Humor Books

Jennifer Rosen has outdone herself with her latest iteration on wines and unraveling the mystique surrounding them. In my opinion, it is even better and more humorous than her first book. I find myself referring to it again and again. Well worth the cost.

Humorous but also lots of good information. Basically a collection of her newpaper columns.

This is the easiest and funniest writer about wine west of the Hudson! She has been hanging around grapes and writing for the Rocky Mountain News longer than most wine writers and has stomped on grapes and a few inflated heads of others who talk and write about wine. This is a 200 page booklet that will satisfy those just beginning and even those who think they are aficionados! An example of her wit and not taking any of the business of wine too seriously is her chapter (I think all are articles which have appeared in the News) on dessert wines: "Just Desserts, Cressing The Bellybutton." You may think this review sounds like I know Jennifer Rosen, but I have never met her. But, I have been in the high-end restaurant business in Chicago and Florida for 25 years, and know a good thing when I read it!

Jennifer Rosen's latest book is wonderful . . . unless you prefer your wine writing to be stilted, boring, stuffy, and hidebound. She writes much more about the experience of wine than trying to pin it down with odd and obscure flavour and scent descriptions. That, plus her off-the-wall sense of humour make this one of my favourite wine books.

Award-winning wine writer Jennifer Rosen presents The Cork Jester's Guide To Wine: An Entertaining Companion For Tasting It, Ordering It, and Enjoying It, a thoroughly accessible guide to the joy of savoring fine wine for readers of all culinary backgrounds. From how to recognize and distinguish the basic characteristics of wine, to important considerations when storing wine, to how to read and recognize what the nuances of the label say about a potential wine choice and much more, The Cork Jester's Guide To Wine offers savvy advice with wry insights topped off with chuckle-inducing tidbits. An excellent and enthusiastically recommended giftbook for wine lovers of all seasons.

This book is empowering, and I know what I'm talking about - this year I was diagnosed with a nasty cancer (kidney cancer, stage IV (metastasized), grade 4 (aggressive)), so I got to experience fear like I'd never known. The book does a great job of weaving the cancer experience into the rest of life, and Ms. Monique makes it VERY clear that howEVER she feels about it is absolutely okay with her! I don't have breast cancer, but I gobbled every word and I recommend it to everyone involved with any cancer, without exception. (I'm doing very well now, btw.)

After I was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer (really bad), lots of people sent me books - some very spiritual books and some science-y. This book was a breath of fresh air and made me laugh out loud. Send it to the women you know with BC, they will love it. I have given it to many.

I'm so delighted to see this book available through Amazon. The bellyaching laughs and sound advice from this book got me through chemo. Every evening, when my spirits were sinking and I was exhausted, I would treat myself to some Monique humor and inspiration. I applaud the Beth Israel Deaconess medical center for recognizing the importance of this book and publishing it.

Finally a breast cancer survivor who has brought our most valuable emotion -- humor -- to the forefront. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is facing breast cancer, or anyone who is supporting a friend or family member with breast cancer. Well written, great perspective, and it will leave you smiling and encouraged. Who ever would have thought?

As one who is symmetrically challenged, breast-wise as Spencer is, I promise this is a terrific book to read if you or anyone you love is diagnosed with breast cancer. In fact, even if no one you know has the disease, which is unlikely these days, it's a tremendously funny guide for getting through any of life's daunting little challenges. I'd say it is an absolute scream, but I don't want to scare you; it is an hilarious trip, packed also with good information about your diagnosis and what to expect. The humor shines through, a good thing in the worst of circumstances. Speaking of screaming, it put me in mind of a regular day after work when five of us ladies were hooked up to our portaports, getting our dose of poison, I mean chemo, when a four-inch cockroach scurried out from a corner and under a chair. We all hoisted up our legs (as best we could in those recliners) and started screeching and hollering for help. It was like, "Cancer smancher, this friggin dangerous beast just ran across the linoleum!" So, there are indeed laughs to be had--and more than fair are in The Courage Muscle. A great comfort.

Dancing Naked in fuzzy red slippers is a literary mug of hot chocolate. It warms you with sweetness, page after page. The anecdotes, poetry and tales are full of motherly wisdom, sisterly chidings and the brutal honesty of an innocent child. I ordered 15 copies to send to my family....that's my brotherly attempt to open their eyes and to see them smile.

