Humor Books

My family has been caught up in the home improvement craze for years, but our children have gotten in on the act too since becoming fans of one of those "home makeover" shows. So when we took our teenager to pick out paint chips for his room last summer, we shouldn't have been surprised when he chose a "moon rock" green hue, embedded with grains of sand and flecks of glitter. OK...we invited his involvement in the project, so we were going to have to live with the results! Had I read the new book by Laura Jensen Walker, I would have approached this project and others around our home with a little more wisdom and a lot more patience. This Old Dump: Renovate Without Decking Your Mate, (Revell, September 2004, paperback, 156 pages) offers fun and humorous suggestions for surviving your home improvement projects without destroying your marriage in the process. Laura blends hilarious home improvement tales with practical tips and solutions. The book is a fun, helpful and enjoyable read and offers some great ideas. Highly recommend!

Funny lady Laura Jensen Walker does it again. She has a way of taking any subject, adding a humorous twist, and helping us see ourselves through her hilarious stories and keen observations. After trying to wallpaper with my husband years ago I vowed to never do any home improvement with him again. Thanks to Laura's book This Old Dump I feel like maybe we can buy a fixer upper and still stay happily married.

When I picked up "This Old Dump," I still had paint stuck under my fingernails and wallpaper paste in my hair. I found my sense of humor again, as well as many friends in Laura Walker's book--and recommend it for anyone who's hooked on HGTV or who's known by his or her first name at Home Depot.

Stop! Back away from the paint brush and no one will get hurt. That's the recurring theme of Laura Jensen Walker's delightful book about remodeling your home without wrecking your marriage. Using funny but factual real-life stories, Walker reminds the reader that there are as many decorating techniques as there are colors of paint. Unfortunately, many of them don't mix. This Old Dump is not so much a "how-to" as a how-NOT-to. That is, if you value your marriage. Considering a serious home make-over? Stop! Buy the book first. You'll need the comic relief.

This book is as much about maintaining your marriage as it is about maintaining your house. The perfect book for any couple contemplating a home repair project. The life you save may be your own!

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1A4UFMGCBOVJG This is a trailer for the excellent children's book written by Jill Vanderwood, Through the Rug 2: Follow that Dog.

Check out the official Through the Rug website now [...].

Or purchase the book from Amazon: [...]

It seems to be an ordinary visit to Grandma but quickly turns extremely unusual and exciting. This story pulls you in and keeps you involved. Kids will have a different outlook on visiting Grandma after reading this book. My nieces loved it and they now want to move to Wishville! We're looking forward to the author's next books.

Daphne A. Nowell, author
Juana Meets Gabriel, the Small Business Angel (Business Angel Books) (Business Angel Books)

This is a delightful book that will carry children away in their imaginations! I highly recommend it to parents and teachers.

Alyssa's parents are going away for the weekend and she's going to stay with her grandmother. Alyssa is nervous because Grandma is, to say the least, eccentric. Upon arriving at Grandma's house, Alyssa discovers that her grandmother has just earned a degree in magical cooking and she plans to spend the weekend trying out recipes. Alyssa thought this might be fun until she saw what Grandma's magic had done to her dog Domino! Pre-teens will love this book. This book provides bizarre and zany adventures that will tickle the funny bones of 99 percent of the fifth and sixth graders who read it. Hopefully it will keep them interested in reading. Buy this as a birthday present or a Christmas stocking stuffer for a ten-year-old. It is a fun read and one which will be shared with friends.

Who wouldn't want a grandma like Alyssa's Grandma Emma? Instead of competing in the Pillsbury Bakeoff, Grandma Emma has obtained an Honorary Degree in the Magic of Cooking from Harvey's College of Imaginary Arts. She thought it was a normal cooking class, but it turned out to be even better. She learned that she was limited only by her imagination.

