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Humour, Journals and memoirs, Biography
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The star of the Harold and Kumar franchise, House, and Designated Survivor recounts why he rejected the advice of his…
aunties and guidance counselors and, instead of becoming a doctor or "something practical," embarked on a surprising journey that has included confronting racism in Hollywood, meeting his future husband, and working in the Obama administration, in this entertaining and refreshingly candid memoir. You Can't Be Serious is a series of funny, consequential, awkward, and ridiculous stories from Kal Penn's idiosyncratic life. It's about being the grandson of Gandhian freedom fighters, and the son of immigrant parents: people who came to this country with very little and went very far—and whose vision of the American dream probably never included their son sliding off an oiled-up naked woman in the raunchy Ryan Reynolds movie Van Wilder ...or getting a phone call from Air Force One as Kal flew with the country's first Black president. With intelligence, humor, and charm on every page, Kal reflects on the most exasperating and rewarding moments from his journey so far. He pulls back the curtain on the nuances of opportunity and racism in the entertainment industry and recounts how he built allies, found encouragement, and dealt with early reminders that he might never fit in. He describes his initially unpromising first date with his now-fiancé Josh, involving an 18-pack of Coors Light and an afternoon of watching NASCAR. And of course, he reveals how, after a decade and a half of fighting for and enjoying successes in Hollywood, he made the terrifying but rewarding decision to take a sabbatical from a fulfilling acting career for an opportunity to serve his country as an Obama White House aide. Above all, You Can't Be Serious shows that everyone can have more than one life story. Kal demonstrates by example that no matter who you are and where you come from, you have many more choices than those presented to you. It's a story about struggle, triumph, and learning how to keep your head up. And okay, yes, it's also about how he accidentally (and very stupidly) accepted an invitation to take the entire White House Office of Public Engagement to a strip club—because, let's be honest, that's the kind of stuff you really want to hear about
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Environment, Humour, United States history
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A humorous and rousing set of literal and figurative sojourns as well as a mission statement about comprehending, protecting, and…
truly experiencing the outdoors, inspired by three journeys undertaken by actor, humorist, and New York Times bestselling author Nick Offerman Nick Offerman has always felt a particular affection for the Land of the Free—not just for the people and their purported ideals but to the actual land itself: the bedrock, the topsoil, and everything in between that generates the health of your local watershed. In his new book, Nick takes a humorous, inspiring, and elucidating trip to America's trails, farms, and frontier to examine the people who inhabit the land, what that has meant to them, and to the land itself, both historically and currently. The seeds of this book were planted in 2019, when Nick took two memorable journeys with pals—a hiking trip to Glacier National Park with his friends Jeff Tweedy and George Saunders, as well as an extended visit to his friend James Rebanks, the author of The Shepherd's Life and English Pastoral . He followed that up with an excursion that could only have come about in 2020—Nick and his wife, Megan Mullally, bought an Airstream trailer to drive across the United States. All three journeys inspired some &“deep-ish" thinking from Nick, about the history and philosophy of our relationship with nature in our national parks, in our farming, and in our backyards; what we mean when we talk about conservation; the importance of outdoor recreation; and the healthy building of both local and national communities across party lines, all subjects very close to Nick's heart. With witty, heartwarming stories and a keen insight into the problems we all confront, this is both a ramble through and celebration of the land we all love
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Humour, Journals and memoirs
Human-narrated audio
With unwavering humanity and light-footed humor, this intimate account of the interminable year of 2020 offers commentary on the COVID-19…
pandemic, protests for racial justice, the U.S. presidential election, and more, all with a miraculous dose of groundedness in head-spinning times. From the award-winning book critic and best-selling author. "This book is so funny and so true. Charles Finch unpacks a year of plague, fear, shameless venality, and dizzying stupidity with an irrepressible wit and surgically precise cultural observations. I didn't know how badly I needed exactly this. Maybe you do too?" —Joe Hill, author of Heart-Shaped Box In March 2020, at the request of the Los Angeles Times, Charles Finch became a reluctant diarist: As California sheltered in place, he began to write daily notes about the odd ambient changes in his own life and in the lives around him. The result is What Just Happened. In a warm, candid, welcoming voice, and in the tradition of Woolf and Orwell, Finch brings us into his own world: taking long evening walks near his home in L.A., listening to music, and keeping virtual connections with friends across the country as they each experience the crisis. And drawing on his remarkable acuity as a cultural critic, he chronicles one endless year with delightful commentary on current events, and the things that distract him from current events: Murakami&’s novels, reality television, the Beatles. What Just Happened is a work of empathy and insight, at once of-the-moment and timeless—a gift from one of our culture's most original thinkers
