Humor Books


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Humor Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Humor
Sherman's Lagoon: Ate That, What's Next?
Published in Paperback by Andrews McMeel Publishing (1997-09-01)
Author: Jim Toomey
List price: $10.95
New price: $5.99
Used price: $4.25

Average review score:

Blood in the Water
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2000-05-20
While it is nice to see a book that is not all nice - where shark meets human beach ape. Where else would you read that a shark would not want to eat a person because she is a Redhead and he is allergic to redheads. Will buy the next book.

Garfield ... With fins.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2000-05-03
I love sharks. I think they are one of the most beautiful creatures to inhabit the ocean. And when a friend told me about a cartoon about a fat, lazy shark and his wacky friends, I thought he was joking. He wasn't, but Jim Toomey was, and was it ever so funny. Sherman's Lagoon takes potshots at peoples perceptions of sharks, pop culture, and the battle of the sexes, interspliced with comments on the eviroment, and a keen sense of humor that surprised and delighted me. So check it out, as Sherman will grown on you and on occasion, that a bite out of your side.

a loveable shark!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2000-05-22
Do yourself a favor. Get this book.

Toomey has an incredible knack for turning things around so as you burst out laughing, you think, where does this guy get his ideas?

When you read this book, you are going to root for the shark. I have spent years snorkeling in the ocean, and never imagined I would be enamored of a loveable shark, but here he is, folks, Sherman and his better half, Megan.

Sherman
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2001-12-19
Read it! Jim Toomey rules! Funniest shark in print...and the crab ain't bad either.

Fun for every hairless beach ape!
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2000-09-03
This is the first Sherman's Lagoon collection and is it a hoot! There are several good storylines in here, including the introduction of the sun-loving polar bear Thornton, Fillmore's trip to Ascension Island for mating season, the ongoing tumultuous relationship between Sherman and Megan, the crabiness of everyone's favorite crab Hawthorne and a visit from Sherman's brother Herman. One of the nice things about this collection is that you don't have to be a fan to enjoy this book. It is an excellent introduction to the often hilarious world that Jim Toomey has created and is a testament to his skill as a writer and artist. I love this book, it makes me laugh alot and I am proud to own it. I'm sure you would be too!

Humor
Topper: Library Edition
Published in Audio Cassette by Blackstone Audiobooks (2001-04)
Author: Thorne Smith
List price: $44.95
New price: $28.32
Used price: $18.55

Average review score:

Entertaining and pioneering book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-12
Topper is a fun story with several interesting sides. First and foremost, it has been credited with "inventing" the American Ghost. The book deserves a great deal of credit for this alone.

It is also the story of a man in what we might refer to as "midlife crises" today. Bored with his respectable existence, he has fun and takes solace in a holiday outside of his behavioral norms. He has middle aged man thoughts- about his wife and a younger attractive ghost woman, that are realistic (to the extent of the propriety of the author) and enlightening. A true triumph of the work, however, is that it does this without becoming so maudlin that it is suitable for an English class.

Finally, it is a comedic book, that is entertaining and worth reading.

I recommend this book, but the reader needs to be prepared to judge it in the context of its day- and from that perspective it is truly remarkable.

better than the TV show
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-08
and i very liked the show too !!. i remember seeing this book in the private collection of a professor at the university i worked at. so i took it home without his knowledge and read it. it was a very good read. light hearted but with a pleasant sadness.

Madcap haunting
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2002-03-25
I loved this book the first time I read it. This time it was less charming, though still fun. It all begins when Cosmo Topper, the epitome of Humdrum Life buys a car -- and discovers too late that it is haunted. Yes, haunted, and by outrageously adventuresome ghosts as well. Ghosts that drag poor Cosmo from one scrape to another and convert his Humdrum to Mayhem. Great Fun!

Great escapist fare from the jazz age
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2004-02-04
Having never heard of the movie, my initial attraction to this book was actually the cover art. Though there really isn't a date given, I pictured it perhaps in the early 1920's, though the depiction of the automobile as some kind of strange novelty probably sets it in the early 1910's.

