humor

Obsessive Consumption: What Did You Buy Today?

By Kate Bingaman-Burt
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Melody K.
Sep 11, 2014

Author Bingaman-Burt pays penance by drawing all the things she's charged on her credit cards - sunglasses, coffee filters, french fries, diet Coke, shoes and a swan applique. The list goes on as her credit card debt rises. She even draws her monthly statements complete with her payment and interest rates. I'm fascinated with my fascination for Kate's mundane purchases. Oh, what tangled webs we weave with our obsessive need to acquire.

Home to Harmony

By Philip Gulley

Rated by Library Staff (not verified)
Sep 10, 2014

Philip Gulley's Home to Harmony is the first book in the Harmony series in which Sam Gardner, Quaker Minister, has returned to his hometown of Harmony, Indiana to assume the pulpit. Gulley uses a folksy writing style to share the joys, frustrations, humor, and outrageous predicaments encountered in a small community church. The story of Sam and his parishioners is told through a collection of vignettes, each which can stand on its own; but all are woven together expertly by Gulley to paint a pleasant, funny, and poignant picture of the dilemmas and rewards of pastoring a small congregation

Gulp. Adventures on the Alimentary Canal

By Mary Roach
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by Jed D.
Sep 4, 2014

If you’re not a fan of what happens to your food from one end of your body to the other, stop reading this review right now!  For those that are curious, Mary Roach’s Gulp is the book for you.  Roach humorously covers both silly and taboo topics: pet food taste-testers, internal deodorizers that keep bathroom odors away, resourceful prisoners who know just where to hide unbelievable amounts of contraband, and, yes, even the constipation that may have killed Elvis.  For me, the chapter describing an American surgeon in 1825 that used a wounded trapper as his own lab rat stuck with me long after

Bird by Bird

By Anne Lamott
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Melody K.
Jul 27, 2014

I'm not a writer but Anne Lamott makes me believe that I could be a great one.  Bird by Bird is a writing manual that reads like a memoir, a very funny, life affirming, let's get real memoir.  She reminds me a bit of Cheryl Strayed in her clarity and insight not only about writing but about relationships and priorities.  Lamott says, "if you want to know your characters, you have to hang out with them for awhile."   I highly recommend hanging out with Lamott.

Waiting on You

By Kristan Higgins
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Rachel N.
Jul 14, 2014

Things are going pretty well for Colleen O'Rourke:  she co-owns a tavern with her twin brother, Conner; has made more than a few love matches between the good people of Manningsport, NY; and is great at giving advice. Well, things were going well until Lucas Campbell comes back to Manningsport to see his dying uncle. Ten years ago they were in love—​Lucas living in Chicago gearing up to go to law school, Colleen in Manningsport to be close to her family while becoming a nurse. They had their life together planned out until secrets damaged their four-year relationship beyond repair. In their

Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex

By Roach, Mary
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by Caitlin P
Jul 7, 2014

Mary Roach strikes it big again with Bonk: the Curious Coupling of Science and Sex. Like her two previous books, Stiff: the Curious Lives of Human Cadavers and Spook: Science Tackles the After Life, Roach explores an often under-discussed yet extremely fascinating and history rich topic—in this case, sex—that proves both educational and entertaining at the same time.

 

Some of the various topics addressed in Bonk include self-willed orgasms, cross-cultural (cringe worthy) approaches to treating erectile dysfunction, and fetal masturbation. Roach looks at the classic sex researchers

Firefly

By Joss Whedon

Rated by Library Staff (not verified)
Jun 30, 2014

Much has been made of this show, more than a decade old and canceled before it even finished its first season.

With good reason.

Even suffering from executive meddling, where the episodes were aired out of order and the time slot randomly changed without notice, Firefly built a die-hard group of fans.  They even leveraged their passion into a movie to wrap up the loose ends.  Why are the Browncoats so fanatical?

To start with, the show is written by Joss Whedon—fresh off his Buffy the Vampire Slayer run—and features every bit of the sharp wit and clever mixture of humor and horror that he's

Grasshopper Jungle

By Andrew Smith
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by Kate M.
Jun 6, 2014

Behold the history of the end of the world - by Austin Szerba. The end of the world does not start with a bang or a bomb, or an ultimatum from outer space. It begins (and ends) in Ealing, Iowa, in Grasshopper Jungle, the parking lot behind the strip mall containing a pizza place, the liqueur store and the second-hand store. It begins when Austin and his best friend Robby (who is is pretty sure he is in love with) are bullied by the local small-town thugs who will never amount to anything (because they are not bright enough too and because they will shortly die). The fate of the world is sealed

Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?

