Comedy Books

They say that laughing actually has medicinal value. If that's the case, then this book is truly theraputic. if you are looking for an interesting title that will make you laugh out loud - this is the book to take to the beach this summer!

Rob Ballister's book is a collection of anecdotes from his personal life which reveals his optimistic outlook on the world. Through his unique ability to laugh about his own circumstances and mistakes while taking everything the world throws his way, he shows others the futility of always taking yourself seriously. I found myself laughing out loud in the library, under a tree, on a bench along the sidewalk, and in my room as I made my way through his tales of life, the navy, girlfriends, religion, and illness. I would recommend this book to anyone needing just a quick laugh or a step back from a stressful life in order to refocus on the small things.

Rob Ballister is a talented humorist in the tradition of Dave Barry. "God Does Have a Sense of Humor" is reminiscent of Barry's "Complete Guide to Guys." First, Ballister effectively disarms the reader, coaxing laughter out of his battle with testicular cancer. Then he covers a myriad important subjects such as coaching little league, nickel beer night, and lingerie shopping. Each anecdotal tale, whether trying to understand the fairer sex or deconstructing family politics, is comprised of one part insight and two parts comedy. This is a must read for bachelors and cancer survivors.

Easily digestible, God Does Have a Sense of Humor is written as a collection of short stories, rather than a typical novel. It's perfect for sitting down for five minutes and reading one hilarious story by itself, and just as good if you want to spend a rainy Saturday reading the whole thing. The reader will find it hard not to identify with some of the tragically embarassing experiences of the author, while other vignettes are so energetically fanciful and full of hyperbole that one cannot help but pause to laugh. I highly recommend this book!

A day without laughter is like a day without sunshine. All your days can be sunny if you'll just open Rob's book.

Wandering through the table of contents was my first indication that I was in for a chuckle. His candid sharing of awkard moments was enough to put me rolling on the floor with laughter. There is definitely something for everyone to laugh about in his book.

If you're looking for a fun book to read, God Does Have A Sense Of Humor hits the spot!

This is book 2 in the Casa Dracula series by Marta Acosta. I loved Happy Hour at Casa Dracula (book 1) and thought it might be hard beat. I was wrong. Midnight Brunch is just as good, if not better. The book is written differently, a little (very little) less comedy and more depth. Milagro is growing up and becoming someone that she and others really like.

Midnight Brunch takes place about a year after Happy Hour at Casa Dracula. Milagro and Oswald are very happily together, then his parents come for a visit. This parental visit is the beginning of a downward turn in Milagro's life; she fights with Oswald, gets involved in some twisted vampire ritual, and gets caught up with a washed-up actor. Through it all Milagro remains her witty self.

There were several things about Midnight Brunch that I liked. I loved the Milagro had to be on her own, without Oswald and his family. We really get to see her take care of herself, and how much she cares for her new family by not involving them in her troubles. I also really enjoyed the conversations between Milagro and Nancy, two such different people. The reappearance of Ian Ducharme also made me very happy. I know that he isn't the man for Milagro, but he makes me hot!

Midnight Brunch is romance, humor, and mystery all rolled into one delicious book.

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The Casa Dracula books are crisply written with great vivid characters--best of all it's laugh out loud funny.

Can't wait for the next installment!

From eccentric & sometimes annoying family members, to cryptic ceremonies, to boyfriends disappearing (even if it is for a good cause), to the return of a fabulous lover, to a tabloid journalist & a washed up heartthrob, Mrs. Acosta does it again in her sequel to Happy Hour at Casa Dracula. Her character development and story telling ability is spectacular. Marta is definitely one of a kind. Her writing is sexy & spicy, yet witty & charming. The lead character, Milagro de los Santos, is a beautiful Latina grad from an Ivy League school, trying to find her way as an author in a world she never would have believed in if it hadn't jumped out and bit her. Literally. Secrets & lies and even Mil's life being threatened as to where she has to hide away at an upscale desert resort, the impending chaos ensues. Will Mil get her happy ending? Pick this book up...you will not regret a single page!

