Humor Books

As a point of reference, I have read all of Richler's major works and a few of his early novellas. This was written after Richler's sexual obsession in his British phase and he tells an interesting story about a young film director from Montreal who has moved to Britain The novel follows from his wildly creative novel Cocksure which as story immersed in sexual obsession. This is a far tamer novel and it is longer and more substantial but less creative. Overall, it is among his best efforts.

Following on from the very liberated Cocksure, we see a much more conventional and down to earth Richler who has attempted to integrate British making with biographical elements from his own youth.

Modecai Richler (1931 to 2001) grew up in Montreal and that city is the setting for many of his stories - but not all. Many of his novels are about Jews living in Canada and Britain post WWII.

He is best known for his tales of life in and around St. Urbain Street. That is an area of three story buildings or walk up row houses located just east of the mountain in Montreal, and north of the commercial center of the city. At one time this was the center of Jewish immigrant life. Many Jews coming to Montreal started there but then moved on to Outrement, Hamstead, and other districts. His father was a scrap dealer and he graduated from a heavily Jewish high school, Baron Byng High School, which has other famous alumni including William Shatner of Star Trek fame. Some of the local establishments such as Schwartz's Deli on St. Laurent are still in business. He uses much of those biographical experiences in the book.

His break out novel is the present novel Duddy Kravitz which is still a great read whether you have seen the movie or not. Also, I like his last book, Barney's Vision, which is probably his most balanced and best written piece of work. That novel lacks the edge and drama of Duddy Kravitz. Along the way, he experimented with different themes and the use of sex in the plots, and usually he did that with a lot of humor as in Cocksure.

This book is among his best works and there must be a few parallels with Richter's own life. It is about a young and poorly educated Jewish boy (Richler never finished university himself and moved to Britain) who struggles in the Canadian TV business starting off as a stage hand and then eventually becoming a London based movie director. The protagonist, Jacob Hersh, is from the St. Urbain area of Montreal, and he has an unusual relation with his cousin Joey - who is the "horseman." Joey appears only once in the book when he visits Montreal, and spends most of his time traveling the world doing all sort of glamorous things from being a soldier, to actor, to baseball player. In reality, Joey is a bit of a con man but he is held in awe by Jacob.

This is an interesting story that gets better as we reach the end of the book.

Many of his critics claim that he re-cycles his characters and deals only with one topic, but in general his books are far from the predictable and this book is another example. That being said, Duddy Kravitz and even his father max appear in the novel, and Duddy more than once.

This is a good read which leaves the reader satisfied.

Mordecai Richler's novels are always a wild ride. In St. Urbain's Horseman we have the usual Richler pastiche of paranoid Jewish Montrealers struggling in a gentile world. As with his other novels, I sense that '..Horseman' has many biographical elements to it. Although teetering on being pretentious, '..Horseman' is easily salvaged by its fine characterizations and often hilarious prose.

'..Horseman' is a very rich, complex novel. It chronicles a young man who escapes squalor of Montreal and finds himself as a successful family man in swinging London, circa 1965. Unfortunately he finds himself tormented by the legend of his mysterious cousin (the "horseman") who seems to be larger than life (..a Nazi hunter in Paraguay?), and those with whom the cousin comes in contact with. It's all rather chaotic and often unbelievable. But thankfully the likes of Mordecai Richler pulls it all together somehow.


Bottom line: suspend your disbelief and enjoy this book.

A remarkable book, clever, interesting, and so well written that I often stopped just to marvel at how entertained I was. You'll be glad you got it.

The underappreciated novelist Modicai Richler was every bit the master of Jewish comedic fiction as Phillip Roth. When it came to describing the emerging Canadian middle class in the 1950 and 60s Richler got it just right and left one roaring with laughter to boot.

