Genre: Non-Fiction/Humor

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I've spent many an evening curled up and laughing as I read Erma Bombeck’s take on a woman’s life. Although she was more of my mother’s generation, somehow I related to much of what she wrote, and I miss her contributions to women everywhere.  I recently stumbled upon another woman who can make me laugh, Lisa Quinn. The title of her book, Life's Too Short to Fold Fitted Sheets, caught my attention immediately. I can’t begin to count the number of times I got tangled up in the king sized folded sheet I tried to fold. I began reading the book, and after the first chuckle there was no turning back.

I grew up in a time where women were beginning to believe they could “have it all” without realizing the toll it would take. Yes, we could have those coveted careers that eluded our mothers, but we never lost the responsibilities that our mothers had. In essence, we had two full time jobs, and if you were a perfectionist that was one job too many. Quinn helps us to see we don’t need to be perfectionists, and that is a good thing.

Her book is filled with tips on entertaining, cleaning and decorating. There have been times when I have had unexpected company drop in, and she gives us recipes and ideas on how to be the perfect hostess. Since I am a purest when it comes to cooking and use very little processed foods, her recipes didn’t work for me, but I imagine they could be lifesavers for the average overworked mother.

While Ms. Quinn has not taken Erma’s place in my heart, Life's Too Short to Fold Fitted Sheets was fun to read and did give me ideas on how to curb my OCD tendencies. It might make a good stocking stuffer too.

- Beverly


Publisher - Chronicle Books LLC
Date of Publication - February 25, 2011

Genre: Legal Thriller

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I spend so many hours a week reading books with serious plots or messages, every now and again I need a break.  I find that reading books written by some of my favorite comedians is sometimes the perfect antidote to a stress filled week.  I Shouldn't Even Be Doing This: and Other Things That Strike Me as Funny by Bob Newhart fit the bill perfectly for me this week.  I have been a fan of his since his original television sit-com, and still enjoy his role on Big Bang Theory every now and again.

Newhart's dry wit is evident in his writing, from the introduction (which he believes many don't bother reading) until the very last page.  This book, written ten years ago, is the first he wrote, and he explains a bit about himself as the book progresses.  Yes, apparently the stammer is all his, not some affectation for his act, and yes, he actually was an accountant before he was a comedian.

Newhart talks about how comedians see thing differently than other people.  They have a sensitivity to even the slightest visual mistakes, and lock them away for future use. He tells his readers anecdotes about the shows he was in, his family and friends, his hobbies and the hilarious albums that he recorded.  He talks about his celebrity friends and the people he admired through the years.

I loved the tidbits that he shared from his various sketches and found myself smiling through much of the book.  I always thought that he was a real down to earth guy who never let success go to his head, and this book just strengthens that opinion.  If you ever enjoyed watching the comedians of the days of earlier television share their humor, then this is a book I whole heartedly recommend to you.

- Beverly


Publisher -  Hachette Books
Date of Publication - October 9, 2007

Genre: Non-Fiction/Humor

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I have always felt a wee bit badly for fathers-to-be as they try to negotiate their wives'/girlfriends' pregnancies.  Weight gain, heartburn, body changes and mood changes make women difficult to live with, but when "dad" suffers from weight gain,  heartburn, body changes and mood changes too, no one seems to care.  Kevin Nealon, one of my favorite funny men, began caring early on in his wife's pregnancy.

This book begins with his trip to a palm reader who announces he has three children he is unaware of having.  He realizes that while this was a hoax, he was getting older, single and childless.  He married a young woman a year or two later, and life was good.  Of course when the focal point of his dinner parties became the digital blood pressure machine that he purchased (taking turns checking each other's blood pressure), he realized his biological clock was ticking faster than he cared to admit.

This funny book takes us through all of the woes of pregnancy in Nealon's humorous fashion.  Even the purchase of a stroller becomes an ordeal when we consider safety as well as comfort. I enjoyed the bits of wisdom that he weaves throughout his humor, and his "regular guy" appeal.  While the book is definitely targeted at those poor men trying to deal with their new lives as fathers-to-be, it is a good read for anyone who was ever pregnant or ever lived with a pregnant woman.

- Beverly


Publisher - It Books
Date of Publication - ​​May 5, 2009

Genre: Humor

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Thank you Ruth Harris, for making me smile with Husband Training School.  This talented author introduces us to three exasperated wives and their exasperating husbands in the first few chapters of this book, and we also meet the enterprising woman who runs a boot camp that teaches the men to be good husbands.