Midnight Brunch is just as satisfying as Happy Hour. I loved the new cast of characters and the emotional vampire/actor at the resort. Marta's characters are very real and relatable and she infuses her knowledge of literature (like a previous reviewer I too squealed at the Northanger Abbey reference)and pop culture (heiress, self absorbed actor.) As a writer, I love to read Milagro's struggles with her career path. Again I love how Marta turned Vampire stereotypes upside down and tries to reinvent them. I can't wait to read Bride and I already pre ordered the book.

I loved Midnight Brunch, I couldn't put it down, just like the first book, Happy Hour at Casa Dracula! The characters are well
developed and you can almost feel the emotions.I simply could not put it down! Highly amusing, sexy, and exciting at the same time, a perfect combination! I can't wait for the next book.

Too much fun! Read it over and over and never tire of it. Blackadder will not disappoint you if you love British Comedy, Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson, Hugh Laurie.

"Blackadder" is one of the most brilliant television shows ever. The star, Rowan Atkinson, along with other series regulars such as Tony Robinson (as the perpetual dogsbody with a cunning plan,) Tim McInnerny, Stephen Fry, and Hugh Laurie carry this show through four distinct historical periods, with more laughs than could possibly be expected. Series one starts in the fifteenth century, with Atkinson as Prince Edmund, the illegitimate and despised son of the lunatic king, Richard IV. During this season Edmund adopted the moniker "The Black Adder" only after Baldrick advised him it was much more awe inspiring than his original choice "The Black Vegetable." (Note that while his name is spelled "Blackadder" in the scripts, when it is used as a title in season one, it is spelled "Black Adder.") This season sets the stage for Blackadder as a conniving and scheming con man, a reputation he and his Blackadder descendants live up to through the rest of the series.

Seasons two and three see a progression though history with Edmund first becoming Lord Edmund Blackadder, in the court of Elizabeth I (who is delightfully played by Miranda Richardson,) and later becoming the butler to Prince George, the Prince Regent, who is the idiot offspring of crazy King George III. These seasons provide the most laughs of the series for me, and I am particularly enthralled with the episode "Ink and Incapability" in which Baldrick burns Doctor Johnson's new dictionary. This episode is the ultimate in Blackadder humor, witty and urbane, yet full of madcap comedic moments as well, especially when Blackadder introduces new and confounding words for Dr. Johnson's considerations: "Contrafibularities, sir. It is a common word down our way....I am anaspeptic, phrasmotic, even compunctious to have caused you such pericombubulations." (Of course in true Blackadder fashion this only gets him in trouble, as Coleridge, the poet and Johnson ally threatens to thrust an Oriental disemboweling cutlass up his "ignoble behind.")

The forth season of Blackadder sees Atkinson as Captain Edmund Blackadder in the British army during the trench warfare of World War One France. This series also had a lot of laughs, with my favorite episode being "Private Plane," in which Blackadder and Baldrick join the Royal Air Force and are forced down behind enemy lines. They are subsequently interrogated and insulted by the Red Baron ("How lucky you English are to find the toilet so amusing, for us it is a mundane and functional item, for you it is the basis of an entire culture.") and sentenced to teach home economics to a convent of nuns for the duration of the war. One thing about this season (and two of the others) is that in the last episode of the season the entire cast dies, which elevates the series into a peculiar blend of black comedy and social commentary which I have still not grown fully accustomed to.

The book is a collection of scripts and has several extras germane to the time period being satirized which are also well done. I like the excerpt from "Dr. Johnson's Dictionary" provided on page 106, with definitions such as "left behind - part of the sitting apparatus of a personage," and "leek - a long, thin Welsh tomato." There are also helpful lists of the "Duties of the Prince Regent," "Duties of a Butler of a Royal Household" which includes "Commissioning moleskins (as and when necessary)," and "Duties of an Underscrogman." Baldrick, being the Underscrogman serving under Edmund is responsible for (among other things): "Removing and making good all squoles, whiffen-plugs, and blunters," "Cleaning the wulger-hole," "Quilping," "Cliving," "Groving," "Arranging the sheep droppings into neat little pyramids," "Frossiking the hounds," "Folding the glut-pile," and of course, "Making sandwiches."