People of my parent's generation will always remember where they were when JFK was assasinated. Likewise, I'll always remember the day when I learned that Mordecai Richler had died. I was standing in the kitchen, making dinner, when it was announced on the CBC. I fell apart, and it's the only time I have ever cried over someone I didn't even know.
When people tell me that they've never heard of, or read, Mordecai Richler, I want to rail at the universe. He's simply the best there is - a novelist who was intelligent, comical, introspective, cynical, perceptive, heartfelt, brutally honest, and ultimately, unforgettable. Reading St.Urbain's Horseman saved me from a dismal semester in university. I was taking existentialist philosophy and sinking into gloom when I escaped into a story that was impossible to put down. I laughed out loud - so hard that I couldn't read. I could go on all day. Just read this book - I guarantee that you'll read it again. And then you'll have to read everything else Mordecai Richler wrote.
I wish there were more stories to look forward to.

Mr. Cheek returned me in time to 1952 and 1953 parts of which
I spent in Korea. The characters were people exactly like the
ones I knew. A Novel but most of it rings very true to the times. I could not put the book down. Very fast and enjoyable
reading.

I took the book STAY SAFE, BUDDY with me on our 2-week vacation to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and sat up late one night to read it. It was so interesting that I couldn't stop reading until I finished the entire book.

I cried a lot and laughed too. That Mewman was some crazy guy. He also was a hero. I could feel the concern when the soldiers used the phrase, "Stay safe, Buddy." The book is a very good read.

Barbara Byzick
Atoka, Oklahoma

Having spent some time in Korea myself, I was utterly amazed by the author's ability to recall and describe people and situations with so much accuracy and authenticity. The book brought back a rush of memories. Most importantly, it illustrates that major projects, such as wars, consist for the most part of human relationships, sometimes significant and sometimes not, but always interesting. The author was obviously a "doggie" who knew what was going on around him. I purchased several copies for friends.

Dear J. Charles:

Just finished reading our book "Stay Safe, Buddy." Enjoyed it immensely. Having spent 14 months over there with 1st Weapons Company and then Chalie Company, 1st Marine Division, I could visualize the terrain as I read. My wife thought I was nuts beacause I would suddenly break out laughing in the middle of the night. I could see many of my buddies in similar circumstances.

Having been a Corpsman wht the Marines, I can visualize myself as Doc Teele except that I wouldn't know what to do as a full bird colonel.

Again, Thanks for writing the book. It made me remember.

Semper Fi, Buddy.
John "Doc Steele"

On the promise that he won't see combat, John Lefter enlists for a 3 year hitch in the Army Security Agency. I guess, since we are talking about the Army, you know what happens. He ends up in Korea. It doesn't take long until Lefter is in a bunker real close to the front lines. A lot of things happen then and most of them were not good.

Once I started Stay Safe Buddy, I had trouble putting it down. I went everywhere with Lefter. I shared a lot of his pain and hangovers. I even shared his hatred for Major Soss. This is a great tale of the way things were during the Korean conflict, or war or whatever you want to call it. Just read it!

Recommendation: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Tim Hancock is the Director of MWLA, a Reviewer and Author

Nice book. But in this edition, there is no chapter title on each page, so it's a little difficult to track the chapters.

There is at least one author who may remind you of Stephen Leacock, namely Garrison Keillor of Lake Wobegon fame, but Leacock should be recognized as the ultimate master of quaint, bucolic humor. Leacock, who died in 1944, became arguably the most prominent Canadian humorist of his day (and probably of all time). What is ironic about that claim is that Leacock worked for most of his life as a professor of economics. We do not usually equate economics with humor, preferring to think of that profession as one of bow ties and supply and demand charts. Throw that presumption out the window and pick up a copy of "Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town," Leacock's best known work available through the New Canadian Library series.

For me, one of the funniest sections of the book was the introduction written by Leacock, where he gives you some background about himself and his profession. This short piece of writing quickly gives you an idea of the type of humor you will find in the actual sketches: a very sly, very quiet and clever type of humor that often takes a while to sink in. Leacock does not rely on rim shot jokes or manic posturing in his writings. Instead, he creates the fictional Canadian town of Mariposa and populates it with small town archetypes that are wonders to behold.

