Parody Books

This book comprises the earliest issues of MAD, which were fantastic, and featured the work of comics legend, Wallace Wood among others. But be warned: The book is trade paperback sized, and THE ORIGINAL PAGES ARE ROTATED AND PRINTED ACROSS THE SPINE. The book should just be reprinted with a page per page layout, then I wouldn't have gotten the headache reading it that I did.

I never thought I would see reprints of the original MAD paperback collections, but now, thanks to ibooks, I'm a happy man. This particular book reprints the first paperback, which itself was reprinted material from the early issues of the MAD comic book (yep, it used to be a comic, and much more comic-oriented). It includes classic work by Kurtzman, Davis, Elder, Wood, et al., that holds up surprisingly well today and is much funnier than MAD will ever be again. Enjoy the parodies of Dragnet, Archie, The Lone Ranger, and Superman vs. Captain Marvel, as well as goofs on the Comics Code, the HUAC hearings, and much more. Sure, some of the humor may be dated... sure, some of it may be over people's heads... but that's part of the appeal of classic MAD: the historical and cultural aspects of the humor. The average joe won't pick this book up and instantly understand everything within, but with a little studying, plus reading the excellent introductions to this edition, you'll get a good idea of the prevailing attitudes of the time, as well as the changing face of humor in the media. It looks like ibooks intends to reprint a significant number of the MAD paperbacks, which can only be a good thing in today's humor market.

I dunno, maybe I should say "ruined my life". But it was worth it. I read this paperback, consisting of reprints of the earliest (mid-1950's) Mad Magazine articles, during my formative years. It is responsible for putting a lot of subversive, politically incorrect ideas into my head about the way the world worked -- you know, like how men pursue women with curves, and women pursue men with money; basically all that good stuff that mature people pretend isn't true. And, by the way, I'm not suggesting that we can't or shouldn't struggle to rise above our lowest animal inclinations; I'm merely insisting that we can't rise above those inclinations until we admit they exist. The world is such a serious place that only the clown is allowed to speak freely. And these clowns set my head spinning. I'm not alone in saying this: A surprising number of people will tell you that early Mad was a seminal influence. Oh, and one special detail, aside from everything else: The artwork of Bill Elder is simply brilliant. I can stare at a Bill Elder panel for hours, always finding yet another gag within a gag within a gag.

Buy this book! Give it to your kids!

I had this paperback as a kid and loved it and still do. It makes me miss the days when Mad would advertise 100s of paperbacks by the letter pages.

The stuff looks best in black and white. The humor still rings true today even though the subject parodied may not be.

Part of the fun is that you can look for days at the art and still find new things hidden within.

The editors of National Lampoon do not understand the term "brand-new." At least 75% of the material in this book comes directly from the 1995 collection "National Lampoon Presents True Facts: The Big Book." This 2004 edition should be marketed as a four-color reissue with some additions, not as a completely new work. The new material is not very funny, the editorial comments are rife with typos, and at least three images are repeated twice _in the same book_! What a sloppy, frustrating follow-up to the hilarious 1995 collection.

(...)

Or maybe snicker and chortle. This big, colorful book is full of pictures that will make you giggle and true-but-strange news stories that will have you going to your friends and say "listen to this!"
Really funny!

I just saw this Bicycling Comedian guy on Good Morning America showing pictures of his funny road signs. I had to go out and buy the book! It doesn't disappoint.

Tons of great color photos interspersed with funny newspaper clippings. Must be the best collection of funny road signs out there, very cleverly put together with a theme on each page.

Everybody I've shown it to has laughed out loud, no matter what page they turn to. Reall funny stuff.

This book is a great collection of the 'best' of National Lampoon's famous True Facts section which started the whole "Weird News" category.
The new stuff is just as good, and the presentation of the material makes for a snicker-when-no-one's-looking book. A very guilty pleasure!

Imagine the Bible rewritten to echo the prejudices of the rabidest of rabid Christian fundamentalists, and you have "Not the Bible" in a nutshell.

I'm a religious person, but there's nothing funnier for me than lampooning the pompously pious. This book does that hilariously. It's also full of memorable catch-phrases -- "Men of Sodom, Are you Behind Us?", "FLEE FORNICATION!!!", "Be fruitful and multiply and EVOLVE NOT!!" and a T-shirt bearing the memorable slogan, "Guns don't kill People, God kills People!" The book is not for the faint-of-faith. It gives us Jesus as a Galileean football hero, a very Nixonian Satan getting classified briefings on Job, and a borderline-sacrilegious promo for "Dr. Jesus" and his magic show.