This is a wonderful book, though if you are unfamiliar with the series, I recommend buying the DVD set and watching the shows first; a subsequent reading of this book will ensure many more laughs. As a side note, profits from this book go to the charity Comic Relief, a brief history of which appears in the last three pages of the book.

I recommend this book very highly for intelligent wit, and I likewise recommend the television series on DVD interphrastically.

The Blackadder series, begun in the 1980s, was a comedic masterpiece set forth by Rowan Atkinson and his comrades. From start to finish, the first series was a masterstroke of wit, irony and comedic styling that fits both the contemporary and medieval situations perfectly. The combination of slapstick and intellectual humour blended well, and the literary types will not miss the occasional credit of William Shakespeare as a collaborating writer on some episodes -- this might well be the kind of comedy Shakespeare would have produced today.

The first series was set in the pre-Tudor royal family, projecting that Richard III won at Bosworth Field, and Richard IV succeeded him, until after many adventures, the entire royal family was done in, and Henry Tudor reworte history thereafter. The first series starred Brian Blessed and Elspet Gray as the King and Queen, and Robert East as their eldest son, the Prince of Wales. Rowan Atkinson played the second son, who with companions Percy and Baldrick (Tim McInnerny and Tony Robinson) create most of the comic scenes. BlackAdder variously becomes the Archbishop of Canterbury, the betrothed of the Spanish Infanta, a witch on trial, and finally, however briefly, King of England.

The second series sees Percy and Baldrick following a descendent of Blackadder in Elizabethan times; as befits the period, the characters are more vibrant and saucy, particularly Blackadder, who still seeks his fortune as one of the Queen's suitors. Here he variously becomes the royal executioner, a sea-faring discoverer, a bankrupt noble, and finally a traitor to the crown, albeit not without a sense of humour. Miranda Richardson puts in a spectacular performance as Queen Elizabeth, with Stephen Fry and Patsy Byrne in attendance. Stephen Fry will recur throughout the series.

In the third series, Blackadder is still close to the crown, as the butler of the Prince Regent, a despised position to a despised person. Baldrick is still around, and the Prince is played by Hugh Laurie, who will recur in the final series. Done almost as a period comedy, the very titles and situations pay hommage to the day of the Scarlet Pimpernel, Dr. Johnson's dictionary, and the conflict with France. Through an interesting set of circumstances, butler and prince trade places, and the Blackadder finally becomes his intended goal, albeit in the name of someone else.

In the fourth and final series, Blackadder has fallen from a great height, and is an officer in the trenches of World War I. Baldrick is still there, and Percy and the Prince have transformed into fellow field officers, with Stephen Fry playing a bellicose general here as he did Wellington in the third series. The main device of this series is the effort by Blackadder to escape the trenches, by variously becoming an artist, a theatre producer, a chef, but to no avail finally, producing a sombre end to the dynasty.

The book is a fabulous companion piece to the series, as the BBC is known to do with television series of success. The six episodes of each of the four seasons is laid out in script-narrative form, with a generous collection of side offerings, such as the Blackadder family tree, the menu of Mrs. Miggins' pie shoppe, and other pieces of interest related to but not found in the actual series. The cast is included at the beginning of each series section. The book concludes with a partial collection of some of Blackadder's best insults.

This book was printed in aid of Comic Relief, who give a brief outline of their history of funding good causes in the last few pages.

This is a must-have for any Blackadder fan. Regretably, it does not contain the addition special features (such as the Victorian Christmas of Blackadder), but for any devotee of the series, this is a requirement.

1983 saw the airing of a hilariously funny new British television show, Blackadder. This show had four separate seasons that chronicled the lives of four members of the Blackadder family: Edmund Blackadder in 1484, son of Richard, Duke of York; Edmund Blackadder, favorite of Queen Elizabeth I; Edmund Blackadder, butler to Prince George, son of King George III; and, finally, Edmund Blackadder, Army captain during World War I. This book is a companion to that wonderful series, filling in the holes left in English history, giving all sort of useful information drawn from the Blackadder family archives, and the full scripts of each of the shows!