All of the characters are hilarious in their own way: Mr. Smith, the proprietor of the local hotel and bar, full of schemes to earn money while trying to get his liquor license back. Then there is Jefferson Thorpe, the barber involved in financial schemes that may put him on the level of the Morgans and the Rockefellers. The Reverend Mr. Drone presides over the local Church of England in Mariposa, a man who reads Greek as easy as can be but laments his lack of knowledge about logarithms and balancing the financial books of the church. Peter Pupkin, the teller at the local bank, has a secret he wants no one to know about, but which eventually comes out while he is courting the daughter of the town judge. All of these characters, and several others, interact throughout the sketches.

Leacock has the ability to turn a story, to make it take a crazy, unexpected twist even when you are looking for such a maneuver. That he accomplishes this in stories that rarely run longer than twenty pages is certainly a sign of great talent. By the time you reach the end of the book, you know these people as though you lived in the town yourself, and you know what makes them tick.

Despite all of the crazy antics in Mariposa, Leacock never lets the reader lose sight of the fact that these are basically good people living good lives. There seems to be a lot of feeling for the citizens of Mariposa on the part of Leacock, which comes to a head in the final sketch in the collection, "L'Envoi. The Train to Mariposa," where he recounts traveling back to the town after being away for years, with all of the attendant emotions that brings as recognizable landmarks come into view and the traveler realizes that his little town is the same as when he left it years before.

I suspect there is a historical importance to "Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town." These writings first appeared in 1912, a time when many people living in the bigger Canadian cities still remembered life in a small town. In addition to the humorous aspects of the book, the author includes many descriptive passages concerning the atmosphere and layout of Mariposa, something instantly recognizable to anyone who grew up in such a place. Nostalgia for the simpler life of the small town probably played a significant role in the book's success.

I look forward to reading more Stephen Leacock. While much of the humor in the book is not belly laugh funny, it does provide one with a deep satisfaction of reading clever humor from an author who knows how to tickle the funny bone. You do not need to be Canadian to enjoy this wonderful book.

no hype. i couldn't stop laughing as i was reading this. and i mean laughing out loud. in a cafe. with everyone staring at me. but i didn't care. and i couldn't help it if i did. it's just too hilarious.

Like the heading says, this is the funniest book I've ever read. Leacock was a comic genius and this is his best work. Buy it, read it, love it.

Perhaps the finest comment about Stephen Leacock in the last half century is that "he is a
Will Rogers for the 90's."

Rogers, of course, is one of the most beloved of American humorists -- he was killed in
1935 when his plane crashed near Point Barrow, Alaska. Leacock died on March 28, 1944.
Like Rogers, he had been Canada's favorite humorist for decades.

Sunshine Sketches is about Orillia, Ontario, Canada, where Leacock had his summer home
on Brewery Bay (he once wrote, "I have known that name, the old Brewery Bay, to make
people feel thirsty by correspondence as far away as Nevada.") His home is now maintained
as a historic site by the town of Orillia. I lived there for almost 30 years, and the people of Orillia are still much the same as Leacock portrayed them in 1912.

These stories about various personalities in town were printed in the local newspaper in the
1910 - 1912 era, before being compiled into this book which established Leacock's literary
fame. The people portrayed really lived, though some are composites; the events are of a
kindly humorist looking at the foibles of small town life. Once they came out in book form
and soared to national popularity, everyone in town figured the rest of the country was
laughing at them because of Leacock's book and he was royally hated in Orillia to the end
of his life.

Gradually, and this took decades, Orillians came to recognize that genius had walked
amongst them for several decades. (It's hard to recognize genius when your own ego is so
inflated.) Orillia now awards the annual "Leacock Medal for Humor" -- Canada's top literary
prize for the best book of humour for the preceding year.

Leacock died when I was six, but I did know his son, who still lived in town. I delivered
papers to the editor of the "Newspacket," Leacock's name for the Orillia Packet and Times
(where I worked) and the rival Newsletter. The Packet had the same editor in the 1940's as
when Leacock wrote about him in 1910.