Perhaps it's a reflection on myself, but I enjoy stories about ordinary people who are stuck in a rut or who have lived their lives having never followed their dreams and who are given one last chance to shine.

The characters and antics are outrageous, yet likable in a strange way. And the story reads pretty quickly.

While reading this book, I pictured elements of the 20's, 50's, and 80's. In fact, I think they should re-make a movie of this book and set it in a "timeless" setting.

Overall, if you're not prejudiced against reading a book written in the 1920's, I'd recommend it.

A Humour Standard
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2002-11-20
'Topper' is best known perhaps from the Cary Grant movie version. It's a good movie but I like the book even better. The characters delight, particularly in terms of Cosmo's retaining his decorum, in the warmth of Marion's dead-but-still-sexy presence. Anyone who enjoys humourous novels has to put this one on their reading list. Few recent humour novels are as funny as this classic from decades past, but there is one I know of, entitled 'Rastus Reilly', and I recommend that book as well.

Humor
Walt and Skeezix: Book One
Published in Hardcover by Drawn and Quarterly (2005-06-15)
Author: Frank King
List price: $29.95
New price: $16.34
Used price: $14.48

Average review score:

Great classic strip
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-17
Gasoline Alley is a classic strip that is finally getting the reprints it deserves.

Like many other classic strips, you have to read long sections of it to really get a feel for it. I think the publishers did a good job of starting with the 1921 strips (they say they will eventually do a collection of the pre-1921 strips later on. Good idea, as I think starting it at the begining would have been a mistake).

Moderns readers should be warned that GA does take a while to grow on you. I think most readers today would be put off by how long it takes something to happen. And the strip, at least during 1921, seems to gyrate between Walt and baby Skeezix, and the other denizens of Gasoline Alley. The car-focus of the strip, which is very topical for the time, may put off people more used to the modern auto, if they aren't into cars themselves.

I certainly plan on getting future volumes. I do hope Drawn & Quartered will start doing some of the planned sunday volumes, too. Am put off by the high cost of Sunday Press Book's collection of GA sundays.

Great Classic Comics
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-10
My only previous experience with Gasoline Alley was a Mad Magazine parody called Gasoline Valley that focused on the interesting fact that the characters actually grew older as the series progressed. The Mad Magazine parody showed Skeezix aging from a baby into an old man just as the comic does however this volume features only a couple of years so at the end Skeezix is just a toddler. Gasoline Alley isn't a hilarious comic; instead it's a sweet, light hearted view of small town life in the early 1920's. The comic revolves around Walt, a big hearted confirmed bachelor who finds a baby deposited on his doorstep. This being the "good ol' days" Walt just keeps the baby becoming Uncle Walt (later in the book he does actually go to the effort to make it a legal adoption).

A lot of the jokes are repeated, for instance Walt, the only bachelor among his circle of friends, constantly uses the line `I know when I have it good' after seeing his hen pecked buddies. We also get to experience Walt's continual struggle with his weight. There are a few extended storylines including a shady land developer who takes the Gasoline Alley gang for a bit of money. The longest story is about the arrival of an attractive young lady named Blossom and her developing relationship with Walt.

Three things stood out for me in this collection. First was the always meticulous job done by editor Chris Ware who goes above and beyond the call of duty. There is a ton of fascinating background information on cartoonist Frank King. My tip is that any publisher who wants to release a comic collection like this one should call on Chris Ware. He is a man with serious passion for comics. The second thing that caught my attention is how clean and pleasant Frank King's drawings are. But what I enjoyed most about Walt and Skeezik's was the glimpse at life in the United States prior to the Great Depression.

What you need to do when reading through these comic strips is to try and put yourself into the era. These comics were created over 85 years ago and it's like peering into a time capsule. There is not a single mention of television or pop culture. Most of the residents of Gasoline Alley are chiefly concerned with the mileage they get on their tires or the cost of a new hat. Volume one pretty much satisfied my curiosity and I probably won't buy further volumes but that takes nothing away from this excellent collection. You definitely get your money's worth and it literally took me months to get through the entire book.

