Humor Books

This is one of the funniest books ever written. I never even saw the show. I frequently quote the book. This is a great book for anyone who has ever left his home state. You can really relate to the depictions of each city and state. Even if you've never left your home town, you should buy this book. I haven't read Harry Potter yet, but I assure you that this is better reading. I would recommend buying a copy for every one of your friends, or two copies for yourself. It's that good.

This was the funniest and best book i have ever read. I was a big fan of the show and this book made me like it even more (if that's possible). You have to read it if you like the show or just in a bad mood. It will cheer you up. I read this book over 8 times during work. BUY IT!

Being a huge fan of the TV show, I greatly anticipated reading this book. Amazingly, the book exceeded all my expectations. It is without a doubt the funniest book I've ever read. I've found that opening to a random page and reading for a minute always leaves me laughing out loud. If you're into humor that is a little offbeat and subtle, this book is definitely for you.

This is hands down THE funniest book I have ever read. I meant to just read a little bit, but when I picked it up I couldn't put it back down. I finished the whole book in a day.

It is totally unique. They certainly have a perculiar sense of humor, but I think that anyone who is not easily offended would find it funny.

The whole thing is written as if it were completely factual a completely factual account of a trip through the U.S., which of course it isn't.

If you enjoyed the T.V. show, you have to read the book. It is unforgetable.

This book is crucial to every aspect of my life. Most importantly, it determines those with whom I "hang." When I meet someone new, I let them flip through my copy for a few minutes. If they aren't on the floor laughing and begging me to borrow the book for a day within just a few moments, they are automatically excluded from receiving the benifits of my friendship. (They don't know yet, but there aren't really any.) In severe cases, I will have offenders arrested. This book is my life.

My only previous experience with Gasoline Alley was a Mad Magazine parody called Gasoline Valley that focused on the interesting fact that the characters actually grew older as the series progressed. The Mad Magazine parody showed Skeezix aging from a baby into an old man just as the comic does however this volume features only a couple of years so at the end Skeezix is just a toddler. Gasoline Alley isn't a hilarious comic; instead it's a sweet, light hearted view of small town life in the early 1920's. The comic revolves around Walt, a big hearted confirmed bachelor who finds a baby deposited on his doorstep. This being the "good ol' days" Walt just keeps the baby becoming Uncle Walt (later in the book he does actually go to the effort to make it a legal adoption).

A lot of the jokes are repeated, for instance Walt, the only bachelor among his circle of friends, constantly uses the line `I know when I have it good' after seeing his hen pecked buddies. We also get to experience Walt's continual struggle with his weight. There are a few extended storylines including a shady land developer who takes the Gasoline Alley gang for a bit of money. The longest story is about the arrival of an attractive young lady named Blossom and her developing relationship with Walt.

Three things stood out for me in this collection. First was the always meticulous job done by editor Chris Ware who goes above and beyond the call of duty. There is a ton of fascinating background information on cartoonist Frank King. My tip is that any publisher who wants to release a comic collection like this one should call on Chris Ware. He is a man with serious passion for comics. The second thing that caught my attention is how clean and pleasant Frank King's drawings are. But what I enjoyed most about Walt and Skeezik's was the glimpse at life in the United States prior to the Great Depression.

What you need to do when reading through these comic strips is to try and put yourself into the era. These comics were created over 85 years ago and it's like peering into a time capsule. There is not a single mention of television or pop culture. Most of the residents of Gasoline Alley are chiefly concerned with the mileage they get on their tires or the cost of a new hat. Volume one pretty much satisfied my curiosity and I probably won't buy further volumes but that takes nothing away from this excellent collection. You definitely get your money's worth and it literally took me months to get through the entire book.

Commentary and editorial aside, the heart of this book is the wonderful Gasoline Alley strips. For those who honestly can't imagine what daily life was like before automatic shift, television, modern medicine, sexual liberation--this book is like being pulled through a time warp into the 1920s and 30s.

It has a lot of the same flavor as For Better or Worse. It's infested with genuine American characters. (Fair warning: the portrayals of African Americans are deeply stereotyped--but also remarkably sympathetic in terms of human feeling.)

DO NOT read it all in one sitting. Try to limit yourself to ten strips a night. Like movie serials, comic strips that appeared in daily newspapers took months or years to fully develop a story arc. You can't rush through that--and why the heck would you want to?