But the book is more than Orillia; it is a wonderfully kind and humorous description of life in
many small towns. The American artist Norman Rockwell painted the same kinds of scenes;
it is the type of idyllic urban life so many of us keep longing to find again in our hectic
urban world.

Leacock realized the book was universal in its description of small towns, and in the preface
he wrote "Mariposa is not a real town. On the contrary, it is about seventy or eighty of
them. You may find them all the way from Lake Superior to the sea, with the same square
streets and the same maple trees and the same churches and hotels, and everywhere the
sunshine of the land of hope."

True enough, which gives this book continuing appeal nearly a century after it was written.
All great writing is about topics you know, and as a longtime resident Leacock knew Orillia
well. As for Leacock himself, he wrote, "I was born at Swanmoor, Hants., England, on Dec.
30, 1869. I am not aware that there was any particular conjunction of the planets at the
time, but should think it extremely likely."

He says of his education, "I survived until I took the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in
1903. The meaning of this degree is that the recipient of instruction is examined for the last
time in his life, and is pronounced completely full. After this, no new ideas can be imparted
to him."

In reviewing Charles Dickens' works in 1934, Leacock wrote what could well be his own
epitaph: "Transitory popularity is not proof of genius. But permanent popularity is." The fact
his writings are still current illustrates the nature of his writing.

In contrast to the sometimes sardonic humor of modern times, Sunshine Sketches reflects
Leacock's idea that "the essence of humor is human kindness." Or, in the same vein, "Humor
may be defined as the kindly contemplation of the incongruities of life, and the artistic
expression thereof."

Granted, this book is not what he recognized to have widespread appeal to modern readers.
In his own words, "There are only two subjects that appeal nowadays to the general public,
murder and sex; and, for people of culture, sex-murder." Yet, anyone reading this will
remember scenes from it for much longer than anything from a murder mystery.

In today's world, where newspapers almost daily track Prime Minister Tony Blair's dash to
the political right, Leacock wrote, "Socialism won't work except in Heaven where they don't
need it and in Hell where they already have it."

He described his own home as follows, "I have a large country house -- a sort of farm
which I carry on as a hobby . . . . Ten years ago the deficit on my farm was about a
hundred dollars; but by well-designed capital expenditure and by greater attention to
details, I have got it into the thousands." Sounds familiar to today's farm policies ?

It's what I mean by this being a timeless work.

Leacock himself noted, when talking about good literature, "Personally, I would sooner have
written 'Alice in Wonderland' than the whole of the 'Encyclopedia Britannica'." This is his
'Alice' and it well deserves to be favorably compared to Lewis Carroll's work.

By all measures, it is still the finest Canadian book ever written.

I have known Barry well for thirty years now and have loved this book for the last fifteen. His book was highly inspirational to me in the writing of I Never Liked Those C-130's Anyway.
It is as germain today as it was in 1992 after the first Gulf War,which is when I first read it.
It is chocked full of humor and Barry McWilliams' special take on the every day. As the creator of the JP Doodles cartoon he has used his skills to full advantage by creating the wonderfull art within.
A worthy read.

If you REALLY want to find out how things were in the "First Gulf War", buy a copy of this book! It was sent to me by my best friend while I was over there digging in the big sand box, and while it does help provide some comic relief and allowed me to laugh at the situation I was in at the time, it sure tells it like it was at the time.

I met Barry at King Fahd International Airport when he interviewed me and several folks in my unit, the 511th Tactical Fighter Squadron. My story didn't make the final cut but you've got to read about our Flight Surgeon, Major Smith, and his war trophy!

This was an awesome book and I have read it numerous times. Being a Gulf War Veteran I read just about every book that came out right after the Gulf War to see what the various authors had to say about a war that affected millions of us and that 500,000 plus American attended/participated in. I no longer read books on the Gulf war because most of it is political dribble trying to explain what did not happen, Now it seems that it is more convient for some to write lies then the truth, no such thing as Gulf War Syndrome right. Enough of politics that is why I like this book, because it put everything in perspective using humor.

If you are not a veterans it will still be funny to most of you.

This will always be one of my favorite books on the Gulf War. I especially liked the chapter on the Red Rope Ranger. I laugh out loud every time I think about it!

