Humor Books

People spend a lot of time answering nature's call. "Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges Into Music" enriches the time spent clearing out one's body by filling one's mind with intriguing trivia, facts, and history about the world of music. Covering all genres from rap to hard rock, "Plunges into Music" is an intriguing collection sure to make the time spent on one's throne pass smoothly. Highly recommended.

My husband is a touring singer, musician and music trivia genius - so this was a perfect gift for him! Although I didn't think it could happen, this book actually had some facts that he DIDN'T know! It's a great book if you enjoy music and interesting music facts and stories.

Uncle Johns books never fail to be a great read. Wonderful trivia-history-the small snippets at the bottom of each page-a FINE book! If you are a music lover-and even if you're not-you will enjoy this book!

My hubby loves these readers. Since he is always breaking out in a song, we thought this would be the perfect gift! He loves it.

The men in my life LOVE the Bathroom Reader. I buy them for my husband who gives it to my Dad, then Dad gives it to my Brother, then my Brother gives it to our Brother-in-Law, and Lord only knows who he gives it too. I have never felt I've wasted money on Uncle John's Bathroom Readers. They are always interesting, perfectly suitable for a 30 minute sit-on. Highly recommended.

Liz Jasper's Underdead series is a winner! Entertaining from beginning to end, Ms. Jasper is great at keeping the reader involved in the plot and cheering for the characters. If you are a fan of Meyer's Twilight series, you are going to love Jasper's Underdead series. A must read for readers 12 to 102.

I knew from the title that this book was going to be fun and I wasn't disappointed. Tongue in cheek barely describes the humor rampant throughout the book that crosses the line from appealing to YA readers to adults. In fact I had a hard time finding the book around my house as my two teenage daughters kept snatching it to read. I could follow their laughter to find it and snatch it back! Liz Jasper is a gem of a new author and I can't wait to read her next book.

"Underdead" is a humorous look at paranormal activity in the daily life of a middle school teacher. Very fast paced, very funny and beguiling. I couldn't put it down. Can't wait to see more from this author. Blessings. Matt

New author Liz Jasper uses her terrific sense of humor to carve a special niche in the vampire mystery genre. She made me laugh, giggle, and kept me from getting any sleep because I couldn't stop reading "Underdead."

When Jo Gartner, a middle school science teacher meets a hot guy in a club and his neck nuzzle turns into a bite, she discovers the perils of cavorting with vampires. She not only has to contend with some peculiar physical maladies, but when one of her fellow middle school teachers is murdered, she becomes the chief suspect.

A well written cozy with humor, suspense and a little romance. What more could you ask for?

In Long Beach, California, Jo Gartner teaches geology to the hormonal crowd, eighth graders. She attends a boring Christmas party with her best friends, high school science teachers Becky and Carol when the spiked and dyed hair Korean-American Becky informs her a hot dude in black is eying her like the last piece of Carol's chocolate cake. After dodging Roger, Jo says no way, but Becky persuades her to talk to the hunk worth dying for. Will insists Jo needed rescuing from ennui and besides he explains he loves Jane Austen.

They go outside to talk further, but instead of Pride and Prejudice, he bites her neck. Jo is clueless to what his nip means as Will is a vampire who has turned the science teacher into an underdead; an almost vampire, sort of like being almost pregnant, as she has all the issues like sunburn and no bread to cope with, but none of the benefits. Gavin the vampire hunter arrives to either kill or help her. Meanwhile Jo struggles with her blood attraction and loathing of Will; while his vampiress lover rejects the notion of sharing his neck. Soon afterward another teacher is killed with phony vampiric bites on the neck in Jo's classroom. However, learning vampirism 101 and amateur sleuthing still seems relatively easy to Jo after teaching eighth graders and worrying how her mom will react.

Using amusing hyperbole to stereotype the negative side of vampirism, this tongue in cheek (and teeth on neck) tale is an amusing fast-paced paranormal whodunit that the audience will enjoy because of the combination of suspense, romance and the supernatural. Jo is terrific as the focus of the storyline; she muses how she went from dateless to a triangle and one in the romance department while working on a mystery and surviving eighth grade. as Liz Jasper writes an entertaining lighthearted romp.