This collection was a little before my time, but it is great to read about the earlier days of Gasoline Alley.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The photographs really provide insite into the authours life and basis for the comic strips. I really enjoyed the dated chronology of the strips. It also provided me with a humorous way of conveying the social, political and economic happenings of that period in American History. Absolutely Fantastic, I can not wait to read the second book in the series.

I had never really understood the appeal of Gasoline Alley. I sensed that it was a pleasant enough "slice of life" comic strip, well drawn and harmless. I had given it a glance now and then over the years, not even beginning to sense the iceberg that was always there, just beneath the 3 or 4 daily comic panels. This was all before I was exposed to the collected early stuff and the absolute genius of creator Frank King. Now, after having just finished the first volume of "Walt and Skeezix" which covers years 1921 and 1922 of this wonderful strip, I am simply very grateful to the Montreal publishing house, Drawn and Quarterly, for undertaking the multi-year project of collecting all the dailies from the King years.

The effect of this strip is somewhat cumulative, and Jeet Heer puts it best in his introduction when he writes "Gasoline Alley needs to be read in bulk to be appreciated." As I read along, it became increasingly clear to me what an astonishingly bright gem I was looking at. After I had read about six months into the dailies from 1921, I knew I was onto something very, very unique. The story of Walt and Skeezix unfolded exactly at the pace of real life, with all the well drawn characters growing older in real time. This infuses the strip with an immediately gripping "realism" that in turn makes the reader identify in a powerful way with the characters. The moments of subtle insight into human nature are many and so brilliantly done I found myself re-reading a single daily strip two or three times to truly savor it, finding ever-deepening levels to appreciate (if this sounds like hyperbole for a review of a comic strip, all I can say is buy this volume and I bet you will agree).

I don't want to gush and ruin your enjoyment of this work. You should come to it yourself, on your own terms. I will just say that you can truly sense the earth turning as you read these pages, and that this strip contains some of the truest, purest moments of understanding that I have experienced in any book.

One can look at this collected work as an incredible record of American life, or simply appreciate Frank King's wonderful art, and be well rewarded for all effort. Just beneath the surface, though, lies a much larger and impressive piece of art. Chris Ware, editor of the series, writes in his preface "I am convinced that after all these books are published, Gasoline Alley will stand as one of the most individual, human, and genuinely great works in the history of comics." Amen to that, brother. I will go further even than Mr. Ware: I believe that Frank King's Gasoline Alley, taken as a whole, is one of the greatest works of literature by an American.

Drawn and Quarterly Books deserves a medal of recognition for this multi-volume publishing project, and I personally regret every mean thought I have ever had about our neighbors to the north.

This work is highly recommended. -Mykal Banta

If you like chickens, you'll love a "A Tale of Two Cities!"

i have already read dean sluyter's zen commandments and thought it was wonderful. but this book why the chicken crossed the road was even better. it was very funny, eyeopening and enlightening. it made me see things i never saw or thought about before. it showed how caught up we get in details of our beliefs.. this book was not about beliefs. it was about living them.. i would recommend this book to anyone. i wish it was still in print. i would send it to many of my friends.. i will be re reading as well. it has so much to it.. a blessing of a book...

My father bought this book for me when I was going through spiritual difficulties in High-School. I still read it when life gets tough.

Dean Sluyter has an uncanny ability to make the mundane mystical. He takes phrases and songs, slows down time, and holds the words up to the sun turning them over in his hand and inside your mind to extract a much deeper meaning. His deconstruction of Row Row Row Your Boat is worth the price of admission alone. I am as college educated as the next guy and I was giggling like a monkey by the time I had completed the book. Then I gave it to a repairman, a friend of mine, mechanically a genius but completly unread, and he retured it the next morning at 7am because he 'just had to talk to somebody about it, about life, about meaning" and we had a conversation like philosophers over a cup of my horrible coffee. So I say again, Thank you Dean Sluyter. If you are ever in Newport Oregon please stop by. You seem like the coolest guy in America.

This may be the smartest, funniest, and most practical guide to the spiritual path I have ever read. By using funky American pop culture (knock-knock jokes, "Doggie in the Window," etc.) as his jumping-off point, Sluyter manages to present enlightenment in a way that anyone can connect with. He writes with a wonderful openness that embraces Zen, Jesus, rock 'n' roll and Mad magazine in one big hug - yet he never goes New Age sloppy, but lays out the What's What of spiritual development with precision. A must!