John Penberthy has written a lovely story about the importance of learning to still the mind and access the wisdom we each have deep inside. TO BEE OR NOT TO BEE tells a story from the vantage point of a honeybee named Buzz. Buzz deals with issues of feeling rejection, isolation, and confusion from those who admonish him for "beeing" different. TO BEE OR NOT TO BEE is full of such plays on words, yet this light-hearted approach to what could otherwise be a heavy, serious topic about spirituality is just the right touch for a book whose genuine intent is to remind us who we truly are.

I love the way the wise old mentor bee, Bert, provides Buzz with guidance, wisdom, and support, and the way the various crises facing the honeybee colony set the stage for some far-reaching decisions to be made. I was amazed to see how the various problems facing the bees so closely parallel human concerns and issues, and delighted to see how Buzz recognizes opportunities to come to peace with "beeing" himself regardless what other bees might say or think. A crisis involving the hive occurs when a marauding bear named Boris provides the colony with incentive to go to war... while Buzz contemplates a more peaceful vision of the hive's future.

Discover all you can bee in this charming tale... you will bee amazed!

Buzz Bee is having a great day! That is, he's having a great day until he starts thinking! Why do we have to do the same old work the same old way? Is there a better way? Why do we all have to be the same? Are we really better than those small ants and how do you know they're not as good as we are? Why does anyone have to be "better?" On and on, Buzz's questions go and others are beginning to see him as not only different but just plain weird?

What is Buzz to do or not do? Just as he seems at the very lowest point of despair, he meets an older bee, Bert. Their conversations and ruminations about love, work, death, God, religion, sameness, difference and just "being" pepper these 140 pages with a fascinating dialogue that's bound to touch every reader's mind, heart and spirit!

For Buzz is about to really enter a spiritual journey that he could never have imagined before meeting Bert. Attracted to and repelled by what he hears, he can neither conform to or ignore what he hears from this older bee who is his greatest friend.

He must go on his own journey to find out the truth or whatever else just "is!"

Sound familiar? This is a simple yet profound story effectively told and accompanied by lovely drawings that parallel the story to deeply affect the reader. To Bee or Not to Bee is a quick, lovely, powerful and unforgettable read!

Highly recommended for readers of all ages!

Reviewed by Viviane Crystal on March 5, 2008

I loved this book, I read it in one fell swoop! I had both my teenagers read it and bought a few copies and gave them to friends. To Bee or not to Bee was for me a delightful, uplifting, easy read and yet packed full of wisdom. I think we all feel stuck or stifled in our own lives at times and this book helped me realize that there really is only the present, nothing more and nothing less. The essence of the book for me, was to live every day valuing each precious moment, because we really might be hit by a mack truck and be gone, just like that. I was powerfully impacted by this book and hope the message will stay with me for a very long time.

This book is a very clever commentary that works on many conceptional levels. At the most basic level, it is an inspirational book for kids +/-9-10 years old. These kids will realize that one can follow ones own path, and that hard work provides its own return. For teenagers, the book is inspirational during those confused times when one is not sure about social acceptance. For adults, the book points to rewards of stepping out of mainstream material paths, etc. The book reminds me a bit like Jonathan Livinston Seagull, a little bit like Candide, a bit like Frost's The Road Not Taken, and a little bit like the Acuna Mitata theme from Lion King. Things seem to work out if you do what is in your heart. All in all, I highly recommend this book. It is a good read, and it's very good to stimulate family discussions.

If we learn best by stories, this book "Too Bee or Not to Bee, is filled with great reminders and many learnings. As I struggle with the difficult and fragile place of our planet, I am grateful for the comfort of this book. This book reminds me that life is complex and horrible and wonderful and terrible.
At the most basic level this is the story of Buzz, a worker bee who does what bees do, he does his part to collect honey for his hive. Along the way he looks for pollen and God. Many of his emotions are evoked. He feels anger, he witnesses the dying of many of his fellow bees and he finds contentment. And, that is the power of this book. Buzz's life is ours. So, how do we find contentment? We realize that we can choose to see the beauty in the daily acts of living. We realize that we are a part of a complex and interdependent hive.
Share this book with a teenager who is just coming to grips with the big issues of life, someone whose life is in struggle or as I will do, with members of my book club. Savor this book with an appreciative heart and a warm cup of tea.
This book is well written and the illustrations make the lessons of the book come alive.