Robert Rambo

I simply loved the book! I really enjoyed the poems and stories and it made me think a lot about life and relationships in general. I think, everybody is able to relate to the content of this amazing book (and not only women). My favourite story is "The Trader", I had a laughing fit and nearly fell off the couch...
But every single poem or story here has its own charm and subtle nuances! I look forward to enjoying a second book from this sympathetic author!

So...I was browsing at a local shop, when my interest was peaked by the title of a book. As I leafed through the pages, I found myself relating to nearly everything I read - inhaling little treasures and laughing - I'm talking knee-slapping, outloud laughing! It became apparent that I HAD to have this book...so, I bought it and couldn't get home fast enough to read it from cover to cover. Dancing Naked... in fuzzy red slippers
is the name of my new favorite book, by Carmen Richardson Rutlen. If you ask me, it is absolutely inspired! Not only did I finish the book in record time, but I was driven to contact Ms. Rutlen that night, to inquire how I might obtain copies for my Simply Smashing boutique customers. Long story short, Carmen personally delivered my books the very next day, hand autographed and with a red feather bookmarks - Voila! My experiences with Carmen have been just as real and wonderful as her stories - no wonder I love her book! Take my word for it, daaahling - this is a fabulous book by a fabulous woman! You'll want to pick one up for your mom, your daughter, your sister and, of course, your best friend!

Dancing Naked in Fuzzy Red Slippers is a relaxing skip through a woman's world. You find yourself nodding in agreement, laughing, and occasionally wondering who told Carmen that little hidden secret about you! This book is part candy, part important introspection that blends together to make a chairside favorite that you reach for again and again...and recommend to your special friends.

I received "Dancing ... Slippers" as a gift and found it's refreshing and raw views on the slices of life to be both fun and thought provoking. I've enjoyed reliving my own experiences through Ms. Rutlen's humorous and truthful perspective. It will be especially hard for me to shake her haunting passages in "Everyone".

Her photo on the back inside flap is absolutely charming!

I've recently purchased this book as gifts for 2 more friends.

Helen Miller-Montana, San Jose CA

I got this for my fiance--she had a few of the original issues and wanted the whole set. It's a lot of fun if you don't mind the almost idiotic amount of scenes stolen directly from movies and other comics. Nothing original (except maybe in it's frenetic rush to cram every James Bond and Indiana Jones and Captain America story ever all together at once) but it certainly is entertaining. Note: Not recommended for guys with jealous girlfriends (lots of gratuitous eye candy in this thing).

I can remember distinctly when Danger Girl came out, one of the premier series of Image's "Cliffhanger!" imprint (along with Ramos' "Crimson" and Madureira's "Battle Chasers"). Danger Girl didn't last long - only seven issues came out before the series proper was cancelled, but what a ride it was. Danger Girl, created by writer Andy Hartnell and artist J. Scott Campbell (of Gen 13 fame) follows the exploits of a group of female spies and adventurers on the trail of some superpowerful artifacts; the only problem is, a superpowerful criminal/political organization, The Hammer, is after them as well. Super high-octane spy fun ensues as a result.

What's surprising about this comic is, with a hokey premise like the one above, just how rip-roaring good it really is. At first blush a product of the mid-1990s "Bad Girls" craze (the main characters are attractive female spies in revealing costumes...hence the title), Hartnell and Campbell combine an obvious love of a good old-fashioned action yarn with pieces of 70s and 80s nostalgia - references to and influences from many pop culture institutions abound, including Star Wars, He-Man, James Bond, G.I. Joe, and many more. There are also ingenious homages to Raiders of the Lost Ark: a car-chase scene near the beginning of the volume (including a very familiar covered cargo truck...) and the climactic scene at the end are pitch-perfect tributes to that seminal action film that will leave readers smiling. Campbell's artwork is another reason to give this comic a chance: walking the fine line between cartoony and stylized, his characters are expressive and relatable, his backgrounds detailed, and his grasp of anatomy highly intuitive. Very much recommended.