The Asperger Parent by Jeffrey Cohen provides a much needed source of emotional support for parents of children with Asperger Syndrome. It would be especially helpful for a parent whose child has been recently diagnosed. Mr. Cohen is very readable, and obviously has worked through a lot of his feelings about raising a young child with Aspergers. He presents simple topics in humorous terms that every Asperger Parent can appreciate. I found myself alternatively laughing and crying, but consistently relieved to have my feelings validated in print. I would recommend this book to both parents and professionals who want to know what it really feels like to have a child with Asperger Syndrome. While, you may not get any hard and fast answers to your problems here, you will get a good, solid sense of what you and others have to deal with to get the best out of life for yourself and your child!

This is a very funny book. I see a lot of my son in the stories told in this book so it is very easy to relate to. This book is great if you are feeling alone like you are the only one who has a child that doesnt "act normal" or if you have a new DX and feel over whelmed.
This is not a good book if you are looking for a "How to raise your child" book. Like the auther says this book is not about your child it is about YOU.
Many thanks to Jeffrey Cohen for sharing his story with us!

(((((HUGS))))
Lori

I got the item in no time and I have found the info in the book to be very useful.

This book has proved invaluable to me! There are some very good books and articles available about how to "handle", how to "parent", how to "deal with" a kid on the autism spectrum. This book alone gave me far more valuable advice: how to find humor in the tough moments! More profoundly, it emphasizes that it's okay to enjoy life, to laugh, to even poke gentle fun at some of the unbelievable things our kids do. As the author emphasizes, this book isn't about the child...it's about the parent.

I couldn't put the book down, very funny and informative. At times I felt like it was me who wrote the book because I could relate so much to the authors experiences. I would recommend this book to any parent or even relative who has a member in the family with Asperger's.

I enjoyed reading it and learned some interesting things but I've also gotten lots of mileage out of using it as a business or thank you gift.

This book should be read by all parents/adults. Educate your children on how to keep germ free and be consistant with that teaching. Many illnesses/deaths can be avoided by following the simple steps given in this book.

This book is chock full of great tips. It's breezy and informative style is definitely geared for those who love trivia and for the compulsive worrier! It's attractively packaged and fits into a stocking.

BE SAFE is a safe gift that I am giving to all my loved ones. It is a humorous approach to many of the kinds of problems that you want to save them from without being preachy.

This book is brimming with tons of useful and eye-opening tips that channel the hypochondriac in everyone. The author has done an exhaustive amount of research on the hazards of our day to day choices--many of which I have never even thought twice about. The mini packaging makes it an adorable and handy gift.

A poetry cd of both live and studio performance by American poet Billy Collins. This is great, witty, ironic and clever. Hearing the poet himself read his verse adds to the enjoyment of his poems. I love 'forgetfulness'. His poems strike a chord with modern life. A must for fans and newcomers to his verse.

We bought this collection of Billy Collins' poems shortly after being introduced to him by friends who lent us the CD of Billy Collins' live performance at Peter Norton Hall (with the intro by Bill Murray). This collection has a few of the same poems as the other, but not enough duplication to make this an unwise choice. I enjoy listening to this collection, but get a little more enjoyment from the lively and responsive atmosphere that the audience gives the uninterrrupted live performance. Still, I haven't heard any other of his readings, so this is a very small sample to be judging from. In the end, I don't think you can go wrong with either CD.

I love Billy Collin's poetry for its charm, wit, and profound statements. He's a fine poet, but....on audio disc he is dull and anything but funny when hearing his voice.

"I suppose I might be different from previous poet laureates by kind of emphasizing the playful or even screwball aspects of poetry." ~Billy Collins

Collins was reappointed to the post of U.S. Poet Laureate in the summer of 2002. He travels throughout the country for readings, lectures and is well loved by his audiences.

Listening to Billy Collins read his poems gave me a new appreciation for his genius. His poetry increases my capacity for viewing the world on a new artistic level. While listening, I had moments of nostalgia as images danced across my mind.

