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Theories of Everything: Selected, Collected, and Health-Inspected Cartoons, 1978-2006

Average customer rating:

Theories of Everything Exceeeds Expectations
A very funny lady
Outstanding humor by Roz Chast
Brilliantly insightful
String theory

Theories of Everything: Selected, Collected, and Health-Inspected Cartoons, 1978-2006
Roz Chast
Manufacturer: Bloomsbury USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Party After You Left
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Schott's Almanac 2007 (Schott's Almanac)

ASIN: 158234423X
Release Date: 2006-10-31

Book Description

At last, the comprehensive book of cartoons from beloved New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast.

Customer Reviews:

Theories of Everything Exceeeds Expectations.......2007-05-21

I've been a fan of Roz Chatz's work for just about 30 years. This amazing compendeum does not dissapoint. It's more than just looking at cartoons. It's a real READ. I spent about two or three weeks perusing this volume. Unlike most "cartoon books" this one has intellectual weight. It is both insightful and F U N N Y! If you are at all familiar with this artist/writer's work than THEORIES OF EVERYTHING is a must for your library.

A very funny lady.......2007-05-15

I love the quirky, definitely neurotic humor to be found
in this treasure of cartoons. A great brouse when I need
a laugh.

Outstanding humor by Roz Chast.......2007-05-06

Mix the neurosis of the young Woody Allen, the sublime-but-unexpected logic of comedian Steven Wright, the macabre wink of Gahan Wilson, the grand guignol of Charles Addams, the cleverness of the Far Side -- with just a dash of the heart-strings and plaintive cuteness of Cathy Guisewhite -- and you may have something like the outstandingly amusing cartoons of Roz Chast. Penned in a manner that suggests hands trembling constantly from too much coffee or perhaps too little electroshock therapy, there is a pervasive nervous energy in this work that, frankly, makes you want to stop looking at them after a while, in the same way that a strong vinaigrette forces you to pause between bites. You go back, of course, because it's delicious. But you can't take too much at one time.

The targets of Ms. Chast's work include just about everything and everybody you will encounter in your life and it is very unlikely there is an interpersonal relationship you are suffering through that will not be present on these pages in a way that helps you laugh at your own small worries. She also nicely deals with the blither of modern life, from retail stores to the proliferation of award categories.

Roz Chast's work is jittery and completely on-target. I recommend this book highly to those who like off-beat visual humor.

Brilliantly insightful.......2007-03-23

Roz Chast has the uncanny ability to find hilarity in the everyday. Her cartoons will have you laughing out loud in recognition of your own similar experiences, feelings and thoughts (both as a child and as an adult). Unlike many collections of cartoons, there is hardly a dud among the hundreds collected here. Highly recommended.

String theory.......2007-03-21

If the universe is really made up of tiny strings, as some physicists argue, the work of cartoonist Roz Chast is the first comprehensive, and comprehensible, proof.
Almost 30 years of Chast's nervous little drawings, created mainly for The New Yorker, have been collected in a ridiculously huge volume called "Theories of Everything," published by Bloomsbury. David Remnick, editor of the New Yorker, introduces the collection.
The book's weighty title (and weighty weight) is part of the joke. Chast's kitchen-sink characters and fussy squiggles insult the very notion of a pretentious coffee-table book. Each panel looks as if it's been crumpled up, left in the pocket of a denim jumper and sent through the wash twice. The pages swarm with balding, dot-eyed men, dowdy ladies in horn-rimmed glasses, and dumb kids with one protruding tooth. Background objects like floor rugs, lamps and couches are rendered as itchy glyphs.
Under the big-little-book joke, however, lies a big-big-book genius. Using bathwater-gray washes and tiny lines that clump like hair in a bathroom drain, Chast maps out the interstices of the human mind, the between-meals, between-shaves, between-everything hours that fill the vast majority of life.
For example, as a man watches an opera, we are privy to his innermost thoughts. "La, la, la, duck falling off a ladder...ha, ha, Ethel Merman's shoe," he muses to himself as he falls asleep. Another man sits on a couch with a thought balloon over his head: "Birth, bed, bath, beer, bankruptcy, bunions, bifocals, balding and beyond."
Thanks to the unfathomable origami of Chast's thought processes, we learn of suddenly indispensable categories of behavior such as the "mini-rebellion:" "When writing a thank-you letter for a disliked gift, make deliberate spelling and grammatical errors."
This is not the "have you ever noticed?" lint dredged by hundreds of stand-up comics. Life is a big deal, Chast seems to say -- just not in the way everybody wants you to think it is. If you're looking for the essence of the universe, better to contemplate the mysteriously shifting doily on the sofa or that doomed restaurant on the corner that keeps changing hands.
On one page, she lays out the contents of a mock-ambitious book entitled "The Piece of Thread," including dedication, acknowledgments and copyright page. Is she skewering self-important authors or celebrating the cheerful human delusion that life and work have meaning? Why pick?
Chast loves to layer alien categories on top of one another, where they wobble like incompatible jello molds. In "How Much Should You Tip?" she informs us that for teachers, "20 percent of tuition at the end of the semester is the usual amount." A panel from "Adult Absence Notes" reads: "Please excuse my daughter from conjugal duties tonight. She has a 24-hour virus."
Since Chast's first cartoon was published in 1978, her work has moved away from cryptic visual haikus to longer storylines, some of them skirting the abyss of marital-miscommunication and child-rearing humor best left to less gifted humorists. Many of the longer stories, however, penetrate into corners of the mind never plumbed by poets, philosophers or psychiatrists.
In "Millie's Gear Slips," arguably Chast's masterpiece, a woman suddenly realizes she has forgotten to bring her sweater on a family vacation. It takes only four minutes and 11 seconds to turn around and get the sweater, but Millie becomes obsessed with the time gap. "This is exactly the place I would have been four minutes and 11 seconds ago, but now it's slightly different, and I'll never see what I was supposed to see," she keeps thinking.
In gets worse in ways that are worth describing because they reveal the essence of Chast.
Millie sits in the passenger seat, her husband and family grinning obliviously as she reaches a horrifying inner conclusion: "My real life now = (my real life) - (four minutes + 11 seconds)!" (Chast has a mild obsession with mathematics that frequenly pops up in unsuitable contexts.) In a classic Chastian moment, Millie stands in the supermarket, thinking "Normally I would have been in Aisle Three, but here I am, amongst the produce."
Amongst the produce! You lose half the humor without the visuals, but suffice it to say only Chast could have turned that phrase. She peels life's onion from normal to strange and back to normal with the skill of an existential Julia Child. Thanks to this generous new collection, her fans can linger "amongst the produce" as long as they please.