A look into the really, truly past
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-07
Commentary and editorial aside, the heart of this book is the wonderful Gasoline Alley strips. For those who honestly can't imagine what daily life was like before automatic shift, television, modern medicine, sexual liberation--this book is like being pulled through a time warp into the 1920s and 30s.

It has a lot of the same flavor as For Better or Worse. It's infested with genuine American characters. (Fair warning: the portrayals of African Americans are deeply stereotyped--but also remarkably sympathetic in terms of human feeling.)

DO NOT read it all in one sitting. Try to limit yourself to ten strips a night. Like movie serials, comic strips that appeared in daily newspapers took months or years to fully develop a story arc. You can't rush through that--and why the heck would you want to?

Comics Junkie
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-31
This collection was a little before my time, but it is great to read about the earlier days of Gasoline Alley.

This is a Great Book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-11
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The photographs really provide insite into the authours life and basis for the comic strips. I really enjoyed the dated chronology of the strips. It also provided me with a humorous way of conveying the social, political and economic happenings of that period in American History. Absolutely Fantastic, I can not wait to read the second book in the series.

Humor
Way to Go, Smith
Published in Paperback by Harper Paperbacks (2000-11-01)
Author: Bob Smith
List price: $13.95
New price: $1.94
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $13.95

Average review score:

Way to Go Indeed!!!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2005-05-09
I bought this book at a dollar store and it was worth every penny. Oh well, now that you've suffered through my lame attempt at humor move on to Bob Smith's genuinely funny and frequently moving collection of memories of childhood and busted romances. I usually avoid humor books of this sort (the authors usually concoct nothing out of nothing) but Smith has a engaging style of writing and vivid insights that can really take you back to your childhood, especially if you are in the same age range as him. The funniest are his memories of his fourth grade teacher, Mr. McGaffin. "I quickly realized one of the benefits of having a male teacher was that I could look at Mr. McGaffin as much I wanted while he taught...I studied Mr. McGaffin as if I was going to be tested on the geography of his face." Later that year, Smith discovers his semi-conscious crush has a "friend" Jeffrey and is curious about their relationship but too shy to pry, fortunately for him he is around when "Debbie Gruber...a loudmouthed girl and every thought that came into her head fell from her mouth like a letter through a mail slot" bluntly asked "Mr. McGuffin, do you live with Jeffrey?" Later, Smith learns the men live nearby his home and rides by their own their bike and spots Mr. McGuffin mowing the lawn. "I regretted I hadn't asked the inquisitive Debbie Gruber to tag along. She would have demanded, 'Can we see the inside of your house?'"

This book is so funny I might save up a dollar and buy his other one.

Middle of the Road
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-12-26
I had high hopes for this book. It started off really well. The stories of Bob's break-up from Tom was actually interesting to read, and was a story I could follow and invest in. I was hoping for a happy ending at the end--perhaps taking this sad event and finding the humor and of course life lessons in it.

Halfway through the book, Bob resorts to childhood memories. It almost seemed as though he was writing two different books, one of memories and the other of his current life. I felt somewhat lost at times. The stories were entertaining, but didn't seem to make sense being plopped down in the middle of the rest of the current day situations. He ends the chapter with "Mom, I have a date." What a great line! It allows the reader to find out with who?? Is he moving on? Is he the man of his dreams? We never get to find out.

Instead, he moves quickly into his childhood, relating stories that are amusing in their own right but highly out of place. It almost makes me wish that the author would take a chance and finish that third book, finish the second book, and rerelease them.

He then skips back to current day with his misadventures of dates...which sort of leaves me wondering what was going on with the childhood chapters in the middle of the story. They didn't seem to go with the rest of the text.

It was enjoyable...but it left me wanting more.

Funny book !
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2002-03-11
I picked this book up at a booksale and really enjoyed it. Bob Smith is a very funny guy that talks about his failed relationship of 10 yrs, his relationship with his family and how he's beginning to date again and getting on with his life. I think his feelings on a relationship ending, on his mother, etc, are very universal and not limited to gay people. I think gay and straight alike can enjoy this very funny book. Find a copy and try not to crack a smile!