The men are as different as night and day.  Will Trailer is a young baseball player, Gordo Canholme is a young father to be, and Howard Hopkins is recently retired from a job where he was in charge of over fifty people.  Their one commonality is that they are impossibly annoying husbands who are one step away from needing divorce lawyers.  

Their wives had all heard about a training school (HTC) run by Robin Aguirre and her husband, and the husbands were all "sent" there.  Of course the reader must suspend belief, because none of these men would have accepted this challenge in real life, and, if by some strange miracle they did, none would have stayed after meeting Robin. This ex-marine drill instructor cuts no slack for these husbands.  She has trained many before them, and she expects results.

This is definitely not a book that will encourage deep thinking or discussion, but it will make you laugh.  There is not a woman who can't relate to what these wives are dealing with, and it is fun watching the men learn the steps to being a good husband.

It seems to be written in good nature, and I imagine men will get a few chuckles (and a few lessons) out of this, too.  Recommended for all of us who don't take ourselves to seriously.

- Beverly


​Publisher - Word international
Date of Publication - June 18, 2014

Genre: Humor/Romance

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Technical writer Kat Stevens is bored with her job.  She is annoyed with her boss and generally feeling restless when she gets a call from her estranged aunt's lawyer.  I seems that Aunt Abigail died and left her estate to Kat.  The estate consists of a run down home in Alpine Grove that comes with four dogs and five cats that need love and attention.  If she decides to stay, there is a nice sized bank account to go with it.  If she sells the house and gives away the animals, the bank account is dispersed to her aunt's favorite charities.  

Of course she stays, and she meets Joel, an unemployed techie with plenty of flaws.  He acts as her handyman, and things start falling into place as she builds affection for him and the menagerie of animals that populate her new home.  Reading this romantic mystery is a fun way to spend an afternoon whether you are an animal lover or not, but for those who love animals, you definitely are in for a treat.

This is the first Susan Daffron book that I have read, but her sarcastic sense of humor makes me want to read another.  The animals are funny and Daffron's descriptions of the  odd people of Alpine Grove make this book a comfortable one to get lost in.  Although there is mystery and drama in this book, I was hoping for just a bit more depth of character as far as Kat was concerned, and sometimes her reactions to events seemed a bit weak, but all in all this is a well written book that might entice you to get a pet or two of your own.

- Beverly


Publisher - Magic Fur Press
Date of Publication - Sept 23, 2013

Genre: Fiction/Humor

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No, I did not review this very same book last month.  I reviewed 3:06 am, and being a Pirog fan (or more accurately, a Henry Bins fan) I felt compelled to read the second in this insane series this week.  Poor Henry is living with  a sleep disorder (known as Henry Bins disease) that finds him sleeping 23 hours each day. In fact, his only awake time is 3:00-4:00 A. M., which would make a normal life seemingly impossible.  The miracle of fiction, however, allows us to believe that an hour goes on forever. The fact that he has believable relationships with his father, soon to be live-in girlfriend, Ingrid, and the President might be odd enough, but watching him communicate with Lassie (cat), Murdock (dog) and a pair of gerbils really takes suspension of belief to a new level.

In this short novel, somehow gerbil Billy is in need of rescue, and Murdock, Lassie and gerbil  Rasmussen convince Henry to assist in rescuing him.  Henry convinces his ever ready dad to help, and the fun begins.  

These books are nothing short of ridiculous, with weak plots and bizarre people-animal communication, yet they are addicting.  Pirog gives us a few hours of laughter as we follow the antics of his motley crew, and that is always good.  Not best seller material, but definitely better than a  Xanax to reach for when you need to relax.

- Beverly


​Publisher -Nickthriller
date of Publication - October 24, 2015

Genre: Non-Fiction/Humor

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I assume that many years ago, some young cave woman spent days and days wondering why some cave boy didn't smile at her on his way to hunt for dinner. Anxiety over romantic relationships is part of the human condition. Comedian Ansari and sociologist Klinenberg found an entertaining way to capitalize on it.  Good for them. This book is funny in a relatable way to today's young people and the older generations trying to understand them.

Too many mothers are wringing their hands in anguish while worrying about their daughters'/sons' lack of spouses.  There is a generational disconnect that this book might clear up.  The generations that met their future soul mates around their corners can't conceive of falling in love before ever meeting. In 1932 a socializing study from University of Pennsylvania looked through 5000 marriage licenses. One third of the people who married had lived within five blocks of each other when they met.  Today, a similar number first "met" on line, some living a country apart.

