Parodies Books

Very funny! Hilarious pictures, funny context. Whoever this man is, he is one hilarious, nuttyguy! This is a funny view of the Y2K problem, that everyone who panicks about it should definitely get. Bill Gates, watch out for Brad H. Olsen-Ecker! He can surely make anything funny, especially referring to Lady of the Water. Great Book!

That Olsen-Ecker guy is a real crazy kook. The book really puts this whole Y2K thing in a perspective we can all laugh about and silence the hysteria. Olsen-Ecker is one of the great creative minds of the 20th century. It is not just a book but a survival manual for the next millenium. Save those cheese doodles, take the stairs, and cancel that flight to Hawaii. The Y2K hysteria is upon us people! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!!

Fear and loathing on the road to Y2K! A surreal journey in context, in type design, in photos. It's riveting. It's by my bedside. It's a must buy.

The author Bradley Olsen-ecker did a great job creating characters that really had personality. Giving the Y2K situation a very real identity. The story mad a lot of sense, and gave the readers an idea of how crazy Y2K will really be.

Buy this, read it, keep it on your desk. Any time you read in the "real" press that Y2K is going to bring disaster, open this book at random; remind yourself that *this* is what the pundits are predicting. They're nuts. (Well, the author is clearly nuts also, but I mean that in the nicest way.)

And, it's cheap enough that you can buy a batch and have them handy to hand to people who whine about Y2K preparedness. I did.

This is one of the best books in the history of modern man. The pictures alone are enough to keep returning to it over and over and over. I found the tome very informative as it eloquently exposes the under-workings of the CON.
Any library, private or public, is incomplete without this remarkable book.

Getting this book will be the difference in eternal salvation or going to work tomorrow. Get it now, before it's too late. This is your last warning, we're watching you.

If the Book of The Subgenius left your brain nearly distroyed. The sequal will finish the job!

If only Saddam had read this book! If he did, then the Iraqi's would be patrolling New York City right now!

"Bob" gives Jesus a wedgie!

"Bob" give Mohommad a "wet willie!"

"Bob" is the punch line to a joke that was never spoken.

"Bob" is the whoppie cushion at the Black Tie Dinner of reality!

"Bob" is the pie! "Bob" is the arm of Moe! "Bob" is the pie fight at the end of the Three Stooges Episode!

The end times are a'near! Get right with "Bob" now!

I bought this one too, now I'm even crazier!
Thanks again, "Bob"!

that I had to buy THREE copies of the first book, because it would 'disappear' when I lent it to friends. I certainly wore out the binding of each copy myself, because it was one of the funniest books I'd ever read hands down. Naturally, when the sequel, "Revelation X" hit the shelves, I needed to have it, even though I knew I'd already given enough money to these raving hucksters(I mean, I loved the Church-bought the mebership and all). While not as side splittingly funny as the first one, this is still light years ahead of any other humor books. Each SubGenius book is literally crammed with things to read and look at, artwork and rants and gag philosophy from embittered nerds all over the world apparently, all about the mythical figure of Bob Dobbs and his plan to save us from the maw of the Conspiracy that is perpetuated by so-called normal people to destroy noncomformity. Obviously, if you are the shy, intellectual type with a truckload of inner rage and a brain that no one appreciates or understands, then this is your bible. Women Subgenii take note: there's a chapter devoted just to you. Enjoy one of the last decades' coolest in-jokes.

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

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

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

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

The Dead Guy Interviews is based on the intriguing premise that forty-five of history's greatest, and most interesting, people can be summoned back to life long enough to sit for an interview with the author. The theory goes that Michael Stusser will ask the hard questions, questions that would have in some cases probably gotten him killed if he had dared to ask them during the actual lifetimes of his subjects. Stusser will combine insightful questions and humor in his interviews in a way that will provide the reader with forty-five painless little history lessons. So much for the theory, because in reality, this hit-and-miss book is more miss than hit.

Stusser interviews Beethoven, Napoleon, Churchill, Einstein, Darwin, Freud, Hoover, Poe, Mae West, Wilde, Crazy Horse, Washington, Lincoln, Julius Caesar, Buddha and thirty others. Each interview runs five or six pages and is introduced by a one-page biography of the person being interviewed. The interviews seldom fail to offer at least one or two lesser known, but intriguing, historical facts about their subjects but so many of the questions are phrased in such a sophomoric style of humor that the facts are soon overwhelmed by the silliness. And because Stusser sometimes has his historical figures respond in the same tone in which the questions are asked, many of them seem to have the same personality regardless of what they accomplished in life or in what era they lived. After a while it starts to seem that everyone who comes back to life does so with the personality of Don Rickles.

