Humor Books

This is the second year I have used this as my desk calendar at work. I love it. It makes me laugh all the time and it has just enough room to keep track of dinner dates or appointments.

Good desk calendar; it's fun to relive some of the classic Get Fuzzy strips.

I received the calendar within a couple of days of my placing the order. The service is great and I love to read my daily cartoon.

My daughter loves day by day calendars & Get Fuzzy. It was a perfect match

"Get Fuzzy" is the current reigning champion of comic strips. Anyone with pets (or who loves animals) can appreciate the inter-species conflicts and hilarity in this comic strip (I particularly enjoy Bucky's attempts at world domination and related ventures.) Here, as in years past, some of the best strips have been put together in calendar form to ensure that everyone can have a bit of humor in their daily lives.

I can't imagine not having this calendar in my house; it's always a great way to start the day. Many of these strips are so good that I have cut them out and saved them or sent them to other animal lovers in my life, while the remaining pages become great for scratch paper.

This is a great calendar and I highly recommend it to anyone.

I found the information to be very helpful in understanding the worlds of working in the entertainment industry. Having insider information on the Hollywood industry should provide guidance for people deciding if this is the work career place they want. I got the book out of curiosity about the industry that provides the public with amusement products. The information is well arranged and easy to understand. The publication does not hold back from warnings about making mistaken moves while working in Hollywood.
It comes across as a very useful workplace guide.

This book is very funny with practical experience for just about everyone! I brought it on my honeymoon and both my husband I couldn't help but read it aloud. The book has great tips for anyone, not just those looking to work in Hollywood. It is very well written and really keeps your interest.

Absolutely hilarious. If you work in the biz, everyone will be jealous when you bring this book to the office. They will all want their hands on it. Taking the quizzes out loud in a group is the most fun you'll have. Unlike some books, it's not just a clever title/idea- it's perfectly executed. You'll be laughing out loud. You'll be learning too. A must if you're are an asst, want to be an asst, used to be an asst, or if you just feel sorry for your asst friends and want to feel so glad you're not one.

It's 85% humor and 15% real sold advice. Seems like the 15% could be extremely helpful and the whole thing goes down like candy.

I received the book right away in the mail and read it one day! It has great advice about people wanting to move to LA and doesn't beat around the bush. You get honest suggestions and advice through experienced people. There is a great sense of humor throughout the book to keep you laughing while you realize the crazy things you do if you want to become a Hollywood assistant!

What a light and extremely entertaining read! The authors do a great job of explaining the "true" life of a Hollywood assistant, which definitely debunks the glamorous notion we all assume to be reality. This hilarious book had me laughing every time I picked it up! I highly recommend The Hollywood Assistants Handbook to anyone, whether you're looking to enter the entertainment industry or are simply just curious about it!!!

Homer is a wealthy movie producer, with a wife who's, well, biased against anyone who isn't white and doesn't have blue or green eyes. Hector is a Mexican American who works for the county and has a side business as a gardener. When Hector accidentally backs into Homer's jag, Homer feels sorry for the man. After all, he has ten kids and no insurance. So Homer asks Hector to his mansion so they can discuss how Hector can repay him. To his surprise, Homer enjoys hanging out with Hector and agrees to go to a ball game with him. Homer's wife isn't happy at all about this, nor that Homer intends to move Hector and his family into his gardener's cottage, which he intends to enlarge to accommodate them. But Homer and his wife are about to learn a valuable lesson from Hector, one that will change their lives forever.

This short story has an important message at its center, made all the more enjoyable due to Ms. Dravis's ability to deliver one heck of a good story wrapped around great characterization and dialogue. Like a talented comedian, this author knows when and where to display her glorious sense of humor and has a real knack for keeping her readers entertained throughout. Highly recommended!

Betty Dravis has an affinity for Hollywood and is culturally astute. Her short story gets past the cultural assumptions people sometimes make in the divide between Anglo and Hispanic, wealthy and poor, native-born and (allegedly) foreign born people. With gentle good humor, we encounter Homer Fairshield, a successful Hollywood producer who gets in an accident while in his fancy Jaguar. It is here that he meets Hector Ramirez, a Hispanic-American who has hit him with his gardening truck. From there they work out terms until they get together at his place, while Homer awaits his wife, Helena, whom he expects to be upset. She has little tolerance for misfortune and even less for foreigners.

Her writing is striking. In the first part, the narrator lets us know, "My neck's stiff, my nerves are raw, and my hands are shaking like a novice actor's before his first shot." From here she unpeels the prejudices in the cultural divide with great skill. In her own way she does so only sympathetically. She never hits her characters over the head with a sledge hammer. Using absurdity and a solid message, her execution is fun and filled with good will.

As usual Betty Dravis has swung for the fences and comes out with a heart-warming winner.