When I first started reading Through the Rug, I thought it would be a normal book, then I quickly realized that it would turn out to be even better. After turning her dog named Domino from black and white to hot pink and green, Grandma next turns to a recipe for doing something that we have all at one time or another wanted to do, create more days of the week.

An accident during the experiment ends up taking Alyssa, Grandma, and Domino to the magic world of Wishville, where no long faces are tolerated and only happy people are allowed. The inter-generational fun only begins from there.

Your child and you will both enjoy cooking up an afternoon's fun reading Through the Rug. The only drawback is that at a mere 94 pages, the fun ends too soon.

About the reviewer: Kenneth R. Besser is a stay-at-home dad who is the author of Arnie Carver and the Plague of Demeverde

This book was required reading in my high school biology class, and I loved it. It is very readable, so you don't even realize you are learning about science and the scientific method. And the cartoons are priceless!

Title: To Know A Fly
Author: Vincent G. Dethier
Publisher: Holden Day; New Ed (June 1963)
Paperback: 119 pages
ISBN: 0070165742
Language: English

The complexity and simplicity of the "fly" has been ingeniously revealed to readers of all ages and breadth of scientific knowledge in Vincent G. Dethier's To Know A Fly. While the general reader may not be attracted to a book about flies due to the associated cultural stigma that brands flies as disgusting, ugly, useless pests this book brings attention to their value in regards to the advancement of scientific research.
To Know a Fly is a painless approach to the nature and value of the scientific method with the capability of exciting even the non-scientist. The employment of creative yet simple experiments are conveyed with both humor and wit. While trying to explain the importance of experimental controls Dethier tells a story of a man who believed he had trained a flea to jump. The man prepares an experiment where he progressively removes different appendages. First the feelers are removed and when the man requests "jump" the flea jumps. He continues to remove different parts and the flea continues to jump on command. Eventually only the flea's hind legs remain at which point he removes them and the flea fails to respond to the command. The man concludes that fleas hear with their hind legs. This statement is of course silly yet a great illustration that if experimental controls had been in place a more accurate conclusion could have been generated.
As the author artfully leads the reader on a journey of wonder exploring the many idiosyncrasies of fly, the reader is presented with many simple experiments that can be preformed at home. For example, in one experiment the reader is guided to answer the question: Do flies taste with their feet? First the fly is frozen in the freezer to immobilize him and then swiftly attached at the wings to a pencil that has been coated with hot candle wax. The fly is then lowered so that his feet touch the top of a bowl of water - if the fly is thirsty he will lower his proboscis. When he is done he will retract the proboscis. If the fly's feet are then lowered into a bowl of sugar-water he will quickly extend his proboscis and when quickly dipped into the water again he will retract the proboscis. I'm looking forward to trying some of these experiments myself once the snow melts and I can actually find some flies.
In addition to wondering if flies taste with their feet Dethier asks and answers some other silly yet curious questions, throughout the text, concerning fly behavior and physiology such as: Does the fly land on the ceiling by executing a half roll or an inside loop? To which Dethier reveals the answer is quite interesting. Flies actually hover below the ceiling, reach up above their bodies and attach their front legs to the ceiling and then flip their body over and attach the other legs. A more complicated question presented in the text is: What mechanism causes a fly to select different proteins at particular stages in life? Dethier not only provides several possibilities to explain this phenomenon but also suggests possible experiments to test these hypotheses.
Dethier asserts that the acquisition of fancy equipment and a college degree may help foster a great scientist but that there are two essentials: an insatiable curiosity about life and an experimental organism. He asserts that flies are the ideal experimental organism made up of over 50,000 species. However, today, 44 years after the publishing of this book, there are over 100,000 known species of flies. The validity of some facts in this book can be questioned due to the major advancements in technology that have taken place in the last 50 years. It is recommended that the information in this book be used as a guide rather than as a reference book for it is much too old and out of date.
However due to his credibility it is likely that information in this book was presented accurately based on the current information at the time it was written because Dr. Vincent G. Dethier was a prominent insect physiologist, research entomologist and an expert in his field. He wrote over 170 scientific papers and 15 scientific books of which To Know A Fly and several other books that were written for individuals that did not have a scientific background one of which, Crickets & Katydids: Concerts and Solos, won the John Burroughs Medal for distinguished Nature Writing
Dethier's common sense approach to science makes it enjoyable for anyone with a curiosity for the way the world works. This would be a great book for students starting out in science or students with an aversion to science because it is presented in a humorous tone with interesting antidotes to keep the readers attention. Because this book was written for a non-science audience there is not a lot of technical language among the 14 short chapters making this book easily read within two sittings.
From start to finish there are intertwined stories, experiments, facts, observations, cartoons, questions, and even excerpts from plays. This compilation of different types of writing within one book allows the reader to not only walk away with some noteworthy facts about the fly but also insight into the mind of a scientist. In addition, the simplicistic manner in which the information is presented is capable of provoking thought in even the most advanced scientists.