By Roz Chast
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by Sarah As
May 28, 2014

Thank you, Roz Chast, for writing this book. And thank you for being so honest and providing us with a truer picture of what taking care of aging parents can really be like. And most of all, thank you for reminding us of the importance of finding some humor in the whole process.

Roz Chast, longtime cartoonist for The New Yorker magazine, has gifted us with a new graphic memoir about her experiences in helping her parents as they age, and of her thoughts and feelings at their eventual deaths when they are in their 90’s. While my own relationship with my parents was very different than hers

Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith

By Anne Lamott
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Becky C.
Apr 28, 2014

I recently missed a carpool, and instead, drove alone. But I never felt alone. Plan B included listening to Anne Lamott's Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith. And she is an excellent traveling companion. Lamott, full of faith and humor hooked me in with her crazy, grace-filled life and I couldn't stop listening. It's a bummer that I missed socializing with my group. But, driving with Anne Lamott narrating Plan B made the trip worthwhile.

Lamott is at her best when she weaves witty stories of her progressive Christian faith with her family dysfunction. Especially the stories focusing on the

Raising Steam

By Terry Pratchett

Rated by Library Staff (not verified)
Apr 28, 2014

Terry Pratchett's fortieth Discworld novel tackles many of the author's favorite themes, the heart of which can be found in one of his quotations: "It was funny how people were people everywhere you went, even if the people concerned weren't the people the people who made up the phrase 'people are people everywhere' had traditionally thought of as people."  Part of what makes Pratchett a great writer is how well he does people: human people, dwarf people, troll people, goblin people, golem people...they're all people.  They're all frightened-clever-ambitious-earnest-conniving-brave

Sister Mother Husband Dog, (etc.)

By Delia Ephron
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by Sarah As
Mar 20, 2014

Delia Ephron has written an entertaining group of personal essays that range from the deeply touching to the absurdly humorous in Sister Mother Husband Dog, (etc.)  The first essay in the book is a tribute to her late sister, the writer Nora Ephron.  The two sisters worked together writing  screenplays for several popular movies, including You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle. Certainly she writes of her sister in a loving way, but she also shares with us the humanness of the relationship – the jealousy and the competition. Another of the more heartfelt essays titled, “Why I Can’t Write

Dad is Fat

By Jim Gaffigan
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Helen H.
Mar 18, 2014

I read Dad is Fat for my book club and, as a group, we reached several conclusions.

- If you have children, Gaffigan is really funny.

- If you don’t have children, he’s just “meh."

- While reading the book is okay, listening to Gaffigan read his work is much better. If you can, choose the audio.

-We all love how adoringly, respectfully, and admiringly Gaffigan speaks of his wife. I, personally, will be crushed if, five or ten years down the road, we find out they actually hate each other and are just pretending for the book.

My favorite two essays are “Dogfight," where Gaffigan expresses

Spaced

By Simon Pegg
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Scott S.
Jan 17, 2014

British television is fashionable nowadays. Downton Abbey, Sherlock, and Doctor Who exemplify the latest trend in Trans-Atlantic entertainment. But before BBC America went gangbusters, there were several British comedies from the late 90s and early 00s that have since either created American spin-offs (The Office) or spawned solid film careers for British actors and writers. The latter is true for Simon Pegg, one of the creators and actors of the show Spaced. Not only has he endeared himself to American sci-fi fans as Chief Engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott in J.J. Abrams’ reboot of the Star

Bad Kitty Meets the Baby

By Nick Bruel
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Becky C.
Jan 15, 2014

Life was good for Bad Kitty when it was just her at home with her human parents.  Then one day they adopt a stupid, disgusting dog.  Bad Kitty eventually learns to tolerate the dog.  Then, Bad Kitty’s human parents bring home another horrible, retched creature.  Bad Kitty assumes it’s another dog, but the neighborhood cats think it’s another cat.  They decide to enter this new creature into The Kitty Olympics to see how she competes.  Bad Kitty finally learns that this creature is not a cat or a dog: it’s a human baby.  Now what's she supposed to do?  This children's chapter book is hilarious