Loved it!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-06-10
What makes a good author, in my opinion, is his or her ability to capture the human condition in such a way that it comes across as real.

What makes a good comedian, again in my opinion, is to take slices of ordinary life and see the humor in them. Mr. Smith is clearly capable in both areas. While he's not the only person (let alone gay one) to see a relationship end, his ability to harness all of the involved elements (the concerned family, division of the utensils, joint custody of mutual friends and the eventual return to the single's scene) and make them both funny and touching.

It may not be as funny if you can't "relate" .. but for anyone who has ever addressed and gotten through a painful situation through humor, this book is a treat.

Keep 'em coming, Bob...
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2002-06-09
I love this book. Actually, I love all three of his books. This book is a must read for anyone who has recently broken up with a boyfriend and needs a chuckle and a little hope. I love everything Bob writes. I subscribe to 'Out' magazine just to see what he writes next. I'm ready for the next book. Keep 'em coming, Bob.

Humor
Whispering to Witches
Published in Paperback by Bloomsbury USA Children's Books (2005-09-03)
Author: Anna Dale
List price: $7.95
New price: $0.49
Used price: $0.01

Average review score:

Deliciously Witchy
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-15
Whispering to Witches by Anna Dale was a truly enchanting story for all ages. If you or your child like The Wizard of Oz then you most likely love this book. A pure bewitching tale with lots of magic.

Joe Binks is just your ordinary boy living with dad as mum has remarried. Being quite ordinary it is fun when on his way to mum's for Christmas holiday he is singled out by a witch and given a special item of which he has no idea of having such a thing.

Twiggy is a little girl witch who is in training and the witches in her coven totally under estimate poor little Twiggy's powers. Doing menial jobs is supposed to be a learning experience for her but she doesn't really seem how. Twiggy has the curiosity of a cat and seems to have their nine lives also with the little fixes the cutie gets herself into.

The whole mysterious caper starts out on the train that is taking Joe from London to Canterbury and continues right up until the end of the book with lots of magic and who-done-its. Lots of spells and potions, strange ingredients and places along with fairies and animals help make this witchy tale absolutely delightful.

I accidentally came across this book and am ever so glad I did. The author has done a wonderful job at giving us a pure clean tale without scaring us. This book is simple enough for an eight year old but enchanting enough for adult. Not only will it keep your interest but you will not want to put this book down until the very last word.

I really believe this is a book that elementary teachers across the globe should encourage their students to read.

the entire story and ending are worth the read
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-31
if you can get your hands on a copy, get it!!!!! The whole book is based on the fact that sometimes things happen for a reason and are worth the wait. this has been one of the best stories i've ever read!!!! wish i could find more like this.

Book club winner!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-06
I purchased this book for a children's book club (ages 8-10). We read the book over a 4 week period (we meet every two weeks). The kids all really enjoyed this book (we don't find many titles that every member likes, so this is a big deal). The story was fresh and new, and it had lots of twists and turns the kids could follow and appreciate. The chapters went fast (always a plus with kids!). There were a lot of small details that I thought the kids may have trouble noticing and/or remembering, but they did as well (if not better) than the parents! The main characters were very likeable, and their adventure was very extraordinary. If I had to categorize the book, I'd say it is like a shorter, less complicated Harry Potter... but DEFINITELY not a copycat title. Our group really enjoyed this book. (Note: the children in the group are a little advanced for their ages, may not be for all 8 year olds level-wise).

Very good
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-10
This is a good book. I read it. It was a little hard to get into.

Spot on! Hopes for a Sequel!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-10
Dale's Whispering to Witches is fantastic. The Interesting Cover caught my attention in the library, and then I was winded into Joe's adventure. Perfect with rats, cats, a missing page, and of course, witches, I loved it from the start!