I assigned this little gem of a book to my psychology students when I was teaching at Antioch College in the late 1960's. I am now asking the teachers who are offering a Science and Math Summer Camp for Alaska Native middle school students to read it, to re-ignite their sense of the fun and excitement of scientific inquiry. Truly a timeless book, it is similar to "The Little Prince" in its capacity to stay in one's thoughts for decades.

An absolute classic little book that uses humor and cartoons to illustrate the joys of science and the scientific method. Perfect for students from junior high through university. I only wish it was still in print so I could assign it for the students in my animal behavior lab course.

"To Know a Fly" is very well known among researchers in the life sciences, but almost completely unknown to the general reading public. That's a great pity, as this is one of the clearest and wittiest books ever written about how science is actually done. Dethier does a superb job in conveying the excitement of discovery, even in as mundane a subject as the common housefly.

Amidst entertaining passages describing how to anethesize a fly (pop it in in the freezer) or make fly scapels (break up razor blades) or surgical probes (drop dressmaker's pins on the floor) you'll learn, in passing, a lot about the neurophysiology of the fly.

If you're student in the life sciences, you owe it to yourself to hunt down a copy of this book. If you're a reader with even a casual interest in science, grab this one if you come across a copy.

Eric Sansom has been entertaining readers for years with his comic strip, Toy Trunk Railroad. An excellent stylist and writer, he creates an imaginary world that's a pleasure to stop and visit time and again. A "must read" for true comic strip enthusiasts.

Give me some good, old timey comics and I'm happy. Erik Sansom has done one better: a new strip full of fun adventures of Casey, Jeb and a whole cast of goofy, well-drawn, well-meaning folks. It's the kind of fun comics work that isn't being done anymore. Well worth reading by a fellow who genuinely loves cartooning.

There are two amazing things about TTR: the art is modern, while giving the impression that it was drawn by a master of years past. And when the final panel pulls into the station, the punchline equals the art.

Actually, there are three amazing things about TTR and this first collection: I have zero interest in the paraphrenalia of trains -- the consequence of being friends with a railfan -- but a complete fascination with surefooted humor. TTR may get about on a rail, but its feet are firmly planted on the ground; smartly dressed in clown shoes.

I'd mention that the main characters are sharply penned and entirely convincing, but I've already surpassed my list of two amazements; I'll leave the rest of the wonders to your discovery.

I'm very impressed by the shifts in alternate realities that take place within the strip, as the inhabitants of a model train layout come to life. It's reminiscent of "Calvin & Hobbes."

If you like fun cartoons with an imaginative flair look no further, your train has arrived. Hop aboard Toy Trunk Railroad for a ride of laughs and chuckles. This book contains all the best aspects of cartooning: stylish artwork, well written jokes and imaginative storytelling. I would recommend it to anyone; in fact I am. Buy this book today and experience the ride you have been waiting for.