Poor Charlie's Almanack Expanded Second Edition. The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger

Average customer rating:

Overrated
One-stop shop for worldly wisdom
Great Book--Worldly Wisdom
amazing
Second Best

Poor Charlie's Almanack Expanded Second Edition. The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger

Manufacturer: Donning Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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More Than You Know: Finding Financial Wisdom in Unconventional Places

ASIN: 157864366X

Product Description

Fine book in a fine dust jacket

Customer Reviews:

Overrated.......2007-03-12

This is a great book and worth reading; worth purchasing...i would say no. Munger goes over the necessity of multiple mental models (which i agree with) again and again and again and again, but does a poor job of describing each. As a reader you begin to think to yourself "ok, i know i need these mental models now what...".

Some parts that i believe need some elaboration are as follows: probability, engineering princibles, the intial process of picking stocks.

The book leaves you wanting more, a lot more.

One-stop shop for worldly wisdom.......2007-02-18

This book took me a looong time to read, but that's because its nearly 500 pages are so saturated with information and original ideas, you will have plenty to learn and will want to fully explore and take advantage of all Charlie has to offer. You MUST be an active reader to derive any benefit from the framework he has laid out. I don't think a quick skim will do it any justice, or even be worth your time.
The whole purpose of this book is to provide you with a strong mental foundation for success in life... I call it the "inner game." Only then are you truly ready to take on the world in business or make astute investment decisions. For specific investment advice, look no further than Buffett. What you get from Munger is both harder to obtain, and more important to master. Application of investment technique should be the easy part. Key teachings I found important were:

the importance of using the multi-disciplinary approach and interrelated mental models formed from the big (often elementary but rarely used), important ideas of various disciplines

realizing your mental circle of competence, and specializing

the lollapalooza effect

avoiding the man-with-the-hammer problem, and many other psychological tendencies he discusses

his emphasis on ethical behavior (where else do you find this?)

comparison of the stock market to the pari-mutuel betting system

the idea of betting big when the odds are in your favor (Buffett's idea as well)

What I like most is that he has a no-nonsense attitude, and this quality of genuineness makes him more likeable, and easier to learn from. He has a dominant personality and seems more opinionated and less mellow than Buffett, so yes, sometimes he may come across as arrogant, but I'm sure it's hard to downplay such a great life. But anyway, he is supposed to be the teacher, so you must put your own ego aside.
You also get a nice biography at the beginning, giving you some background information about him. Of course Charlie, a self-proclaimed "biography nut," would agree that learning about the lives of other successful people is very important step to success. Since he has led a very honorable life, it would be a great thing if people try to walk in his footsteps.

My only complaint is that somebody decided to put huge boldface italicized duplicate excerpts in the middle of most pages, absolutely killing the flow of the text and slowing me down considerably. I would have tried to simply ignore them, but some of the quotes were not duplicates from the text so I read every single one. I didn't mind the extra information offered in the margins, and in fact found most of it both helpful and interesting. The caricatures were amusing. Remember Charlie is supposed to be a down-to-earth guy, so they wanted to give the book this kind of feel. Also, there was a lot of redundancy of ideas, due to the fact that ten separate speeches were compiled and the topics often overlapped, but I know the value of repetition, and if it has helped drive the key ideas home, it has served its purpose well.

Overall, I'd recommend it to anyone. It stands alone as a masterpiece. For serious investors, I think you will possess the greatest investment capabilities if this book is supplemented with readings from Buffett and Graham. The results of this powerful combination, used effectively, is certainly what Munger would call a lollapalooza effect.

Great Book--Worldly Wisdom.......2007-01-25

This is an absolutely fabulous book. I love it. I am an avid follower of Charlie Munger, going to the annual meetings etc. So I thought that this might only be a rehash of existing speeches and talks, which admittedly form the bulk of the text. But it is much more--Munger has revised and added to some of his talks. The editor, Peter Kaufman, has added other materials. Munger's son's comments about dinner table conversations with his children (and grandchildren) are worth the price of the book.

Simply, the book imparts the wisdom of Charlie Munger, from the dinner table to the boardroom.

Now to the bad: as marvelously as the book portrays Munger's wisdom, graphically it is one of the silliest books I have ever seen. The illustrations and pictures range from trite to dreadful. They are poorly chosen, poorly reproduced, sophomoric at best: a picture from Star Trek to illustrate second order consequences, inane caricatures of Munger and Buffett, etc. Visually, it is ghastly.

Nevertheless, this is still a 5 star book. So, here is a new Franklinesque proverb: Don't judge a book by its illustrations.

amazing.......2006-11-25

I challenge anyone to give this book less than five stars. It will merely bring into question their ability to provide a cogent review.
This is certainly one of the best and most influential books I have ever read. This is coming from a physician, real estate investor, landlord, and owner of five businesses.

gbr

Second Best.......2006-07-23

As a believing Christian (old line, not evangelical), I am duty bound to rate every book as lesser than the Bible. Mr. Munger's book is tied for second with other books that represent the articulate summary of a lifetime of worthwhile thought, insight and experience (e.g. Roger Penrose's "Road to Reality"). As a financial illiterate, I never imagined that a superstar businessman would really write out the true method of attaining wealth. However, Mr. Munger did that. His secret is to master the great central ideas of very many disciplines, both the hard core "sciences" (mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology) and the "soft sciences" (economics, psychology, accounting, hmmm). By mastering the core ideas until they become second nature (fluency), the intelligent investor hones his perceptions and his quality of judgment. Having prepared himself, he will have something like 100 different models intertwined in his thinking process, and he will be able to use them to judge the quality of investment opportunities. Many opportunities will be useless to the intelligent investor, and he will simply need to sit on his assets. With focus on areas that he knows well and understands with full diligence, a few great investments can create wealth. In this whole process, intellectual honesty is entirely necessary, and superb ethical standards are indispensable. That's how this is done. Strangely, I find this extremely reassuring. You see, my own financial success lies some undetermined time in the future. On the other hand, I have been collecting the right pieces and putting them together in a reasonable way. I'm on the right track. In this case, it's more important to be proceeding well and correctly and less important what stage has yet been reached. This is a most splendid book and is written with a generous spirit. I honestly wanted to know what was needed to be a financial whiz, a business superstar---AND HE TOLD ME THE REAL WAY. Mr. Munger very much admires Benjamin Franklin. Because science has progressed greatly, and civilization has progressed at least a little since Mr. Franklin's day, it would not be unreasonable to expect Mr. Munger to produce a better book than Mr. Franklin did---all those years ago. Happily, he has.