Harriet Klausner

I was overwhelmed by the brilliance of this book, which highlighted the depth of the author's understanding of living with Alzheimer's Disease. The author had surrounded her husband with love as she learned to deal with his progressive neurological condition. She also portrayed in a remarkable way the differing situations of others who have struggled to understand, care for their loved ones and to maintain and develop self-care. Knowing the author personally, I am not surprised at the charm and creativity which emanate from this lovely book about one of the most devastating illnesses we can imagine. I was truly blessed to have been one of the support group leaders for families of people with Alzheimer's disease; I am not impartial since I have always been in awe of the author's concern for others,her unconditional love for her husband and her own unique gifts of style and grace.

A great book that outlines my ideas on facing the caregiving of someone with dementia!

This book is a small treasure. I keep picking it up a reading different passages. It helps me understand and appreciate my father, who has Alzheimer's, in ways that I have forgotten.

It helped the whole family, even dad picked it up to read.

Thanks for a fabulous book,

My name is Doreen. I am one of the people in Betsy Peterson's book. She mailed me a signed copy which I have lent to other people and they also found it very useful. I am writing this to let people know that even though the book is called Voices of Alzheimers, it is really a book about Dementia in general (my diagnosis is Pick's Disease, not Alzheimers and as the book indicates they later changed Betsy Peterson's husband's diagnosis from Alzheimer's to another dementia). So if you have a family member who has a dementia other than Alzheimers, you can also find helpful (and hopeful) information in this book.

This small book is a treasure of honest and deep sharing on the part of dementia patients and their caregivers and loved ones. The book is visually very attractive, the content is well organized, and the quotes--covering the full spectrum of sadness and anger to wisdom, humor, hope, and gratitude--are interspersed with the author's own moving story. Reading this has enabled me to relate with much greater understanding and confidence to those with Alzheimer's, and there is an excellent section on available resources. Voices of Alzheimer's is unique in the literature on the subject and deserves to become a classic in the field.

Jenneke Barton

This book started me on yet another new craft obsession - carving my own stamps has turned out to be so much easier than I thought it would be!

I don't think there's anything the author could have added in this textbook - there are already wonderful stamps, a gallery, thorough instructions that are beautifully illustrated and tons of inspiration. Also a nice section for troubleshooting and fixing mistakes when something goes wrong in your carving - very helpful!

Very happy to have purchased this book!

Zig

If you are interested in learning how to carve your own art rubber stamps then you need this book as well as Art Stamping Workshop. Both books provide clear cut instructions on how to carve your own stamps to make artistic and fun stamps that are one of a kind. Well worth the 10 bucks here on Amazon! I recommend it.
5 stars!

I've been a stamp carver and art teacher for many years. This book is the best instruction guide for learning to carve that I have ever seen. The author has described all aspects of carving soft blocks for printmaking. Her step by step carving instructions are beautifully illustrated with good, clear photographs. This is a guide that can be followed by an absolute novice carver AND is very useful to the intermediate or advanced carver. As carving teacher that has given workshops all over the country, I found many of her carving tips useful. If I ever write a "how to" book, I hope it would be as helpful as this one. This book answers and illustrates with excellent photographs all of the FAQ's (frequently asked questions) that have come up in the carving workshops that I have taught. I own or at least have read nearly every stamp carving pamphlet and block printing "how to" book on the market. This book is the best I've ever seen. Sure wish I had written it!!

I think a new carver or Seasoned carver would be inspired to carve after taking a look at this book! Great job, Luann!

This book clearly details the ins and outs of carving your own rubber stamps, for those whose creative instincts urge them to follow their own path in the world of stamping. With clear, non-technical language, the author shows in words and pictures how even the simplest and most modest of tools can create lively stamped images which can stand on their own or be incorporated into larger and more complex works.

This is a good "inspiration" book for either the novice entry-level artist/stamper or for the seasoned creator who is looking for new directions for their art. Luann strikes a nice balance with her presentation, with an instruction book that is user friendly and free of "tech-talk". The "how-to" instructions are clearly written and well complemented by excellent photos showing exactly how to proceed. This book will be appreciated by any who purchase it as a springboard into new areas and levels of creativity.

I've been romping around in the Amazon Shorts universe, and I stumbled onto this short piece--something that normally I might not read, but the premise reminded me of one that Kurt Vonnegut might have given his alter ego, Kilgore Trout. It's fun and ironic and sci-fi with a Troutian moral.

