Humor Books

This book is easily the best book I've ever written... the only one, actually. Dan Dunn is great. Dan Dunn is me.

Dan Dunn has written a book that is not only freakin' funny, but is also a very informative tome about the history of booze. If you are unable to travel this year, pick up this book, pour yourself a drink and take a trip with Dunn as he traverses the world in search of free booze and food. You will not be disappointed.

"Nobody Likes a Quitter" rocks, which makes sense, because author Dan Dunn apparently likes his liquor on the rocks and, well, in just about any other form. Dunn, a professional booze writer for numerous magazines and newspapers, manages to bundle up his social life, professional life, and the life of the various skid-row bums he calls friends and roommates --- who may or may not be completely real but who are unfortunately at least 75% real --- into a tight roman à clef narrative of debauchery and merriment.

It's hard not to see the parallels to "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" by Dunn's mentor and one-time bothersome Colorado neighbor, Hunter S. Thompson. (The two used to hang together in the 1990s, and Dunn apparently has the crazed late-night voicemail message from Thompson on his machine to prove it.)

Admittedly, and Dunn would have to agree, Quitter isn't as literary as Fear and Loathing --- there's no stated quest to find the American dream, although Dunn seems to be living it; no stated agenda of capturing the essence of generations x, y or z --- but the rhythm and the fun and the spirit (and spirits) are there. Whereas Thompson was on assignment for Rolling Stone and his fuel was his narcotics, Dunn consumes nearly every known mainstream and indigenous intoxicant in North America and Europe while remaining ever so loyal to the Deadline, capital D, and his responsibility to his readers.

Dunn is proud and irreverent, with 12 chapters in Quitter based on AA's 12 steps. This is the stuff he obviously couldn't put into his newspaper columns. Aside from the sex, which is sloppy enough to believe, there's the feeling that any responsible newspaper editor, knowing the true background, would send Dunn to rehab instead of footing the bill for his drinking orgies.

I'd call this required reading for any serious educated drinker. There is a narrative, sort of, in a hazy drunk kind of way: The letters between him and a Fox TV executive about some ill-fated pilot are worth the price of admission, as is the high-as-a-kite Larry King story. Yet layered in here also is the history of booze, in sidebars, and lessons on cocktail making. Like a Long Island Ice Tea, the various poisons somehow mesh in an intoxicating read.

-cw

If you love fiction and comedy, you will love this book. Dan dunn is a unique writer and his book is worth reading. Just take a look at the endorsements and you will know that this book is for those with a sense of humor. Buy, read and enjoy. We did!!

The identity of the man who pens one of America's most widely circulated booze columns is illusive. From humble beginnings as a local newspaper columnist in Aspen, Colorado, to rubbing elbows with the rich and famous at swank L.A. mixers, the public truly knows little about this man of mystery, despite a career that threatens to bleed through three or four decades. His mystique remains uncompromised in the pages of Nobody Likes a Quitter. Dunn's episodic remembrances are seasoned with recipes for cocktails and shots, tips for selecting premium spirits and advice on who to drink them with. For the modern bathroom and subway reader, this format is ideal--this way you can pick up or leave off anywhere in the book without loosing your orientation. No matter when-- no matter where-- no matter if you're sipping straight Johnnie Walker Blue or chugging from a Dixie cup of Franzia boxed wine-- you're going to have a good time with this book.

I spotted this book in my wife's beachbag while on vacation in Hawaii last week. Bored with the political non-fiction I was reading I picked up Planet Idiot and randomly read the chapter on buying art. What a riot! I read the whole book that afternoon and was laughing so hard I was in tears. At times I had to stop reading because my eyes were watering so much from laughter. Not only is this book funny but it makes a point that I think we should all follow. Don't take ourselves too seriously. I would recommend this book to anyone. Even the idiots.

Planet Idiot: A Survival Guide by newspaper columnist Lindsey Stokes is unafraid to say aloud the secret realization that lurks within the mind: that yes, the Earth is indeed full of idiots top to bottom. From idiots behind wheels to insincere idiots, bureaucratic idiots and health club idiots, they are everywhere and surviving among them is a challenge in and of itself. The greater focus on Planet Idiot is in teaching the reader how to prosper in spite of worldwide idiocy, through personal priorities, optimism, embracing challenges, altering expectations, and learning to laugh. Planet Idiot is funny, insightful, satirical, eclectic, and highly recommended reading.

Stokes knows how to be funny and astute without being so damned mean. Because I've never mastered that practice, that particular skill goes a long way with me. Her voice and style and chosen topics are undeniably likeable- she probably is too.