Although many, if not most, of the interviews stress the sex lives of those answering the questions, with Stusser seeming to take particular delight in pointing out how many great figures of history were either homosexual or bisexual, some of the conversations do serve as good capsule histories. Unfortunately, because of the numerous sex jokes and the constant trading of insults between interviewer and interviewee, those conversations do not happen as often as they could have.

More typical is the way that the interviewer begins his session with Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.

Michael Stusser: Gotta ask about the facial hair. Why not trim up the old mono-brow and wax the `stache, you know?

Frida Kahlo: Yes, I now see this is going to be like sitting with a pig for an hour. Why don't you shave your back?

But along the way we are reminded of Beethoven's deafness, that Mozart may have suffered from Tourette's syndrome, that only seven of Emily Dickinson's poems were published in her lifetime, and we learn how Harry Houdini (and Siegfried and Roy) made an elephant disappear on stage. Stusser provides the kind of historical trivia that puts a human face on history's legends but the book is ultimately less a history lesson than it is a book filled with jokes written at the expense of those legends.

[...]

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

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

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

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

The book arrived yesterday and I spent hours last night perusing it learning about all things pirate. I'm not a pirate groupie or anything, but I got sucked in. I kept thinking I'd put the book down any minute to go fix dinner . . . watch TV . . . go to bed . . . you get the idea. The book is just fun. There is a hidden treasure quest at the back of the book. Even though the "contest" is officially over, I had fun just messing around with the clues, which would lead me to other discoveries, which would lead to even more cool stuff. Before I knew it, I'd lost the evening just playing with this book. It is certainly not a book you would sit down and read cover to cover, it's in more of a dictionary or encyclopedia format than a book of prose, but its entries are fascinating, and you can quickly while away the hours trying to solve the puzzle, learning the lingo for every situation a pirate might encounter, and learning to insult your friends and enemies in pirate-speak.
If you're even remotely interested in pirates, do yourself a favor and get a copy of this book.

Basicly a text book for pirate wannabes. Everything you wanted to know about pirates and more can be found in this book

Who would ever expect to find such a fun book! My daughter loves Pirates and I had read that Sept. 19 is talk like a Pirate book, she loves it! Only at Amazon would expect such a find!

THE PIRATE PRIMER: MASTERING THE LANGUAGE OF SWASHBUCKLERS AND ROGUES represents the only general reference to examine the language of pirates, offering up a pirate vocabulary complete with pronunciation and grammar. Three centuries of distinctive terms and usages from TV, literature and history blend into entries organized by 'oaths', 'commands', 'retorts' and more. Any writer involved in pirate representation needs thorough knowledge of the lingo, making THE PIRATE PRIMER a pick for any writer's library.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This is a great volume for a writer to add to his library. As people have probably mentioned, it's separated into handy categories such as "Retorts" and "Malapropisms." My only caveat for a writer of historical fiction is to watch out for the fictional sources, which seem to be the majority. I'm not sure how authentic they are and I'm wary of that. I'd stick with sources like "General History of the Pyrates," Woodes Rogers, Exquemelin, and William Dampier. I feel safe with Defoe and Marryat, as they were experienced seamen writing for contemporaries.

Do you fear the end of the world? Rob Kutner's new book makes it seem like it will be as fun as a trip to Disneyland!

Apocalpyse How presents many ways that the world as we know it might end: nuclear holocaust, robot revolt (a la Flight Of The Conchords' song "The Humans Are Dead"), alien invasion, global warming. And it gives some really funny advice about how we can not just survive, but thrive in the new world order.

There are perhaps one too many references to cannibalism for my taste, but Kutner's clever writing and sharp wit makes up for it. My favorite part was the "Fun & Games" chapter near the end of the book.

The book does not give enough credit to illustrator Joshua McDonnell. His drawings, photographs and collages are superb, and are as strong of a presence as the writing itself.

Even more so than the average election year, 2008 feels like the end of the world. For those who don't miraculously ascend to a better place--and let's face it, that's a lot of you--this book might just keep you alive (or at least, keep your hideous demise from being needlessly depressing). With the ability to get a laugh even from a blank page, Rob Kutner is truly humanity's best hope for survival.