But the attitude, dialog, and art in this series truly wins me over in a way that no other graphic novel has. I'll admit to not at all being a comic book junkie, but I do have a collection of close to fifty. I've never read a comic that sucked me in as fast as this one does. The vibrant coloring, extremely cliche and lame one-liners, and incredibly gorgeous women make this a very fun, very enjoyable read for any kid over 13.

I'd definitely rate the content of this book a PG-13 though, because there are a LOT of shots which show off 98% of the girl's bodies. Truth be told, those shots weren't really necessary for me because I enjoyed it for the action and humor, but I suppose there had to be a draw for the average, acne-ridden, comic book reading teenager that they wouldn't get from other comic books. And Abbey and the girls definitely do not disappoint in this area.

As a fan of a like-minded TV show called She Spies, I love this comic and would recommend it to anyone I know to be a fan of light fun reading. The action and humor is none-stop in this book. The only thing I didn't really like was the sub-plot involving "mysterious" male character "Zero". He really WAS a "zero" in my book as I couldn't bring myself to give a crap about him.

Anyway, if you ask me, this series is begging to be turned into a summer blockbuster film and I've actually begun writing a script for it. Probably doesn't mean squat since I'm not at all affiliated with hollywood, but the fact remains that I'd really like to see this series get the big-screen treatment.

To me, this graphic novel perfectly embodies what comics are meant to do. It pulls the viewer into a whole other world for the span of about an hour.

What's included:

Introduction by "Evil Dead" Star Bruce Campbell
Introduction by Danger Girl Creator/Artist J. Scott Campbell
Danger Girl Preview
Danger Girl 1-7
Cover Gallery containing all regular and variant covers
5 Page Danger Girl Sketchbook

Danger Girl is a wonderful world of action and adventure told through beautiful artwork and a story that is just plain fun. It follows adventurer Abby Chase as she is recruited into the female secret agent team known as Team Danger Girl in their attempts to stop an evil terrorist threat to the world from a neo-fascist organization called The Hammer Empire. This trade collects the first and really only good Danger Girl story as most of the one-shots that followed where done by different artists and were not up to par.

Like all the Image books of the 90's, most people paid attention to Danger Girl because of J. Scott Campbell's artwork as he was already famous from the comic Gen 13. But unlike previous Image comics that relied on art, Danger Girl and the other Cliffhanger Comics, Battle Chasers and Crimson, actually had a story that was bearable to read.

Danger Girl is heavily influenced by Campbell's love for the movies, and fortunately his love for downright entertaining movies such as Indiana Jones and Back to the Future. While the story resembles Charlie's Angels, True Lies, or a James Bond film more, it holds the feel of all those entertaining and fun adventure and spy movies by not taking itself too seriously.

A particularly enjoyable element to the comic is the "Previously in the pages of Danger Girl" page that begins each issue of Danger Girl. In just one page, the creators recap the last issue, throw in some funny captions, and always use a "cliffhanger" by warning of our heroes' "apparent DOOM!" These recaps have the campy feel of old TV shows like Bullwinkle and the Adam West Batman when they would preview the next episode.

What adds to the story-telling is Campbell's artistic style that is influenced by animation which gives the characters movement and expression rather than just magazine poses. Campbell also uses many widescreen panels along with well-timed close ups to show that he really had the cinematography of the story in mind when creating Danger Girl to make it feel like an action movie.

The weakest part of Danger Girl: The Ultimate Collection is the 5 page sketchbook in the back. It is interesting to see some inner-workings of Campbell's art, but it is not nearly enough for fans of his work. These sketches and many others can be found in "J. Scott Campbell's Danger Girl Sketchbook."

All in all, Danger Girl is a fun comic that strays away from the superhero theme and actually puts a little comedy into a "comic" book. The art is great and the story is entertaining. Take Danger Girl for what it is and don't take it too serious because it doesn't take itself that serious.

