Satire Books

Leslie Carbaga is a big fan of Fliescher cartoons and this book shows it.I loved so many of them when i had the chance to see them on TV in my younger days.(Color Classics,Popeye,Sing-Alongs, and the movies Gulliver and Hoppity.)This tells the story of Max Fliescher,who made many worthy but largely unknown contributions to the art of animation.I recommend this to any fan of the vintage cartoons of the 20s/30s/40s

Rarely I have seen a biography with so much interesting details.Not a single page is wasted.As a Fleischer cartoon fan,it's la creme de la creme for me.Congratulations Cabarga.You wrote a book with love and admiration.

Love all the cartoons and the topics are great. A funny look into our bold new world. I will be needing to buy another copy because the one at this house is constantly read/mauled here by family and vistors alike. This would make a great gift for anyone.

Glenn and Gary McCoy's THE FLYING MCCOYS: HIGH MOM! COMICS FOR A BOLD NEW WORLD offers many hilarious moments which take the form of black and white panels of social commentary and humor. From vampires to yard sales and funny bullet-proof vests, THE FLYING MCCOYS holds something for everyone.

"Hitler and Goering were once out driving. Passing through a village, they ran over a pig. Goering thought he should find the farmer and apologize for what had happened. He was gone a very long time and received very fine hospitality. When he returned, Hitler asked why he had stayed so long. 'Well, there was so much celebration in the house over what I told them,' Goering replied, 'and finally I had to join in.' 'What did you tell them?' 'That the pig was dead.' This was one of hundreds of jokes told by the Norwegians from 1940 until 1945. While the phenomenom of occupation humor has certainly not been ignored, the role it played in developing a resistance mentality among the Norwegian people has until now been largely unexamined. This humor was expressed in overtly anti-Hitler and anti-Nazi jokes, but it was also found in snide replies, double-entendres, insinuating newspaper advertisements that were not understood by the occupying forces, children's stories, and even Christmas cards. Kathleen Stokker, extending an earlier study by Magne Skodvin, observes that "wartime humor granted a voice to those deprived of free speech, discouraged the undecided from hasty attachment to Nazism, and helped the initially amorphus group of individuals opposed to Nazism to develop a sense of solidarity." Norway was a neutral country in 1940, and just as it had done during World War One, it hoped to remain neutral. Geopolitical realities, however, including the German desire to control access to Swedish iron mines, made Norway and Denmark Hitler's first victims following the end of the Phony War in April of 1940. The Norwegians did not surrender. King Haakon VII established a government in exile in England, and the Norwegian people would wage one of the bravest and most effective resistance campaigns of the war. The popular image of Norwegian resistance has been created by films such as "The Heroes of Telemark," but there were tens of thousands of ordinary Norwegians who resisted in more subtle ways, even if it were only to wear a red cap in defiance of their occupiers. Stokker points out, however, that the image of a people united against oppression is only partly true. There were many Norwgians who did acccept and serve the new National Government headed by Vidkun Quisling, the leader of the Norwegian Nazi Party. But these people were for the most part shunned, and Stokker points out with brillliant originality the way the resisters used humor to debase the collaborators. Stokker, a professor of Norwegian at Luther College, is the author of the most widely used Norwegian-language textbook in America. She draws upon a large number of interviews with survivors of the Occupation, archives in the Norwegian Resistance Museum and the University of Oslo, and "joke notebooks" kept by women who experienced the event. It is a delightful book,well-crafted and historically meticulous. As other societies have discovered, oppression can be endured with humor, for it is a valuable form of psychological warfare. The Norwegians developed that humor, as Stokker so aptly proves, and in the process maintained the spirit that was necessary to prevail. As one reads the book, and looks at the drawings, posters, and cartoons, one gains a deep appreciation for the courage of a people. One also gets a good laugh! Dr. Gerald D. Anderson Department of History North Dakota State University