You'll regret the coming of the end of "Apocalypse How" almost as much as you'll regret the coming of the end of the actual world (next week). Fortunately, the book is packed with so much verbal and visual humor, you'll need to read it at least twice to wring all the laughs from it... much as you'll want to wring all the potable, nutritious juices from whatever minimally-irradiated flora, fauna, and Frankenfoods you can find when the end-times arrive. You'll want to read the acknowledgments three times.

This book was really hilarious! Takes the doom out of doomsday. Buy it to read or makes a great gift, it was so funny I forgot to be scared.

This is the way the world ends, not with a bang...but a howl of laughter! Who knew that the Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse is a brilliant satirist by the name of Rob Kutner? With a gift of prophecy that Cassandra would envy and the swiftness of a Sidewinder missile, Kutner has beaten the likes of those esteemed self-help gurus Heloise, Bob Vila, Dr. Phil, Martha Stewart, Dear Abby, et al. in fulfilling an unrecognized need: an ironic handbook for coping with nearly all aspects of the Last Days. "Apocalypse How" is highly entertaining and may even be useful. I liked it so much I bought copies for my family and closest friends.

Even better than the original, "Book of Love," digs deeper into the true passions of the goomba--from food to cars to oh, woman, of course.

What are some goomba characteristics?
It's already pre-determined that the real old-school East Coast Italian-Americans must drive Caddies, wear Fila jumpsuits and sport gold chains. But these "traditions" aren't just done for the hell of it. There are reasons why the guido does certain things...

CLOTHES: Most Italian goombas wear colorful Fila track outfits as casualwear because having an easily recognizable matching uniform is essential. Also, because most guidos are a little on the heavy side, the Filas flatter the body shape and are comfortable all year round. Of course Fila is an Italian company so that is always the best brand. Guido dress-up attire is usually a dark matching suit (with either a tropical print silk shirt underneath or a dark shirt with brightly patterned tie for real formal events). The guido likes to stand out and always lives by the credo that tasteful gaudiness is classy.

ACCESSORIES: Most Italian goombas wear tons of gold because it makes them look like they have some money, even if that's not the case. The money that the guido does carry is in a roll with a rubber band around it with the big fazool (a ten spot) on the outside. Bracelets, watches, pinkie rings, and of course, necklaces are always worn. The religious emblems (Christ on the cross, Holy Mary) are usually around the neck because most guidos are Catholic.

CARS: Most Italian goombas drive old Caddies and Lincolns because they are big, powerful and roomy. Other guidos may pick a Monte Carlo or Mustang or another flashy sportscar but traditionalists will go for the Caddie. Most Mafiosos drive Caddies because they are flashy and represent luxury to the fullest but regular guidos who can't afford brand new ones go for second-handers and spice them up with tints and sound systems. And of course, the red horn is hung from the rearview mirror and the Italian flag decal is on the back bumper. I don't know about guidos outside of my neighborhood, but Jersey guidos never drive Japanese cars, only American cars.

FOOD: Most Italian goombas eat Italian-American food, not Olive Garden garbage but food from old-fashioned local spots run by fellow guidos or better yet, from Mama or Nonna. Meatballs, macaroni, eggplant, pizza, gabagol, and other old-fashioned goodness. Why? Because it tastes the best of course, and is the most filling. The guido will eat other non-Italian foods at times (it must be satisfying) but none of this modern new wave kind of eclectic cuisine is eaten, and an Italian meatball is always chosen before an American meatloaf if the option is given.

ENTERTAINMENT: Most Italian goombas like Joe Pesci and other Italian actors because they are the most relatable. These guys come from the neighborhood and talk, act and look like the local guido. That's why every Italian guido from Jersey thinks they can be on "The Sopranos." The guido has a fascination with the Mafia because of the similarities but also adores non-gangster portrayals as well, like Rocky Balboa and the all-time King Guido: Tony Manero of "Saturday Night Fever." Music is a huge part of the guido lifestyle. Anything Italian from Sinatra to Bon Jovi to Angelo Venuto are listened to. The music is usually light and danceable, none of those deep Celine Dion ballads or country tunes.

ATTITUDE: Most Italian goombas are from the East Coast so they have that "numero uno" attitude. Guidos haggle when buying something to get the best prices, are outgoing, do everything to the extreme, and show pride in all of their interests-the main one being the Italian-American heritage. Guidos never back down from fights and always go after what they want, whether it's a job or a girl or a calzone. Guidos talk with their own slang, use hand gestures, and strut. The guido's life is a constant hustle, book smarts are not always top priority when Italian charm and quick wit can be used instead. And when all else fails, God and mama are always there. The guido loves all the guido stereotypes, plays them up and doesn't give a damn what anyone thinks.