The tone of Danger Girl falls somewhere between a wry pastiche and loving celebration of all things 'spy' - at once ultra-cool, and uber-camp, spectacular and cliche, tantalisingly sexy and good clean fun. The stylised, gorgeously colorful pages positively ooze action, and the cinamatic layout draws you the delightfully exciting and improbable world of Abbey Chase, renowned explorer and rogue. Like any Bond film worth it's salt, the plot kicks off with a (literally) explosive opening sequence in which Abbey, with Indiana Jones' determination (and Lara Croft's bosom) chases down a lost artifact and is introduced to covert crime-busting team, the Danger Girls - fronted by the mysterious 'Deuce' (a witty and adroit caricature of Sean Connery).

It seems as if every page that follows is riddled with references to other spy and action thrillers, from shiny gadgets to pithy one-liners (usually delivered mid-battle, or following a sticky demise) and constantly treads the line between gentle ribbing and heartfelt admiration - it seems pretty clear that this is the world that J. Scott Campbell would inhabit if he could (probably with his own island fortress and buxom bodyguards). Its hard not to grin at the pure exhilarating pace, peppered with set pieces that would honor any summer blockbuster, and I frequently chuckled with delight at the plot-refreshers between each chapter (in my head they were narrated by James Earl Jones, and prefixed with 'Previously, on DAAAANGER GIRL!).

Having been indoctrinated into the team, we chase Abbey and her Danger Girl chums as they battle across Europe in defiance of the evil Hammer Empire - a neo-fascist regime with dreams of world-domination (seriously, are there any neo-fascists out there content to just read the paper and watch Jeopardy?). Cue car chases, romantic interludes, gun, knife and fist fights and of course plenty of heaving chests crammed into leather catsuits. Every frame is furiously detailed and, as I mentioned earlier there is sufficient skin on display to induce the loosening of collars - though in a James Bond-ish, PG13 kinda way. Aside from the pneumatic qualities of its Heroines, the artwork is simply superb, and its gratifying that every page is treated with the same glamor and sharpness.

In keeping with its big-budget movie cousins, the plot really isn't that unique, and the twists and turns didn't leaving me shaking my head. Still, it all fits perfectly as a 90 minute popcorn-munching ride, and this edition features some bonus artwork (cover art, conceptual sketches etc), plus a forward by Bruce 'Evil Dead' Campbell which sets the tone nicely.

If this was a film it would be produced by the Wachowski brothers, Directed by John Woo and star Jenna Jameson and Angelina Jolie. As a graphic novel, I heartily recommend it to comic-fans, newcomers alike, and anyone else who could use a bit of Danger in their lives.

I have read all of the Mental Floss books, and this may be the best yet. The "Dead Guy Interviews" are short (2-6 page) conversations between author Michael Stusser and famous figures from history. His imagination is so colorful and the statements from the "interviewees" so realistic that I had to keep reminding myself that these were not real interviews.

Stusser really brings these characters to life. He captures their mannerisms, speech patterns, and idiosyncracies. And his humor is wonderful. Some of the funniest moments are when he tells J. Edgar Hoover that his bra strap is showing and asks artist Frida Kahlo if she ever considered getting her mustache waxed. I was left entertained and wanting to know more about some of these famous characters.

For anyone who thinks history is boring, if they read this book, they're sure to change their mind.

The book gives you a general idea about each famous guy. It is very fun to read. My daught who is 12 likes this book too.

I don't rave about many books, but this is quite simply one of the most ingenious and enjoyable books of recent years. Stusser is a regular contributor to mental_floss magazine, as well as other venues, and that comes through loud and clear here. The book reminded me of Steve Allen's show, "Meeting of Minds," back in the 70s, I think, which was based on the same premise. Different actors would play the various historical figures, and Allen would interview them, and it was very well done, quite entertaining, and even informative. I remember veteran actor Alexander Scourby played a very convincing St. Thomas Aquinas, and even Poncho Villa made an appearance, although I don't recall who played him. :-)

Anyway, this book reminded me of Allen's old show, and I was delighted to find it. Many of the names are the same, obviously, but there are differences, too. Among those who appeared on Allen's award-winning show were (in chronological order): Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, Cleopatra, Marie Antoinette, Florence Nightingale, Thomas Paine, Francis Bacon, Thomas Jefferson, Voltaire, Charles Darwin, and Poncho Villa. You're bound to find some of your favorites here in Stusser's book (mine were Einstein, Ben Franklin, and Winston Churchill), but the other interviews are fun, too. And by the way, the interview with Sigmund Freud is hilarious what with all the off-color, risque comments and bantering back and forth between Stusser and Freud.