Read it and expect to laugh, both at yourself and at others. She'll gently remind you of some important lessons, none of which you learned in Kindergarten.

Planet Idiot by Lindsey Stokes was a breath of fresh air in literary humor. It provided a great deal of thought-provoking insight as well as plenty of laughs. It took my mind off all my troubles and gave me a new way to look (and laugh) at my problems. Erma Bombeck has nothing on Lindsey Stokes!!!

I loved this book. It's a book that makes you laugh out loud about the crazy things she is describing about people...and then realize that you are one of the people she is describing! I really laughed a lot. And, it made me think twice about a few things I do everyday that just don't make any sense. My fiance enjoyed the book as much as I did, so it is definitely a book for both sexes. Enjoy!

Fantastic, one of my favorite cat books. Every time I pick it up, I change my mind about what the best poem is.

I actually remember lines from these poems sometimes, in circumstances where less happily placed people would recall lines from the original
poems !

By the way, 'Beowulf' is about the least wonderful, perhaps because the original was of no interest to me; too bad that that is the one Amazon used as the excerpt.

I've read some of these as "friendly email" forwards, with no attribution. Folks, always use accurate attributions; People like Henry Barber (the 'editor' of these works) deserve to make a living out of what they produce. :-)

Also by the way, 'French for Cats' by Henri B. The little furfaces gather when I practice the French phases in it. Tell me French is not the natural language of cats! :-)

Readers of Poetry for Cats: The Definitive Anthology of Distinguished Feline Verse by Henry Beard will notice how much influence humans have on cats. Cats will not enjoy having this pointed out. They work hard to protect their free will and try to dictate the terms of their relationships with humans. You can not just pick up a cat and expect it to be happy being held; you have to wait until the cat is ready. Cats will not play with toys just because you want to play. Cats appear to think independently, but their poetry betrays them.

Here is a bit of verse written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's cat:

I chased a mouse beneath the stair,
It went to ground, I knew not where;
For, so swiftly it ran, my sight
Could not follow it in its flight.

Sound familiar?

There is more. Samuel Taylor Coleridge's cat wrote the following:

In Xanadu did Kubla Kat
A splendid sofa-bed decree
With silken cushions soft and fat
A perfect feline habitat
Set on a gilt settee.

Here is another sample, this time by William Shakespeare's cat:

To go outside, and there perchance to stay
Or to remain within: that is the question:
Whether `tis better for a cat to suffer
The cuffs and buffets of inclement weather
That nature rains on those who roam abroad
Or take a nap upon a scrap of carpet ...

Have you noticed a trend? It appears that cats listen more than they let on, and they even identify with the humans with whom they relate. They certainly borrow verse as freely as they claim their favorite chairs.

Cats do deserve some credit for knowing what poetry to borrow and adapt as their own. They are able to turn bits of Chaucer, Keats, Frost, or Ginsberg into works that serve their purposes, such as catching goldfish, breaking vases, or berating Whitman for sleeping too late. In near unison they raise their voices to complain about their vets.

One thing that surprises me about Poetry for Cats is that Henry Beard never reveals the cats' names. I can not imagine that Emily Dickinson had a nameless cat!

Poetry for Cats is an attractive book with colorful illustrations and is still in print after eleven years. I found our copy when inventorying the poetry collection. I am afraid few people have borrowed it lately, so I am going to put it on display. The cats need to be heard.

The only thing wrong with this book is that one has to both love cats and be educated in poetry. (In other words, there's no one else I know who can appreciate this book!) I like some of Henry Beard's poems even better than I do the originals. I'm especially glad that he chose to interpret some of my favorite poems (e.g., "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," and "Xanadu.") Henry Beard is extremely talented; this sort of thing is very hard to do. (I know; I've tried.) This is a MUST for anyone and everyone who loves cats and poetry.

Henry Beard has both a good knowledge of the original poems and of cats. His spoofs are tremendously clever, and he chooses the most common poems in English literature, so most people will recognize them. I laughed myself nearly sick. It's as good as jogging! ;-)

This book is funny in and of itself; however, if you are familiar with the poems on which these are based, you're in for a special treat. Beard doesn't just substitute words: his premise is that the poets' cats wrote these poems, which makes "She Walks In Booties" or "Abyssinias" even more feline, er, sublime...

Joe Keenan's second novel is even better than his first! The farce gets wilder, and it remains consistantly funny. Joe makes it look so effortless that he shames those of us who have turned our own hands to the comic novel and turned out lesser work than his. This time out Donald and Ivana Trump are satirically lampooned, or more accurately, harpooned, disguised by a microscopic veneer of fictionalization. This book is hysterical. If you don't laugh at it, I can only pity your humourless existence.