HOME LIFE: Most Italian goombas are married to a guidette who can cook and look hot doing it. Guidettes can give their men agita and turn them on at the same time. The guido-guidette relationship is always emotional, and the harder the fights are the harder the you-know-what is. The bedroom has a Crucifix above the bed, the sofa is protected with plastic and the house must have a leather recliner, a crystal chandelier, a white and red checkered tablecloth, a mini Tower of Pisa statue in the backyard, and an Italian flag on the front lawn. The kids are junior guidos and guidettes of course, and will grow up to be adult guidos and guidettes. There are always cousins and other relatives dropping by. The closeness of family and friends is always evident and the high level of drama exists because the guido is emotional and passionate about everything.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a few good laughs over a few good dumps. What else can a Goomba ask from a book sittin' on the back of the cammode.

I knew guys like this growing up! This book is HILARIOUS!!!

I loved this book. I found it to be very funny (..). Great entertainment.

Well known to countless fans of television's The Sopranos as Bobby "Bacala" Baccilieri, Steven Schirripa turned to the world of books and penned "A Goomba's Guide To Life," a top seller not only for Sopranos aficionados but others who enjoy smiles mixed with neighborhood sagacity.

Now, Mr. Schirripa follows with "The Goomba's Book Of Love," read by the only voice to share this wisdom - Mr. Schirripa himself.

Love in the goomba lexicon refers not only to the attraction between male and female but his undying love for his mother and her pasta sauce, deeply felt affection for his children, and his car (he cautions that no one better be caught eating in it).

The goomba, it seems, is a veritable wellspring of love - for his neighborhood, his friends, his extended family and, of course, broads. The criteria for a real goomba broad? "She'd go to the chair for me."

For the uninitiated, the dictionary defines a goomba, also "goombah" as the senior member of a criminal gang. Also, for the uninitiated, "The Goomba's Book Of Love" is pure entertainment. If you want sex tips, consult Dr. Ruth. If you want laughter and good humor, listen to this.

- Gail Cooke

I loved The Rock Orchard and had to read something else by P.S. (Paula) Wall. If I Were a Man, I'd Marry Me is a collection of short stories taken from a column she used to write (or still writes, not sure) that center on quirky southern characters and situations. She does the same here as she did in The Rock Orchard -- write some quirky, surrealistic takes of ordinary, every day people. Her wit is priceless in this collection and I enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed her novel. My favorite stories are "Maxine's Diet," "Faithful," "The Mortician," "Harley," "Warming the Bench," "Topless," "The Ghost of Elvis," "Chivalry," and "Fruitcake." I guess the one disappointing thing about this collection is that the stories are very short -- about three or four pages each. Other than that, I loved If I Were a Man, I'd Marry Me and I hope to read more stuff by this talented writer.

After a tough day I can count on P.S. Wall to lift my spirits. Wall has a gift for putting everyday occurances into a humerous perspective. Reading her stories makes you feel like you are a part of her group. And what a fun loving group it is! You go girl... and take me with you.

P.S. Wall is just as funny in person as she is in print. She's the kind of storyteller that you want to take home, sat her on the hearth and let her entertain you for the rest of your life. This writer is a well kept secret who is destined to become one of the great Southern humorists of all time.

The other day, my husband and I got a crazy waitress at a Shoneys. As we walked outside after lunch, we burst into laughter and agreed that we'd just had a Wall Moment. I could almost read the article she would have written about the incident. Buy this book, and soon you'll be having Wall Moments too.

If I Were A Man, I'd Marry Me draws you into P. S. Wall's slightly skewed universe. The same things happen to her that happen to all of us -- she finds and writes about the absurdity, the humor and the craziness of ordinary life. I'll never look at a dipstick or chocolate brown shoes the same way again.

Wall's book is filled with friends and family you want to be part of. You follow Rosie and Maxine and even Cat from adventrue to mis-adventure with constant chuckling, but also a growing sense of familiarity. These are your people. I met Sweetie once at a conference -- believe me, he lives up to his hype.