The jokes in "Not the Bible" presuppose a reader with a fairly good knowledge of the real Bible. If nothing else, this book should send you scurrying to the Holy Scriptures to help you understand the punchlines. Everybody say "Amen!"

Verily, verily, woe unto thee! Sadly, this book appeareth to be out of print. However, if thou hast the means and should ever secure a copy...

This is a hilarious and thought provoking look at one of the West's most sacred works except, as the title implies, it's "Not the Bible," and thank goodness! Nothing is spared in this rip-roaring storm of satire and parody; so-called sacred cows are served up well done and they tickle with a pickle as Hendra, et al, explore and have fun with the Christian volume of sacred law. This book is not for the humorless or faint of heart. Far from subdued, this wonderful joke of a book is an astute, wicked harpoon --somewhere between Saturday Night Live and Garrison Keillor, Lenny Bruce and Ambrose Bierce. It will enrage some, but will leave the open-minded thinking twice, even laughing aloud. In the words of Martin Luther, found in the book's introduction, "the best way to drive out the devil, if he will not yield to texts of Scripture, is jeer and flout him, for he cannot bear scorn." Amen and pass the laughs. All others, plod along your dour way!

This book is a satire on all the bible stories we learned as kids. It impies that we shouldn't take all these stories so literally and that we shouldn't be afraid to exam and even make fun of our own beliefs.

Definitely not a book for Bible literalists nor for those who sincerely believe the Bible is a historical document. It is sad that this hilarious, ribald book is no longer in print. This book pokes fun at the daftness of Judeo-Christian mythology and becomes funnier with each passing page.

Sarcastic quotes, things you can use in many situations! Great for dinner parties and bar conversations. Have fun with this one!

Are there astute quotes here? Yes. Will you find an occasional wry quote here? Yes. Are these good quotes? Again yes. But are they funny quotes? In most cases no. Are they hysterical quotes? Nope.

Perhaps with a different title these quotes would measure up but with the title it has (Quote Junkie: Funny Edition) they don't fit. The quotes are arranged in alphabetical order by speaker/author, by first name - hence quotes from that laugh riot Abe Lincoln comes before quotes from comedian Confucius, And yes there are quotes in the book from both of those people because the subtitle (although you can't see it on the red cover here) is "Hundreds of hilarious quotes by some of the most serious men and women in the history of the world". Again yes these people are serious men and woman - but for the most part the quotes are not funny.

Additionally the quotes are spaced out more than they have to be. This is a Kindle edition and at the size 1 font the maximum number of quotes on a page is usually 3, but occasional 2 and at least once only one quote appeared on a page. And we are not talking about lengthy quotes here. Plenty of white space to go around - minimal text.

Additionally you have probably seen these quotes before, albeit never under the moniker of "Funny"

I definitely would recommend you try a sample before you purchase - but unfortunately you can't because there isn't one available as of the date I am writing this (April 16, 2008).

This is an outstanding quote book! You won't believe how funny the quotes are, I didn't. For the price you will not be able to find a better buy.

I always browse the net for funny quotes, but this book has everything I need in it. There are funny quotes for all types of occasions. I was surprised by some of the quotes because I didn't know that some of these people had it in them to be funny! It is a great compilation!

I'd never heard of the "Left Behind series" so I wasn't sure I'd fully appreciate this read. No worries. Spirits lifted, no waiting! I'm fond of Lee's twisted cast, and I can't wait to see what happens to them next. I hope volume two's not far behind.

This is such a fun book. I am 2/3rds through the book and I think is is funnier than any political satire I've read. Anyone who enjoys a good satire will love this book. The Left Behind series was begging for someone to make fun of it. I love that it also made fun of the president. Laughter is the best medicine, and this book gives you a great big dose.

In a time of mounting scandal in the realms of politics and religion, wouldn't it be nice to be able to sit back and laugh at it all? Raptured transports us to just such a place. A land where Ramrod Steel, our confused but well intentioned protagonist, has lost his family, no seriously he can't find them, a minister and secretary up and vanish, and dark political intrigue grips a less than important former soviet republic. Is it the end of days? Can the great Reverend Bobby tell us what it all means? This book will take you on a wild roller coaster of satire and schemes. Whether you hunkering down for the rapture or not, you certainly won't want to let this fun filled book get left behind.

This book is funny as heck. A couple of times I almost wet myself from laughing. It lampoons President Bush as the Diktator Nickelay Dubyah, the "Fearless Leader" of the former Soviet Republik of Texrectumstan. Ha!

From the time I spotted this book on the "New Arrivals" shelf of the library, I was hooked. It came home with me, but has to return. However, I will purchase my own copy as I just KNOW that within the covers is the story of my family - and fortunately not our names. To present this subject matter with the edgy humor is the best therapy I could ever imagine.