Humor
The Working Woman's Guide to Balancing Kids, Career, House and Spouse
Published in Paperback by Grainne Enterprises (2002-03-10)
Author: Mimi O'Bara
List price: $14.95
New price: $8.95
Used price: $1.99
Collectible price: $14.95

Average review score:

My Wife Read the Entire Book Outloud!!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2004-09-01
I never thought I would like this book because my wife read most of it outloud to me, all the while she was hooting and howling with laughter. She kept saying, "Are you sure she doesn't know you?" It was curiosity that caused me to pick up the book and read it for myself - silently. I found myself chuckling at first and at times, laughing loudly. I really liked her many shades of men that she illustrated in her "Choose Wisely" chapter. I hope that I am a Cowboy.....my wife only rolled her eyes when I announced that I thought it described me to a tee. I sent Mimi O'Bara an email (from her website) and she sent me a very funny answer. She has a great sense of humor and a very realistic view of life. I recommend this book highly!

Rollicking Laugh Outloud Life Strategies
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2004-08-30
I received this book as a gift from my sister who lives in Dallas, who insisted I would find it hilarious. I had my doubts beause I seldom get "Texas humor" however, I was wrong. First this is not Texas humor, this is Life Humor. O'Bara's observations and strategies to cope with a life filled with children, husbands and/or life partners, careers challenges and all the acompanying stresses and strains of everyday life are, indeed, hilarious. She cautions us that these are "survival guidelines" rather than the road to perfection. She celebrates the friendships she has with her woman friends, reminding us that we are obligated to all stick together,laugh whenever possible and cry together, when we must. She actually gives very sensible advice, all the while laughing and waiting for the next cataclysmic event to occur. Her husband, like mine, is an avid golfer and I howled with laughter at her description of "The Golf Effect".....as I read it outloud to my husband he couldn't help but laugh as well...somewhat sheepishly! I believe that I have found a friend....perhaps even a soulmate in Mimi O'Bara and encourage you to do the same.

A Comedic Masterpiece!
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2004-06-05
This book is fantastic for people of all ages and genders. I bought this book for my mother and she read it within a week and liked it so much she bought 12 copies for her friends. This book describes the trials and tribulations a working woman has to go through while trying to balance her children, her job, her husband and her house. If you are looking for a comedic masterpiece for either your mom, your wife or even your girlfriend this book is perfect.

I was wondering why my mother was laughing so hard and I picked it up and read it. Even I thought it was hilarious, a 24 year old law student. Buy this book if you are in for a bucket of laughs!

New Meaning to Multi-Tasking!
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2002-09-26
Mimi O'Bara gives new meaning to multi-tasking. I recognize her family! This book hits home and is a must read for women who think the balls in the air are hitting them on their heads too often. Order two; one for you and one as a gift to give your career colleague who is also super mom and adoring wife and thinks no one understands her plight. Nothing takes the sting out of a bad day better than a good laugh. Mimi O'Bara provides more humor than the Comedy Channel. Kick off those heels and give yourself a fun break. This book made me laugh more than I can explain.

Every Working Woman Needs to Laugh or She'll Cry
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2002-09-25
Opening "The Working Woman's Guide to Balancing Career, House and Spouse" led to the most enjoyable plane ride I can remember! I chuckled, laughed out loud, commisserated and felt I had a friend and soul-mate in Mimi O'Bara. I didn't care that I was not offered anything worthy of eating. I didn't care who was sitting next to me, invading my space. Upon landing, a man sitting across the aisle from me, tapped my shoulder and asked what I was reading that had entertained me so completely for the last few hours. I looked at him, summing up that he fit the description of every scenario described in the book, and told him it was really nothing he would enjoy. He looked a bit hurt and left out, which only made me love my reading diversion even more!

I have read excerpts from this book to friends at parties, given it as gifts to girlfriends coast to coast, office compatriots and relatives. To realize I am not alone out there in the corporate world of men, kids, balancing it all and keeping a smile on my face, was like breathing for the first time in a long time.

I feel that I have a friend in Mimi O'Bara. I hope she is encouraged to continue writing. I'm sure there's more stories to tell. Her humor, insight and reality keeps me smiling!

