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Transformer: A Story of Glitter, Glam Rock, and Loving Lou Reed
By Simon Doonan. 2022
In this funny and poignant memoir and cultural history, the television personality, columnist, and author of Drag pays homage to…
Lou Reed’s groundbreaking album Transformer on its fiftieth anniversary and recalls its influence on his coming of age and coming out through glam rock.In November 1972, Lou Reed released his album, Transformer because he thought it was “dreary for gay people to have to listen to straight people’s love songs.” That groundbreaking idea echoed with the times. That same year, Sweden was the first country to legalize gender-affirming surgery, and San Francisco struck down employment discrimination based on sexual orientation.Sometimes an artistic creation perfectly aligns with a broader social and political history, and Transformer—with the songs “Walk on the Wild Side,” “Perfect Day,” and “Vicious”—perfectly captured its time. “Walk on the Wild Side” was banned on radio across the country but became a massive hit when young people threatened to boycott stations that would not play it. The album's cover featured a high-contrast image of Lou, flaunting a new mascara'd glamrock incarnation, shot by legend Mick Rock, thereby underscoring his intention to create "a gay album."In Transformer, Doonan tells the story of how Lou Reed came to make the album with the help of David Bowie, and places its creation within the course of Reed’s life. Doonan offers first-hand testimony of the album’s impact on the LGBTQ+ community, recalling how it transformed his own life as a 20-year-old working class kid from Reading, England, who had just discovered the joys of London Glam Rock and was sparked by the artistic freedom of Warhol’s The Factory. Transformer was a revelation—hearing Reed’s songs, Doonan understood how the world was changing for him and his friends.A poignant, personal addition to modern music and LGBTQ+ history, Transformer captures a pivotal moment when those long silenced were finally given a voice. As transgender icon Candy Darling, highlighted in his lyrics, told Reed, “It’s so nice to hear ourselves.”Transformer includes approximatively 16 pages of black-and-white and color photos.Away with Words: An Irreverent Tour Through the World of Pun Competitions
By Joe Berkowitz. 2017
"[Away with Words] is low wit in its highest form. . . Mr. Berkowitz is sensitive throughout to the evanescence and…
contingency of punning and to the fleeting chemistry of a live pun-on-pun matchup crackling with energy." –Wall Street JournalFast Company reporter Joe Berkowitz investigates the bizarre and hilarious world of pun competitions from the Punderdome 3000 in Brooklyn to the World competition in Austin.When Joe Berkowitz witnessed his first Punderdome competition, it felt wrong in the best way. Something impossible seemed to be happening. The kinds of jokes we learn to repress through social conditioning were not only being aired out in public—they were being applauded. As it turned out, this monthly show was part of a subculture that’s been around in one form or another since at least the late ‘70s. Its pinnacle is the O. Henry Pun Off World Championship, an annual tournament in Austin, Texas. As someone who is terminally self-conscious, Joe was both awed and jealous of these people who confidently killed with the most maligned form of humor. In this immersive ride into the subversive world of pun competitions, we meet punsters weird and wonderful and Berkowitz is our tour guide. Puns may show up in life in subtle ways sometimes, but once you start thinking in puns you discover they’re everywhere. Berkowitz’s search to discover who makes them the most, and why, leads him to the professional comedian competitors on @Midnight, a TV show with a pun competition built into it, the writing staff of Bob’s Burgers, the punniest show on TV, and even a humor research conference. With his new unlikely band of punster brothers, he finally heads to Austin to compete in the World Championship. Of course, in befriending these comic misfits he also ended up learning that when you embrace puns you become a more authentic version of yourself.Nice Try: Stories of Best Intentions and Mixed Results
By Josh Gondelman. 2019
“If you only read one book in your life, it probably shouldn’t be this one. However, if you’re not operating…