Killed Cartoons: Casualties from the War on Free Expression

Average customer rating:

Antidote to editorial timidity
Kartoons that did not see print
Wrong choice
Funny, but you don't want to laugh
Understand what you're getting

Killed Cartoons: Casualties from the War on Free Expression

Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Killed: Great Journalism Too Hot To Print
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ASIN: 0393329240

Book Description

One hundred political cartoons you wanted to see, but weren't allowed to: all were banned for being too hot to handle.

Think you live in a society with a free press? These celebrated cartoonists and illustrators found out otherwise. Whether blasting Bush for his "Bring 'em on!" speech, spanking pedophile priests, questioning capital punishment, debating the disputed 2000 election, or just mocking baseball mascots, they learned that newspapers and magazines increasingly play it safe by suppressing satire.

With censored cartoons, many unpublished, by the likes of Garry Trudeau, Doug Marlette, Paul Conrad, Mike Luckovich, Matt Davies, and Ted Rall (all Pulitzer Prize winners or finalists), as well as unearthed editorial illustrations by Norman Rockwell, Edward Sorel, Anita Kunz, Marshall Arisman, and Steve Brodner, you will find yourself surprised and often shocked by the images themselves—and outraged by the fact that a fearful editor kept you from seeing them. Needed now more than ever because of a neutered press that's more lapdog than watchdog, Killed Cartoons will make you laugh, make you angry, and make you think. 100 illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

Antidote to editorial timidity .......2007-05-30

If you're disheartened by pusillanimous publishers who lack the sand to back up their writers and cartoonists when they come up with controversial material, David Wallis is your man. In his previous work, "Killed: Great Journalism Too Hot To Print," he championed journalists whose articles were decommissioned by their fearful overseers; now in KILLED CARTOONS he's back with a book that does the same for editorial cartoonists. Clever, thoughtful, and brave.

Kartoons that did not see print.......2007-05-13

What a shame these weren't printed. All were to the point, and pertinant.

Wrong choice.......2007-05-13

The Book was good enough it just wasnt quit what I was looking foward to

Funny, but you don't want to laugh.......2007-04-28

I enjoyed KILLED CARTOONS immensely. The work illustrates beautifully why political cartoons are important. (And why they're capable of generating real controversy.) What Wallis understands is that cartoons have a contradictory function. One the one hand they have to amuse the reader, and on the other, they have to upset his/her equilibrium--ideally to the boiling point. Cartoons reach us on a visceral level, which is why I found Wallis' commentary (captions, if you will) a perfect complement to them. Wallis is a witty intelligent and apparently well-informed writer. This book came to me as a gift, I just bought his KILLED: Journalism To Hot to Print, with my own money.

Understand what you're getting.......2007-04-21

For the right audience, I'm sure this is a fine work. I was not the right audience. I wanted a book that presented the cartoons, with perhaps minimal commentary, and let me decide for myself. Instead, this provides pages of commentary and, actually, very few cartoons (94 in its 282 pages - I counted). If you're looking for a treatise on the myth of freedom of the press, using a few cartoons as case studies, then by all means look at this book. Just know what it is you are buying, and know that less than a third of the pages in the book actually show the "Killed Cartoons" that the title promises.

The Rejection Collection: Cartoons You Never Saw, and Never Will See, in The New Yorker

Average customer rating:

Very funny - Made me laugh out loud many times
Avoiding The B-T Phrase
"The Cream of the Crap"...
The Best of The Remainders
The Rejection Collection

The Rejection Collection: Cartoons You Never Saw, and Never Will See, in The New Yorker

Manufacturer: Simon Spotlight Entertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Complete Cartoons of The New Yorker
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Mountain Man Dance Moves: The McSweeney's Book of Lists

ASIN: 1416933395

Book Description

Each week about fifty New Yorker cartoonists submit ten ideas, yielding five hundred cartoons for no more than twenty spots in the magazine. Arguably the most brilliant single-panel-gag cartoonists in the world create a bunch of cartoons every week that never see the light of day.

These rejects were piling up in the dusty corners of studios all over the country. Sam Gross, who has been contributing since 1962, has more than 12,000 rejected cartoons. (Seriously. He's been numbering every single cartoon he's ever submitted to The New Yorker since the very beginning.) Enter editor Matthew Diffee. He tapped his fellow cartoonists, asking them to rescue these hilarious lost gems. From the artists' stacks of all-time favorite rejects, Diffee handpicked the standouts -- the cream of the crap -- and created The Rejection Collection, a place where good ideas go when they die. Too risqué, silly, or weird for The New Yorker, the cartoons in this book offer something no other collection has: They have never been seen in print until now.

With a foreword by New Yorker cartoon editor Robert Mankoff that explains the sound judgment, respectability, and scruples not found anywhere in these pages, and handwritten questionnaires that introduce the quirky character of each artist, The Rejection Collection will appeal to fans of The New Yorker...and to anyone with a slightly sick sense of humor.

Customer Reviews:

Very funny - Made me laugh out loud many times.......2007-06-11

I had high hopes for this book, and it did not disappoint. I laughed out loud many times while reading the book.

I must disagree with the reviewer who did not like the cartoonist questionnaires interspersed throughout the book - I thoroughly enjoyed them. They allowed the cartoonists to be creative in new ways. By the way, have a look at the lower right box in the questionnaires, the small gray box that says "For office use only" - Diffee fooled most of the cartoonists into leaving that box blank, which was funny in and of itself.

Can't wait for the next book in this collection to come out.

Avoiding The B-T Phrase.......2007-06-05

The publicity for this book wants us to make us think that the three main reasons why the New Yorker rejected these cartoons was because they were too silly, too risque, or too weird. Nope. Although these elements are present in some of the cartoons, the outstanding factor, present in a great many of them, is BAD TASTE. I will say the cover illustration does not hide this fact. (Look for yourself.) Of course, there is a market for these; witness Truly Tasteless Jokes and whatever may be on the Web.