Though consistently out there, Wall's universe remains grounded in reality. She doesn't avoid tough questions -- "If you dream about another man," one character asks, "is that being unfaithful?" Of course, the man they all dream about turns out to be Al Gore -- go figure. Wall tackles emotional insecurity, the tribulations of being single, the difficulties as well as the rewards of marriage. Perhaps that's what makes these essays more than just fun to read once. Like Mark Twain or Erma Bombeck, P. S. Wall writes about our real lives, and we want to return to her again and again.

You can catch P. S. Wall at uexpress.com, and I'd travel 1000 miles to her her speak in person -- she's that good. But right now, for a good healthy dose of vintage Wall, buy If I Were A Man, I'd Marry Me. I guarantee you'll laugh on every page, and pretty soon you'll be having Wall Moments too.

Walls takes life and makes it into stories you can laugh about. The hooker story is the first and it is hillarious as the others. They are cleverly written. Read all of her works with girl friends.

I stumbled onto this book and it sounded interesting. There are quite a few short stories with references amongst each other. I didn't find it to be laugh-out-loud funny, but the "geek humor" did get me to crack a smile every now and then.

Note for parents: On the back cover it points out "Scattered Profanity" - and for a reason. If you are offended by profanity - or are buying this for a young teen you might want to consider that. The f-bomb is dropped at least once that I remember - you have been warned. Perhaps your local library might have a copy for you to look over before gifting?

Lucy Snyder has one of the most unique voices in speculative fiction, and this book is an example of her at her best.

What Terry Prachett does for fantasy, what Douglas Adams did for S/F, what Christopher Moore does for horror, Lucy Snyder does for technogeekism. She twists it, she warps it, and she makes it side-splittingly funny. She is well on her way to creating a lexicon of humor that will have the whole Gen X and Y community feeling even more smug and geekier-than-thou.

The title piece in this collection is a beloved classic to the online crowd; anyone who's ever suffered through a technical manual will be at home with the zombie badgers.

This book also contains one of my favorite stories of all time, "In The Shadow of the Fryolator". Chick lit meets Cthulu via the brain of Lucy Snyder.

I highly recommend owning this book if you want to be cool.

Well, being a fan of every zombie based litature and or media that has come out...pretty much since i can remeber this book takes the cake. Not only does it contain zombies, but it shows how to make them and the nessary tools and items needed to do so. I should have guessed that Linux would have been involved i just dident realize it would be so easy. Now i barely ever have to do any work my self, except for matience on my zombies of course. Iv even taught one to take dictation, although they cant spell worth a D#@N. Over all i loved this book, from obscure hacking references to common problems we could all have with the "living impared" this is a A-1 book in my opinion.

This handbook is priceless. Sure, Linux is free, but learning how to use it properly, a necessity when installed on a dead badger (something I'd been meaning to try) can be tricky (especially for those of us who were trained on Windows machines).

I'd been wanting to explore Linux use and the wider applications of the life-challenged to handle my small business's basic chores--mailing, filing, tax preparation, security--but until I read this book I had no idea I'd need to know which aethernet company would require the least amount of holy water. The need for a priest on speed dial or a martyr-minded virgin had also never occurred to me.

I especially liked the down-to-earth language of the book. Sure, there are some shoutouts to people I've never heard of, and some references to computer skills I haven't mastered yet, but I found it written in a fun, easily-accessible way that made it possible for even my (Windows) challenged brain to keep up.

Installing Linux on a Dead Badger is one of those books that begins with a small chuckle, quickly advances to a chortle and then moves you directly to 'Laughing out loud'. Really quickly. With dry humor and clear prose Lucy Snyder deconstructs hackers, corporate culture and megalomanic alien squids in short order, and with a side of fries.

This collection of sprightly tales begins with the title piece, a pseudo technical manual that should delight geeks and non-geeks a like, particularly those whove sat on hold waiting for tech support. We then proced to corporate vampirism, psychic stock predictions, zombie employees and haunted networks. Luc's prose is funny, fast moving, absurdist and served with a healthy dose of irony. Two stumps up, and way up.

A very enjoyable book. Just the high quality reproduction of the covers would make this a great book.
A richly savory festival of imagination, creativity, insight (cultural, sociological, philosophical, etc.) and, of course, delightful humor and splendiferous transcendental artwork. Lots of charming tidbits including photos, extra art reproductions, etc.
Thanks Frank and The Usual Gang for this inundation of funshine and good cheer!