Ansari begins the book with an introduction that explains an experience he had that caused him to question today's dating and communication habits.  Waiting for a woman to answer an invitation for a date that he sent via text was driving him crazy.  He wanted to know more about the days before electronic communication, and so this book began.  They interviewed focus groups and shared interesting findings sprinkled with humorous interpretations.

If you are looking for a typical comedian's book of funny memoirs, this is probably not the book for you, but if you want to think a bit while laughing, buy Ansari's book.  This is a great holiday gift for parent or young man/woman who is having trouble communicating with a parent.  

- Beverly


Publisher - Penguin Press
Date of Publication - June 16, 2015

Genre: Humor/Mystery

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For Pirog fans, just his name in the author spot is enough for an instant sale.  For those of you who are not familiar with his brand of humor, Lassie is a talking cat.  This author's Henry Bins series is both serious mystery and sarcastic humor.  Henry has an illness that causes him to sleep 23 hours a day. He is up between 3:00-4:00 A.M.  In that time he lives a life, has a girlfriend AND solves major crimes. Oh, he also has made friends with the President of the United States.  

He converses with Lassie, whose responses are simply Meows, but somehow Henry makes sure the reader knows what Lassie is saying.  The cat has such a strong personality that Pirog decided to give him his own series.  Of courses it reads like an extension of the Henry Bins series, but for fans of Henry that is a bonus. There is a problem with Murdock, his dad's dog, and they end up at an all night veterinarian.  A hostage situation adds to the excitement, and although the book is quite short, it is very funny.

I will admit, this is a niche book and not one I would have generally gotten into, but I have been hooked since my first Henry Bins book.  Give it a try and give herself a laugh or two!

- Beverly


Publisher - Nickthriller
Date of Publication - May 30, 2015

Genre: Memoir/Humor

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Comedy is always best when it is relatable, and we can all relate to parents who made us uncomfortable while growing up. Most of us survive our childhood though, and some, like Justin Halpern, even gain an appreciation for their parents' words of wisdom. When he realized his dad's words were actually making people laugh, he put a selection of them in a book and shared them with all of us.

Justin was twenty-eight when he decided to move back to San Diego and live with the love of his life.  Unfortunately she had a different idea, and he found himself dumped in San Diego.  He decided to move back in with his parents until he could get back on his feet.  His book follows his time in his parents' house and the words of his father.  Far from tactful, his dad was always truthful, and when we reach adulthood, that is something we learn to admire.

Several years ago this book was actually turned into a sitcom.  It lasted a season or two and gave us a few laughs, but I think the book is actually funnier.  The book is filled with stories about his dad, and each chapter padded with the politically incorrect quotes that dads have a way of sharing in front of their children's acquaintances.  I loved the mom too.  When his dad explained that they are family and would love him unless he went on a "killing spree or something," his mom piped in with, "I would still love you Justy. I would just want to know why you did it."

If the use of George Carlin's "seven words you can never use on television" offend you, then this is probably not the book for you, but if you can deal with the language then you will surely get an hour or two of laughs from this short and touching father/son book.

- Beverly


Publisher - Harper Collins
Date of Publication - April 20, 2010

Genre: Fiction/Humor

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I was a young teacher when I first read Kaufman's inspirational book, and it made me laugh and cry in equal parts.  Anyone who has ever attempted to teach in the public school system is well aware of the bureaucracy that stands firmly in the way.  The author's ability to show teachers and students as real people is amazing.  She lets them speak through memos, letters, student comments, correspondence between teachers, directives from the principal, etc.  It captured my day to day life in such a humorous and touching way that it really helped me get through those days.

Miss Barrett is naive when she enters Calvin Coolidge High School and a bit overwhelmed.  She is there to make a difference and never stops trying.  I recognized many of my students in her students, and her characterization of some of the teachers were only slight exaggerations of the teachers who surrounded me each day.  I loved the book then...

...and I love the book now.  It is truly timeless in a way that will allow today's teachers to relate to Miss Barrett's experiences as completely as I did years ago.  This is a well written book that should be read by every teacher, parent, student and former student who wants to better understand the workings of a school.  It will make you laugh while  tugging at your heartstrings.

Beverly


Publisher - Simon and Schuster
Date of Publication - October 1988