the little listener. The love of words is the beginning of all great literary accomplishment, and this child's book is a step in the right direction.

This book was one of my husbands favorites when he was growing up, and now that we are expecting a child he wanted our son to have the same experience. He was so excited when it arrived that he read it to me as a bedtime story. The riddles start out easy, but by the end of the book your tongue is so twisted it's hard to say anything!! It's a lot of fun and we really look forward to hearing our son try to say these riddles when he learns to speak.

This is a really fun book to read. However, you REALLY have to pay attention to the words or you will mess them up. If you love tongue twisters, this is the book for you. It also is great for young readers, but they may become frustrated with some of the words. It's fun for little ones to listen to and to see how fast you can say these phrases. When you hear "faster, faster," well, you know you're encouraging reading in your child. A very fun book - I recommend it.

Talk about dreams coming true! In "One Little Secret" Ursula Rhoades a suburban housewife and mom has the chance of a lifetime to sing with the great Nik Prevel an awesome rock singer in his own right - son of the great Cristoff Prevelakis who is known as the love ballad king. There's only one small problem Ursula can't seem to tell her husband who is in New York for the summer working on the biggest case of his lawyer career the case that could lead to a senior partnership in his law firm. A dream that Ursula and her husband Don have worked towards all their married life. Yes Ursula had dreams of her own just as we all do. She dreamed of winning a Grammy. But she gave it all up for her husband and children, Victor and Valerie - that is till now.

Who would have thought just one innocent night of standing in for the singer in her son's band would lead to a chance of a lifetime invitation by Nik Prevel who wants to record a CD of love ballads with or without his father's blessing. Ursula agrees after much persuasion to do the project but no one is to know except Nik and his manager Arnie. So she becomes Alexandra Arcano or Alex the mystery woman. Ursula tries all summer to tell her husband but he's so busy they hardly have time for phone conversations. Ursula begins to wonder if God really wants her to tell her husband as something happens everytime she tries. Ursula knows she's lying to her family something she has never done. Deeply religious, all this is tearing Ursula apart.

Wow! the author Allison Bottke does an amazing job on this her second novel the first being "A Stitch in Time" where we first meet Ursula. God is all over this novel! An awesome read for teen girls and adult women alike call it fiction, contemporary fiction or chick-lit this reviewer calls it God's light as this novel has more reference to God than most Christian fiction books I've read in along time and that is so awesome. So find a comfortable chair, maybe some popcorn and sit back and enjoy "One Little Secret" as you won't want to put it down and I promise you'll come away never looking at your own life the same again!

Ursula Rhoades isn't "just" a housewife- she is a gourmet chef with an eye for fashion and a knack for hostessing exquisite events. She is also a faithful wife and mother who is very clear on her priorities, God and family first. Ursula finds herself offered the chance of a lifetime: to record an album with the hottest pop star in the nation- Nik Prevel.

Born into a lifestyle of fame and fortune, Nik is accustomed to getting everything he wants which leaves him feeling strangely empty. It also makes him completely unable to accept Ursula's refusal to work with him. Enter mystery woman Alexandra Arcana... and a secret which will change the lives of Nik, Ursula, and her family forever.

Allison Bottke's novel is a fun indulgence into a lifestyle many of us daydream about. She does a lot of name dropping of designer everything (which is a bit overkill) in the early chapters, but in her defense this sets the tone for a world where image is everything. Central to the storyline are the concepts of sacrifice and gratitude. Ursula reminds women everywhere to never give up on a dream because through God, all things are possible.

If you are a fan of "chick lit" but are looking for a little more spiritual meat, you are guaranteed to enjoy Allison's very delicious One Little Secret. You might even find yourself wanting a second helping!

Ursula Rhodes, last seen in A Stitch in Time, is a regular housewife and mother who's taken the summer off to relax and perhaps even take some opera lessons. Her plans are ruined though when her husband is called away for business and seems to busy to talk to her about his plans. Meanwhile pop star Nik Prevel is looking for a singer who can make an album with him and boost his career. When he hears Ursala's singing at a party, he knows that she's the one. Suddenly the housewife becomes a singing sensation that everyone wants to hear. Mom - lit meets American Idol.