(After you've seen the covers you'd probably like to peek inside). Check out: Absolutely MAD Magazine - 50+ Years

If there are better sight gags than those on the cover of Mad magazine, then I have yet to see them. This book is a collection of the first 400 covers and some of them had me hysterical with laughter. My favorite was the one where Alfred is holding a hard taco shell behind a Mexican dog that is straining mightily. Others were just as funny, although some did require explanation. The producers of the magazine were not above applying a little duplicity when creating the covers.
The only drawback for younger readers will be that knowledge of the current events of the time is a precondition if you are to get the joke. For example, some covers feature political figures, and if you don't know anything about them, the joke is lost. Other covers are spoofs of hit movies of the time, so the explanatory captions are a welcome addition. Having lived through those times, I understood most of them, but there were a few times when I didn't understand the joke until I read the caption.
This book is very funny and you cannot help but be impressed by the quality of the artwork and the zany intelligence that went into the covers of Mad. The producers of Mad constantly lampooned themselves as idiots, but they were without question geniuses.

this book is well designd and gives all the information about the covers over the years, including notes about the spacial covers.
i highly recomand this book to any mad reader.

I loved this book , mostly because Im a mad magazine FAN!!! BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!!!! GREAT BOOK

The first copy of Mad I saw was issue 29 in September 1956 (still got it too) and I was hooked. How could a magazine be so funny and be so spot-on with its satire? Easy, just employ the `usual gang of idiots' that's how. I kind of grew out of it when I discovered the National Lampoon, how could a magazine be so funny etc, etc. But I have always had a soft spot for Mad and this book of covers is a super addition to my back issues and other Mad books.

All 399 (up to November 2000) covers are in this well designed and printed book Mostly one or two covers to a page sometimes with Frank Jacobs' commentary and with a lot of the latter covers you get to see the preliminary cover roughs. As the years go by you can see how the covers changed from simple visual gags into ones that are much more graphic and busy because they have to work harder on the newsstand. The ideas are still very funny after all these years though. My favorite is issue 35 (October 1957) a wraparound that celebrated the fifth anniversary with a great painting from Norman Mingo showing a few dozen very famous American merchandising characters seated round a dining table, Alfred's at one end grinning. I would love this as a poster.

I think it is worth mentioning for Mad fans the seven CD-ROM `Totally Mad' set, every page from the issue one thru to December 1998, the interface is very user friendly and the discs have a lot of additional aural and visual surprises.

BTW, Robert Silver's photmosaic book cover, made up from the magazines covers, is stunning.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

I have been a faithful FoxTrot reader for years. Roger, Andy and their kids Peter, Paige and Jason are always good for a reality check with a large dose of laughter. I've got two girls and let me tell you, I see a lot of my kids in Paige with, I believe, even a healthy dose of Jason thrown in. And they have Peter's bottomless stomach. Of course, they're faithful FoxTrot readers too. I used to read the strip to them, explain what was going on, but now they get it just fine and we three all laugh together. Then my girls try and explain the strip to their dad, who pretends he doesn't get it.

The FoxTrot folks are a great family, one we sort of got used to checking up on every day, so we took the news that Mr. Amend was going to cease daily distribution of his wonderfully funny people and turn his strip to Sunday only, with a bit of sadness. Still, we have these terrific FoxTrot books to keep us going with our FoxTrot fix. Mr. Amend is to be commended for his great gift to our culture and his great gift to so many lives. I truly believe a laugh a day, helps keep the blues away and the FoxTrot gang are always good for a laugh. Heck there are a lot of laughs in the FoxTrot books. I know, I have them all and I am, along with my girls and my hubby dear, eagerly awaiting the next one.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention, we don't have an iguana, but my girls do have a pet gecko and, you guessed it, his name is Quincy.

I've been a Foxtrot reader for a long time and personally I think there is something suspiciously wrong with people who don't find Bill Amend's characters funny as all get out. If you want a good laugh, check out Bill in your local newspaper, or better yet, get one of the Foxtrot books. They are all great, really, they are.

Like many of Mr. Amend's fans I'm a bit disappointed he's switching his strip to Sunday-only, but fortunately I can still read him daily in the Foxtrot books. Get them one and all and you can keep right on a laughing.

the only problem i had with this book is that it took me no time to read through it. very funny, wish it had lasted longer. a must read.

A kid thinks that they are immortal. And will try this. So thekid in us, is in the sled enjoyingthis.

I absolutely loved this book. It was absolutely hilarious. With Jason seeing Jurrassic Park, The Fox family going on vacation, and Jason and Marcus's 83 story Comic Book Store this book was great. 5 Stars!