Weather your a Law enforcement officer, or a cat burglar, your sure to steal a hardy laugh from this Treasury of Police Humor.

Gaspritz has a gift for bringing out the humorous side of being a police officer. It's not easy to bring out the lighter side of police work, but this book does it with style! The top ten lists are hillarious! The cartoons and the jokes had me rolling on the floor! If you haven't read it yet, you're missing out!!

The sky is too often gray in law enforcement; sometimes it's black. "A Treasury of Police Humor" provides a much-appreciated ray of light. Gaspirtz' book allows cops to laugh at themselves and each other, and civilians to laugh with them, without any ill-will or malice. A delightful book; I chuckled throughout.

A Treasury of Police Humor really tickles the funny bone -- which is located midway between the baton ring and the flashlight holder. This book is must reading for friends and family of law enforcement officers, as well as any member of the service, for its gentle insights into police work.

Finally, someone has written a book that captures the lighter side of police work. As a 29 year law enforcement veteran and author, it is refreshing to see someone like Oliver, put into words (and cartoons) the emotions COPS often feel. A fascinating book everyone, including COPS should read.

This book is exactly what I wanted. I gave it to my dad as a gift and he loves it! The information is so interesting!

I love this book. Right when I got it in the mail I started to read it right away. I actually read this book more at night than in the bathroom. The history series in the Uncle John's bathroom readers are really interesting articles because they tell you information that you always wanted to know.

At this point I think I have all of their books...great for trivia buffs; folks who want to read for a bit, put it down, and read later without following a storyline/plot; history fans, etc.
And as the titles say, they are great for those "Moments of Solitude" on the throne!

I received the first Uncle John's Bathroom Reader as a gift nearly fifteen years ago, and I have enjoyed every one of its many successors. "Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges Into History" is the first of the readers to focus on a specific subject matter, but it is every bit as enjoyable as its more generic brethren.

Whether you read this book in the bathroom or in the living room, you'll really get a kick out of it. Each article is short, interesting and can generally be read in one sitting (so to speak). Although some of the material was new to me, the book seemed to have its facts straight about the stories with which I was familiar. Despite the witty and breezy style, the authors have usually done enough homework to master the basics. To top it off, the "factoids" on the bottom of each page are pretty interesting in their own right!

If you enjoy history lite--featuring short articles that can be read quickly in a series of short sittings--check out "The Bathroom Historian," my ongoing list of books in this genre. Happy reading!

I'm not, by nature, overly impressed with trivia books. I enjoy them at times, but I rarely consider them "page-turners", which is why they are often considered great choices for bathroom reading material. This collection is a welcome exception! History is a fascinating field, something more people need to realize but few can grasp after years of stale high school history lessons. This book has a lot of fascinating material in it, and offers the reader a wealth of hilarious and/or startling trivia. This book is well worth the cost!

its a great gift for someone you have no idea what to get. and it was loved by that person.. for months they just ran around reciting the facts they read in the book. great product

I purchased 3 copies of this book and gave one to my Father-In-Law, my Father and my Husband! They love the book and find it interesting to read.

This book is full of interesting things. You really can learn new things everyday!

If you aren't very smart, don't know how to start a conversation, or better yet take a long time in the bathroom you need this book. It is filled with facts that you want to know not facts that you could care less about (not completely true since there are some stupid stuff but you aren't forced to read it). Did you know that more people have seen David Copperfield perform live than any other performer in the world. Or did you know that blue birds cannot see the color blue. Give this book a try. I love this book because knowing random stuff is always good to know.

The Biggest Bathroom Reader Ever is a great book for adults who feel like they can never accomplish reading because the book is big. Well, okay the book is huge but the articles are only 3 to 4 pages long. The things are really humorous and inquisitive. For example, on page 530 it says that the country of Brazil was named after the Brazil nut. Some of the articles titles are Brand Names, Who Cracked The Liberty Bell?, Diner Lingo, and
Dumb Crooks. If youre looking for a good book I would definitely recommend this book. Also, if you are loking for books to fill your shelf, the bathroom reader series should be on your shopping list.- FeatherBall

Was the perfect Santa gift and the recipient wasn't the wiser on how much I saved!