Humor
The Abilene Paradox and Other Meditations on Management
Published in Hardcover by Lexington Books (1988-09)
Author: Jerry B. Harvey
List price: $23.95
New price: $5.29
Used price: $0.87
Collectible price: $23.95

Average review score:

the abilene paradox and other medidations on management
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-07
It is an excellent and enlightening book with much food for thought and a precise account of reality in malfunctioning organizations. Also provides suggestions for improving organizations and helping them act in an ethical manner.

A classic and a must read
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2005-11-04
With humor and "paradox" Professor Jerry Harvey does a great job in stimulating personal reflections about management. Among the several tales, see Management and the myth of Abraham ("every time a boss makes a stupid mistake, he sends his administrative assistant to try to rectify it"), my favorite Captain Ashok and the Concept of Grace ("Asoh told the truth, and we are starved for it") and Group Tyranny and the Gunsmoke Phenomenon (our behaviour is related to our fear of separation but we have a choice "when confronted with the possibility of group tyranny"). Enjoy your reading and start thinking.

All Managers should know about Abilene!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-06-12
The first time I heard about the Abilene Paradox was back in the early 1980's when Jerry Harvey made a video for use by the government in training management.

I had run into a recent management situation in which our Director wanted only agreement with her. I immediately began to search a reference on "Abilene" and management.

So, immediately, you can see how much this little video lecture influenced me. Over twenty years later, I still remembered the reference that was needed now in 2003, and it was called the road to "ABILENE" or something similar.

A quick search on my favorite reference site "Amazon.com" and voila: I found a book called the "Abilene Paradox".

Jerry writes likes he speaks but *OH* he speaks in such an amazingly entertaining way.

Jerry gives a lot of examples of things that can happen in the workplace that will bring you down a path to disaster. He is amazingly accurate in pointing out the potholes to avoid.

Although, he is a bit shy on things you should do, I highly recommend this book. If all you get out this is that "Yes" men or "Yes" folks are not conducive to good business, then you have learned one gem of management that you will value forever.

Thought Provoking Essays
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2004-12-30
These "Meditations" provide great thinking into how to be a more effective manager. As "Meditiations", this is not a how to cookbook on management, or checklist. There are no promises of improved customer service, or increased efficiency. Rather, by reading them, your thinking about management will improve.

Two examples on the meditations:
1 - The Abilene Paradox essay talks about a family vacation to Abilene. Nobody really wants to go there, but everyone thinks everyone else wants to go there, but is affraid to speak up. The lesson is self evident, but the story conveys it in a manner much more memorable than a directive to "Create an organization with open communication"
2 - The writings of Elliott Jaques. Harvey introduces the concept of the "Requisite Organization", an idea developed by Jaques. This highlights the imnportance of understanding complexity (as defined by the time horizon of projects one is capable of thinking of) and designing an organization where that is the key component to success. That's a deep thought in today's quarter-driven business.

Reading and pondering these meditations will make one a better manager and leader. But it isn't spoon feeding, it takes some thought as well.

Wonderful advice, coming and going
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2004-01-25
The Abilene Paradox... has been one of my favorite books for many years. Whenever I read it, I find something of value in it for whatever challenges I am facing in my work. Plus, it's just fun to read. The first essay (the actual Abilene Paradox) should be required reading for anyone who wonders why groups do stupid things. And the last essay (on teaching future managers to cheat) should be required reading for anyone who wonders how one simple change could make a huge difference in business education, making it more relevant and more solidly ethically based. Everything in between these two essays is worth, reading, too.

Humor
Amphigorey Too
Published in Unknown Binding by Topeka Bindery (1980-05)
Author: Edward Gorey
List price: $29.10
New price: $29.10
Used price: $9.00

Average review score:

It's Gorey
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-23
It's Gorey at his best continued. I am not exactly sure if the book i supposed to be a continuation of Amphigorey, but it has more of Edward Gorey. Content is different from the original Amphigorey, with the exception of the Chinese Obelisk. This book has included draft version of the work, as well as the final one (final one appears in the first book as well).

Good, but not the Best
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-17
This is definitely a quality addition to one's Gorey library. However, if you're going to own only one Amphigorey, make it Amphigorey Also, in which he has truly mastered his own peculiar style.