In this CD, you will find many of your favorite poems from many of his published works. They include:

1. Another reason I don't keep a gun in the house - A story of a dog barking. He humorously mixes images of a barking dog solo and Beethoven.
2. Shoveling snow with the Buddha - Winter work ends with warm drinks.
3. Marginalia - An especially enjoyable poem for anyone who loves to find scribblings in books.
4. Afternoon with Irish Cows - Completely vibrant images. You can truly see the images poem.

5. Walking across the Atlantic - An imaginative journey while walking on the water. He imagines what the fish must think about the bottoms of his feet appearing, disappearing.
6. Intro - An introduction that explains the title of this CD.
7. Consolation - Written to consol himself after canceling a trip to Europe.
8. Forgetfulness - If you are over 30, this makes complete sense. An intensely comical poem that will be appreciated by anyone trying to remember the name of a book or name of the author.

9. Workshop - Newbies enjoy entertaining Billy Collins with their artistic expression.
10. Morning - Feet on a cold floor and espresso while the typewriter awaits.
11. Driving myself to a poetry reading - An analysis of his feelings as represented
in how he places himself at various points - the car hood and the backseat.
12. Wolf - A wolf reads a book of fairy tales. This is perhaps one of my favorite Billy Collins poems. I love the description of the fur bristling and how he turns each page with his nose.

13. Purity - Explains how he loves to write and drink tea. His explanation of
how he writes romantic poetry is almost an interesting insight into male sexuality.
14. The Art of Drowning - Will you really see your life flash before your eyes?
15. Nostalgia - "Remember the 1340s?" I love this poem because it is a humorous visual journey back in time.
16. Candle Hat - A poem about a Goya painting.

17. Sweetalk - Art lovers will enjoy this love poem, especially the twist at the end.
18. Instructions to the Portrait Artist - Interesting insight into the poets' love of the intellectual life.
19. Pin-up - Decadent descriptions of murky garages and mechanics.
20. Flames - Smoky the Bear with his fur gleaming in the sun.

21. Saturday Morning - Casual observations and lazy day moments.
22. The Afterlife - Secrets from the afterlife and how you go to the place you always thought you'd go. Fun idea.
23. Man in Space - Male/Female relationships.
24. Aristotle - Thoughts about a beginning, middle and an end.

25. Wires of the Night - Especially beautiful recollection about death.
26. History of Weather - Flower ruffling breezes and heat shimmering on sand. Images of clouds, rain on battlefields and snow flurries of Victorian London.
27. Best Cigarette - Remembering his days as a smoker as a lover remembers
their true love.
28. Invention of the Saxophone - Mentions a historical character from the 13th century.

29. Child Development - Fish work up irregular verbs and children work on name calling.
30. On Reading in the Morning Paper - Dreams
31.The First Dream - Wind ghosts around the house as he leans against the door of sleep.
32. Japan - Reading a favorite Haiku.

33. Thesaurus - Lover's in myths and a congregating of word relatives. I love this one because I love words and Billy Collins has an especially creative way of exploring word meanings.
34. Nightclub - My husband read this to me once and I thought it was hilarious.

Billy Collins' wry wit and his eloquent voice contribute a comical resonance. His comic timing is impeccable and I finally understood some of the humor in his poem "Consolation" about "not" touring Italy. He gives a bit of background, which changes the entire poem. By the end of this reading, he has left the audience deliriously giddy with laughter.

I love the twists at the end of his poems that instantly captures profound emotional moments. There is a casual elegance in his poems. He invites you to journey with him through the poems, although at times Collins throws in a highly imaginative sentence or an entire poem that throws you for an intellectual loop. Billy Collins vocabulary is stunning all on its own. The way he blends the words into images and colors is more than impressive.

If you are in the mood for intellectual beauty, this CD will give you a deep appreciation for laid back and artistic observations.

If you are already a Billy Collin's fan, Pittsburgh Press has issued special hardcover limited editions of three of Billy Collins' books: Questions about Angels, The Art of Drowning, and Picnic, Lightning.

~The Rebecca Review

Dedicated to Eric who found my Billy Collins book reviews and thought I'd enjoy this wonderful recording. Thank you! This was a beautiful gift.

Billy Collins is spectacular, for even more than his work as a poet. Billy has done a lot to bring poetry back to schools and kids. Poetry is a lost pleasure for Americans. So many review here go into each poem on the disc so I won't trod down that road again. But I will say that if you want to see the wonderful style of this man, check out "the best cigarette" and "Child development". I really love "child development". So if you love poetry this is for you, if you are new to poetry, this is really for you, if you need to be reassured of the human spirit you must buy this.