That's really all I can say. It's not my favorite comic strip (that honor belongs to CALVIN AND HOBBES) but it is the laugh-out-loud funniest. BILL THE CAT LIVES!

The beloved characters all appear. Milo remains well-supplied with nightmares from his anxiety clost, Steve Dallas remains un-supplied with tact or charm, and Opus displays his huge supply of innocent bafflement. Winsome Yaz Pistachios appears a few times, as does Bill the Cat (the anti-Garfield) and Oliver Wendell Jones, computer geek extraordinaire.

The humor is still there, but some of the freshness rubbed off during the quarter-century since these first appeared. Some grey heads will remember Phyllis Schlafly and all the other Reagan-era targets of the Bloom County barbs. The problem with topical humor is that topics change in the real world, but remain frozen on the printed page, becoming gradually more antiquated over time.

No matter. You'll find plenty of timeless humor and maybe a bit of nostalgia between these covers, as well as a reminder of how the early 80s looked to one cartoonist of the era.

-- wiredweird

These strips aren't just funny. They're laugh out loud, roll on the floor, tears streaming down my face, people coming into the room to see "WHAT-are-you-laughing-at?!" funny.

Berkeley Breathed has created a perfect 'toon universe populated by funny and poignant humans, along with funny and poignant penguins, groundhogs, Bill the Cat and purple critters that hide in your closet of anxieties waiting to grab you as soon as you sleep. Breathed was an absolute genius at seeing some topical issue of the day (circa 1984 for this voume) holding it up to the light so that we could see it just the way that he did, then skewering the thing with what would be the humor equivalent of cupid's arrow.

I had no idea this book was still around. I had picked it up in the mid-eighties, lent it to a friend in the early nineties, and it was gone. I never thought I would see it again. What a surprise to find it again. Immediately, I picked it up and started where I had left off years ago... roaring with laughter. This collection of Bloom County golden oldies is hysterical and clever. The years have been very kind to this strip because it is as fresh as it was during the Reagain administration. Pick up "Toons for Our Times: A Bloom County Book of Heavy Metal Rump 'N Roll" and laugh your rump off!

The first time I ever picked up a Bloom County book at a bookstore in the mall...and this was the book. After a few pages, I found myself having to close the book in order to gather my wits about me, wipe the tears off my face, then attempt to forge farther ahead...usually having to immediately close the book because glancing at the same page instantly initiated another wave of helpless laughter. Had this only happened once, I could have dealt with it as the adult that I believed myself to be...but, since it happened every few pages, I realized myself to be captivated in the tormented world of Opus and friends. Unfortunately (and much to my surprise, I didn't really care), this resulted in more than a few patrons of the bookstore in question to raise their eyebrows in my direction. I would like to thank the kind person that finally joined me (they picked up a copy of their own) and together we chortled together, pausing at times to close our books at our respective pages to momentarily regain our composure. Whimsical, thoughtful, introspective, silly, hilarious, thought-provoking...If you never read another comic, even if you think you're too old for silliness, you owe it to yourself and Berke to read this...and yes, I bought the book!

I went back and forth on buying this because of the price. Hard to spend that much on an unknown (at least to me) author. But I am so glad I did. I couldn't put it down. It was so cool! Now I have another author on my MUST BUY list. Anybody interested in a great new horror series should definitely pick this one up! I hope it doesn't take long for the next ones to come out!