"Hitler and Goering were once out driving. Passing through a village, they ran over a pig. Goering thought he should find the farmer and apologize for what had happened. He was gone a very long time and received very fine hospitality. When he returned, Hitler asked why he had stayed so long. 'Well, there was so much celebration in the house over what I told them,' Goering replied, 'and finally I had to join in.' 'What did you tell them?' 'That the pig was dead.'" This was one of hundreds of jokes told by the Norwegians during German occupation from 1940 until 1945. While the phenomenon of occupation humor has certainly not been ignored, the role it played in developing a resistance mentality among the Norwegian people has until now been largely unexamined. This humor was expressed in overtly anti-Hitler and anti-Nazi jokes, but it was also found in snide replies, double-entendres, insinuating newspaper advertisements that were not understood by the occupying forces, children's stories, and even Christmas cards. Kathleen Stokker, extending an earlier study by Magne Skodvin, observes that "wartime humor granted a voice to those deprived of free speech, discouraged the undecided from a hasty attachment to Nazism, and helped the initially amorphous group of individuals opposed to Nazism to develop a sense of solidarity." Norway was a neutral country in 1940, and just as it had done during World War One, it hoped to remain neutral. Geopolitical realities, however, including the German desire to control access to Swedish iron mines, made Norway and Denmark Hitler's first victims following the end of the Phony War in April of 1940. The Norwegians did not surrender. King Haakon VII established a government in exile in England, and the Norwegian people would wage one of the bravest and most effective resistance campaigns of the war. The popular image of Norwegian resistance has been created by such films as "The Heroes of Telemark," but there were also tens of thousands of Norwegians who resisted in more subtle ways, even if it were only to wear a red cap in defiance of their oppressors. Stokker points out, however, that the image of a people united against oppression is only partly true. There were many Norwegians who did accept and serve the new National Government headed by Vidkun Quisling, the leader of the Norwegian Nazi Party. But these people were for the most part shunned, and Stokker points out with brilliant originality the way the resisters used humor to debase the collaborators. Stokker, a professor of Norwegian at Luther College, is the author of the most widely used Norwegian-language textbook in America. She draws upon a large number of interviews with survivors of the Occupation, archives in the Norwegian Resistance Museum and the University of Oslo, and "joke notebooks" kept by women who experienced the event. It is a delightful book, well crafted and historically meticulous. As other societies have discovered, oppression can be met with humor, for it is a valuable form of psychological warfare. The Norwegians were able to develop that humor, as Stokker so aptly proves, and in thr process maintained the spirit necessary to prevail. As one reads the book, and looks at the drawings, posters, children's books, and cartoons, one gains a deep appreciation for the courage of a people. One also gets a good laugh! Dr. Gerald D. Anderso Department of History North Dakota State University

Eventhough our children are in their teen years, the Baby Blues comic strips still make me laugh until my belly hurts which is ironically healing! Laughter is good medicine!

Laughing Out Loud is not something I am known for, but I got Lots Of Laughs form this book and am having to resist buying more of the series - and will probably end up caving to the temptation to L O L more.Framed!: a Baby Blues TreasurySomething Chocolate This Way Comes: A Baby Blues Collection (Baby Blues Scrapbook #21)

I enthusiastically second Judith Thomas's opinion about how good this book is, and Heifitz's goofily inspired lyrics fit the rhythm perfectly, and hilariously, in each case. I'm thrilled to find copies in the marketplace here, since friends borrowed and kept both of mine many years ago (grrr), and for some unfathomable reason it's no longer in print, and I can't remember all of these gems. A wonderful gift for musicians, music students (a fun way for them to practice sight-singing), and classical music fans. (I gave about a dozen as gifts when it first came out, and in each case the recipient would spend the next half hour minimum nodding his/her head, singing quietly, giggling manically, and going to the next piece, while fending off with elbows all the people who wanted to look at the book too. Each time.) Check out the irreverently bombastic "Take out the Trash" lyrics to Beetohoven's 5th symphony, or the recipe for Plato's favorite sandwich to a famous Brahms symphony's theme. Or the bizarrely rhythmic lyrics to the "Golliwog's Cakewalk."