This book is up to the standards of the former publications and is a welcome addition to my collection.

This book is absolutely a must if you love to read. It has everything from funny quotes and happenings to the history of late-night TV. Also, there is a little known or interesting fact on the bottom of every page. Since I received this book for Christmas last year, I have increased my knowledge of completely irrelevant, but interesting facts by at least 40%. This is great not only for when natures calls, but for long car trips, and whenever you run out of good reading material (which, despite all the magazines I get, seems to happen much too often.)

A co-worker brought this book into our work and put it in the bathroom. Ever since, all of my co-worker's bathroom breaks have gotten a little longer than usual. It is a wonderful thing for any bathroom. The content is absolutely fascinating and the passages are short enough that it doesn't take a long time to finish each one.

But beware!!! Especially bosses out there who don't want their employees taking long bathroom breaks. When this book is put into a bathroom, the bathroom suddenly becomes one of the most popular rooms in the place.

Normally, I wouldn't think of buying this kind of book, but it's been a GREAT addition to our bathroom; we love it! What I love about this bathroom reader book is that all the passages are good, readible sizes, nothing's too long that you have to continue reading it in another sitting (ha-ha). :-) There are some informative sections and some funnies, and interesting quotes. It's a sizeable book that contains many things you'd normally not hear about - the CIA and LSD experimentations (dates back to the Nazi's), people famous for being naked (pg. 157), and a quiz section about law, etc!

You never know what the next page will reveal, it's always a surprise. I also enjoy the bottom of the pages that give you one line info tidbits such as "How can you tell when a kangaroo is nervous? It licks its forearms. Nobody knows why." Interesting! And...."20% of drivers get 80% of the traffic tickets".....and finally "60% of pets in Great Britain have some form of health insurance". Great facts that you'd normally not read elsewhere. This book has 500 pages, lots of reading, and we were surprised it's so interesting. I will definitely buy another edition of this BRI (Bathroom Reader's Institute) Series. Probably great to give as gifts (for fun).

Enjoy and remember like the book says "Go with the flow".

Farrell & Morrow have created a rich, imaginary circus that puts all our preconceptions and interpretations of life (especially college) on stage. UPF turns many of the beliefs we live by mindlessly into elephant men, the fat lady, and half-cocked clarivoyant gypsies for us to ridicule and humiliate. Challenging topics as serious as racism, aneorexia, homosexuality or human disconnectedness is not easy but the book is brilliant in bringing them to the audience dressed in disguise, which makes us think differently about them.
My favorite aspect is the way they pull the blanket off of marketing schemes. Every transaction we make using the Dollar is riddled with business and capitalist strategies; paying tuition is no exception!

Farrell & Morrow have created a rich, imaginary circus that puts all our preconceptions and interpretations of life (especially college) on stage. UPF turns many of the beliefs we live by mindlessly into elephant men, the fat lady, and half-cocked clarivoyant gypsies for us to ridicule and humiliate. Challenging topics as serious as racism, aneorexia, homosexuality or human disconnectedness is not easy but the book is brilliant in bringing them to the audience dressed in disguise, which makes us think differently about them.
My favorite aspect is the way they pull the blanket off of marketing schemes. Every transaction we make using the Dollar is riddled with business and capitalist strategies; paying tuition is no exception!

Farrell & Morrow have created a rich, imaginary circus that puts all our preconceptions and interpretations of life (especially college) on stage. UPF turns many of the beliefs we live by mindlessly into elephant men, the fat lady, and half-cocked clarivoyant gypsies for us to ridicule and humiliate. Challenging topics as serious as racism, aneorexia, homosexuality or human disconnectedness is not easy but the book is brilliant in bringing them to the audience dressed in disguise, which makes us think differently about them.
My favorite aspect is the way they pull the blanket off of marketing schemes. Every transaction we make using the Dollar is riddled with business and capitalist strategies; paying tuition is no exception!