Dad Is Fat

By Jim Gaffigan
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by Hope H.
Dec 24, 2013

Kids really do say the darnedest things, but so do parents!  From the eye of the storm, comedian Jim Gaffigan reports on the trials of raising five young children and celebrates the absurdities, embarrassments, and joys.  He begins by reflecting on his early perceptions of being abducted by aliens (aka, babies) and then recounts his own recent adventures in sleep deprivation, family vacations, juggling schedules, and the power of ice cream.  Gaffigan pokes at his own fathering foibles and sings the praises of his wife’s mothering and family management, even if there is some comedic friction

This Is Spinal Tap

By Rob Reiner
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Becky C.
Nov 6, 2013

When This Is Spinal Tap was released in theaters in 1984, many audience members were convinced they were seeing a documentary of an actual British rock group, Spinal Tap, fumbling its way through one last tour across America despite the fact they hadn’t had a hit song in nearly two decades.   In reality, the film is a mockumentary directed by the great Rob Reiner, and Spinal Tap is a fake band made up of three brilliant American actors.  Christopher Guest, who went on to direct and star in other hilarious mockumentaries such as Waiting for GuffmanBest in Show, and A Mighty Wind, plays lead

Duck! Rabbit!

By Amy Krause Rosenthal
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by Tricia S.
Oct 16, 2013

Duck! Rabbit! is a funny Easy Fiction story that challenges you to see images in a different way, similar to an optical illusion, it is a great way to involve everyone in the story.  A wonderful childrens' librarian once used American Sign Language signs for "duck" & "rabbit" which allows everyone to participate in the story and extends their experience.  This is one of my favorite books because it is fun, silly and a nice ongoing discussion about whether it is a duck or a rabbit.  While I have colleagues at the library that don't quite see it this way...from my perspective it is a duck :)

Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls

By David Sedaris
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Hope H.
Oct 2, 2013

Don’t be fooled, you’ll learn nothing about diabetes or owls here, but the random suggestion makes it all the more entertaining.  Shortly before this book was released, I had the privilege of attending “An Evening with David Sedaris” in Kansas City, where I got a preview of some of the hilarious treasures to come in Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls.  Sedaris likes to test his pieces with various live audiences, tweaking them along the way until they are primed for publishing, and I was excited to hear some of my favorites again in their polished state. 

This collection is packed with a

Shatner Rules: Your Guide to Understanding the Shatnerverse and the World at Large

By William Shatner
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Caitlin P
Sep 25, 2013

Similar to Tina Fay’s Bossy Pants, William Shatner’s Shatner Rules might possibly be better in audio than written form. Narrated by the great Captain Kirk himself, the audio version feels as if you’re watching a personal interview with Mr. Shatner. Whether reading or listening, if you’re in the mood for a humorous, informative biography on a TV legend, this is the book for you.

When one thinks of William Shatner, it is likely that his role as Captain James Tiberius Kirk on Star Trek comes to mind first. In this, his thirty eighth book (yes, you read that correctly), we get a glimpse of the

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (and Other Concerns)

By Mindy Kaling
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Helen H.
Jun 25, 2013

In the introduction, Kaling says of herself, “I’m only marginally qualified to be giving advice at all. My body mass index is certainly not ideal, I frequently use my debit card to buy things that cost less than three dollars, because I never have cash on me, and my bedroom is so untidy it looks like vandals ransacked the Anthropologie Sale section. I’m kind of a mess.” And yet, she’s written a compelling, humorous memoir, with occasional advice. The advice she does offer is based on her own, real-life experiences and all the more valuable for its lack of childhood trauma.

As a writer

Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong

By Prudence Shen and Faith Erin
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Kate M.
Jun 7, 2013

Charlie and Nate have grown up on the same street. The two, forced into play-dates as children, could not be more different. Charlie, kind and a little shy, is the captain of the basketball team. Nate is the outspoken and geeky president of the robotics club. Although not even on the same social ladder, the two have always been on good terms...until now. When the school announces that the decision about funding the robotics club's trip to a national competition or new uniforms for the cheerleaders will be left up to the student council, Nate decides to run for Student Body President. When the