Bill Pete started out as a daydreaming, doodling boy, and made it all the way to Walt Disney! Bill was born in Grandview and was raised in Indianapolis. He lived happily with his Mother, two brothers, and grandmother. His father was a traveling salesman, and didn't really come into his life until later. Ever since Bill was young, he loved to draw. During class, he would doodle in between the margins, and his books were a big favorite amongst the other kids when he sold them as second-hand. His childhood was fun filled, and he had some big hopes and dreams. First of all, he wanted to go on a safari and sketch the animals, but most of all, he wanted to be an artist. One day, in the summer of 1928, Bill's father returned "home" broke, travel weary, and demanding money. After arguing for many days, Bills mother gave in and paid his father. With that, his father drove away. Not long after that, Bill's grandmother tragically died, which put the family in complete shambles. They had to move, and everything changed. The Great Depression started, and Bills father kept taking money, so he kept them poor. Bill went through school well as a student, graduated, and went to college. That was when the work became harder. Bill was facing flunking some of his classes. One night, he ran into an old friend from school, and was persuaded to start taking some arts classes. Bill began painting, and it is there that he met his beautiful wife Margaret Brunst with which he eventually had two sons. He graduated with flying colors, and took a job as a painter. Finally, he realized he didn't have a steady income, and applied for Walt Disney Productions. He became a good friend of Walt Disney himself! Bill helped create many classics starting with Snow White, and going all the way to Jungle book. As time went by, Bill decided that after 27 years, it was time to leave. Bill had become attached to the company and his job, but mostly Walt. It was hard to say "good bye." About one year later, Walt Disney died. Bill went on to writing stories and illustrating them for children of all ages. They all relate to him in one way or another, but the one that felt the most connected to him was "Chester the Worldly Pig". Chester was who he was, and he had always been so. And like Chester, Pete "had grown beyond his expectations."

I can see myself in Pete sometimes. He never gave up and kept dreaming and kept his spirit alive. He has an easy flow to his writing that makes you feel relaxed and know that you're in for one heck of a good story. I loved his book for the truth that it told, and for the wonder that makes up Bill Pete. Keep dreaming, if you strive, you can reach the stars and soar beyond.

The book that introduced me to Bill Peet as a child and helped in inspiring me to push my art and chase my dreams. A must have for any lover of original Disney art or aspiring artist.

Wonderful book. A must for any Bill Peet fan. He captures himself in Bill Peet style - with words and illustrations - just as I would expect. The book is simple and direct, with life lessons woven between the pages.

This Book is about my favorite author Bill Peet. This book tells about his life starting his career at Walt Disney, then going to wright his own books.
Bill Peet was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, he started drawing when he was around 6 or 7. He dreamed of being a author one day. When he got into college he was in different art classes, during going to college he entered painting compititions and one most of them for extra money.
When he was asked work at Disney Annex he gladly accepted, this was around the mid 30s. After working there for a few years he was asked to work on Pinnochio. During his time at Disney he had many arguments with walt himself. He drew Dumbo, and drew the rats and the cat in Cinderella.
After he quit working for disney, Bill realized that he was a good writer too.His first book was Huberts Hair Raising Adventure, which I own along with acouple more of his books, my favorite is The Wingdingdile.
Bill Peet a tall thin man that had a dream, and made it come true wrote about 30 to 50 books, retired win 1989 after he wrote this book.This book is excellent and it will make you want to keep on reading.

I nevertheless found it quite fascinating and engrossing.

Peet is a self-professed reluctant student, especially of English classes, but he is nonetheless quite the good writer. Peet's illustrations add a lot to the pace and feel of the book and are a joy in their own right. His stories of life in Indianapolis before World War II will be interesting to any native Hoosier (as am I).

However, the most interesting part details his jobs at Walt Disney studios. His descriptions of how they made movies in the old days as well as the insider's look at Walt Disney himself are fascinating. Peet worked on several Disney movies, including Pinnochio, Fantasia, Cinderella (he created the lovable mice) and the original 101 Dalmations.