I heard about UPF from a friend's recommendation, and have to say this book is hilarious! It's sharp, biting, dark, and laugh-out-loud funny. My friends and I read sections out loud to one another and it is such a great time. The authors manage to lampoon so many aspects of college life and American culture and they are SO right on about their observations. It's easy to read and can be read in any order since it's all written in short sections; the scholarships and clubs are my favorite and there are 100s of them. Really, I haven't enjoyed a book this much in a long time. Very unique new idea.

Anyone who has attended college or looked at a college catalog will laugh out loud as they browse through the course catalog for the "University of Psychogenic Fugue". A totally fictitious university the satirical catalog includes a history of the college, course listings and descriptions, clubs, awards, crime statistics, admissions information and everything else that you would expect in a real college catalog.

A good example of the strength of the satirical style would be the Hysterical Blindness Award. A student scholarship, it is awarded to two students who "simply convince themselves that the world doesn't have any problems. Award is very similar to how the United States of America refuses to officially recognize the nuclear capabilities of countries it doesn't like." Or perhaps a little information on one of the clubs would be a better illustration. How about the Future Corporate Raiders of America? They "conduct hostile take-overs of other campus groups, fire all the old members and sell their club equipment back to the University. Predatory instinct and lack of humanity required."

A thoroughly enjoyable read it is highly recommended for those that enjoy satire and parody. Pick up a copy today and have a good laugh at a course catalog for real life.

The author's clearly had an array of good -- and bad -- dating experiences. The book zeroes in on some universal truths, but her appreciation of men comes through. Let's hope there's a companion book ("Vital Signs: A Man's Guide...") in the works!

hey wait a minute. i think i know some of those guys! ms. crugnola seems to have her finger on the pulse of the dating world.

this is a look at the hilarious realities of dating and relationships. funny yet not so far fetched...

i laughed til my pulse was racing.

A mix of humorous commentary with observations that ring a bell with your own experiences.

I first read "Vital Signs" while doing something that many men spend much time doing...waiting for a woman to get ready, despite the fact that I showed up right on time. I was met with a half-prepared date, who showed me to her TV, gave me the clicker, and expected me to be transfixed for the obligatory half-hour or so of waiting.

However, this Tuesday night there were no good games on, so I picked up "Vital Signs" in order to get an insight into the mind of this woman that entrusted me with her clicker.

My initial reaction was that this would be one of those "Men always let us down, so let's write a book to bond with whom we are, and to bash them for being whom they are". It turned out to be anything but. The author seemed to genuinely like men, for all of our faults, but managed to provide her readers with "age-old" wisdom wrapped in non-preachy witticisms. I decided to get myself a copy the next day.

I found that while I walked dangerously like some of the "trouble" guys mentioned in the book, I admired the writer for telling women like it is in some respects, "if the signs of trouble are there, deal with them head on, and get out if the going looks rocky". I can't tell you how many of my "chick-buddies" I've preached this to, only to have them shut me out, and do what they want anyway. The author avoids my first inclination to preach, and just reminds the reader of the pitfalls of ignoring "vital signs", whether good or bad. I've recommended the book to a number of friends, one of whom immediately left a voicemail to thank me for being so "enlightened".

I don't know what electricity has to do with any of this, but I recommend taking a look at Vital Signs, for a laugh, and friendly advice.

Lisa Crugnola's Vital Signs, is not only hysterically funny, it is also incredibly insightful to the realities of dating in today's world. The book covers everything from what physical postures and gestures can indicate to the everday concerns we encounter. Lisa's illustrations are expressive and comical. This book is a delightful little treasure every woman should have!