The different characters respond in persona to the questions, and even when the interviewer throws in a tough question, they still respond in persona. The whole concept is terrific, and very cleverly and ingeniously executed. It's a great book for your nightstand; that is, if you can manage to fall asleep after chuckling so much at how convincingly the various personas have been recreated in interview format.

I first heard about The Dead Guy Interviews on YouTube, of all places, and immediately knew I was onto something new and amazing. (The author's conversation with Dr. Sigmund Freud is pure genius.) In addition to being one of the funniest books I've read in years (look out David Sedaris and Al Franken), the great thing about The Dead Guy Interviews is that you learn so much about the historical figures featured. It really is like sitting down with Napoleon (who needs a high chair) or Cleopatra (who tries to make a pass) - but in addition to having great dinner conversation, you leave the table feeling like a historical scholar!

Stusser's style goes beyond the comic writers doing similar books today - Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Michael Moore, etc. - because he has done his research and then some. Along with Stusser's own investigation, The Dead Guy Interviews was researched by Harvard historian Anne Kaiser (who was director of the Program on Information Policy for 25 years) and fact-checked by the staff of mental_floss magazine. When I was finished with the book, I felt like I personally knew Lincoln, Van Gogh, Beethoven, Frida Kahlo and so many more of the most interesting people in all of history. Pretty amazing folks to have over at a cocktail party, I must say! I can't recommend this book enough. Hope Stusser puts out another version soon. Amazing.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1CY8XGRCIU2IZ

This book is very interesting, part cookbook part Hollywood scandles.

Laurie Jacobson delves into some of Tinsletowns most interesting stories.
From the murder trial of Spade Cooley (who killed his second wife in the 1940's) to the untimly death of the orginal Edna Turnblat (Divine) Lauie Jacobson tells about the scandals and then shows a recipe connected to that person (After talking about Roman Polanski she shares a recipe for the nachos he at before fleeing to Europe during his rape trial.)

A very interesting book.

I had so much fun reading this book! The stories are great and Miss Jacobson clears up a lot of false Hollywood rumors. The best part about this book is that it includes chapters about some forgotten stars like Carole Landis, Dorothy Kilgallen, and Lupe Velez. Anyone who is a fan of classic Hollywood and loves juicy gossip will want this book.

I fortuitously fell into this little gem the day after xmas.....a belated "BEST" present to myself.
While I already own Jacobson's two other books and hold her in high regard, this book proves that she is only getting better as a film historian and writer.
She assumes a slick, quasi-cinema noir persona in her narrative and mixes in a Sandra Lee-like easy 'recipe' that takes a not too subtle slam at each of the scandals/stories she relates. The vanity of the 'dish' (aka scandal/tragedy/hard luck story) only enhances the general readability of this book. This is a novel approach that makes an already interesting product even more appealing. I kept thinking that the author did a terrific job with the material she was presenting.
Aside from the kidding around, this book is really rather fair and factual. The author knows her stuff and relies on knowledgeable sources to substantiate or refute claims made in the book.
My only criticism of this book is that I wish it had been longer and had covered some other stories that I find interesting and want to know more about. Hopefully there will be a follow-up to this book which will do that.
Anyway, this is a very good read and worth the $ and time spent reading it.

I love Laurie Jacobson's books and this one is the best yet!!! I love her "juicy little tidbits" about the stars of yesteryear. The stories are very entertaining and I love the fact that she also included recipes to match the stories. A very clever thing to do!!! It's almost like 2 books in one, a gossipy book and a cookbook! I hope she continues to research Hollywood and to write wonderful books about the stars!!!! My only complaint---it's not long enough!!! I am ready for a "Dishing Hollywood II".

I highly recommend Dishing Hollywood The Real Scoop on Tinseltown's Most Notorious Scandals. Laurie Jacobson really knows her stuff and serves up heaping portions of scandal and intrigue of Hollywood's most notorious stars. I have read all of the author's books and Dishing Hollywood is Jacobson at her best. Jacobson brilliantly spins tale after sordid tale, "sprinkles" famous film quotes throughout each chapter and "tops" off with a recipe of the star's favorite dish (or, in some cases, their last meal!). Dishing Hollywood is a tasty treat, and I can't wait for Jacobson's next book!