On the other hand, there are some funny ones that I would label on the borderline of taste (for example, some of their cartoons on the subject of death might not offend someone who has not recently had a friend or relative die). And there are some that I would have taken: the "bi Ken doll" with the larger number of accessories is an example. And the cartoons are generally on the same level of professionalism as regular New Yorker cartoons.

Caveat emptor!

"The Cream of the Crap"..........2007-06-04

is how editor Matthew Diffee describes the standouts handpicked from stacks of rejected cartoons by The New Yorker. The Rejection Collection is "a place where good ideas go when they die": those cartoons that were too risque, silly or weird for TNY -- but this compilation will be just right for those with slightly-warped-not-easily-offended senses of humor. This book is made even more enjoyable by the "questionnaires" each cartoonist submitted with her/his "all-time favorite rejects." I hope a second volume is on the way soon.

The Best of The Remainders.......2007-06-02

This book is a collection of the best rejected cartoons from the New Yorker magazine. Ho determined what was the best of the worst? The editor of the book, of course. And, having read the book, I must say the editor did a good job at choosing funny, yet irreverent cartoons. I found laughter to be common while reading the book, although I am sure that you will not find every cartoon to be funny. That is the nature of this type of book.

In addition to the cartoons, each section is headed by a questionnaire that was sent to each cartoonist. Those alone are worth the price of the book, as they give you an interesting look into the minds that are creating these types of cartoons.

Printed on high quality paper, and bound nicely, this book is a definite keeper for the library. If you love cartoons, particularly the single box style, you will love this book. Enjoy!

The Rejection Collection.......2007-02-22

For those who like The New Yorker cartoons, these are clever and funny. The bios of the cartoonists were interesting also.

The Most Brilliant Thoughts of All Time (In Two Lines or Less)

Average customer rating:

You've got to be kidding!
I have two copies - i can't be without it!
Lots of Profound Quotations
Literature ?
Carry right too far and it becomes wrong

The Most Brilliant Thoughts of All Time (In Two Lines or Less)
John M. Shanahan
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Oxymoronica: Paradoxical Wit & Wisdom From History's Greatest Wordsmiths
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ASIN: 0060194111

Book Description

You don't have to be a genius to sound like one. Here's a collection of the most profound and provocative wit and wisdom in the English language in two lines or less. Edited by entrepreneur John M. Shanahan, who created the wildly successful Hooked on Phonics program, this wonderful book presents the best that has been thought and said on every imaginable topic.

Classified by such themes as "Truth, Lies, and Deception," "Men, Women, and Relationships," and "Passions, Virtues, and Vices," these quotes contain timeless messages for all humankind. Oscar Wilde: "A man who marries his mistress leaves a vacancy in that position." Charles de Gaulle: "The cemetery is filled with indispensable men." Abraham Lincoln: "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." Sophocles: "Men of ill judgment oft ignore the good that lies within their hands, till they have lost it."

Perfect for anyone who has ever been left speechless, this book will make you as glib as Oscar Wilde, as profound as Winston Churchill, and as wise as Aesop. Inspirational, entertaining, and thought-provoking, this is one collection that no library or bookshelf should be without.

Customer Reviews:

You've got to be kidding!.......2007-06-08

If this editor really thinks these are the most brilliant thoughts of all time, he needs to get out more. A few gems, but mostly tired truisms from the 1900's and before. Nothing much new. I found this book disappointing and boring, which is unfortunate, since it includes a CD with all of the content included. But here is some good news; if you are looking for something similar that will really inspire and entertain you a far better choice is-
"A Dancing Star: Inspirations to Guide and Heala wonderful book that was given to me by a friend 10 years ago when I became ill with a chronic disease. I still read it all the time.

I have two copies - i can't be without it!.......2006-10-18

This is an amazing quote book. I manage a large office of creative staff and I
also attend many business functions where I am often called upon to make
speeches. I use the quotes in this book when communicating with my staff and
colleagues. I like to throw in a few quotes from Mr. Shanahan's book, it never
lets me down when I need to make a point subtly and eloquently.

I find a great way to start the business day on a positive note is to
open up The Most Brilliant Thoughts of All Time' (in Two Lines or Less) and
read a relevant quote to my team.

I have a copy at my office and another at home.

Lots of Profound Quotations.......2006-04-26

I REALLY like reading quotations & this book is FULL of them, BUT the author, John Shanahan, has attempted his 15 minutes of fame by including his own quotations, most of which I read & said, "HUH??" because they are not up to the same quality as the others. However, it IS his book! Great read, tho!

Literature ?.......2006-03-14

As books of this type go it is about what I expected, a real novelty. I may find a few items to quote, but most are not very profound nor of great interest.

Carry right too far and it becomes wrong.......2005-11-15

As I have just finished reading the book of Baltasar Gracian "the art of worldly wisdom" which is a must on every serious readers shelf , I picked up this book to relax my mind and enjoy it.....I must admit that it is very easy read and one can finish it in a couple of days since most quotes can be found written at the back of public toilet doors. A good book overall but far from brilliant.
Pascal Hagge

Ant Farm: And Other Desperate Situations

Average customer rating:

FUNNY
Beyond genius
sophisticated comic writing for the younger set
thin
My new favorite book!

Ant Farm: And Other Desperate Situations
Simon Rich
Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1400065887
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Book Description

In Ant Farm, former Harvard Lampoon president Simon Rich finds humor in some very surprising places. Armed with a sharp eye for the absurd and an overwhelming sense of doom, Rich explores the ridiculousness of our everyday lives. The world, he concludes, is a hopelessly terrifying place–with endless comic potential.

–If your girlfriend gives you some “love coupons” and then breaks up with you, are the coupons still valid?

–What kind of performance pressure does an endangered male panda feel when his captors bring the last remaining female panda to his cage?

–If murderers can get into heaven by accepting Jesus, just how awkward is it when they run into their victims?

Join Simon Rich as he explores the extraordinary and hilarious desperation that resides in ordinary life, from cradle to grave.

"Hilarious." –Jon Stewart

Customer Reviews:

FUNNY.......2007-06-03

This is one of the funniest books I have ever read!!! I read it on a family vacation and all my family at one point picked up the book to read as it was hillarious.