Glorious Too!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-12-03
This excellent follow-up anthology contains such classic Gorey works as The Beastly Baby, The Pious Infant, The Gilded Bat, The Chinese Obelisks, The Deranged Cousins, and The Disrespectful Summons.

WONDERFUL IN EVERY WAY
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-10
I don't care if you've never in your life read Edward Gorey, I don't care if "it's not your thing," I don't care about any silly excuse. If you haven't read this book than you are not complete, and there's only one way to fix the problem.

Edward Gorey is satiric genius, and when he isn't being sarcastic and whimsical then he is beautiful and poetic (although come to think of it, he's always poetic, isn't he?). Being an Amphigorey, this book has loads or nonsense stuff crammed together with some of his best work. I can't imagine that anyone with any kind of imagination could read through it without finding at least one thing that they adored.

The contents of Gorey's collections
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-24
The contents of Gorey's collections with personal rates for each work:

AMPHIGOREY:
The Unstrung Harp (1953) ========================= ****1/2
The Listing Attic (1954) ========================= *****
The Doubtful Guest (1957) ======================== ****1/2
The Object-Lesson (1958) ========================= ****
The Bug Book (1959) ============================== ***1/2
The Fatal Lozenge (1960) ========================= *****
The Hapless Child (1961) ========================= *****
The Curious Sofa (1961) ========================== ****1/2
The Willowdale Handcar (1962) ==================== ****1/2
The Gashlycrumb Tinies (1963) ==================== *****
The Insect God (1963) ============================ *****
The West Wing (1963) ============================= ***1/2
The Wuggly Ump (1963) ============================ ****1/2
The Sinking Spell (1964) ========================= ****1/2
The Remembered Visit (1965) ====================== ****

AMPHIGOREY TOO:
The Beastly Baby (1962) =================== *****
The Nursery Frieza (1964) ================= -
The Pious Infant (1966) =================== ****1/2
The Evil Garden (1966) ==================== ****1/2
The Inanimate Tragedy (1966) ============== ****
The Gilded Bat (1966) ===================== ****
The Iron Tonic (1969) ===================== ****
The Osbick Bird (1970) ==================== ****1/2
The Chinese Obelisks (Sketch) (1970) ====== ***
The Chinese Obelisks (1970) =============== ****
The Deranged Cousins (1970) =============== ****1/2
The Eleventh Episode (1971) =============== ****
The Untitled Book (1971) ================== ***1/2
The Lavander Leotard ===================== ***
Direspecful Sermons ======================= ****1/2
The Abandoned Sock (1972) ================= ****
The Lost Lions (1973) ===================== ****
Story for Sara ============================ ****
The Salt Herring ========================== ***
Leaves for a Mislaid Album (1972) ========= ***
A Limerick (1973) ========================= ****1/2

AMPHIGOREY ALSO:
The Utter Zoo (1967) ======================== *****
The Blue Aspic (1968) ======================= ****1/2
The Epileptic Bicycle (1969) ================ ****
The Sopping Thrusday (1970) ================= ****1/2
The Grand Passion (1976) =================== **1/2
Les Passementeries Horribles ================ ***
The Ecletic Abecedarium ===================== ***
L'eure Bleau ================================ ***
The Broken Spoke (1976) ===================== ****
The Awdrey-Gore Legacy (1972) =============== ****
The Glorious Nosebleed (1975) =============== ****
The Loathsome Couple (1977) ================= ****1/2
The Green Beads (1978) ====================== ****
Les Urnes Utiles ============================ ***
The Stupid Joke (1980-1982) ================ ****1/2
The Prune People (1983) ===================== ****
The Tuning Fork ============================= ****1/2