We run one of the most popular daily adult joke websites on the net, and as such we often feel like we've run across every tired old wheezer of a joke that's ever been written.

This book proved us completely wrong; this is a TON of the best and funniest jokes now circulating, and none of the garbage. We only wish we'd thought of this first!

I have collected all the dirty joke books from their debut in the middle 80's. The ones that have been coming out in the last 6 years or so, have been a rehash of the old ones. This one is DYNAMITE! It's gross and excellent. The jokes are new and extremely good. Any of the older jokes (Which represents the ones frome the older joke books are the best ones of the bunch.) I hope they come out with edition II.

I was fortunate enough to purchase this book while dining in Japan's finest mexican food restaurant. The owner says he is good friends with Mr. Goatskin and Mr. Foreskin.

If you hate getting constant Forwards from friends with jokes that you have to muddle through the 50 times it was forwarded before it got to you, due to the fact that most internet and computer users are oblivious to this thing call cut and paste, look no further. Our research team tells us that this book has every joke forwarded from person to person all over the world in it.

So when you get that email from a friend where the subject line reads; "FW: Ha-ha" or "FW: Thought this was funny" or "FW: LOL", delete it and buy this book and you will have all those jokes.

These jokes are funny. There are one-liners, stories, battle of the sexes jokes. It is just like the title says. This book is way better than Drew Carey's.

Never have I seen such a collection. It's not the one or two funnies here and there type of book. Every joke, every page, this one will either make you laugh or make you sick.

So funny, I made my husband highlight his favorites and then compared them with mine. Very funny! Great to review before going to parties.

My son received this book as a gift about a year ago and he's six now and still loves it. And then a few days ago, he surprised his mother by opening the book and proceeding to read it to her nearly word for word. He's in kindergarten so we had no idea his reading ability had reached this far. (We read to him nightly). Anyway, this book has achieved its own place in our family history.

I mean REALLY loves it. She took it out of the library and I had to force her to take it back because other kids wanted it. When I ordered it she asked me every day if I thought it would come.

It's a very cute book with lots of vocabulary so I, as a parent, can recommend it very highly.

But just realize it may become an addiction to your young reader.

You've been warned!!!

This was one of the best books I have ever purchased for my four year old grandchild. I brought the book when I came to babysit for the day and can't count how many times I had to read and reread this story. Almost every time I go there I am asked to read this story. I also enjoyed reading and rereading it to her. It wouldn't surprise me if my granddaughter is soon reading this to her younger brother. When you are told not to open this book it grabs your attention and doesn't let go til the very last page. I would like to let you in on some of the funny things in the story, but that would spoil the surprise for you. You'll have to find out for yourself.

My 5 and 4 year olds have been reading this book for a few years and absolutely LOVE it. They scream laughing each time we hunt to track it down at the library. It is a great read aloud book to a group of kids and is silly and fun. We finally are planning to get our own copy for the holiday since we get tired of renewing it or trying to find it at our library.

I bought this book for my 6 year old grand daughter. I had her 3 yr old sister help wrap the book. She LOVED the book and wanted to have me keep reading and reading the story. She had belly laughs. Her sister also had belly laughs when she opened the book. Sure to be a favorite.

My husband and I ran across this book when a friend bought it as a birthday gift for his brother (in his late 20s). We read through it and loved it! It has so many different ideas that are terribly immature, but why do we all need to grow up? Life needs to be fun.

We decided to buy it for our nephew who is turning 16. He'll get a kick out of it and have fun doing a bunch of the ideas in the book. I'm sure my husband will get him started and make sure he does a few things right away.

This is a great gift for anyone who is young and heart and has a great sense of humor! I'm also thinking about getting it for my brother on his next birthday (he'll be 34), but I'm not sure he needs it since he is immature enough.

I would have to say that this gift is best for the boys, but some girls might like it, too. I think it is funny, but not nearly as much as my husband. The girlfriend of our friend's brother hated the book, but she didn't have much of a sense of humor.