an inexplicable one-book policy, these stories are funny, touching, and more than worth your time.” — John Oliver“Josh Gondelman is one of the most original hilarious voices out there today. This book will hook you and make you laugh and laugh.” — Amy SchumerEmmy-Award winning writer and comedian Josh Gondelman’s collection of personal stories of best intentions and mixed results.Josh Gondelman knows a thing or two about trying—and failing. The Emmy Award-winning stand-up comic—dubbed a “pathological sweetheart” by the New York Observer—is known throughout the industry as one of comedy’s true “nice guys.” Not surprisingly, he’s endured his share of last-place finishes. But he keeps on bouncing back.In this collection of hilarious and poignant essays (including his acclaimed New York Times piece “What if I Bombed at My Own Wedding?”), Josh celebrates a life of good intentions—and mixed results. His true tales of romantic calamities, professional misfortunes, and eventual triumphs reinforce the notion: we get out of the world what we put into it. Whether he’s adopting a dog from a suspicious stranger, mitigating a disastrous road trip, or trying MDMA for the first (and only) time, Josh only wants the best for everyone—even as his attempts to do the right thing occasionally implode.Full of the warm and relatable humor that’s made him a favorite on the comedy club circuit, Nice Try solidifies Josh Gondelman’s reputation as not just a good guy, but a skilled observer of the human condition.Be a Man: The Ultimate Guide
By The Be A Man Guy. 2022
From the creators of the Tik Tok sensation, a hilarious new book, one part Shit My Dad Says, one part Make Your Bed.On…
Tik Tok, Instagram, and his podcast, The Be a Man Guy discusses what it takes to be a man. Now, this funny and insightful book showcases all new stories, vignettes, anecdotes, and pearls of wisdom. Be a Man celebrates and pokes fun at the strengths and flaws of men today, and offers timeless advice on How to Be a Man, including:— Never ask for directions, or use a GPS, just drive around forever — Fall asleep watching TV, then get pissed off when somebody changes the channel — If you can’t fix something, chuck a wrench— If you can’t find what you’re looking for in a store, don’t ask for help. Walk out.— When your dog dies, hand dig its grave. After all he was your best friend The Be a Man Guy also takes readers into his early years, from learning math from his uncle the bookie to discovering deep truths about life from the patrons who drank and gambled at his family’s bar in East Boston Whether in stories or one liners, The Be a Man Guy will make you laugh and shake your head in recognition. Be a Man: The Ultimate Guide lets men of the world (and the women that might live with them) know that they are not alone.Monster trucks & hair-in-a-can: who says America doesn't make anything anymore?
By William Geist. 1994
Geist celebrates the American entrepreneurial spirit in a series of humorous essays. His topics include a man who makes a…
good living off of people who don't play golf very well, by retrieving used golf balls from lakes. Also discussed are kitchen gadget savant Ron Popeil's products, Entertainment Tonight's Mary Hart with her leg cross, and the booming fake-nail industryIt is not now: tales of Maine
By John Gould. 1993
Yarns about everyday small-town life with a regional accent. Octogenarian Gould, former columnist for the Christian Science Monitor, recalls days…
when "eyah" closed a deal. He can get into arguments over why anybody would need to replace permanent antifreeze, and he is pleased when a youngster expresses interest in a sled Gould is fixing, until the boy announces, "We can use my father's snowmobile to pull it back uphill!"Among The Janeites: A Journey Through the World of Jane Austen Fandom
By Deborah Yaffe. 2013
For anyone who has ever loved a Jane Austen novel, a warm and witty look at the passionate, thriving world…
of Austen fandomThey walk among us in their bonnets and Empire-waist gowns, clutching their souvenir tote bags and battered paperbacks: the Janeites, Jane Austen’s legion of devoted fans. Who are these obsessed admirers, whose passion has transformed Austen from classic novelist to pop-culture phenomenon? Deborah Yaffe, journalist and Janeite, sets out to answer this question, exploring the remarkable endurance of Austen’s stories, the unusual zeal that their author inspires, and the striking cross-section of lives she has touched. Along the way, Yaffe meets a Florida lawyer with a byzantine theory about hidden subtexts in the novels, a writer of Austen fan fiction who found her own Mr. Darcy while reimagining Pride and Prejudice, and a lit professor whose roller-derby nom de skate is Stone Cold Jane Austen. Yaffe goes where Janeites gather, joining a pilgrimage to historic sites in Britain, chatting online with fellow fans, and attending the annual ball of the Jane Austen Society of North America—in period costume. Part chronicle of a vibrant literary community, part memoir of a lifelong love, Among the Janeites is a funny, touching meditation on the nature of fandom.Let There Be Laughter: A Treasury of Great Jewish Humor and What It All Means
By Michael Krasny. 2016
From the host of NPR affiliate’s Forum with Michael Krasny, a compendium of Jewish jokes that packs the punches with hilarious…