Beyond genius.......2007-05-31

This book is magnificent. I was so floored by John Hodgman's "The Areas of My Expertise" when I read it a few months ago that I was sure it would be my favorite book of humor for nearly a decade (as Ian Frazier's "Dating Your Mom" and "Coyote v. Acme" were for the near-decade before). But this book is a real contender for the crown.

Rich is the son of NYT editorial columnist and former drama critic Frank Rich--this meritocratic clustering hardly seems fair. Yet the fact remains that Rich _has not yet graduated_ from Harvard, and yet has put to shame such other Lampoon alums as the very talented B. J. Novak (of the American version of The Office) and Conan O'Brien. I know it's a bit hyperbolic, but I am reminded of Keats--seriously. If Rich dies, like Keats, at 25 (or even tomorrow), his reputation and (I believe) influence (though you'd have to ask a pro exactly what that will be) will be secure.

You'd think there was nowhere to go but down, but I predict up. Let's get this guy into the business (TV, movies?), and change the game.

sophisticated comic writing for the younger set.......2007-05-19

Once again, you have requested a review from me--this time, Simon Rich is my grandson--Frank Rich is his Dad. This is a very clever group of short
inciteful musings coming from a 22 year old Harvard graduate who presided over the Lampoon. Watch for his next that is in the works.

thin.......2007-05-18

i bought this book based on my enjoyment of rich's "conversation at the adult table as imagined at the children's table," which appeared in the new yorker. the book has a few bright spots, but the themes are repetitive and there's not as much there there as i had hoped.

My new favorite book!.......2007-04-23

And I'm not just saying that as an Emmy-winning 40-yr-old comedy writer in Hollywood trying to suck up to a young guy who will be running this place in about six months (how do you do sir?)...Ant Farm is a delightful bruschetta of absurdity served on crackers of keen insight.

Average customer rating:

Important historically, but not delightful
Rembering the good old days
Noteworthy Because of its historical context
Bodacious
FUN AND EXCITING

The Story of Little Black Sambo

Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0397300069

Book Description

The jolly and exciting tale of the little boy who lost his red coat and his blue trousers and his purple shoes but who was saved from the tigers to eat 169 pancakes for his supper, has been universally loved by generations of children. First written in 1899, the story has become a childhood classic and the authorized American edition with the original drawings by the author has sold hundreds of thousands of copies.

Little Black Sambo is a book that speaks the common language of all nations, and has added more to the joy of little children than perhaps any other story. They love to hear it again and again; to read it to themselves; to act it out in their play.

Customer Reviews:

Important historically, but not delightful.......2007-04-26

To me, it is not a matter of being offended or not. But if you can read this without any discomfort you need to review your history. Of course kids can like it, but they like throwing rocks at ducks too. What is disturbing to me is how anyone can be nostalgic for a colonial past. Sambo is very lovable, but that is the point. It paid to maintain that the 'primitive' races were childlike, endearingly innocent. This idea of a paternalistic love actually supported Western dominance. They were the 'white man's burden,' permanently in childlike relation to the West, incapable of self rule or living in a modern world. In exchange for being guided to civilization, their natural resources could be had for the superior races. The childlike, innocent native is cut from the same cloth as the threatening cannibal, or the easily scared servant, or the lazy slave. All of these stories came out of that system of beliefs. This is not an Indian folk tale, however clever and tricky Sambo is. This is not, as one reviewer writes, "A loving attempt to reach across the racial divide." The historical record contradicts this reading. Read just a line or two from the official reports written by colonial administrators like Helen Bannerman's husband. This kind of nostalgia erases the history of colonial rule. Maintaining divisions between a ruling class (British) and a subaltern class (colonial subjects) was the whole point of colonialism, of which this tale is a product.You and your children may find this character cute and cuddly, but stop and think about that. So are puppies. It is quite possible to love your mammy or your servant, just as you love your dog. (The mother in this tale is a direct relation of Aunt Jemima and her pancake mix, introduced at the Chicago World's Fair just two years previously) Exactly WHO is nostalgic for this past? I understand how remembering black slaves and coolies as 'happy darkies' is a lot less painful than actually remembering the truth. This was not a simpler time but one in which brutal subordination of a people was sanctioned by the state. If you miss that 'simpler time' I hope you don't live next door to me. My children would not be safe.

Rembering the good old days.......2007-03-09

My wife and I had this book when we were children. We are now in our late 60s.And often talked about this book. Didn't know we could still buy them. This was a great little book.Think every one should read this book. keep up the good work. Thanks

Noteworthy Because of its historical context.......2007-03-05

I recall Little Black Sambo from my childhood as well. My Aunt worked as a domestic for a Jewish household and they would give her their children's discarded playthings to take to her nephews. Little Black Sambo was among the offerings. I remember reading with fascination the story of this child and I knew nothing at the time of its racist connotations. Unfortunately, despite the denial of some of the prior reviewers, it cannot be ignored that this book might be considered offensive to some. Just like the black lawn jockeys that were so popular at one time, and the Aunt Jemima pancake box before they took the bandana off of her head, these icons represent post cival rights era reality. I supppose some of you see nothing wrong with the Little Rascal character Farina with the rags tied in his head, or Buckweat either. I would not advocate banning any of the aforementioned symbols, because I think they should be cherished as a sign of just how far we've come. I have mammy salt and pepper shakers, cookie jars, etc., because as a Black man in America, I want to remember and cherish the past. If I find the version of this book I had as child in which Sambo was jet black with white eyes and huge red lips, I'd add it to my collection in a heartbeat!

Bodacious.......2007-01-18

The children's book was shipped in good order and the prodcut arrived promtly. The book itself has long been a favorite among children. Clearly wirtten and very understandable.

FUN AND EXCITING.......2007-01-11

AS A CHILD VISITING A SAMBO'S FOR BREAKFAST ALL THE PAINTED SCENE'S FROM THIS BOOK WERE ON THE WALLS. WE WOULD GO HOME AND TAKE THE BOOK OUT AND READ IT OVER AND OVER. WE LOVED IT. MY FAVORITE PART, WAS WHEN THE TIGER'S TURNED INTO BUTTER.I LOVED THE FAMILY IN THIS BOOK, AND HOW SMART THE MOM WAS TO COOK SOMETHING WONDERFUL FROM THE BUTTER. OVER THE YEARS MY BOOK GOT LOST, BUT I NEVER FORGOT THE WONDERFUL STORY. SO ONE DAY I CHECKED AMAZON AND THERE IT WAS. I BOUGHT TWO COPIES. ONE FOR ME AND ONE FOR MY MOTHER WHO READ IT TO ME OVER AND OVER. THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS AVAILABLE. WE ALL LOVE THE BOOK.