She's very funny and talented, but I was expecting something to help me understand and cope with a young adult male who won't grow up. I wanted to find guidance and couldn't stick with it long enough to learn anything. I guess she really means it when she says you should keep giving your kids money! I need mine for ME! I was hoping he could get his own someday and I have given up on that fantasy of him ever being able to take care of me when I get old and helpless. Just take me out to the woods when my bank account is empty. Read this book for laughs and craziness.

Highly recommended reading for every parent of a twenty or thirtysomething (better yet, read now if you have younger kids and get a head start). Very funny one moment, very dead-on the mark in the next--a breezy, joy to read by an obviously very observant gifted young writer.

The author combines star quality and a starburst mentality. She takes tiny truisms of the parent-child relationship and magnifies them into very funny scenarios, unencumbered by any linear thought. She even from time to time takes a short verbal diversion and then announces "OK, I'm back". The targets are luscious - Dad and sex education? Disgusting. Watching porn with Mom? Hey, maybe a good bonding opportunity. Mom favoring a friend the all-American girl? Well, perfectly understandable, if you like that kind. Parents favor the son - you mean the one in prison?

Simply part Mel Brooks, part Monty Python, and part Don Rickles (his feminine side).

Terrific!

This play is based on the biblical story of the death of John the Baptist. Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Judea, is married to his brother's wife Herodias, but finds himself lusting after her daughter Salome. Overcome with wine and passion for Salome, he offers her anything to dance the dance of seven veils for him. Little does he know what price she will exact.

Oscar Wilde first published this book in Paris in 1891 in an attempt to bypass Victorian censorship. In 1894 it was translated into English, and published with a series of illustrations created by the incomparable Aubrey Beardsley. This book was quite shocking to Victorian Britain.

This book surprised me with its power. While not erotic in the modern, XXX sense, it is a compelling tale of decadence. The characters give no thought to anything but their own pleasure, and the worst of them all is the young (and far from innocent) Salome. Beardsley's stark, black-and-white pictures add to the tale, complementing Wilde's text with a disturbing, passionless sexuality. This is a fascinating story, and one that I recommend to any adult.

This affordably-priced edition of Salome contains all the Aubrey Beardsley drawings and is the English translation undertaken by Lord Alfred Douglas of Wilde's most brilliant tale of passion, which was originally written in French to avoid (unsuccessfully) Victorian censorship. Salome is a simple tale of complex passion. Wilde's heroine bears no resemblance to her biblical origin. His Salome is no mere instrument of Herodias, but a dangerous and passionate young woman whose thwarted affections for John the Baptist lead to a disasterous climax for all persons involved. Wilde's script is a brilliant look at deep-rooted desires and the dangers of obsession. This edition of the play is a must for anyone building their own theatrical library.

I found this book to a very quick and interesting read. Salome is both loved and feared by men. She uses her deadly seductive power to get anything she wants, almost.
The price of the book is so cheap how can you resist not buying it.

Oscar Wilde touches here a fundamental subject in Christian lore : Salome and John the Baptist, and through them Jesus and the prophesy that he is the Messiah. It would be a perfect subject for an opera because the events are contained in too short a time and the feelings and motivations are too simple and intensely concentrated for a dramaruc play. Salome asks for John's head out of spite because she could not possess him, because he refused to acknowledge her, and also because she knows this will mean the downfall of her step-father, the killer of her own father, and the incestuous husband of her mother. So vengeance is her second motivation. Those motivations are too simple to build up the tragical force of a play, but they are so intense that they could have inspired the most dramatic and powerful music. Oscar Wilde's language is beautiful in many ways but this beauty does not give any complexity to the simpleness of the emotions and motivations. This beautiful language could have become the carrier of a beautiful music. Actually we can hear the music of a Scarlatti, or of a Purcell behind the words, maybe even a Haendel. But as a play it is a little bit flat and without enough depth to build a beautiful performance. As a matter of fact the centrepiece of the play, the dance of the seven veils, is not a dramatic event but a visual and musical event. And we cannot in anyway escape the recollection of the fantastic little black and white film by Clive Barker on the subject. Salome is worth more than just a dramatic play. She can only find her full strength when music and dancing come into the picture, when it is fully visual and musical.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University of Perpignan

First of all this book is not a serious examination of the topic of extraterrestrial visitors. What it is, is pure fun and a delight to read. The authors have done a remarkable job collecting images from pop culture (mostly from the 50's and 60's) dealing with the "flying saucer craze." You have covers from the science fiction pulps, from magazines such as Fate and Mystic, paperback covers, comic books, trading cards, toys, model kits, movie posters, records, lunch boxes- just about any artifact dealing with flying saucers and aliens. Every page is covered with multiple bright, beautiful images.