riff after riff and also offers a window into Jewish culture.Michael Krasny has been telling Jewish jokes since his bar mitzvah, and it’s been said that he knows more of them than anyone on the planet. He certainly states his case in this wise, enlightening, and hilarious book that not only collects the best of Jewish humor passed down from generation to generation, but explains the cultural expressions and anxieties behind the laughs."What’s Jewish Alzheimer’s?""You forget everything but the grudges.""You must be so proud. Your daughter is the President of the United States!""Yes. But her brother is a doctor!""Isn’t Jewish humor masochistic?""No. And if I hear that one more time I am going to kill myself."With his background as a scholar and public-radio host, Krasny delves deeply into the themes, topics, and form of Jewish humor: chauvinism undercut by irony and self-mockery, the fear of losing cultural identity through assimilation, the importance of vocal inflection in joke-telling, and calls to communal memory, including the use of Yiddish.Borrowing from traditional humor and such Jewish comedy legends as Jackie Mason, Mel Brooks, and Joan Rivers, Larry David, Sarah Silverman, Jerry Seinfeld and Amy Schumer, Let There Be Laughter is an absolute pleasure for the chosen and goyim alike.Lou: Fifty Years of Kicking Dirt, Playing Hard, and Winning Big in the Sweet Spot of Baseball
By Bill Madden, Lou Piniella. 2017
In this candid, revealing, and entertaining memoir, the beloved New York Yankee legend looks back over his nearly fifty-year career…
as a player and a manager, sharing insights and stories about some of his most memorable moments and some of the biggest names in Major League Baseball.For nearly five decades, Lou Piniella has been a fixture in Major League Baseball, as an outfielder with the legendary New York Yankees of the 1970s, and as a manager for five teams in both the American and National leagues. With respected veteran sportswriter Bill Madden, Piniella now reflects on his storied career, offering fans a glimpse of life on the field, in the dugout, and inside the clubhouse.Piniella speaks from the heart about his teams and his players, offering a detailed, up-close portrait of the Bronx Zoo’s raucous personalities such as Reggie Jackson and Catfish Hunter, as well as his close friendship with Thurman Munson and his unusual relationship with George Steinbrenner. He also delves deep into his post-Yankee experiences, from winning a World Series for the controversial owner of the Cincinnati Reds, Marge Schott, to transforming the perennial cellar-dwelling Seattle Mariners into one of the league’s best teams. Some of the game’s brightest stars are here: Ken Griffey Jr, Randy Johnson, and Alex Rodriguez, Piniella’s supremely talented and controversial protégé. Throughout his time in the majors, Piniella has witnessed MLB grow into a multi-billion-dollar business. Piniella reflects on those changes, voicing his highly critical opinions on a range of controversial subjects, including steroids. Hilarious and uproarious, filled with eight pages of photos, Lou brings into focus a man whose deeply rooted passion for baseball has defined his life.Act Natural: A Cultural History of Misadventures in Parenting
By Jennifer Traig. 2019
From a distinctive, inimitable voice, a wickedly funny and fascinating romp through the strange and often contradictory history of Western…
parentingWhy do we read our kids fairy tales about homicidal stepparents? How did helicopter parenting develop if it used to be perfectly socially acceptable to abandon your children? Why do we encourage our babies to crawl if crawling won’t help them learn to walk?These are just some of the questions that came to Jennifer Traig when—exhausted, frazzled, and at sea after the birth of her two children—she began to interrogate the traditional parenting advice she’d been conditioned to accept at face value. The result is Act Natural, hilarious and deft dissection of the history of Western parenting, written with the signature biting wit and deep insights Traig has become known for. Moving from ancient Rome to Puritan New England to the Dr. Spock craze of mid-century America, Traig cheerfully explores historic and present-day parenting techniques ranging from the misguided, to the nonsensical, to the truly horrifying. Be it childbirth, breastfeeding, or the ways in which we teach children how to sleep, walk, eat, and talk, she leaves no stone unturned in her quest for answers: Have our techniques actually evolved into something better? Or are we still just scrambling in the dark?My Conference Can Beat Your Conference: Why the SEC Still Rules College Football
By Gene Wojciechowski, Paul Finebaum. 2014
An all-access pass into the powerhouse teams and passionate fanbases of the legendary Southeastern Conference, from one of the most…