Average customer rating:

Really funny book
You Think You Know Fake Trivia? Think Again!
Amazing. And Hilarious. Amazingly Hilarious. It's a book (and a CD set)!
absurd and intelligent
Extremely Funny Book

The Areas of My Expertise
John Hodgman
Manufacturer: Riverhead Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1594482225

Amazon.com

With his Daily Show appearances and his "I'm a PC" Apple ads, John Hodgman has only become more famous since the hardcover edition of his all-you-need compendium of facts, The Areas of My Expertise was released. He has also become smarter. To reflect this, the paperback edition of The Areas of My Expertise has been expanded to include 100 new hobo names and new, additional complete world knowledge. John Hodgman and his fur-hatted associate, Jonathan, have prepared an exclusive video for Amazon customers explaining the above.

Click here or on the image above to watch John Hodgman describe the only book you'll ever need.

Book Description

Hot on the heels of the #1 bestsellers The Onion's Our Dumb Century and Jon Stewart's America comes The Areas of My Expertise, the brilliant and uproarious #15 bestseller (i.e., a runaway phenomenon in its own right-no, seriously)-a lavish compendium of handy reference tables, fascinating trivia, and sage wisdom-all of it completely unresearched, completely undocumented and (presumably) completely untrue, fabricated by the illuminating, prodigious imagination of John Hodgman, certifiable genius.

Customer Reviews:

Really funny book.......2007-06-18

Great read. Nice for the airport or the crapper.

You Think You Know Fake Trivia? Think Again!.......2007-05-24

No one could possibly amass all the world's knowledge into one handy, easy-to-carry and slim at that paperback book, could they? Well, one man could, and he did so because he took the easy route. He made it up.

John Hodgman is something of a celebrity now, but he was a humble collector of literary talent whom he unleashed onto the world as a literary agent before deciding to pen this tome. Inside, you will find more hobo names than you can shake a stick with a bundle tied at the end at, the true origins of the lobster (the furry kind), and how to tell what degree of werewolf attack to expect at certain times of the lunar cycle. And it's all made-up.

That's right, not a word of it is true...unless it's so non-true that it in turn replaces the reality to which it espouses to suggest. Paradox...

Don't be fooled by the other mass-market paperbacks on the "fake trivia" section of your local bookstore: "The Areas of My Expertise" was first, and it will probably be last when the Earth finally spins into the Sun thirty billion seconds from now. So read it while you can, and enjoy.

Because this is one seriously hilarious f-ing book...

Amazing. And Hilarious. Amazingly Hilarious. It's a book (and a CD set)!.......2007-05-11

Are you reading this review? Hello? Yes. If you are, that means that you are somewhat likely perhaps maybe a little interested in this book (or Audio CD for those of you that would prefer to receive your funny through a sense other than that disgusting eye-reliant one). Errr. Now I've forgotten what I was doing. No no no, I remember now, I was writing a review of the most excellent 'The Areas of My Expertise' by John Hodgman.

Within this great tome or (as Mr. Hodgman put it) "cumbersome audio CD set", you may find interesting facts and trivia. Or you may not, I'm not psychic. What I can tell you is that, to myself and several select friends, this is one of the most humorous books in the realm of literary genius. Within minutes of opening this book (assuming that you have chosen to read it and not just pretend to in order to impress members of the opposite sex with your ability to hold a book open and make thoughtful noises) you will become overwhelmed with the literary hilarity, or as I am putting it 'literarity'. In short (or tall), you'll laugh. Quite a bit.

If you enjoy such humorous things as a monkey boxing a cat, or a robot boxing a kangaroo, H.B.'s (Hobo Boxes) or just Boxcars themselves, you should (or would be in your best interest to) enjoy this book. Immensely. Greatly. No, I will not combine another word.

Ah. Yes. The review. It is quite a good book cover, don't you think? Blue and Orange, thats Nature's goodness. And it can be right in your home. Or car. Or garbage bin of a material you selected when you purchased it (the bin, not the book). The cover contains knowledge. What knowledge? The knowledge of John Hodgman. What John Hodgman? Don't be silly. It is the very John Hodgman who wrote 'The Areas of My Expertise'. The work contains interesting facts on furry lobsters, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and the attempted Hobo takeover of the United States Government in the 1930's. It also lists over six-hundred and ninety-nine names of the aforementioned Hobo-folk.

The end of the review? A summary? Buy the book or audio CD. Buy it now, you will most likely not regret it unless you don't find it funny. But many have, and you can too. You want to, don't you? Then buy it.

absurd and intelligent.......2007-03-21

A hilarious book of fake trivia (in almanac form) is delicious ridiculousness and absurdity. The style is wonderfully off beat, and the substance is chock-full of references to all that useless knowledge you soaked up in college. It's silly, it's clever, it's weird, it's stupid. It includes a chart of omen and portents, showing that if we observe the death of the Norse god Balder along with Jormungand the serpent rising from the deep to fill with skies with venom, we will indeed have Ragnarok. Also, a list of "jokes that have never produced laughter", which of course do. Did you know it is illegal in Concord to "have insights by the pond shore at night or day" or "it is illegal for an unmarried man to keep a journal about his experiences in the woods around the pond"? Now you do. If you, like me, enjoy the intelligent stupid, you'll love this book. Grade: B+

Extremely Funny Book.......2007-03-09

I can understand if someone doesn't like 'The Areas of My Expertise', but I loved it! You've gotta appreciate the type of humor that emanates from John Hodgman. It is similar to Monty Python in the vein of nonsense humor, but it actually has a point to it.

If you're not sure about buying the book, don't trouble yourself. There is a free download of the audiobook in the iTunes Music Store, so if you download iTunes you can listen to the book in its entirety.