This story is clever and funny to everyone- thin and not so thin! Great writer & a highly recommended read.

I love stories where the real evolves into the surreal and nothing is what you expect it to be. Therefore, I was delighted with "Weighing In", a whimsical tale fit for an episode of the "Twilight Zone".

Written by Kathe Gogolewski "Weighing In" is the story of Carolyn who at three hundred and fifty pounds is jobless and friendless. Her only passion in life is food, glorious food, its aroma, its taste, its texture, and the joy it brings to her world.

One day she is given a chance to have a job, a lover, and a long and happy life while eating her way to success. All she needs to do is sign on the dotted line.

This was a very enjoyable story filled with surprises.

OK - So, over my lifetime, I've lost and gained a thousand pounds. I know I'll never see a size 3 again. And the most expensive scale I ever owned, very high tech at the time, I took out into the desert for target practice with my .22. I grew to despise it. Instant gratification. I won.

So here you have a lovely large lady (Carolyn) who dreads scales but can't stop eating (presumably she'd never heard of lap belt surgery). Can she find love, happiness and acceptance in the company of others among the stars?

Well just download this Short and see for yourself. Anyone who has been concerned with a weight problem - too little, too much - will enjoy this light piece of fiction.

But...she didn't shoot the scale. It would've been a nice touch.

Five stars! (the cat walked across the keyboard)

As a writer who has dedicated much of her work to exploring intolerance, I found this little short a delight. This tale is a bit sci-fi and that makes for a fun twist on our culture's tendency to discriminate against the over weight. Carolyn (not my namesake, I hope!) chooses chocolate and other delights and pays the price--both in health and in her personal life. A doctor with luminous brown eyes comes to her rescue in unforseen ways.

Because this is a very short short, parameters must be set and that requires a sort of Hemingwayesque approach to storytelling. Still, I would have liked to to understand the source of the doctor's magic better. Having said that, Gogolewski keeps this story moving at a clip. It is highly entertaining and creative as they come.
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the award-winning author of THIS IS THE PLACE, HARKENING: A COLLECTION OF STORIES REMEMBERED, and TRACINGS, a chapbook of poetry. All are award-winners. All are available on Amazon.

Cartoons of the NEW YORKER variety are a long way from comic books or most newspaper comic strips when it comes to social commentary. Byrnes is a well-known practitioner of the slightly cynical cartoonist's art, often giving the reader pause: "Wait -- What did he just say?" Like the businessman asking on the phone, "What's our policy on honesty?" Or the magnate remarking to a younger manager, "When I lost my sense of humor, I lost my sense of compassion, which is how I got where I am today." And sometimes his commentary is sharper, such as with the parents in front of a family camp-tent addressing their youngest child: "I'm sorry, Tommy, you've been voted out."

Hilarious is one way to describe the cartoons in here.Especially the few "Adam and Eve" ones..but youd have to buy this book to understand what I mean by that.Heh.The only reason I give it 4 stars is because I admit I didnt quite get atleast 5-7 or the cartoons.But thats only due to my ignorance in the subject that is joked about.

Don't get me wrong. There are plenty of really funny cartoons here. But, given the subjects we could choose from (normal business operations, radical religions, absurd politics, etc.), I expected more absurdity. Twenty of the included cartoons are from the "New Yorker." I have often read an entire issue of "New Yorker" cartoons without "getting" them, although I appreciated the artistic skill involved. Once, I interviewed a cartoonist who had sold a single cartoon to the "New Yorker." He could not explain why the editor had bought the cartoon or why he could never sell another one. Now, Pat Byrnes' cartoons are much funnier than the average. His art, though it looks dashed off, is certainly not. A great deal of thought and effort has gone into these well-crafted pieces. Here's hoping that Byrnes will publish a companion volume of even darker humor. Perhaps, the devil will make him do it. By the way, his introduction is just as humorous as his drawings.

Thankyou very much for these comics. LOL happen with each of them.

Pat Byrnes's cleverly caustic "What Would Satan Do?" is a collection of the artist's outrageous cartoons on the delights of deviltry. In his amusing introduction, Byrnes points out that the temptation to transgress is all around us; after all, society's moral compass went permanently haywire a long time ago. Therefore, the author decided to profit from the wages of sin by ridiculing such human shortcomings as greed, selfishness, incompetence, sadism, rationalization, one-upsmanship, hypocrisy, insensitivity, and other obnoxious traits that we see all around us every day--but never in ourselves.