This is a great book, and a must-have for any fan of the Black Adder. The scripts are great to have, and the other information demonstrates the same great humor as the show. Having been created in 1998, the book does not contain any information on the Y2K special, Blackadder Back & Forth, which makes sense. What doesn't make sense is that it completely ignores the 1988 Christmas Special! But, that said, this is a nice book, one that I highly recommend to every Blackadder fan!

I stumbled upon the Black Adder comedy series one night in the 1980s while channel surfing. Something was weird, I thought--there's this sniveling coward, and this even more sniveling sycophant, and then the dogsbody who has dung all over him. Looks interesting. And as I watched, I found it extremely funny, as well. It required a knowledge of history (or Shakespeare, as you see fit), yet wasn't afraid to do the occasional fart joke. Puerile, yet intelligent. That described me at the time as well.

The successive series (Blackadder II, Blackadder the Third, and Blackadder Goes Forth) shifted over into the more intelligent realm (with the third series being the most so), although the running jokes about Baldrick (the dogsbody) being little better than the dung he came from remained. Blackadder II, set in the court of the virgin queen, starred Miranda Richardson, who was perfect in her cruelty towards the hapless Blackadder. The third series had Hugh Laurie as the Prince Regent, a befuddled German idiot who is being taken advantage of by Blackadder, the butler (think of a dark Wooster/Jeeves match, where the Jeeves character retains his aplomb but becomes extra greedy). I never got to see the fourth series on television, so my experience with it is through this book alone.

And what a great book it is. Published to benefit Comic Relief, the organization trying to aid the poor and destitute in England and Africa, it contains the scripts to each episode of the four series with faux historical documents and a running summary of the line of Blackadder. For an American, the scripts are almost a necessity to catch some of the more obscure language used in the series--especially the curses. The endpapers have color pictures of the main characters in each series, and there are some black and white stills with humorous captions included within the pages.

To say that Black Adder is my favorite TV show is true. I liked the 1970s American sitcom, SOAP, as well, but from its hilarious beginnings, it tapered off into pure silliness (as most American shows tend to do). The nice thing about the Blackadder series is the way that the British limit themselves to sets of shows, rather than endlessly milking the cash cow. Yes, I would like to see a fifth Black Adder (I've seen the Christmas Carol, which was wonderful), but only if it can be of the same quality as these. If not, let's not ruin a good thing, shall we?

The book provides an excellent resource for anyone writing comedic material, whether sitcom based or not. These characters are timeless.

I was so impressed with this book. It is written mostly for actors, but is a gem for writers as well! This guy breaks down comedy like nothing I've ever seen.

Buy the book. It really is worth every dime - and no, I don't know the guy.

As an actress and a writer, I was thrilled that this book helped me out in both fields. You get great ideas and inspiration for characters to write, as well as great tips and tricks for acting out very specific characters. It's also fantastic how the author talks about "types" of actors and characters and knowing yourself well enough to know who you will pull off well. Which I think applies to more actors than we actors would like to admit... I found myself discovering things about myself, not only as an actress, but as a person, which can only help in my portrayal of certain characters! Great read!

The "Eight Characters of Comedy" by Scott Sedita was absolutely fantastic! The book was incredibly informative to a writer and an actor, but also gives the audience/reader such an insight to how tv shows and film are created. It's a wonderful book. I recommend it to all!

I mean, seriously. Someone FINALLY sat down and wrote a book that deconstructs all the different characters (there's 8, by the way) that appear in comedy, sitcoms specifically. Sedita manages to set forth a simple, concise, easy-to-read (AND understand) method to determining, from an acting standpoint, WHICH character you are (I'm, surprisingly, a "lovable loser" and not, as I had hoped and dreamed, a "womanizer"), and which specific traits are most often and commonly associated with PLAYING these characters ("hopeful" and "optimistic" are two big ones for the "lovable loser"). I can only begin to tell you how incredibly helpful this book has been in my audition preparation and my character creation. If you've ever thought about acting, especially in comedy, PICK UP THIS BOOK!