influential men in college football: ESPN’s Paul Finebaum.Proud owner of 14 prestigious college football programs, producing seven consecutive national championships, twelve NFL first round draft choices, and a budget that crushes the GDP of Samoa, the Southeastern Conference collects the most coveted ratings, rankings, and revenue of any conference in college football. With its pantheon of illustrious alumni like Bear Bryant, Herschel Walker, Peyton Manning, and Nick Saban, the SEC is the altar at which millions of Americans worship every Saturday, from Texas to Kentucky to Florida.If the SEC is a religion, its deity is radio talk-show host Paul Finebaum. In My Conference Can Beat Your Conference, Finebaum, chronicles the rise of the SEC and his own unlikely path to college football fame. Finebaum offers his blunt wisdom on everything from Joe Paterno and the Penn State scandal to the relevancy of Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron’s girlfriend, and chronicles the best of his beloved callers, and the worst of his haters.Weddiculous: An Unfiltered Guide to Being a Bride
By Jacqueline Novak, Jamie Lee. 2016
In this irreverent wedding guide, the star of Netflix’s “The Wedding Coach” and comedian Jamie Lee offers practical advice and…
hilarious insights on how to stay sane while planning your "big day."Weddings. What was once a beautiful celebration of a couple coming together for a lifetime of happiness has become a bit ridiculous, complete with the whimsical monogrammed mason jars and unconventional photo shoots. The Epic task of creating that special event can be nightmarish—a dizzying maze of minutiae and seemingly endless choices that might tempt you to say yes to a quickie drive-through chapel in Vegas.But weddings don’t have to be stressful. You don’t have to give in to the crazy—or give up completely. Famous funny gal Jamie Lee learned much more than she counted on pulling together her own wedding, and in Weddiculous she shares her first-hand experiences and hilarious hard-won insights with every girl who just said "yes."Jamie gives you the real low-down, puts the madness into perspective, and walks you through the process step by step in a calm, realistic, and highly entertaining way. Weddiculous includes helpful checklists, timelines, and suggestions on everything from what questions to ask vendors to how to handle difficult bridesmaids to what’s worth the extra cost (and more importantly, what’s not). Throughout, Jamie provides guidance on when you should trust your gut and when you need to listen to others.What Amy Sedaris has done for hospitality and crafting, Jamie Lee now does for weddings. Weddiculous will help remind you what’s really important about your wedding day: it’s just the first day in a long and happy marriage.A humorous look at the workplace from the creator of the "Dilbert" cartoon strip. The Dilbert Principle is that "the…
most ineffective workers are systematically moved to the place where they can do the least damage--management." BestsellerRuPaul's Drag Race superstar Ginger Minj shares her favorite recipes, best advice, and wildest stories in this hilarious book that's…
part memoir, part cookbook. Perfect for fans of Trixie and Katya's Guide to Modern Womanhood . Drag icon Ginger Minj brings her signature humor and sass to this tongue-in-cheek memoir- cum -life manual- cum -cookbook. Featuring Ginger's favorite Southern-inspired recipes, Southern Fried Sass showcases some of her most vulnerable and celebratory moments, revealing the most valuable lessons she's learned after years in drag and the pearls of wisdom she's gleaned from her grandmother's personal brand of Southern resilience. You'll cheer for Ginger as she spills the tea with exclusive behind-the-scenes details from three seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race and offers her best advice on everything from contouring to cooking and setting the table for a full-on Southern-style Thanksgiving dinner. Did we say dinner? Here, you'll find more than fifty recipes, including The Minx's Sick'ning Scalloped Pineapple Paradise, Red Barn BBQ Ribs platter, Better Than Sex cake, and countless other decadent desserts. From fighting for what you're worth to looking good on a motorcycle as a big girl to finding love while also making damn good cupcakes, this is the perfect gift for anyone who wants to live their best lifeAll I really need to know I learned from watching Star trek
By Dave Marinaccio. 1994
Collection of philosophical essays and humorous pearls of wisdom based on principles gleaned from the Star Trek television series. The…
author demonstrates that insights from the show can be used in real life to entertain houseguests, refrain from gossip, confront conflict, and respect individuals and diverse cultures. Some strong languageA city on mars: Can we settle space, should we settle space, and have we really thought this through?