To be fair the text does also cover the origins of the phenomenon, as well as the early publicised sightings and personalities (Kenneth Arnold, Ray Palmer, Donald Kehoe, George Adamski, Buck Nelson, Bryant and Helen Reeve, etc.) And there are helpful, well-written, and informative descriptions of all the illustrations.

I was personally amazed at how much of this stuff that I owned and remembered. It brought back a lot of memories.

This is a fun, eye-popping look at flying saucer art through the decades. Comic books, magazines and paperbacks all jumped on the flying saucer bandwagon, both reflecting and reinforcing the public's interest. Even 50's movies like "Invasion of the Saucer Men" are covered in this book. There were a wealth of saucer-related toys, and they're discussed here, with copious photographs. Moreover, the text is light-hearted yet informative. You won't go wrong getting this one.

This book puts forth a variety of pop culture artifacts dealing with sci-fi's golden age in the 1950's. From pulp magazines to toys, the authors compile an enjoyable collection of items. For those interested in '50's sci-fi, this is a good read.

A collection of pictures mostly from the 50's pulp magazines and movie posters. Good nostalgic fun from an era (so described on the book's back cover) "when America was simultaneously more innocent and more paranoid!". My only complaint- it left me hungering for more!

I was surprised how close this stayed to the giant Silmarillion. The names, while clever and so cute, were also quite recognizable. This story even had the epic qualitiy of good guys bad guys, sorrow, and sturggle, all while they try to claim the sillly putty, engage in ritual handholding, and do other foolish things. Not to be missed.

I just didn't think it was funny. I love Tolkien and I love parodies, but this just didn't do it for me. I've read funnier parodies of Tolkien's work on fanfiction sites.

I think the best word I can come up with for this book is "tired." And did I mention it wasn't funny?

DR Lloyd has followed in the footsteps of the Harvard Lampoon's "Bored of the Rings" with a delightful, if dense, retelling of the Silmarillion. This book is really only for die-hard Tolkien fans, but if you are up for it you will not be disappointed.
The best part of Lloyd's work is in "re-imagining" (as Tim Burton might say) the endless parade of elf and mortal names, god and goddesses, rivers, lakes and streams... on and on with great results. Enter, if you dare, the evil world of Mostgoth and his minions, the irks... Join Cootiegerm and Curad as they struggle to regain the prized creation of their father, the Siliputi... and laugh all the way.
This parody isn't as good as Bored of the Rings, but it stands by itself as a loving tribute of a Tolkien nerd to the Professor (who undoubtedly would not approve!).

Well, unlike "Bored of the Rings," this book is newly written. It doesn't suffer from the dated terms and humor of the former and the author is very creative with the jokes and twisted words he uses to make this an intelligent at times but generally silly parody of the original work. Again, if you don't mind a little fun being poked at a literary classic, this book will give you a few smiles and maybe even some full on laughter.

I rate this work as first rate for the type of work it is (parody). Can't think of much that could have been done better with it.

This deck stole my heart long ago, I have not regrets
buying it tho it's only the major and not the full major
and minor arcana set... It's unique speaks kind of from
the cat mind but I get answers when I use this deck.
Yes this one stole my heart.......

Certainly not Regen Dennis and Kipling West, creators of the purrfectly delightful "Tarot for Cats." There have been hundreds of Tarot decks over the past decades, some serious and usable, and some not -- this one is outside the (litter)box! You can certainly use the deck for real Tarot readings if you are familiar with the Major Arcana meanings, but the sheer giggle-factor of the book and the card designs hold up on their own. And if you own cats (as I do), you will find yourself shaking your head in amazement at just how accurately Dennis and West translate cat-thought into this charming effort!

Extra kudos for the Maine Coon as the Emperor. Oswald, my twenty-pound version, agreed completely -- and promptly napped on the card.

Tarot for Cats might seem like a gimmick, but it is a very charming and original turn on conventional tarot decks that will please cat lovers and tarot enthusiasts. This inventive set features exceptional artwork and clever text.

I love this book. A longtime fan of odd tarots, this is one of my favorites -- my MOST favorite being Kipling West's Halloween Tarot. The Tarot For Cats' art is more studied and careful than some of West's more vivid monsters and demons, but it is just beautiful. Sometimes even more beautiful. I love the faces of the cats -- there is so much depth there! Fans of cats and of the Tarot will love this. Bring it back into print!