For those who enjoy silly turns of corner in humor, coupled with main themes of music, you will enjoy this compilation immensely. Not always obvious, we learn during a Beethoven Concerto theme, "Don't play chess with your daugh - ter...she knows more than you taught.....her." The great Sigmund Freud is not safe in this collection either..paired with the chorale theme from Beethoven's 9th, "Sigmund Freude never hoid a concert due to chronic slouch, All his ritzy, somewhat schitzy patients tied him to his couch." You get the idea. A delicous gift for people who get the giggles over zaney stuff.

If the name of Charles Barsotti sounds familiar, it's because he does business cartoons for the New Yorker, and has produced such for over three decades. Any New Yorker reader only has to take a glance at the cover to readily recognize his style, and FROM THE BIG DESK OF... represents the first gathering of Barsotti creations under one cover. Dilbert fans will find plenty to applaud here, in a hilarious series of comments on the corporate ladder's ironies.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I bought this book as a birthday gift for my boss, who is a partner in a major New York law firm.

He's a terrific person with a great sense of humor -- he loved it.

James C. Rose is one of those rare garden designers who knew how much cultural baggage is contained in gardens, and this book really reveals the foibles of the American garden in the 60's . It should be a must read for all designers and landscape architects. That said , be prepared to be provoked by it in a similar fashion to say Beyond Good and Evil. It also has a hideous coverslip . I think Rose must have intentionally made it ugly . If you are a garden designer (as I am) be prepared to never see your clients or your relationship to them in the same light again .

I found this gem of garden philosophy after sorting through mundane instructional garden books in my college library (think "what would Plato have said if he were a garderner?"). I loved it so much I bought a copy for myself. Rose presents a dry and cynical humororous view on gardeners, their gardens, and the petri dish (culture) of Americans that is lacking in most garden literature (opposite of "the Man Who Planted Trees"). He has a particulary funny view on American attempts of creating a Japanese garden, when the only ones who can make a real Japanese garden are the Japanese themselves. Tree hugger types, garden hobbyists, LA's, and persons who may be feeling a distaste with some aspect of the "green industry" or a distaste for cheesey flower loving types will all find something in Rose's book to love (and hate).

The Bush reign is nearly over. Lest it be forgot and history repeat itself, George & Dick the Book is a must in one's library or archive. The CD is a delight to listen to and laugh with. Sharon E. Streeter has done an excellent job of capturing what is now the marjority of public sentiment in light satirical prose and song. Don't let this memorial treasurer pass you by!

If you're a Bush hater, this book is for you--Why not inject a little humor into your misery?! If you're a Bush lover, this book is for you--Why not find out why the rest of us are, shall we say, less than enamored by this alleged president. Check it out, you'll be glad you did!

I have seen some of the Big Mans video's online, but they do no justice to how funny the book is.
His short stories are absolutely hysterical.
If you are not from the Big Apple and or NJ, you may not understand his humor. But then, if you watched The Soprano's you understand what the 'Kid' is saying.
He really doesn't hate the people he picks on, he just has a 50's Brooklyn opionion of the world.

This is one of the funniest books I've ever read. In the tradition of Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, and Howard Stern, The Kid From Brooklyn tells it like it is, and doesn't care who he ticks off in the process. The Starbucks bit and the story about Bat Day at Yankee Stadium are the "Who's on first?" of the 21st century. This book might make uptight people squirm but ---- 'em if they can't take a joke!

This is a hilarious gag gift for a bride... Some of the advice is not only soooooo outdated but June Cleaver herself would have gasped! This book is a staple in my bachelorette gifts.

This is a laugh out loud walk through the past -- the book is filled with retro photographs of couples from the 1950's. A great book to pull out in a party of married couples. Husbands will run for cover, while the women scream with delight. A great bridal shower gift.