Trailer Park Trash & Vampires is much more than your average shallow horror trash novel. Mr. Wayland has done away with the aristocratic bloodsuckers of Eastern Europe and replaced them with gritty, primal, and at times surprisingly human monsters. The author not only reinvents the vampire genre, but also creates characters that are powerful and easily related to. Readers will quickly forge bonds with the blue collar residents of Little Drop and their satanic assailants. Black humor abounds in this highly imaginative and blood-soaked romp through Anywhere, USA. If you are tired of the same old one-dimensional rehashed horror clichés then I strongly suggest you pick up a copy of this book. An all around great read.

I did not know what to expect, when I first picked up a copy of "Trailer Park Trash & Vampires", but I was in for quite a surprise (a few of them in fact). I have always been a fan of horror film and prose. However, I can think of no time when a novel has so captured the humor, intensity, and disturbing imagery of a good old B-horror movie. This is a great read, that accelerates all the way to the end. I can't wait to read the next in the series. Good luck to all of Little Drop, and its surrounding parishes.

This book was amazing. Think Pulp Fiction meets Evil Dead Trilogy. Wayland's grasp of character and humorous overtones were real treats. And his portrayal of the vampires as sensual, strikingly human persons was especially interesting. There's plenty of action, insanity, and, of course, sex to keep any hot-blooded reader (vampire or human) hooked. On a side note, this book has so much alcohol, I got a buzz just from reading it!

If you are looking for the glitzy hollywood-pretty vampires, which politely and quietly feed and sip upon the high society of Europe, and then delicately wipe their lips with a lacey wet-nap and break for tea and biscuits to discuss Faulkner --- look elsewhere.

If however, you like your vampires dark, unpredictable and bloodthirsty, with an animalistic axe to grind against the food chain of humanity - with lots of good ol' american sex and violence mixed in...You should proceed on pawning your Playstation or VCR now to get the money to get a copy of this book. Now. Right now.

This book is more in the range of say, Dean Koontz or Stephen King in his Richard Bachman era:

Gritty and full of vivid characters who you can empathize and identify with and set in an area that could really be anywhere, including your hometown. Pick this book up, and you will be compelled to finish it.

Great story and would make a great movie. If you consider yourself a horror fan, you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy.

Edgy and hilarious! For long time fans like me, this latest bumper collection is an essential purchase, and for Troubletown "virgins" it will be an excellent introduction to one of the top independent weekly strips. Lloyd Dangle is consistently funny (as in laugh-out-loud), thought provoking and highly quotable. As the title suggests, a lot of these cartoons came out when most cartoonists were being extremely cautious about criticizing the Bush administration as we sent troops in to occupy Iraq. Dangle went out on a limb and in retrospect we see he was right on the money.

When will Americans wake up to the fact that alternative cartoonists should be employed as Rovian and Carvillian(?) masters of political campaigns who can predict the future? Maybe after reading this book.

As the title suggests, Lloyd Dangle's "Troubletown" cartoon has been telling us what's what--and making us laugh--week in and week out since he began cartooning during Lord Reagan's reign.

This plump collection has all the tidbits you need from the last few years--from the divisive confirmation hearing of Vlad the Impaler to How A Bill Becomes A Law (Pole dancing is involved).

Cleverly disguised as a cartoon collection, this History book is presented in chronological order, which may be of use to someone desiring an absurdist trip down memory lane. For myself, the years-long assault on reason has blended all the nightmarish events together, so I'm thankful to Dangle for reminding me that Frist diagnosed Terry Schiavo via TV before the Korans were flushed down the toilet.

Forget the memoirs and dour political tomes--cartoon collections tell the true story of our turbulent times.

There's simply nothing sexier than an intelligent man with a razor sharp sense of humor. Lloyd Dangle's wit, illustrated in his political cartoon "Troubletown," is as sharp as his x-acto knife.

Reading these comics has become an addiction for me, especially because they're so language intensive. Each five-by-five inch square is packed with a full service laugh. One might think a book of cartoons is a quick read, but this isn't the case with the collection, "Troubletown Told You So: Comics that Could've Saved Us from this Mess." You'll want to spend time on each page and not miss the subtle notations and political barbs within the drawings. Indeed, many are amazingly prophetic, and evoked a sad-but-true reaction from me--even while I was laughing.