I love that the main character has such a hapless way about her and a self-deprecating wit. And it's a wonderful lesson about judging books by their covers... which is ironic - because I first picked this book up at a 1/2 price book store because of the dog on the cover. Ever since I read it, I've watched for her next release and this is still my favorite of the first two. I'm looking forward to reading her newest - "Just One Of The Guys".

This book was wonderful. The story was great and I had never laughed out loud so much while reading a book. Very clever writer. Catch of the Day by Higgins is also good but not as good as this one.

Kristan Higgins is one of the greatest treasures of an author I have discovered in years!! This was a smash hit of a debut novel imo and it literally left me gasping in laughter. Millie was so REAL that she seemed to leap right from the pages. It takes a top notch author to create a character so vivid. I found myself relating to her so well in so many ways. Well, except for the hookup with the ex BIL. Ick! lol On to my next Higgins novel. I'm confident I'll strike gold twice. An author this good and so snappy and fresh surely cannot be a fluke.

WOW what a good book! Kristan Higgins is on my short list of favorite authors. This book is funny,witty & so well written.

I really liked the book, but I feel that the author spent too much time writing about Millie's relationship with Joe. I kept skimming through the parts with Joe, which was a big part of the book. I wanted to know more about Sam and Millie's interactions. It is a little strange to fall in love with her ex-brother-in-law, but once you start reading, you get sucked into the plot.

Coming of age tales usually focus on becoming a responsible, respectful member of society - not a sarcastic smarty pants. "Little Miss Smarty Pants" is a different sort of coming of age novel, filled with gay friends, drag queens, and a whole assortment of strange characters one encounters in life are what the protagonist faces in this quirky, offbeat novel. Riveting in it's hilarity from first page to last, "Little Miss Smarty Pants" is highly recommended for community library fiction collections with a focus on chick lit.

Don't make the mistake I made in trying to read this book in public-You will be either laughing or crying or maybe both and people will start to wonder about your mental health! Suzanne Kopoulos has written a poignant book about her life, a brave and touching story that is completely engaging to the reader. I highly recommend this book!

LITTLE MISS SMARTY-PANTS is touching and heart-breaking, while also being completely hilarious. I don't know that I have read another memoir that caused me to feel such a range of emotions. Kopoulos impressively bares her heart to the reader, but without overplaying or hiding behind the sad OR the funny experiences she has had. I enjoyed every page.

Little Miss Smarty-Pants is a semi-biographical memoire about the life and love/friendship of the author. It was a very amusing and touching story, was very entertaining, and emotion provoking. For a first shot at writing a book, this is one HELL of a BOOK. I recommend that any grown adult, especially those with "childhood baggage" should read this book and learn how to get over themselves with humor, love and understanding.
5 Stars.

Little Miss Smarty-Pants is first the memoir I have laughed my way through most of. Suzanne Kopoulos really lets it all hang out. She didn't hold much, if anything, back. As you might expect, she did change the names. I give her a lot of credit. Granted I didn't have as diverse a life as Suzanne, but I couldn't sit down and write about my life like she has. Give Suzanne Kopoulos a gold star for guts!

She may be about 10 years older than I am, but I could relate to a lot of what she talks about in Little Miss Smarty-Pants. From a high-school boyfriend she calls Joe Trailer, whose only perceivable ambition in life was to own a double-wide trailer, to dying her hair the same orange-red as Lucille Ball. Suzanne develops a close friendship with a guy, Jack aka Pookie, while in her first year of college in 1982; a friendship that lasts to this day.

Giving this book 5 stars was easy. A book that keeps me reading until well past 10pm (I didn't close the book until 1:30am the first night/early morning) is rare. Suzanne made me cry, feel her pain (Dr. Love), laugh and a few other emotions all in 320 pages. Please give this book a chance!