By Kelly Weinersmith. 2023
From the bestselling authors of Soonish , a brilliant and hilarious off-world investigation into space settlement Earth is not well.…
The promise of starting life anew somewhere far, far away—no climate change, no war, no Twitter—beckons, and settling the stars finally seems within our grasp. Or is it? Critically acclaimed, bestselling authors Kelly and Zach Weinersmith set out to write the essential guide to a glorious future of space settlements, but after years of research, they aren’t so sure it’s a good idea. Space technologies and space business are progressing fast, but we lack the knowledge needed to have space kids, build space farms, and create space nations in a way that doesn’t spark conflict back home. In a world hurtling toward human expansion into space, A City on Mars investigates whether the dream of new worlds won’t create nightmares, both for settlers and the people they leave behind. In the process, the Weinersmiths answer every question about space you’ve ever wondered about, and many you’ve never considered: Can you make babies in space? Should corporations govern space settlements? What about space war? Are we headed for a housing crisis on the Moon’s Peaks of Eternal Light—and what happens if you’re left in the Craters of Eternal Darkness? Why do astronauts love taco sauce? Speaking of meals, what’s the legal status of space cannibalism? With deep expertise and a winning sense of humor, the Weinersmiths investigate perhaps the biggest questions humanity will ever ask itself—whether and how to become multiplanetary. Get in, we’re going to MarsAll Wound Up: The Yarn Harlot Writes for a Spin
By Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. 2010
The New York Times–bestselling author of Yarn Harlot returns with more witty stories about knitting, motherhood, friendship, and more.In this…
all-new collection of yarns, New York Times–bestselling author and self-proclaimed yarn Harlot Stephanie Pearl-McPhee is all wound up about life, motherhood, losing her beloved washing machine, and, of course, knitting.With trademark humor and wit that have sustained her through thick and thin, including a few misshapen sweaters and an indoor water balloon fight among her otherwise darling daughters, Pearl-McPhee deftly examines knitting, parenting, friendship, and—gasp!—even crocheting in essays that are at times touching, often hilarious, and always entertaining.Praise for Yarn Harlot“A sort of David Sedaris-like take on knitting—laugh-out-loud funny most of the time and poignantly reflective when it’s not cracking you up.” —Library Journal“Pearl-McPhee turns both typical and unique knitting experiences into very funny and articulate prose.” —Meg Swansen, Schoolhouse Press“I laughed until my stitches fell helplessly from my needles!” —Lucy Neatby, author of Cool Socks Warm FeetWhat If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
By Randall Munroe. 2014
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERFrom the creator of the wildly popular xkcd.com, hilarious and informative answers to important questions you probably…
never thought to ask.Millions visit xkcd.com each week to read Randall Munroe's iconic webcomic. Fans ask him a lot of strange questions: How fast can you hit a speed bump, driving, and live? When (if ever) did the sun go down on the British Empire? When will Facebook contain more profiles of dead people than living? How many humans would a T Rex rampaging through New York need to eat a day?In pursuit of answers, Munroe runs computer simulations, pores over stacks of declassified military research memos, solves differential equations and consults nuclear reactor operators. His responses are masterpieces of clarity and hilarity, complemented by comics. They often predict the complete annihilation of humankind, or at least a really big explosion.Knock-Knock is the world's oldest joke and yet has never gotten old! (It just feels it.)Invented by William Shakespeare in…
1606, (appearing in his famed tragedy, Macbeth; bet you never knew that) the humble Knock-Knock joke has made eyes roll, noses snort and mouths chuckle for centuries. Since the Bard's drunken Beelzebub bit the long-suffering gag became a global 'punomenon' (in 1936) before settling today as the world's best kids (and Dads) joke format that encourages giggles and grimaces in equal measure... with endless punning potential.The latest kid on the block in Welbeck's big-selling Small and Mighty gift series, compiled by (self-proclaimed) 'World's funniest joke compiler', Malcolm Croft, The Small and Mighty Book of Knock Knock Jokes is a tiny bundle of joy that includes all the classic and vintage Knock-Knock jokes, as well as all the modern, twenty-first century ones too. And because the jokes are all clean and family-friendly, you can share them with kids of all ages without worrying about anything inappropriate.If laughter is indeed the best medicine, we recommend you take two Small and Mighty Book of Knock Knock Jokes with a glass of water and have a lie down – you'll find something to tickle your funny bone in no time, guaranteed!Knock-Knock! – Who's there? – Boo – Boo who? – Don't cry, it's just a joke.The World Record for the most knock-knock jokes told in one minute is 24, told by Alex and Andrea Rose from Texas in 2015.The Retronaut Guide to Raising Children: The Past Like You Wouldn't Believe
By Wolfgang Wild. 2016
The highly successful Retronaut blog looks at the past as it has never been looked at before. Here, in the…
second of a new series of Retronaut books, the site's founder, Wolfgang Wild, brings you a thought-provoking collection of photographs from our hidden history. Often witty and entertaining, but also thought-provoking and at times puzzling, the images are chosen to shift our perceptions, making us think-and look again. Discover what our ancestors considered to be good parenting in the days before the 'care' was put into childcare, from dangerous sports to the best brand of cigarette for your baby. A perfectly reassuring gift for today's new parent, this book will also appeal to anyone who likes pictures of babies in sunglasses.