This was a really fun book to read. I enjoyed learning about what goes on in the music industry. Who hasn't had the dream of winning a Grammy? Even if you sing horribly, you always wish that you could be up there singing a duet with your favorite star and then getting rewarded for it. I liked how even though I know that there are negative influences in the music world, this story was able to stay in the positive area. I was proud of Ursula for not backing down with her priorities with Nik. I'm glad that she set down what conditions she was going to follow and not give in to him simply because he was famous. I know that there would have been many women who would have fallen for Nik's advances especially if their husband had been distant like Don. I'm glad that Ursula did not fall prey to him. Although I will admit, I got frustrated that she kept giving in to her family and Don at the end of the book. They keep getting mad at her for keeping a secret yet she didn't seem to explain to them the real reason why she did it. She just kept apologizing when I felt she shouldn't have to. But other than that minor quirk, I really did enjoy this book. Very fun and I learned a lot too! I really loved seeing all the famous celebrities stop by and make little cameos throughout the book. It's more fun than seeing fake names pretending to be stars. They didn't have to interact with the main characters but it was fun to not know who would pop up next. I would love to own a copy of Blissful Love. It sounds like it would be the perfect CD to listen to on a romantic evening or to kick back and relax

Ursula has everything: an upper class lifestyle, a beautiful house, a rich husband, talented children, classic beauty, and she sings opera, to boot--but I like her anyway! A fun read, especially if you're like me and occasionally want to escape to another world. You'll find yourself pulling for Ursula one minute and ready to knock her in the head the next. What a treat! Thanks for the ride, Allison!

"One Little Secret" is fun, fun, fun...and inspirational too! Whether you're going on vacation or you need a little vacation, this is the book to throw in your tote bag. I loved it!
Tracy Klehn, author of "Prayer Starters for Busy Moms" and "Growing Friendships"

While I enjoy Voltaire on general principles, and try to support all his efforts in whatever media, I was hoping for something a little more...dense. Thicker, more full of information. Not really why I bought the book of course, but still. Anyway, some fun is still to be had, and once I get over the headache from reading white print on black pages (of course!), I will be glad it is now part of my growing Goth Home Decorating Library.

A friend of mine let me borrow this book. I am amazed that I gave it back without crying like a baby. From spooky dolls to bottle candle holders to a Gothic wedding, this is the perfect starter guide for the do it yourself goth. Or, if nothing else, it is a good laugh and an easy read.

If you're a fan of Voltaire's brand of snarky humor, you'll enjoy this book on gothic homemaking. The design of the book is worth the price on its own; the black-white-and-red color scheme and black pages are sleek and lovely. My only "complaint" (and it's not really a complaint so much as an observation) is that quite a few of the ideas are very basic and straightforward, and could be found online for free. (Examples: hanging cloth on your walls instead of painting; turning boring dolls into demon dolls.) But, there are a lot of really cool and inventive ideas with complete and helpful instructions, such as the "goth box" shelves, picture frames, and the graveyard cake (which looks as delicious as it does spooky). Voltaire also gets points for including specific recommendations for where to find some of the materials, such as car decals for "pimping your ride." These details turn what could have been rather bland ideas into truly helpful ones. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who's just getting started with gothic decorating, wants a few new ideas, or just enjoys Voltaire's signature humor.

Very fun read,Voltaire's second book. Alot of great and creative ideas on how to goth out your home. And as always,very funny observations by Voltaire. Highly reccommend for Voltaire fans and goth fans.

This book would've served me well in my Goth period but alas even Goths must sometimes grow up. Though I've since passed this book on it was a delightful little read and only Voltaire could've pulled it off.

Peanuts are totally classic! Dude! Schroeder is like the coolest person on the face of the earth! He is so reserved and that make Peanuts worth the while to read. He also looks so cute at his little piano, playing Bethoven. This book clearly shows that and becuase I love little Schroeder, I love this book too! Beethoven forever! Rock on! (JK)

This book is a great buy! It has the classic lovable Peanuts strips we've all enjoyed. I love the format and size of the book and will purchase more in this series.

I find that after all this time I still love the Peanuts gang. Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, Lucy and others still bring a smile to my face as the wonderful insight of the creator comes through. I wish that I was young again and still had the old paperbacks that I once read so I could go back to some and re-read them. I wish that Shultz could still create those drawings and tears just swelled up from inside reading the ending passage. Charles Shultz will be missed by me and I have read this and other books by him to my kids so they might gain an interest in these type of books. I wish they had more specials of the Peanuts ang for TV rather than some of the stuff on now. Anyone who wants great cartoons with very funny happenings for their children will definitely love this book and others by Shultz.

Peanuts has truly left its mark on the world. I can't honestly say I know anyone who has never heard of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus and Lucy. We all know and love them. Who can ever forget Snoopy imagining himself as a World War I Flying Ace on the top of his doghouse? Or Charlie Brown's consistent, diligent, but always failing efforts to finally lead his baseball team to a win?