I had the pleasure of going to high school with Eddie in Pittsburgh. He could always make everyone laugh. His book is the same classic Eddie humor. I took the book with me on a long flight and found myself laughing and smiling as I reading the book. The people sitting around me must have thought I was a little crazy-so I showed them the book. It is a great easy read. His honesty about his career and personal life struggles is what makes the book. Humor helps with healing. This book is great to share with anyone that is overcoming an addiction.
Thanks Eddie for once again making me laugh and may you keep making people laugh with your wonderful humor.

This book was addictive reading about how Ed got his start in comedy and how he dealt with his drinking and insecurity to come out on top. He pulls no punches as he details his relationship with the bottle and his troubles with the opposite sex.

He tells great stories about other comedians, most notably a day he spent with the great Henny Youngman.

It takes a lot to get me to laugh aloud but this book had me chuckling several times throughout. I especially enjoyed Ed's return visit to the jewelry store.

I hope you have another book in you Ed.

Reviewed by Lorraine Robins for Reader Views (5/06)

The author's purpose in writing this book was to inform and entertain readers. Ed Driscoll hit the mark on both counts. The book is about his life, including personal details of his feelings of failure in romantic relationships. This could not have been easy for him to be so open about. Yet, he is open about these feelings. Readers can relate to this, I'm sure, whether they are single, married or divorced. Driscoll touches on the complexity of romantic relationships. However, he does so in an interesting and humorous way.

Humorous may be putting it mildly. There were parts of this book that were so funny, I was laughing out loud. I literally had to put the book down and compose myself. This is a very funny man. He writes about his career and how he became a successful comedy writer. When reading this book, there is no doubt that this is a talented and funny man. Reading this book convinced me that he is a very talented writer.

Driscoll spends much of the book comparing how successful his career is, versus how unsuccessful his love life is. You find yourself rooting for him all the way. You feel the pain of his break-up with his fianc?. You can't help but laugh at his internet dating experience. In my case, laughing hysterically.

The author sees humor in everything. This makes the book light and enjoyable to read. Although there are a few sad realities in the book, they are coupled with humor. The book even has a happy ending. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good memoir, romance and some laughs.

I've been lucky enough to see Ed Driscoll perform stand-up comedy and he wasn't just funny -- he was incredibly hilarious and HONEST. When I found out that he wrote a book about his experiences with addiction and recovery, I bought a copy and was delighted to find out that he is as brilliant on the page as he is in person. The greatest thing about the book is that Ed is able to take an unflinching look at himself and his struggle with alcohol, and make you enjoy the ride to the very bottom and back. His sense of humor is both the way he sees the world and the source of his salvation. Brilliant.

Never has a descent into alcoholism, a tortured psyche and a shattered heart been so hilarious. Ed Driscoll has a genuinely twisted voice, as is evident on every page of this unflichingly honest memoir. Finally, a survivor who retained his sense of humor, and an unparalled one at that. I highly recommend this book as an inspriation to those who share a similar struggle with Ed, and to those who don't drink enough but are looking to laugh their heads off.

This is one of the funniest books ever written. I never even saw the show. I frequently quote the book. This is a great book for anyone who has ever left his home state. You can really relate to the depictions of each city and state. Even if you've never left your home town, you should buy this book. I haven't read Harry Potter yet, but I assure you that this is better reading. I would recommend buying a copy for every one of your friends, or two copies for yourself. It's that good.

This was the funniest and best book i have ever read. I was a big fan of the show and this book made me like it even more (if that's possible). You have to read it if you like the show or just in a bad mood. It will cheer you up. I read this book over 8 times during work. BUY IT!

Being a huge fan of the TV show, I greatly anticipated reading this book. Amazingly, the book exceeded all my expectations. It is without a doubt the funniest book I've ever read. I've found that opening to a random page and reading for a minute always leaves me laughing out loud. If you're into humor that is a little offbeat and subtle, this book is definitely for you.

This is hands down THE funniest book I have ever read. I meant to just read a little bit, but when I picked it up I couldn't put it back down. I finished the whole book in a day.