Peet brushes over his life after he left Disney a little too quickly. I would have liked to have read his descriptions of life in the publishing world as well. Also lacking is much history of his family life.

That being said, it was still fascinating, entertaining and totally worth the reader's time.

I give this one a grade of A-

The book was better than I expected, and arrived before I expected it to.
Great buy. Thanks. :D

This book is so much fun. I'm a digital artist and use Illustrator as my tool. I learned so many techniques from this book. The pictures are big and bold and the author teaches without making you feel like a novice.

I bought this book for my husband and he loves it. He is constantly drawing little pictures for me. It will certainly bring out the inner artist in you. This book is easy to follow along with.

A casual glance through this book originally made me think it looked too cutesy and not what I wanted. I'll still say that too many of his characters and examples are cutesy, and rather stilted. But there's a lot of excellent material here. I found several tips that I (so far) haven't seen in several other books. I've had several nagging questions: Exactly how do I get things done? How is a finished cartoon created? On what size and kind of paper, using what tools? Blitz walks you through all of that stuff. The section on drawing backgrounds and perspective was also really handy.

I'd say this is the single best book I've seen to get started on cartooning. Even if you want to draw some other, very different style (like, some kind of dark Batman comic or something), if you have little or no cartooning experience, this book will be helpful.

I don't consider my self to possess any artistic abilities when it comes to drawing. I wanted to enter a contest on YouTube where I had to draw pictures of things. I got this book. Followed the easy to use instructions, drew my pictures, entered the contest and won the $5,000 grand prize. I would definitely say I got my money's worth from this book and much much more. Highly recommended.

...and for that matter, for anyone who likes to laugh out loud. Boynton is a comic genius - both as an illustrator and as a writer. Despite the large amount of real information she provides about chocolate and its history, she never forgets to entertain.

And her comment on why carob is not a satisfactory substitute for chocolate should be sent to every health food store in the world. I won't spoil anyone's fun by quoting the final line. Just add the book to your shopping cart and read it yourself! (No, I am not related to Boynton and don't own stock in Amazon.)

I cannot imagine a better combination of information, humor, and fun concerning the great pleasure we all get from chocolate.
The only thing missing from this book were instructions about which chocolates to have ready to fortify yourself as you read and ponder Chocolate -- The Consuming Passion. Since the book describes every possible kind of chocolate (from baking chocolate to white chocolate . . . and of ever possible shape and quality), I suggest that you stock up every variety you can think of. Naturally, you will then get more benefit from the book if you eat a sample of what is being described as you proceed. I estimate that at least five pounds of each type mentioned is about the right quantity. Then, you can savor the experience . . . no matter how fast you eat chocolate!

Ms. Boynton notes that "this book was written for the Chocolate Elite -- the select millions who like chocolate in all its infinite variety, using `like' as in `I like to breathe.'"

Before going on, let me mention that I had the great honor of providing strategic consulting services for a chocolate business in 1973. It was heaven. I can still remember the wonderful aroma of the plant! In the process, I was thrilled to find out how chocolate is grown, processed, and turned into finished products like chocolate chips. Since that time, I had never seen a book that shared the same kind of information that I learned from working with my client . . . until Chocolate -- The Consuming Passion. So at an information level, the book is terrific.

You should know that the humor is even better than the information though. Just when you've really gotten the scoop on what semisweet chocolate is, Ms. Boynton will drop in an unexpected joke. For example, she describes in great detail what happens with chocolate when it is too hot or too cold. Then you turn the page and find that above Dow 4000 chocolate also conglomerates, and you see a list of all the companies that have acquired chocolate businesses.

Ms. Boynton's trademark hippos seem especially appropriate in the context of being a serious chocolate aficionado.

The subjects covered are truly broad. You begin with a little history of chocolate, including how it was pronounced in different languages. Later, you return to that theme . . . and find out how to ask for chocolate in many more languages. The details on the definitions and ingredients of various chocolates are thorough without being boring. The humor keeps lifting your spirits while refreshing your taste for more information. The humorous "recipes" for making items out of chocolate are pretty funny. I especially enjoyed the suggestions for what to use the results of cooking flops for instead.

Now, I was most impressed to find that Ms. Boynton took on the really big issues. Why is 55 percent of all ice cream consumed in the vanilla flavor while only 9 percent is chocolate? Why are delightful chocolate truffles given that cautionary name suggesting moldy forest floors? Is white chocolate (which lacks chocolate liquor) really chocolate at all?