Strange look on daughters face when she opened it-but everyone had a blast trying some of the tricks. Favorite was the leg swinging clockwise trick. This is a book they will go back to again and again for more indepth fun. The perfect book for boy or girl that likes practical jokes, magic, science etc. This book will be loved for a long time.

I bought this book and another book edited by Klutz that was offered as a paired combo by Amazon for both my 13 yr old grandson and 16 yr old nephenw as a result of a book review in the New York Times. They have both commented to me that they are enjoying both books.

This was a
Christmas present for a grandson. All of the kids spent all day pouring over it.

"How to create a fake leg" to stick out of your parents' car trunk when they drive away. The plans to the world's greatest paper airplane that my 7-year old son could follow. How to make photographs of tiny people. From practical jokes to practical necessities (how to whistle with your fingers, how to make unseemly noises with your armpits), this book provides literally hours of laughter-induced tears and entertainment. My wife found it with me in mind, but we soon realized what a perfect gift it was -- as, apparently, did the rest of the United States, as we found copies in extremely short supply. Kudos to the Klutz folks. This is a pure masterpiece of sophomoric humor -- and stuff you really need to know (like how to balance the saltshaker at an improbable tilt. Bravo!

I received this book as a gift, sent to me by my friend Carol Howard. After putting it in the mail, she sent an email to let me know "a special book" was coming. She didn't want to spoil the suprise by telling me the name of the book or its author, so here (with her permission) is how she described the book:

"It is a great book by a very famous author and by the time you finish this book your consciousness will be changed forever. You will never look at the world in the same way ever again if you sit down and read the book all the way through in one sitting especially. But beware, you will experience small tremors and convulsions in your body as you read through this book for it has a profound effect on the consciousness and really gets the energy going. I don't want to tell you the name or the author because I want it to be a surprise. But he is very famous and has a cult following and is hailed by critics as one of the most original thinkers of our time. This book definitely lets you see into parallel universes and stimulates creative thinking among other things. So I really hope you like it and I also hope you save this email so you can tell me if I described the book accurately to you."

Next day she added: "...don't worry, even though the writer and the book have a cult following and it is very cathartic, the followers are not too rigid because it is about stuff that everyone can relate to, and also has a lot in it about animal communication and their view of our world that is often revolutionary and startling."

Well, I was surprised, to say the least. Although her description was completely misleading, it was also completely true! As she'd warned, I indeed experienced "tremors and convulsions" (of laughter) and all the rest. I laughed out loud. Then laughed again when I re-read Carol's email description.

By the way, of all the cartoons in this volume, I had only seen two before. But your mileage may vary.

In summary, this is a great book that I was lucky enough to get from a great friend with a great sense of humor.

It was an ok purchase. I am a die hard fan of far side as it appeals to my sense of humour. However, it had about as much duration as the average archie comic and left no lasting impression. No desire to re-read. Overall a fair book.

i can't tell you whether or not to buy this collection, you either like gary larson's work or you don't. and if you know his work, and everyone does, you already know if you want this. it's a winner. and has a brief intro by stephen king--it comes to no surprise that king is a fan of the far side. they seem to fit together.

I'll write the review for this book as soon as I'm able to stop laughing.

The Far Side Galleries are literature's version of greatest hits CDs. This edition is even forwarded by Stephen King.

The artistic masterpieces in this one come from the books Brides of The Far Side, Valley of the Far Side and It Came From the Far Side. It may be cheaper to buy these books individually instead of this gallery so compare prices before purchasing.

The advantage of owning the galleries is that some cartoons are full page size which is three times the size of the original books. Not all cartoons are full size though just some.

Classic cartoons contained in this one such as dogs looking at slides with one pointing to the screen, "Now in this slide we can see how the cornered cat has seems to grow suddenly bigger, Trickery! Trickery! Trickery!" Another has a guy waking up with a post it note on his left foot where his toe should be with the words "Went to market" on it. The classic human parody of nagging where a bear demands of her husband who has No. 8 shaved into his fur, a huge tag with no.8 on his ear and a needle sticking out of him "Late Again! This Better Be Good!"

Is this book better than other galleries? Well that's a matter of opinion, different ones appeal to different people. Should you buy it? Yes!