The cartoons, some in black and white and others in color, are deliciously satirical and skillfully drawn. Nasty nuns, putrid parents, curmudgeonly CEOs, creepy criminals, and scenes from hell (literally)--they're all here for your reading pleasure. Byrnes also takes aim at reality show hosts, newscasters, computer geeks, slimy lawyers, and other easy-to-lampoon targets. "What Would Satan Do?" is timely and biting social commentary that makes us laugh at the expense of those self-centered and nasty individuals who delight in making everyone else's lives miserable. Although a few of the cartoons fall flat and others may be too naughty and tasteless for some, the book's blend of artistry (I love the facial expressions) and merry mockery make it a good purchase for misanthropes with a sense of humor.

We Baby Boomers are moving into a new decade. For us 60s generation women, the 60s decade of our lives is a perfect fit. It is time once again to be free, to be inventive, to be thoughtful and philosophical, to be outrageous, to be brave. We are finally the Queens of our Selves, sovereigns of our own lives and domains. How exciting! And what fun!

This is a great book....perfect birthday, christmas or mother's day gift. It's very "classy" looking book and a fun read!

She thought it was one of the better ones she received.

I saw this book in a gift shop and knew I could get it at a better price through Amazon, so I ordered a copy for my cousin, who turned 60 last month. She has since bought copies for her friends who are turning 60. It's a great gift book with funny insights, not just platitudes about the aging process. A little humor goes a long way!

I was lucky enough to interview Wendy on my radio show on station WGNU in St Louis. It happens that I am a sixtyish lady and found the book wonderfull appropriate!
Wendy is a HOOT...we just laughed through the whole interview and we and our listeners felt like we'd related and knew the author and the book by the time (an hour later) that we were finished.
This is the sort of book you pass around to friends and give to pals who are having their 60th birthday. One of the great things about women getting older is that they really care about their friends and this book is a perfect illustration of that.
Hurry up and write the 70th birthday book, Wendy...I'm approaching it FAST.

White has a good message: Our fear-based, looking-good tendencies are not healthy for us and perpetuate unhealthy behavior in others. He discusses why we become this way, measures he took to lessen this in himself and suggests how we can do likewise.

I did find the book tiresome to follow for a number of reasons including White's wordy, informal writing style, and his frequent reliance on quoting cryptic poetry.

I don't know if this has been recently corrected, but the copy I got looked like a draft: page numbers show as XX in the table of contents; numerous sections of the book simply have a section title and the words [to come] underneath; where graphics are supposed to be has [insert graphic here]; improper margins - the text seems to run off the page in places; and is full of typographic errors.

No matter how many times I read this book, something new always resonates with me. These are life lessons, and a lot of them seem to take a whole lifetime to master...but the pursuit is the worthiest you'll ever embark upon. I strive every day to shake my unhealthy "normal" behaviors and embrace the spirit of this book - one that is laughing, open-hearted, through life.

Bowen White M.D. truly opens your eyes about what's important in life and how the stress that comes from what other people put into your inbox can really take you down. This is an easy to read, step by step eye opener about how the things we accept for normal in our life are slowly killing us and the book gives you significant, solid steps on how to take control over your life back from the world we live in and really learn to live. I loved it.

Bowen White takes you to the ultimate place, your inner self. His insight into the human mind is incredible. If you are seeking to find more about yourself, and why you live the life you do, this is the book for you. I have heard this wonderful man speak live and have read his book twice. It is incredible to walk a trail of the world with him and look at yourself.

I've known Bowen White for many years and so my review could be considered biased........however, I can honestly say that he has always been "out there" i.e., not being so normal, making people laugh all the time, and strikes me as a very healthy person ... he follows his own words and ideas and has written a very honest book. I'd say we can all learn something from him. He spoke to a keen group of university students here on a recent visit and had a great time involving them in taking a different path toward solving life's challenges. His enthusiasm for life and for all people comes through in this book.

These books are so adorable- If your a dog lover and loe art-These books are a must

This book is recommended for all dog lovers regardless of age. I fell in love with this book the moment I saw it. This book is not just for kids! It is a humorous look at a day in the life of this precious little dog. BUY IT!