This is a great follow up to Blue Heaven, which should be read first since they refer to some scenes in this book. The same cast of zany characters come to life again here, in equally as insane scenarios. Similar character acts comparison: Lucy and Ethel.

Joe Keenan's "Putting on the Ritz" is a novel that is like watching Rosalind Russell in "Auntie Mame", quick, witty, full of laughs and the perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon. It is a sequel to his first novel "Blue Heaven" and surpasses it with engaging characters and a dizzying plot that keeps you turning page after page. I have read the novel several times and enjoyed it more with each reading.

Now that Mr. Keenan has proved himself successful on television as a writer and producer for Frasier on NBC, perhaps he will take pity on his fiction fans, take a season off and catch us up on Philip Cavanaugh's latest adventures.

Please Joe, we want another book!

Does anyone know Joe Keenan personally? He has got to be convinced to keep this going. I can't tell you how many times I have read this and Blue Heaven - I simply never tire of them. Also, I am wondering if someone knows of other similarily genial books in this genre that I can get my hands on. I can't help but think that the rest will be disappointing knock-offs but I'm willing to try anything!

Even better than the first book, Keenan's humorous take on gays and New York is entertainment of the first rank. Anyone who can do analogies to Gershwin, Philip Glass and Charlotte Corday has lots going for him in my book. This time Philip Cavanaugh gets roped in by Gilbert Selwyn into an on-going feud between rival millionaire publishing magnates. Philip knows better than to get involved in another of Gilbert's schemes, but gets trapped by love--the initiator of the plot is this beautiful man named Tommy Parker who Philip falls madly for. Of course, Claire gets involved as well (without knowing Gilbert's involvement or the actual scheme) and the books is an exciting ride to the last page.

My only disappointment is that, as far as I know, Keenan hasn't written any other books. Someone hurry up and give that man a contract!

I found this book to be nothing but fabulous; it combines wit, first-hand experience, and seemingly uncanny observations. As a teacher myself, I can confidently say this--but for this reason I'd have to admit that there's nothing really uncanny about it at all! Also, on the most basic level, Ms. Cane's book is simply a pleasure to read. The wider exposure it gets, the better!

Anthony Newkirk, Mexico City

This is one of those books that after you read it you can reflect on it and still learn something. This book is great for all you deadbeets who are always looking for the easy way out of life. I cant wait untill this book comes out in english so that the Americans can read it and get the same kick out of it as I did. This could not be a better book and I am confident that when it comes out in english it will be just as good. But since it is in spanish I think all the spanish speakers in the world should read it and learn something about how to be a "Huevon." This book is truly a must read.

This is the bible for huevones. If you want to live your life in the simplest way possible, and at the same time thrive, just get up that couch and read Sabiduria para Huevones.
I've told my American friends about this book and they can't wait to get a copy of it in English.

This little guide to many of life's conundrums may look tiny, but there is much wisdom and common sense between the covers. Ms. Cane shares her life experiences with wit and compassion. A definate must for those of us (and who isn't?)looking for a wise but no nonsense friend to tell us what's what.

Gracioso pero sobre todo inteligente. Cane es una escritora virtuosa. El libro tiene cualidades muy graciosas que lo hace muy entretenido. La parte más importante y fascinante del libro es la sabiduría. La sabiduría practica de cómo pasar por la vida siendo perezoso pero sin fracasar es magnifica.

I got this as a gift. It has great coverage of a whole lot of the popular characters. Also has step by step drawings for many of the favorites. If you know someone who is into drawing, and enjoys the Simpsons, it is highly recommended.

My husband and I grew up watching the Simpsons, so when this book came out my husband was very interested in it. I got it for Christmas for him. He was very happy to see how many characters they show you how to draw, and how detailed the pictures are.
This is very good buy for a Simpsons fan, or someone interested in learning to draw.

Very well written and illustrated, Very easy to follow the instructions and get first class results. I bought it as a gift for my eight year old nephew and now he's ready to start illustrating for the TV show ... well not quite But he's enjoying it. Five Star Product

Great book. So much fun for the weekend drawer. Could have more information/fun facts. But still, great book.

This is a really good book! If you love the art of The Simpsons, ever wondered how they are made? This book is for you. It is that very well made that it even seems easy to draw them!