Do you have ANY idea how hard it is to write a meaningful plot synopsis of a story that from beginning to end runs a mere 15 pages? Suffice it to say that Ms Dravis's wonderful tale revolves around three people - Hector, a Mexican-American gardener who "introduces" himself to Homer by the simple expedient of backing his truck up into Homer's outrageously expensive Jag; Homer, a wealthy Beverly Hills movie producer who recognizes that his recent malaise stems from an urge to return to the simpler days of his past; and, Helena, Homer's spoiled wife, who doesn't long to return anywhere at all because it's quite clear that she's forgotten where she came from!

I wouldn't presume to steal a single peal of Ms Dravis' thunder by recounting the story. I'll just tell you what she's achieved. In an extraordinarily small number of words, "Homer, Hector and the Smashed-up Jag" will teach its readers a thing or two about happiness, contentment, friendship and racism in a package that is both humorous and entertaining. Moreover, Ms Dravis managed that without even the tiniest lean in the direction of preaching or being patronizing.

And, if like me, you read the entire story and come to its ending realizing that you were expecting something entirely different to happen that simply didn't, then just maybe you'll learn a little something valuable about yourself as well.

Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

We all need more sweet and happy in our lives, and Betty Dravis' short story, Homer, Hector, and the Smashed up Jag provides a big dose. Once again, Ms Dravis' talent and creativity shine through in this little gem. I was completely captivated by this tale. It is a true page turner.

In just a few short pages, Ms. Dravis' brings her characters to life, full of personality and self. We know exactly who they are, and are impressed and won over by them. That takes real skill in short story writing: to completely develop not just one, but several characters, and have them grow and change so convincingly in so few words. These characters are truly alive.

The story itself is highly entertaining, with a subtle life lesson (or two) snuck in. The writing style is quiet and gentle with an easy, comfortable pace. Ms. Dravis does an excellent job of "showing not telling" us her story with lovely descriptions and marvelous characterizations. In the end, I really liked these people, and felt that they had become my friends. I really hope Ms. Dravis puts these new friends into another story.

Oh, and I loved the references to one of Ms. Dravis' novels as the current film project for the main character. Sandra Bullock and Johnny Depp, huh? Very cute...

In this tale, the author gradually unlayers the characters until we view the common core that connects them. Despite the outer trappings of a successful life, Homer and Helena (Helen) have simple roots, as does the character Hector.

Surprised that Hector "reads", Homer begins to understand some of the feelings he noticed almost immediately ("there's something about the man"); as he also begins to fondly reminisce about his own simpler roots, the connection between them is enhanced.

Hector brings out a side of Homer that he has long overlooked, and which his wife has attempted to quash.

But with the deepening connection between the men, a gradual return to these roots also seemingly pulls Helena out of her facade until she, too, is joining the men in their activities.

A seamless unveiling of cultural differences that gradually disappear as the characters find commonality, this story reveals that when humans find something in common, they can let go of their prejudices.

As another reviewer has described, a clever mention of one of the author's books is discreetly subtle...But led to my going online and ordering that book!

I Love This Guy is the 4th collection of the popular webcomic created by Ryan Sohmer and Lars DeSouza, Least I Could Do. For the uninitiated, Least I Could Do follows the escapades, sexual or otherwise, of Rayne Summers, an overgrown frat boy who in this latest edition shows newfound maturity in addition to his usual lovable-jerk persona.

Least I Could Do is at its heart a wish-fulfillment fantasy. Rayne scores dozens of girls, gets a highly-paid executive position without any relevant experience, and drives expensive custom cars. Even the name, Rayne Summers, is a thinly-veiled reworking of creator Ryan Sohmer. In any other comic, having such a Mary Sue as the protagonist would be a kiss of death, but Sohmer and DeSouza make it work.

Least I Could Do is always amusing and frequently hilarious. When push comes to shove, a comic needs to be funny, and very few comics today produce a daily strip that is this consistent. The comic is still most effective during the sexual jokes, and during its homages to geek culture, which Sohmer clearly has a broad knowledge of. Weaker moments come when the comic tries to justify Rayne's behavior, such as during spoof of A Christmas Carol where a ghost shows Rayne his own future coming up roses. It would be a great disservice not to mention the artwork of DeSouza, who must rank on any shortlist of comic artists today. Especially effective are his use of unique shot compositions that add vitality to otherwise ordinary scenes.

In the end, those interested in this book will have read the webcomic and liked it, and are wondering if the print version is worth it. To that query I can answer an emphatic YES. The book is jam-packed with author notes and artist sketches. If you liked the comic, you will love the book.

The book Least I could do "I love this guy" will make you laugh no matter what your mood and its in full color!

I'd like to cover the technical issues first with this book. To say this is a high quality product wouldn't be doing it justice. Not only is the cover thick and glossy, but every page inside is as well. This is a solid, well put together book. The print quality is great as well.

But really, none of that matters if the content isn't gold right? Well fear not, this comic is PLATINUM. For those of you not familiar with ghetto ranking systems, I'm pretty much saying that this is some damn funny stuff. I've only collected one other comic strip collection before and that was Calvin & Hobbes. So me paying money for this (and the other 3 previous books) when I could read them all for free should tell you something about how awesome Least I Could Do really is.