The Friars Club Encyclopaedia of Jokes: 2,000 One-Liners, Straight Lines, Stories, Gags, Roasts, Ribs and Put-Downs

Average customer rating:

well organized
Find a laugh at the place that you need it
Ladies and Germs.....
Direct from the *true* Kings of Comedy, the Joke Enclopedia!
SUPER for speechmakers, comedians and BIIIIIIIG LAUGHS!

The Friars Club Encyclopaedia of Jokes: 2,000 One-Liners, Straight Lines, Stories, Gags, Roasts, Ribs and Put-Downs

Manufacturer: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Greatest Joke Book Ever
Winning with One-Liners: 3,400 Hilarious Laugh Lines to Tickle Your Funny Bone and Spice Up Your Speeches
Milton Berle's Private Joke File: Over 10,000 of His Best Gags, Anecdotes, and One-Liners
Roasts and Toasts Made Easy: A Practical Guide for the Creation of Roasts/Toasts for Business and Social Occasions
The Friar's Club Bible of Roasts, Toasts, Pokes and Jokes

ASIN: 1884822630

Book Description

Introduction by Alan King. The most extensive collection of jokes ever compiled from Friars Club members and other comedians, this hilarious book covers every imaginable subject--from aging to dieting, fashion to fathers, birth control to male anatomy.

Customer Reviews:

well organized.......2007-01-26

a well organized collection of older and newer material. good as i reference or an tntro to jokesmithing.

Find a laugh at the place that you need it.......2006-01-24

Georgie Jessel would have loved this book. He was endlessly talking of the 'Friar's Club' in his old routines. But the truth is this book has quite a bit of material which comes from other sources. Never mind. There are jokes here for every situation and every occasion. The one- liners are conveniently indexed under subject making it easy to decide to be amused about something and finding a particular subject.
This is of course a book not to be ' read through' but rather dipped into here and there when one feels like a little chuckle or smile. There is however some bad taste dirty stuff which a number of readers have complained about, and which the editor might have done without. Of course in doing so he would have taken out one major element of 'Friar's Club ' humor.
Usually I find something disheartening about joke- books especially if they are too 'low in spirit'. I prefer a kind of mild humor as exemplified by this kind of joke.
"Behind every successful man , stands an amazed woman"
The work is not all jokes and has little stories and anecdotes also.
Enjoy.

Ladies and Germs............2003-08-19

If you have ever seen the Friar's Club in action, you already know that there is no safe haven from the one liners, roasts and put-downs. "The Friar's Club Encyclopedia of Jokes is no different. The book has over 2,000 jokes listed by subject from A-W, so unless you are a xenophobe, a yak, or a zebra, any person,idea, or subject is fair game.

This is not a book that you would read from cover to cover, Just leave it out on your coffee table, or pull it out from the bookshelves, open up to any page and start laughing. The only place I would not suggest to keep it,is on your night stand. You may wake the person next to you laughing out loud.

All the one liners and gags are grouped by subject. Actors, Baldness, Bankers, Divorce,Ethnic Jokes, Female Anatomy,Life, Politics,Television, Taxes, Weather, you name it, these big guns of comedy don't miss a trick.

This book may not be for everyone, as many of the jokes are crude,some may be considered R rated, and some being from a time when it was okay to laugh at yourself and life without being politically correct. Although none of the lines are intended to be mean spirited. I definately wouldn't keep it around children who can read!

You can almost hear, these legends spouting their stuff. Groucho Marx.."A hospital bed is a parked taxi with the meter running"...Mae West.."I like two kinds of men: domestic and foreign"...Jackie Gleason.."When you leave New York, you're camping out." Joe E. Lewis.."A man is never drunk if he can lay on the floor without holding on" (Those are some of the more tasteful quotes I could give without being edited or offending.)

It is quite a thick book at 496 pages of these priceless quotes and dialouges. There is an index of Humorists, making it easy to find your favorites, and an introduction by Alan King, listing it's most renowned memebers.

Many of the contributors(who some may consider as national treasures) are no longer with us, and this book is a treasure chest of their words. I would recommend it to anyone who needs a good laugh and can appreciate it for what it is.

"For the first year of marriage I had a basically bad attitude. I tended to place my wife underneath a pedestal."...Woody Allen

Badaboom.....enjoy...Laurie

Direct from the *true* Kings of Comedy, the Joke Enclopedia!.......2002-01-29

I love this great big joke book! I got it for Christmas, and each night before turning out the light, I'd read sections of it, and really enjoy it. To tell the absolute truth, I was *very* suprised to find MANY of the jokes from my collection of "Gross" and "Truly Tasteless" books included here, albiet in slightly altered form. I suppose there's a place in the Friar's hearts for occasional filth and rauch. But you know what? I still love it! Hey, I said I was suprised, I didn't say I didn't approve. More power to 'em, so much the better, I say. Ranging in topics from Drugs, Sex, Work, Women, Doctors, Lawyers, (a rather BIG section there) and yes, even the ethnic jokes, I guarantee you'll find the catagory in here to suit your taste, and then you'll find the perfect joke to make you split your sides! Check this one out today!

SUPER for speechmakers, comedians and BIIIIIIIG LAUGHS!.......2001-09-11

Even with Milton Berle's amazing, thick-with-laughs two volume Private Joke Files this is one of the best joke books on the market. Why? It truly contains great one-liners, straight lines, gags, roasts, etc. from the Friars Club, many of them attributed to the world's greatest entertainers and comedians.

Don't give this to Little Johnny (although he may indeed like it) since some jokes in this superb book are adult oriented (with adult language, too) and - yes -- some are politically incorrect ("She's so fat she's my TWO best friends." -- unattributed). But you'll howl with laughter as you read many of these.

And you can truly use them for any occasion or aim one at someone if you know his/her/its background ("You have to have a physical before you get into the Army. A doctor looks in one ear, another doctor looks in the other, and if they can't see each other you're in. If they can see each other, you become an MP." -- Joe E Brown). Some jokes aren't attributed but you'll find many jokes directly credited to classic and modern comedians ... EVEN BETTER: It is well-organized into topics and indexed according to performer. I read a lot of joke books. Some I read, find mildly amusing and file in the basement. This one stays on my self for reference (I am a ventriloquist believe it or not) -- and if I just need a pick-me-up belly laugh. WELL worth the price!!

Jokelopedia: The Biggest, Best, Silliest, Dumbest Joke Book Ever

Average customer rating:

My kids are in love with this book!
Jokes for granddaughter
suks comepletely
Hey, kids like it
Some material not appropriate for children.