I decided to read this book because I've been impressed with Talbot's work in Gaiman's Sandman series, and I was surprised at how much I liked it. It addresses the important issue of sexual abuse in a way that makes it very personal. It also cleverly worked in the synchronicity between the protagonist's life and that of Beatrix Potter. My only criticism is that sometimes the theme of abuse wasn't brought in subtly enough, but overall this was an excellent graphic novel.

I bought this book to write a research paper for my PhD course. My personal impression is that young readers prefer to see more visual material even when 'reading'. This is a great source to inform and educate them on the events that happen in the story. Also the preword and the epilogue are very useful.

This fine graphic novel is a stellar example of what comics can do better than any other artform. Prose by itself wouldn't convey the combined power of text & illustration Talbot uses to such stunning effect. Beginning with the Beatrix Potter-style cover art, he offers layers of emotional & artistic meaning, utilizing flashbacks, fantasy, and harsh realism to tell the story of a damaged but ultimately victorious young woman -- and he's able to tell it from both the inside & from a more omniscient viewpoint. His detailed & expressive faces provide nuances that would do many accomplished actors proud.

What makes this work is that it's not just A Very Special Episode sort of story. Helen is an individual, not a case study, for all the extensive background material. Her story is not simply about healing & recovery, but about the importance of art, as well as the struggle towards wholeness that every human being must undergo. And the lush, colorful art only adds to the richness of this work, which rewards many rereadings. Highly recommended!

I've seen several people criticizing the cover art of this book, and I think this needs clarifiction.

If you read Beatrix Potter books as a child, as I did, you would have recognized immediately that the cover is a direct homage to the classic white covers of the little books. The plain white background, centered watercolor illustration, and even the title font is a faithful echo of every tale she ever published. Go check out one and see if you don't revise your opinion. I was, in fact, drawn to the book immediately BECAUSE I recognized it as a Beatrix Potter concept.

Oh, and the story is a very good one, and timely. :)

Like Spiegelman's Maus and Satrapi's Persepolis books, this graphic novel shows how powerful this genre can be in dealing with brutality, in this case with childhood sexual abuse as well as with animal experimentation, social isolation, homelessness, and a horrifying family life. As society and family prey on Helen, the protagonist, she thinks, she reads, she develops her own thoughts and insists on going her own way--and on getting others, including readers, to think differently about their own preconceptions and assumptions as she sheds her abusers.

Take the example of rats--far from being reviled at best and something to be experimented on at worst, Helen shows other characters and us, the readers, that they're intelligent, amazing creatures that should be respected and even worshipped, as in Hindu religion. What's especially great about this novel is the way that it mixes an unflinching look at horror and brutality (Helen being abused by her father and rejected by her mother; fantasies of suicide; scenes of sexual predation as she hitchhikes; and much more) with a clear appreciation for the power of art and thinking (as well as the positive example of another assertive individual, Beatrix Potter) to help someone come into her own and leave her abusers behind.

Perfect gift not only for Pug lover but for all dog lovers. This is a sweet tale of pure love...the kind only dogs know and give and the kind we only aspire to share. There is a message in this simple story to implore the heart to cherish innocence and see the world through "dog eyes."

Nancy Levine never ceases to amaze me with her awesome photographs of the pugs (and a new "guest" dog) and her great stories. This book is perfect for any pug or other dog lover, adult and child alike. It is rare that books come out to satisfy both the adult and the child and this is one of those exceptional books.

I highly recommend this book and the other books in the "Wilson the Pug" series.

Wilson and Nancy write wonderful books. Lots of love and time go into each one that they have written. My Little Luci Lu says Puggy paws up for The Ugly Pugling and the other books, too! **Smiles** We are looking forward to reading your next book and thank you for keeping Puggy smiles on our faces.

This book tells a poignant story about unrequited love that is appropriate for both adults and kids alike. I gave this book to several children as a holiday gift and their moms all concur that the kids just adore it and want to have it read to them over and over.
The humor is infectious and the photography superb, as always. We'll be keeping our eyes out for the next adventure!
P.S. Wilson the Pug is the only author my pugs will read....

This reviewer recently adopted a Basset-mix puppy (that's him on my profile page) from a shelter/rescue (and encourages all of you reading this to consider giving a rescue/shelter dog a home, too!) It appears that my puppy is a Basset/Coonhound mix. Which brought to mind the question - how, logistically, could a Basset and Coonhound mix? You will be pleased to know that this fun photo story does NOT answer that question.