This book is a winner right from the start! Winkle's World takes you through an action packed day in the theme of "A Day In The Life." The photography in this book (as well as the first) is brilliant and this book has the added benefit of very thoughtful and well written text. Definitely worth a look!

This has got to be one of the funniest, cutest, most touching little books of all time. The photos of Mr. Winkle going about his life are so precious. He's a great little writer, too. The captions are hilarious. Who ever knew a dog could be so witty and clever, or so darn cute.

A great book for all ages. My kids love it and when I took it to the office, no work got done for an hour because everyone gathered around to read it. When the boss saw us, he got mad and told us to get back to work. But when he looked at the book, he couldn't stop laughing. He ended up reading it the rest of the afternoon. Thank you, Mr. Winkle.

Even the Grinch in his prime could not have resisted this book. My whole family has fallen in love with Mr. Winkle, that clever little cutie. My kids hide the book in their rooms so my husband and I can't read it. Even Grandpa has been seen chuckling over it. The photos are great and the writing is touching and hilarious.

Taken by itself, this book is a masterpiece of sophisticated humor *and* political relevance masked as a "Super Friends"-like cartoon book knock off. There are obscure references to famous utterances associated with each of the ex-Presidents that I hadn't thought of in 25 years or more. To see Jimmy Carter taking on a villian with the line "I have lust in my heart...to kick your ass." Man, that's funny stuff.

But now, after the terrorist attacks on NYC and the Pentagon, there it is right on Page 1 of the New York Times: "Bush Appeals to Ex-Presidents for Coalition-Building Efforts." Life imitates art to a 'T'. Absolutely amazing.

X-Presidents is a strange, screwy parody which mixes bad 1970s Saturday-morning cartoons, Marvel comic books, and politics into a pastiche of weirdness like none other published to date.

There's a fine line between parody and parroting the liberal party line; unfortunately, while X-Presidents hits the mark most of the time, the authors can't help but devolve into Bush- and Reagan-bashing from time to time. For example, the "From the X-Presidents' Mailbag" section consists of nothing but cheap shots against the three Republican X-es -- and in predictable ways, too: Reagan, Iran-Contra and firing the air-traffic controllers; Bush, Iran-Contra and son W.; and Ford, stupidity.

Also, there are multiple gratuitous sexual references that are simply nonsensical. True, the whole book is gratuitous, but seeing Bush having sex with Babs on every page, or Carter having a threesome with Imelda Marcos and a mystery mullet-dude, lends little to the plot except to make it strangely embarrassing.

These aside, X-Presidents did contain the most hilarious bits of humor I've read in this dark post-September 11 world. Best of all were the peculiar "Archies"-style interludes wherein the X-es play and sing various tunes (yes, they even play the same instruments that the animated Archies did) summarizing the plot action.

This is a bizarre little book, no doubt.

A very clever and extremely fun read. This graphic-novel is a MUST-HAVE for all SNL's 'TV FUN-HOUSE' fans. It has all the elements that we have come to love and expect from 'TV FUN-HOUSE' plus more great stuff that SNL cannot broadcast over network television!

When I first saw the cartoon on Saturday night live I laughed until I fell out of the chair. The same thing happened when I read this book. From the giant tornado hitting an axe factory to our former presidents smoking crack and then singing an American Bandstand-syle song about it (9 out of 10 times it's just plain wrong) this book rocks. Even the little legal disclaimers (a direct parody of real comic book legalese) on the first page are twistedly funny. Buy this Book!

Based on a popular Saturday Night Live skit, this book (for those few who have not seen the segments) chronicles the adventures of what might happen if our former presidents had superpowers and an international mandate to save the world from a vaugley identified evil.

Granted, the animation style screams cheap 70's cartoon, but this is precisely the point of the animated sketches. The humor is subtle enough for adults and others to grasp it, and the undeniably cheesy and fun sketches will keep you rolling on the floor with laughter and guffaws.

Out of all the things Saturday Night Live has transformed into a skit post Wayne's World, the X Presidents is surely most deserving of this tribute, as well as an entire movie of their very own. You don't have to be a political freak or even like the particular presidents featured to know that sometimes something this silly is needed.