This final collection of Peanuts strips cannot quite live up to Schulz's genius from years past, but they are still very charming and fun to read. I'd like to see you try to come up with a funny idea every day for fifty years. In this collection, Schulz draws more self suffecient strips, than strories carrying accross the dailies, probably because it was easier on him at his old age.

Peanuts is a very rare commodity. It is certainly not gorgeously drawn, but the writing and lovable characters make up for it's visual spareness. Plus, although the drawings were somewhat crude, the were outragously funny, and the whole point of a comic strip is to make you laugh, so there you are.

Charles Schulz is a true comic genius. His later work (i.e. this collection) is not his best, but he was still able to draw a funny comic strip every day. In the words of Bill Watterson, the brilliant man behind the wonderful "Calvin and Hobbes"-"I've never met Charles Schulz, but long ago his work introduced me to what a comic strip could be, and made me want to be a cartoonist myself. He was a hero to me as a kid, and his influence on my work and life is long and deep. I suspect most cartoonists would say something similar. Schulz has given all his readers a great gift, and my gratitude for that tempers my disappointment at the strip's cessation. May there someday be a writer/artist/philosopher/humorist who can fill even a part of the void "Peanuts" leaves behind."

These were the final words in Peanuts comics delivered by the late Charles Schulz. To answer the question, you can never forget Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus and Snoopy.

I remember the last "new" comic strip came out 13 February, the day after he died. Thanks, Sparky, for all the memories and the inspiration (I work on my own cartoon strip).

These cartoons were originally published early 1999 through February, 2000 in the newspapers. Charlie Brown has a date for a dance (something that rarely happened). Rerun holds the football for Charlie Brown (he got more and more parts in the cartoon strip in the final years). Charlie Brown pays tribute to the ever scowling Joe Torre! Cartoonist Day is remembered (5 May). Snoopy writes more novels and plays golf with the musical notes from Schroder's piano. "Wolves are making a comeback," as Sally philosophises. There's also a tribute to painter Andrew Wyeth and Valley Forge, as acted out by Snoopy. Snoopy Claws can be seen downtown around Christmas.

Also, Charlie Brown hits a grand slam, Linus kicks the habit once and for all and gives his blanket to Snoopy, Peppermint Patty gets straight A's, the Great Pumpkin comes as promised and Schroeder finally admits he's got a crush on Lucy! Don't hold your breath on the last 5, folks! I was just seeing if you were paying attention!

However, this book is poignant since these were the final strips of Peanuts. Charles Schulz must have known the days of the Peanuts cartoon were numbered when he let Rerun hold the football! If you're a Peanuts fan, you'll enjoy this book!

Where the heck did Clay Reynolds come from? This is one wild high-octane rush of Texas black comedy, betrayal and bloodshed. Tarrantino meets McMurtry. They'll never cram all this headlong action into a feature-length movie, and if they did it would fry you brainless. Read the book.

A fine plot,interesting,true to life characters and well paced make Players a super crime read.It is not yet up to the better Lawrence Block's or Elmore Leonard's,but I would rate it an 8 if not for the highly distracting use of colons in the punctuation.There are hundreds and hundreds of them.

1)This book is so far the only book that all the readers (including me) who tributed comments to the wonderful and so USER-FRIENDLY cool AMAZON.COM that from top to end, there is only an unique 10 or 10+ ratings. But why Amazon.com never included this wonderfully written book in their best recommanded 50 books? If all the readers of Amazon.com uncontroversially and wholeheartedly said this book is GREAT and only gave a 10~10+, it IS great, OK?! And you don't get any special credit by just writing a shallow negative review.

Players has got be one of the best books written in years. Reynolds ability to keep you thinking shines in this work. The plot is so well done and involved. It is one you will not be able to put down. A 10 without doubt!!!

I was recommended thru the e-mail for a chosen group to read this book. My God, this is the most wonderful book I've ever read, but I chewed it very slowly, because I didn't want to finish it too soon. For years I have been looking for such perfectly plotted, perfectly written, perfectly developed book! This is a real istant modern classic mystery+thriller, because it does not read like most of the so-called mysteries that actually written by retarded imbeciles & morons who dared to call themselves (mystery) writers and their mumbo jumbo craps mystery! This is a book written by a THINKING writer with mature logic. A very complex story twisted with plots within plots, but all were answered logically and completely, making the reading like watching a perfect onion peeled off grdually by a well experienced chef to the core. There was almost no flaw that I could find. This is the first book I could never guess what's gonna happen in the next page or next chapter. Like Carl Hiaassan in Florida, Mr. Reynolds por