The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz

Star Rating

Rated by Helen H.
Dec 23, 2012

Lisa Lutz’s The Spellman Files is the funniest mystery since Stephanie Plum made her debut way back when in One for the Money. Growing up in the family business, Isabel Spellman has been a private investigator since about age 12. Now in her twenties, Izzy is thinking maybe she doesn’t belong in the family business, where mothers spy on daughters, fathers bug their daughters’ apartments, and your 14-year-old sister hangs out in bars. And she herself runs background checks on potential suitors, thus rendering her own first dates boring and fraught with potential slip-ups. In order to avoid

Dec 11, 2012

This hilarious Swiss Family Robinson meets Glass Castles memoir is not for the easily offended.  Jenny Lawson, plagued with anxiety and panic attacks finds solace in the online community she meets through her blog; The Bloggess, Like Mother Teresa, Only Better.    She discovers acceptance from these new friends despite her bad wardrobe, her fascination with taxidermy and a very foul mouth.   When vultures threaten to dig up the newly deceased family pet a fellow blogger high tails it over to fend off the vultures and Jenny’s panic attacks.    The ensuing tragicomedy is but one in a string of

Dec 7, 2012

Francesco Marciuliano writes the comic strip Sally Forth and has carried his sense of humor over to I Could Pee on This. As the title states, this is a book of poetry written by cats. It is illustrated with pictures of the cat authors.  The cat pictures range from awww cute to majestic to disdainful, just like cats. I laughed my way through the whole book and had to mop my eyes several times. The first poem is entitled Family and sets the tone for the rest of the book. Here is Family:

Sometimes when I lie on your warm chest
And hear your every happy sigh
I gaze into your two kind eyes
And

Trail of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz


Rated by Library Staff (not verified)
Oct 17, 2012

I listened to Trail of the Spellmans, the fifth book in the Spellman Files series.  As with all of the books in the series, Isabel “Izzy” Spellman is our protagonist.  Izzy is a private eye employed by the Spellman Detective Agency owned by her parents, Albert and Olivia.  All previous books in the series are funny and this latest installment is no different.  This time around, though, Izzy seems to be the responsible one while all the rest seem to be behaving unlike their usual selves. Olivia seems to be taking on more extracurricular activities outside of the home. David, her perfect eldest

Sep 28, 2012

What do a cryptologist, patent lawyer, artist, writer, chemist, math teacher, and their waiter do when they get together? Why solve mysteries of course! At least, that is what they do in the mind and imagination of Isaac Asimov in his Black Widowers short stories. Each month this group gets together for dinner. They take turns bringing a guest. Inevitably, a mystery around the guest arises, and the Black Widowers attempt to solve it. No matter how much the others may try, it is always Henry, the waiter, who unravels the puzzle.

More known for his science fiction stories, Asimov began to

Sep 2, 2012

The unnamed heroine of this tale redefines whacky.  In her early twenties, with a degree in English, she is working in a pet library – yes, where pets may be “checked out.”  Meanwhile her life is turned upside-down by Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island (a library book checked out to a friend that she has no intention of returning.)  “She” – not sure what else to call her – resolves to adopt what she considers Jim Hawkins’ best qualities: BOLDNESS, RESOLUTION, INDEPENDENCE, and HORN-BLOWING.  She carries the book everywhere, extolling its virtues to any within ear shot.  The first thing

Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson


Rated by Library Staff (not verified)
Jul 20, 2012

Has Wil Wheaton ever tweeted you a picture of himself collating paper?  Have you ever surprised your husband with a six foot metal chicken?  Has your father ever made a hand puppet out of a dead squirrel?

If not, then I invite you into the world of Jenny Lawson, aka The Bloggess, whose memoir Let’s Pretend This Never Happened will show you just how bizarre—and strangely touching—one woman’s life can be.  For anyone not familiar, Lawson is one of the titans in the female blogosphere—a curler-wearing, foul-mouthed and hilarious Texan who writes honestly about everything from sex to illness to

Ranchero by Nick Gavin


Rated by Library Staff (not verified)
Jun 18, 2012

If you like the Stephanie Plum series written by Janet Evanovich, you might like Ranchero, written by Rick Gavin. It’s a similar story-type but written from a man’s perspective.  The cover of the book says it’s a crime novel, but I think it is a number of humorous things that happen to Nick during his job, which brings us back to its similarity to the Plum series.

Instead of being in Newark, N. J., it is set in Indianola, Miss., where Nick Reid is a repo man rather than a bail bondsman like Stephanie.  They both have a rather overweight friend who helps them out. Stephanie’s friend is an ex