Why not read it for free you say? Other than being an nonsupportive jerk, you'll be missing out on so much! Damn near every strip has commentary from the creators, not to mention random sketches thrown around all over the book as well. Do yourself a favor and check out the strip for free at http://www.leasticoulddo.com/ and if you like it, shell out a few bucks and buy this book! It's worth it, promise!

I Love This Guy is a gorgeous memory for all die-hard Least I Could Do fans, and a knee-slapping-roll-me-over-and-poke-me-I-might-be-dead-I've-been-laughing-so-hard for absolutely anyone who reads it. With the extra commentary bubbles and random artwork between strips, it's a definate must-have. I am THRILLED that I have my own copy!

Lar and Sohmer continue to bring the creative genius and subtle (and not so subtle) wit of Canucks everywhere to print. The fourth installment of the Least I Could Do comic series delivers great comics, fantastic interviews with the writer and image creator and gives you an unparalelled look into their minds. I highly recommend this book.

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!

Let me preface this by saying I'm a HUGE fan of this author, and have loved all her previous Idiot Girl essay books. In fact, they are some of the few books that have earned "keeper" status - I don't swap them. This book did NOT disappoint.

HILARIOUS!! I was laughing out loud throughout, and I think I actually snort-laughed at one point even. The essay on "It's all good" was so so funny - I'm laughing again just thinking about it. The story of her adventures on a cruise ship - priceless! I could really relate to the whitewater rafting trip. I must be an idiot girl, because the author feels like a good friend to me. :)

I stayed up all night (despite the fact that I had to be up at 6am for work, even!) reading this, because I could not put it down. Highly recommended! :) Can't wait for her next essay book!

After being a little let down with her Christmas edition, I had high hopes for this one and was not disappointed. From silly to poignant, Laurie had this Idiot Girl hooked from page 1.

Fast, juicy read that hit all the right spots and funny bones. I got it as soon as it came out and finished it within record time--I'm hoping to see Laurie on tour this year--saw her last year and she was fantastic! This book was everything I expected from her (and more, check out the photo in the back).

I have bought and devoured every Laurie Notaro book that she has written. By far, I still think that her first book was her best. In this new book, I didn't even chuckle until I was almost halfway through it.

Now, the second half of the book was pretty good, but I paid for a hardback book for which I only enjoyed half. I did laugh out loud at a few moments, but there just seemed to be less to be tickeled by this time around.

One of the other things I found a bit irritating was the phrasing she uses. She writes very conversationally, but her passages become so longwinded and mixed that a number of times I had to reread sentences to understand what she was getting at. I understand that this is part of her humorus effect, but this book felt a bit like it was tripping over itself too much.

Don't get me wrong...I will buy the next one when it comes out...but I don't think any of her new material will be as good as her first, or even her second book.

It's that good. For fans of Laurie Notaro, this really is the best yet. If you haven't read her yet, it's a rollicking roller coaster of a ride. You will laugh, you will cry, you will snort. You may just pee. While each story is a gem unto itself, throughout the book little one line comments here and there remind you of previous incidents, providing for multilayered mirth. She is Bailey White and Fannie Flagg rolled into one.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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!

"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.

I got this book for my mom. The title caught my eye because she had a horrible time finding a dress for my brother's wedding and now she has to look once again for my wedding! She loved it and found it very humorous, basically read it in one night. The only thing I wished is that it would have had a checklist or something like that for the mother of the bride. Overall, great book!

What a great book to give the 1st time mother of the bride at the bridal shower. It puts things in perspective! I recommend they read it a couple of days before the wedding.

When my daughter became engaged, I got three copies of this book as gifts. I loved it so much that I have given away the two extra copies that I received to friends who will soon be MOBs!

The book is so real, so funny, so poignant. It succinctly summed up the relationship between mothers and daughters as it detailed the intricate and involved planning process for today's weddings. I loved the way Beckerman gave us glimpses of her daughter's growing-up years.

I felt every feeling the author was feeling --- I laughed, I cried, and I called my daughter to read portions to her.

And today....I found the perfect dress!!!

This book was great. It is written with humor and insight, and I probably would not have appreciated it before this adventure we call "being the M.O.B". It is definately worth every penny.

This is basically an autobiographical comic short story, with wacky illustrations to add to the fun. I bought it as a Mother's Day present for my mom right after I got engaged, and we read it aloud together in our favorite spot on the front porch, passing the book when one of us was overcome with laughter -- or tears. Ilene Beckerman can really write, and she does it with devastating humor and tear-jerking poignancy as she explores -- from the front row view of the mother of the bride -- the fun, the fights, the work, the tears, the trials, and often the complete insanity that all contribute to the creation of a beautiful wedding. At the same time, she critically (and beautifully) examines the complex relationship between a mother and her daughter. This short little gem will help you remember the things you appreciate most about your mother, your daughter...or both.