It is totally unique. They certainly have a perculiar sense of humor, but I think that anyone who is not easily offended would find it funny.

The whole thing is written as if it were completely factual a completely factual account of a trip through the U.S., which of course it isn't.

If you enjoyed the T.V. show, you have to read the book. It is unforgetable.

This book is crucial to every aspect of my life. Most importantly, it determines those with whom I "hang." When I meet someone new, I let them flip through my copy for a few minutes. If they aren't on the floor laughing and begging me to borrow the book for a day within just a few moments, they are automatically excluded from receiving the benifits of my friendship. (They don't know yet, but there aren't really any.) In severe cases, I will have offenders arrested. This book is my life.

All the other reviews have said it all. The book is touching, sad, funny and so timeless. DO get the audio version if you can, its soooo much nicer to hear it from louie himself.

An excellent book! Delivery was prompt and the book was in very good condition as promised.

Then this book is for you. Louie's description of growing up in a large family with an alcoholic father is both touching, sad and funny. It is possible to emerge from such a family fully intact with a sense of humor and to make something of your own life despite the bad parenting you received. To quote Louie, "we're all crazy people, raised by crazy people who were raised by crazy people." Whether you are a fan of Louie or not, this book is thoroughly enjoyable and a cover-to-cover read. One of my all time favorites! Thanks Louie!
Signed, A Big Fan

Louie Anderson is my all time favorite comedian. I never thought a book by him would bring me to tears, but it did. Fortunately, I did not grow up with an alcoholic father. However, I did battle gross obesity from elementary school through high school. I understand the pain behind Louie's fat jokes, and that pain is really brought out in this book. This book helped inspire me to lose 150 lbs. And, 14 years later, it still inspires me to battle my lingering demons. This book is a must read for anybody who has suffered psychological abuse as a child, whether it was the result of an alcoholic father, personal obesity, or any other reason.

This book was not only funny but really hit home for me. Louie, are you sure we weren't from the same family? Anyone scarred from a dysfunctional family due to addiction of any kind, will find this book very healing. I found that talking about your traumatic childhood helps you as an adult. I buried by memories of my father's drinking for many years, til my kids saw him once very intoxicated at my doorstep begging for money. I had him arrested and soon after sought Al-Anon for help with my guilt, shame and all other feelings I was carrying around. The sooner you talk about the past the better you will feel about yourself. Get this book. Makes you know that you are not alone. Thanks Louie.

A friend of mine had a copy of this - and as soon as I picked it up we immediately started a discussion of what else should be in the book...a long and very entertaining list of things in your life that suck. Hilarious!
I believe the author also has a website where you can add your own things that suck to the collection - a great idea. This is the kind of list that is truly endless - and also a lot of fun. Pick one up and put it on your desk.

Jason Kaplan is a comic genius. A friend of mine gave me Things That Suck after a particularly sucky week, and as I read it, I laughed out loud more times than I could count. I never thought I could be so entertained by a "mere" list. David Letterman should be ashamed of himself.

This book literally made me laugh out loud, which was a bit uncomfortable as I was attempting to read it in the midst of a meeting. Warning: Do not read this in the misdst of a meeting. You will laugh out loud, and then you will be filled with an unrelenting need to grab the person next to you and point to the line that made you laugh, see if they laugh as hard as you did, and when they do, force them to listen to you read every line you thought was funny. Again, not conducive to a meaningful meeting.

True, this has "bathroom reading" written all over it, but I spend a lot of my life in that room! Kaplan's knack for spooling off a list of similar frustrations--and then jumping to a radically different--but equally annoying--apsect of life is what repeatedly brought a smile to my face. Great stuff.

This book is loaded with laughs. I have it on my desk at work and everyone who walks by can't help but pick it up and flip through it. Everyone has his or her favorite "Thing" that sucks! Every reader can relate. In addition, the list has a poetic rhythm that makes it all the more entertaining. You will enjoy receiving this book as much as you will enjoy sharing it with others.