AMPHIGOREY AGAIN:
The Galoshes of Remorse (illustration) ==========
Signs of Spring ================================= ***1/2
Seasonal Confusion ============================== ***1/2
Random Walk ===================================== ***1/2
Category (illustration) =========================
The Other Statue (1968) ========================= ****
10 Impossible Objects =========================== -
The Universal Solvent (1989) ==================== -
Scénes de Ballet ================================ ***1/2
Verse Advice ==================================== ***
The Deadly Blotter (1997) ======================= ***
Creativity ====================================== ***
The Retrieved Locket (1994) ===================== ***
The Water Flowers (1982) ======================== ***1/2
The Haunted The-Cosy (1988) ===================== ***1/2
Christmas Wrap-up (illustration) ================
The Headless Bust (1999) ======================== ****
The Just Dessert (1997) ========================= **1/2
The Admonitory Hippopotamus ===================== ***1/2
Negected Murderesses (1980) ===================== ***1/2
Tragédies Topiaries ============================= ****
The Raging Tide (1987) ========================== ****
The Unknown Vegetable (1995) ==================== ****
Another Random Walk ============================= ***1/2
Serious Life: A Cruise ========================== ***1/2
Figbash Acrobate (Illustrations) ================
La Malle Saignante ============================== ****
The Izzard Book ================================= ***


Humor
Animals Should Definitely Not Act Like People
Published in Hardcover by Aladdin (1988-12-30)
Author: Judi Barrett
List price: $5.99
Used price: $0.79
Collectible price: $17.95

Average review score:

Cute title
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-14
Cute title but the book was a little too old for my two year old grandaughter. Not sure she got the concept of animals wearing or not wearing clothes.

Great Read
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-27
I work in a Nursery and I bought this book to read to the children. They loved it! They thought it was hilarious.

Hilarious easy reader
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-17
We use this book in our kindergarten class. The students just laugh and laugh over the pictures of animals wearing clothes.

short and funny
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-08
This book is very short and the pictures just make me and ny son laugh. Well done

A children's classic
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-03
I enjoyed this book as a child, although even then I remember thinking that the 1970s clothing looked goofy on any one, not just animals.

This book is a classic, right down to the vintage illustrations.

Humor
The Asperger Parent: How to Raise a Child with Asperger Syndrome and Maintain Your Sense of Humor
Published in Paperback by Autism Asperger Publishing Company (2002-10-15)
Author: Jeffrey Cohen
List price: $21.95
New price: $12.35
Used price: $10.00

Average review score:

Awesome must read
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-22
This was my first book on Asperger's. It is an awesome must read book for anyone that deals with Asperger's. It has truly helped my husband and myself. I would recommend this to anyone!

good supportive book for parents (and professionals)
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-08
The Asperger Parent by Jeffrey Cohen provides a much needed source of emotional support for parents of children with Asperger Syndrome. It would be especially helpful for a parent whose child has been recently diagnosed. Mr. Cohen is very readable, and obviously has worked through a lot of his feelings about raising a young child with Aspergers. He presents simple topics in humorous terms that every Asperger Parent can appreciate. I found myself alternatively laughing and crying, but consistently relieved to have my feelings validated in print. I would recommend this book to both parents and professionals who want to know what it really feels like to have a child with Asperger Syndrome. While, you may not get any hard and fast answers to your problems here, you will get a good, solid sense of what you and others have to deal with to get the best out of life for yourself and your child!

Funny book for a serious topic
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-20
This is a very funny book. I see a lot of my son in the stories told in this book so it is very easy to relate to. This book is great if you are feeling alone like you are the only one who has a child that doesnt "act normal" or if you have a new DX and feel over whelmed.
This is not a good book if you are looking for a "How to raise your child" book. Like the auther says this book is not about your child it is about YOU.
Many thanks to Jeffrey Cohen for sharing his story with us!

(((((HUGS))))
Lori

Very helpful
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-07
I got the item in no time and I have found the info in the book to be very useful.

A Great Help and a Reality Check
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-11
This book has proved invaluable to me! There are some very good books and articles available about how to "handle", how to "parent", how to "deal with" a kid on the autism spectrum. This book alone gave me far more valuable advice: how to find humor in the tough moments! More profoundly, it emphasizes that it's okay to enjoy life, to laugh, to even poke gentle fun at some of the unbelievable things our kids do. As the author emphasizes, this book isn't about the child...it's about the parent.


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