Good for the coffee table or the powder room collection, you might want to keep this away from your Republican acquaintances as they surely won't appreciate the humor. But your well-read, intellectual friends (particularly those who peruse daily newspapers and have registered as political "independents") will marvel at Dangle's ironic, right-on take on the mess that is American politics.

Michele Cozzens, Author of A Line Between Friends and The Things I Wish I'd Said.

I read trouble town in the paper and I recently had a chance to pick this book up from the author at a comic show. Not only does this book tell the tale of our troubled nation but it does so with terrific art! Not only that but Lloyd Dangle was very nice and sold his bok to me in a very convincing manner. Love it.

I used to live in San Francisco, where I could read Troubletown every week. Now I'm stuck in the middle of no where, so I have to wait for these great compilations when they come out. I've got all of them, and this new one really rocks thye housed! I thought from the title that it might be only focused on the Iraq War and major Bush calamities (which would be fine by me) but, as usual, Dangle aims his unique perspective at the whole world of subject matter. And, as usual, he comes up with some amazing gems.
I always find a really different perspective when I read Troubletown, Dangle sees the world through an amazing filter. I think he must be one of the most studious, well-read of political cartoonists working today.
This book is a great deal-chock full of a great years output- and it's samll and easy to carry! The perfect birthday present!

By taking the high road of humor, Amy Berger's book will not only give you a way to smile and laugh, but it will help you keep your balance and perspective in the midst of corporate foibles and fumbles. Read it and thrive!

You don't have to be a corporate warrior to appreciate Amy Berger's unique humor. If you've ever had a job and worked with people, you'll relate to Amy's hilarious book.

Looking for laughter in the not-so-humorous world of the workplace? Then buy this wise, witty and wonderful book. It will not only save your sanity while working in the crazy corporate climate but keep you guffawing as well.

Amy Berger has captured the essence and aggravation of working for big, impersonal companies. Her book is filled with insights and laughs. Very enjoyable reading!

Amy Berger tells us how the day-to-day incidents in cubicle land have shaped her life the past 20 years. Reading her book was like reading my own diary! At times, I was laughing and other times it was all I could do not to cry. Amy is to be congratulated for showing all of us in Silicon Valley that our problems are universal. I know that I forgave several former bosses after reading about Amy's bosses - different companies, different names, but the same puzzling way of managing people. (i,e. assigning work on your honeymoon! Mine was New Year's weekend)

I love this little compendium. It gives a taste of Dribbleglass' quirky-yet-so-clever humor. I love the way Scott Roeben, the author, manages to translate his singular perspective on life into witty humor. The fact that billboards are his medium makes the whole package and the website even more unique. Bravo!

This package of comedy is such a treat! Scott Roeben is not only witty, but has an unbelievably clever imagination. wonderfully funny website, packed with an awesome collection of billboards, jokes, pictures, and quirky things (e.g., ugly toes contest). I hope that he compiles a second edition of magnets to clutter up my refrigerator even more!! Great work, Scott! bs

I bought this as a gift for a friend and they loved it.
The presentation of this book is very unique and creative and the billboards are very funny.

If you buy this for someone they will love you a little more for it.

I was in a big fight with one of my friends and I bought this book for them as a peace offering and now we are back to being friends and all prior wounds have been healed. Who knew that a little refrigerator shaped box of magnets could have worked such magic. Thanks Scott this book is a gosh darn miracle.

Because I've been reading Dribble Glass for at least five years, I was sure these were going to be funny. And they are. I bought some for friends, nieces and nephews, a neighbor, two dogs and a parakeet. I guess I got a little carried away.

As a huge Dave Barry fan, I knew this item would be worth purchasing since a Dave Barry quote is right on the front of the box.

Dave says, "These billboards are sick, perverted, gross, and tasteless. But in a good way."

Folks, that is DAVE BARRY. Enough said. I've always loved the billboards and now 10 of them are on my refrigerator holding up a shopping list from 1998 that I'll get around to sooner or later.

The little book that comes with the magnets is a funny read as well. Kudos to the dribbleglass.com people.