I recommend that you buy a copy for yourself . . . and everyone you know who really likes chocolate!

What could be more fun than learning and laughing about something you love while you directly enjoy some? What other subjects offer this opportunity?

Develop your tastes and your interests at the same time by being prepared to experiment!

I have always had a soft spot for anything Sandra Boynton does, but "Chocolate: The Consuming Passion" is probably my favorite of her books. I have bought it for more chocolate-loving friends than I can count and they have all been thrilled with it.

Boynton deftly blends together her signature cartoon animals (who for the most part try to look dignified in less than dignified circumstances--the key to their hilarity), actual chocolate facts (on the front of the book, it says, "Written, Illustrated, and Overresearched by Sandra Boynton"), and a heaping helping of utter silliness. Boynton tosses her own opinion in wherever possible:

"Those who favor dark chocolate have little patience with cute candy."

"Whoever said, 'The best things in life are free' was, of course, just kidding. The best things in life go for $6.50 a pound and up."

"Chocolate is not a privilege; it is a right."

"If the remotest possibility exists that you could become snowbound, take this simple precaution: Remove and discard all insulation from ski jacket. Replace with seven lbs. (approx.) of shaved chocolate. Resew seams. Warning: Never warm up in front of a fire without first removing jacket."

See especially Boynton's sections on white chocolate and carob (as you might expect, she's a dark chocolate snob, as are so many chocolate aficionados) and her hilarious explanation of the "myth of chocolate's fattingness." Boynton gives helpful information on opening up your own cacao plantation--on which you will need "4,000 or so cacao seedlings and time" and an international section on how to ask for chocolate in half a dozen languages.

There are even recipes, including one for "Chocolate Chip Cookie (Theoretical yield: 48 cookies, 2 inches each) and "Hippo Pôt de Mousse." This book has pleasures that keep on giving even after the first, second, or fourteenth reading.

I am a big fan of Sandra Boynton and have read many of her books despite the fact I'm an adult. Her writing and drawings are fun, whimsical and witty and her books are great for all ages.

"Chocolate: The Consuming Passion" differs from her children's book with the topic of Chocolate well researched. Boynton goes through all the varieties of chocolate: Dark, Bittersweet, Milk, White and even the most evil Carob, which she demands is not food. Boynton fills the book with both fun facts and playful activities. One of the pages has a huge drawing of a chocolate bar which entices you to lick it. I almost did.

Unfortunately this book is no longer being published but I highly recommend people buy it if they can find it. Give it to your friends, family or keep it for yourself. EVERYONE LOVES CHOCOLATE!

This is a lovely book! Beautiful and funny illustrations, delicious recipes, interesting facts ... "Chocolate The Consuming Passion" covers basically everything any chocolate lover would want to know. It includes chocolate profiles, information about different kinds of chocolate, chocolate myths and funny observations. One example is this: "The greatest tragedies were written by the Greeks and by Shakespeare. Neither knew chocolate." Of course, there is no causality, but still!

Although this book is written for children, any chocolate lover will adore it, regardless of age. Actually, one does never really grow out of picture books, at least not the good ones.

The first time I saw this book was in the window of the best chocolate store in my town, The Belgian House of Chocolate. I knew I must get it! I have not been disappointed.

What a great story! Mr. Schreck is a very talented writer and has created a character that you just want to keep reading about. Can't wait to read more about Duffy!

What can I say. Mr.Shreck has done it again. If I did not know better I would think the mans name ended in a vowel. The passion that he brings to his characters stricks of someone who comes from the olive groves of napels. This story is worth more then $.49. I feel like I am stealing it. I cannot wait for the next story that comes from this giant of the spoken word.

A story that makes you want to meet all the characters...from Duffy to the Foursome.
We have all faced the same decision points that Duffy had to face. The question for the reader is...do we do what Duffy did or what he wanted to do?
Bring us more Duffy!

What a nice story w/ an especially clever title. Shreck writes a very strong character in a story that was too short. Let me know when the book comes out!

I loved it. It's a great story and the ending is wonderful. The good guys trimuph over the bad guys and the reader has some fun along the way. There's a lesson to be learned too. I hope to read more about this guy Duffy. He's a likeable character with a heart of gold.