Once upon a time, Wilson the Pug, descendant of Pug-tzu, "author" and star of The Tao of Pug, fell in love with Hedy, who was "unlike the other pugs I'd met before. With her big floppy ears, prominent muzzle and huge paws, she was a vision of lovliness." Time passed. And Wilson saw his love no more. He went to her house. And " "a huge dog, the biggest I'd ever seen!" appears at the door. Oh My! A Mastiff! But gazing into her big brown eyes, "I got a whiff of her sweetly biscuited breath." It's Hedy stuff! She isn't a homely pug - but a marvelous mastiff!

Our hero and heroine may be parted by humans - unless the dogs come up with a Taoist plan! The words and photos along the way will charm children and dogs of all ages.

My original quandry remains unanswered after the Afterward by Wilson: "Fortunately, I was a neutered pug, because Hedy and I felt strongly that the world did not need a new breed of mastug or pugstiff."
/TundraVision, Amazon Reviewer

This book is a bit of a contradiction, insofar as it is very entertaining reading, yet you learn a great deal almost by accident. I also intuitively feel I'd like the author; whether as an instructor or just a nice guy to share a cold beer with. If you are interested in how to make humor "click," this is the place to look. Highly recommended.

So someone once asked me, "Pamela, do you write comedy?". "Not on purpose", I replied.

But now, with the help of a really funny guy who wrote a really helpful book, I can make a good go at it.

Like Brad Schreiber himself, this book is intelligent, witty, accessible, inspiring, and fun.

It offers overviews of various forms of humor, theories of humor, examples of humor, excerpts from humorists, practical advice on writing funny, and even provocative exercises that guarantee at least a giggle, most often a guffaw.

As a story consultant myself, I recommend Brad's book to my writing clients.

As a reader, I recommend Brad's book to anyone -- writer, speaker, performer -- who wants to lighten their life and the presentation of their message with humor.

Produce winning comedic screenplays using fiction and nonfiction alike with Brad Schreiber's What Are You Laughing At?: How To Write Funny Screenplays, Stories, & More. Included are over 70 excerpts from top screenwriters and pairing them with writing exercises and details on the differences between writing comedy for TV versus stage. There are eleven modes of comedic dialogue, 13 common problems screenwriters encounter and valuable insights into the rhythm and sound of words in What Are You Laughing At? Brad is himself a L.A. screenwriter, so his tips come from an insider's hand.

This book is funny -- even if you don't feel like learning anything from it, you'll laugh. Writers will recognize themselves in the examples for sure. I like that the book is about *writing funny* as opposed to writing screenplays or columns or novels or [insert genre here]. Schreiber breaks down the principles of humor writing and gives you guidance on applying them to any type of project.

This is a wry, dry, witty and comprehensive piece of work which is excellent reading in itself as well as being essential for the aspiring writer. Schreiber draws on his experience as TV development executive, teacher, script consultant and actor to hand on a wealth of useful information on everything from Aphorisms to Yiddish Sound Theory and from the Author's Voice to Vulgarity - and for the really keen student there are 'Do This Now' exercises at the end of every section. This is a high quality publication by Michael Wise Productions. It has a useful index and an excellent introduction by Christopher Vogler. I enoyed it hugely.

Here is someone who took something ugly and painful and created some of the most beautiful and funny moments in entertainment history. He's made us all feel better about our imperfect childhoods and our questionable families but he's also got a lot of supportive people rallying around him and hoping the rest of his life is never ugly or painful again.

This is one of the most realistic autobiographies I have ever read. George Lopez is human, funny, nostalgic, sad, and creative. The more I learn about his life and his success, the more I believe in the power of the human spirit. Spellbinding from the first to the last page, I learned to appreciate the long and winding road to success. More George Lopez, please!

I have to comment in regards to the reader who said that George Lopez is not Mexican...he is Mexican in the sense that I am Italian...it's in my blood. Is there anything wrong with his being a proud American? Why shouldn't he embrace that part of himself? As he said himself, it is Americans who buy his tickets and watch his program and 90% of them happen to be white. George Lopez is obviously very proud of his accomplishments, his Mexican heritage and his American citizenship that was his birthright. We love you George Lopez.....never change....never become leary of your loyal audience the way that so many comedians end up becoming...and always know that when we are not laughing WITH you, that we are crying WITH you! I know, huh!

I was moved by his difficult upbrings and how he fought back. I couldn't stop laughing when he talked about the mexican culture and their strange habits & sayings, because I could definitely relate being mexican myself.

I love this book. Not only did the book help me understand his comedy even more but I was was able to relate to him more now than before I read his book.

On top of him giving us a look into what his life was truly like he still made me laugh with his excerps.