Jokelopedia: The Biggest, Best, Silliest, Dumbest Joke Book Ever
Ilana Weitzman , Eva Blank , Rosanne Green , Mike Wright , and Alison Benjamin
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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1,000 Knock Knock Jokes for Kids

ASIN: 0761142088

Book Description

Take it away! Jokelopedia is the mother of all joke books—an all-encompassing, gut-busting collection of more than 1,700 jokes for every occasion. 59 elephant jokes, including Why are elephants banned from pblic swimming pools They always drop their trunks. Dozens of knock-knock jokes, like Knock, knock./ Who's there?/Raven./Raven who?/Raven lunatic who wants to knock your door down! Plus teacher jokes, food jokes, gross jokes, and why-did-the-chicken-cross-the-road jokes. And a whole section of tongue twisters, specializing in the yucky. Try saying "sneaking in my creaky squeaky reeking sneakers." but the jokes are just the beginning— Jokelopedia is loaded with joke-telling tips and profiles of famously funny people, from Will Ferrell to SpongeBob SquarePants (Hey, wait—is SpongeBob really a person?)Packed with 1,700 kid-friendly jokes, tongue-twisters, riddles, and puns, this new edition of JOKELOPEDIA is the bible for incurable jokesters, class clowns, and aspiring comedians. Here are doctor jokes, robber jokes, teacher jokes, why-did-the-chicken-cross-the-road jokes. Lightbulb jokes, movie star jokes, gross-out jokes, vampire jokes, elephant jokes. The classics, fresh variations on the classics, and jokes with nothing classic about them. The guffaws are organized into categories for easy reference, and the book is sprinkled throughout with amusing facts, joke-telling pointers and tips, and informational spotlights on favorite funny people, including Mike Myers, Will Ferrell, and SpongeBob SquarePants.

Did you hear about the two antennae that met on a rooftop, fell in love, and got married?
The wedding wasn’t much, but the reception was amazing!

What kind of books do skunks read?
Best-smellers.

Customer Reviews:

My kids are in love with this book!.......2007-01-18

My seven year old thinks this book is the best gift he has gotten all year! He giggles and comes and tells us the joke he has read and then reads some more. If you want your boys to read this one will help. It doesn't hurt to bring a bit of laughter into the lesson either.

Jokes for granddaughter.......2006-04-23

I e-mail my [...] granddaughter jokes often, the cornier, the better. She loves corny humor. I thought I would have a never-ending supply with this big book of jokes, but I have to hunt to find short, simple jokes for her. I would say that the book is for an older audience than first graders. It has a lot of good material in general, but too many long jokes in my opinion.

suks comepletely.......2006-03-29

this joke book suks. if i can give it any star i want, i would give it a -10 stars. i never actually bought it, but i borrowed it from a friend. i needed a joke book for my anouncements on the intercom every morning, and it only lasted 3 days and i ran out of good jokes. some of the jokes arnt appropriate and most of them dont make sense. if your gonna buy a joke book, dont buy this!

Hey, kids like it.......2005-09-05

This book has some (okay, maybe even a lot of) un-funny jokes that don't make much sense (non-sequitar), but it has some good ones and my younger siblings enjoy reading it.

Some material not appropriate for children........2005-05-02

"If a nut on the wall is a walnut, what is a nut in the bathroom? A pee can."

"Why did the baby cross the road? She was stapled to the chicken."

Billing itself as "the mother of all joke books", The Jokelopedia has the apparent goal of turning your child (or grandchild, etc.) into a comedian. Categorized by subject matter such as a monster jokes, classroom distractions, family funnies, etc., the book contains riddles, jokes, cartoons, and tips from famous comedians. Many of the riddles have pun-ch lines consisting of puns: some that I consider funny, and many of which adults will consider groaners, but will get a lot of giggles from 8 year-olds.

Although I tend to like puns more than the average person, as a practitioner of non-violent communication, I don't recommend giving this book to children. I am concerned that roughly up to 10 to 20% of the laughs come at the expense of becoming desensitized to the suffering of animals and humans. For example, there's a joke about a woman who buys a parrot, and to get the bird to talk, she buys a mirror, a ladder, a bell, etc. She goes back to the store and reports that the parrot died. The clerk expresses his sorrow over her loss and asks if the parrot ever said anything to her. The woman replied that just prior to dying, the parrot said, "Doesn't that store carry any food?" So the joke is that the parrot starved to death because the woman was too stupid to buy food in addition to all the accessories. There are riddles that have punch lines at the expense of animal suffering, for example, "What's black and white and flat? A panda that's been run over." And the tacky frog in a blender joke, mentioned by a previous reviewer, could give a child the idea to actually try this (likely very few children but it's possible). Although much of the egregiously tacky material is in the "Snot funny" section, there is some in other sections of the book.

Another reason I don't recommend the Jokelopedia is because of the practical joke recommendations. The child who tries out these suggestions will probably think he or she is being funny, but those laughs come at the expense of being rude and crude to other people, and insensitive to their feelings. For example, one of their slumber-party jokes is to pour cold water over the shower curtain rod on someone using the shower. Another is to put another child's hand in a glass of warm water to get him or her to wet the bed. Yet another is to put some fake plastic vomit in the sink. One of the elevator practical jokes is to bet the other passengers that you can fit a quarter in your nose. Yuck. Another joke encourages lying: "Tell [your big sister] that one of her friends called (for this to work, be specific--use the real name of someone your sibling is close to and say one of the coolest kids in school is having a party tonight, but you can't remember all the details." In case your budding comedian runs out of practical ideas to play on siblings and parents (yes, a parental practical joke idea involving the kitchen sink sprayer is provided--don't say you weren't warned!), there are five suggestions for tormenting the pizza guy.

One could, as another reviewer did, rip out some of the pages prior to giving the book to a child, or perhaps cross out portions with a thick dark marker like it's a government document. (But if you rip out the page of slumber party practical jokes, the blurb on Lucille Ball is on the other side.) Had I received this book as a child with pages ripped out, I would have been extremely curious about what was missing and sought out another copy! Unless the authors write a new edition that takes out the practical and insensitive to suffering jokes, I don't recommend rewarding them by purchasing this book. That's unfortunate, because I think some of the puns are very clever, and encourage children to have fun with the language.

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