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Humour, General non-fiction, Journals and memoirs
Human-narrated audio
With sharp, timely insight, pitch-perfect pop culture references, and her always unforgettable voice, New York Times bestselling author, comedian, actress,…
and producer Phoebe Robinson is back with her most must-read book yet. In her brand-new collection, Phoebe shares stories that will make you laugh, but also plenty that will hit you in the heart, inspire a little bit of rage, and maybe a lot of action. That means sharing her perspective on performative allyship, white guilt, and what happens when white people take up space in cultural movements; exploring what it&’s like to be a woman who doesn&’t want kids living in a society where motherhood is the crowning achievement of a straight, cis woman&’s life; and how the dire state of mental health in America means that taking care of one&’s mental health—aka &“self-care&”—usually requires disposable money. She also shares stories about her mom slow-poking before a visit with Mrs. Obama, the stupidly fake reassurances of zip-line attendants, her favorite things about dating a white person from the UK, and how the lack of Black women in leadership positions fueled her to become the Black lady boss of her dreams. By turns perceptive, laugh-out-loud funny, and heartfelt, Please Don&’t Sit on My Bed in Your Outside Clothes is not only a brilliant look at our current cultural moment, it's also a collection that will stay with readers for years to come
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Actors biography, Humour, Disabilities
Human-narrated audio
Like many others on the autism spectrum, 20-something stand-up comic Michael McCreary has been told by more than a few…
well-meaning folks that he doesn't "look" autistic. But, as he's quick to point out in this memoir, autism "looks" different for just about everyone with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Diagnosed with ASD at age five, McCreary got hit with the performance bug not much later. During a difficult time in junior high, he started journaling, eventually turning his pain e into something empowering—and funny. He scored his first stand-up gig at age 14, and hasn't looked back. This unique and hilarious #OwnVoices memoir breaks down what it's like to live with autism for readers on and off the spectrum. Candid scenes from McCreary's life are broken up with funny visuals and factual asides. Funny, You Don't Look Autistic is an invaluable and compelling read for young readers with ASD looking for voices to relate to, as well as for readers hoping to broaden their understanding of ASD
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Actors biography, Journals and memoirs, Humour
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PARENTS: DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME. Greg Fitzsimmons has made a lot of what appear to be bad decisions.…
It's what he was raised to do. Most parents would hide or destroy any evidence so clearly demonstrating their child's failures, but--lucky for us--Greg Fitzsimmons's family has preserved each mistake in its original envelope like a trophy in a case, lest he ever forget where he came from. Dear Mrs. Fitzsimmons is Greg's life, told through this cavalcade of disciplinary letters, incident reports, and newspaper clippings that his parents received from teachers and school officials. Greg picks up where his parents left off with his own collection of letters received during college and throughout his successful career as a writer, producer, and stand-up comic. Revealing the larger story of how Greg's distinctly dysfunctional Irish-American family bred him to blindly challenge anyone, anytime, anywhere, over anything, Dear Mrs. Fitzsimmons comes full circle to show that the Fitzsimmons torch has been passed on proudly to a new generation.
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Humour, United States history, Food and drink
Human-narrated audio
The editors of Texas Monthly explore what it means to be a Texan in this anthology packed with essays, reportage,…
recipes, and recommendations from their renowned list of contributors. Big hats, big trucks, big oil fortunes—Texas clichés all. And while those elements do flourish throughout Texas, they alone hardly define the place. The Lone Star State is and has always been a great melting pot, home to sprawling cities, trailblazing innovators, and treasured traditions from all over, many of which become ingrained in popular culture and intertwined with the American ideal. In this collection, the editors of Texas Monthly take stock of their multifaceted, larger-than-life state, including the people, customs, land, culture, and cuisine that have collided and comingled here. Featuring essays, reportage, recipes, and recommendations from the magazine's legendary roster of contributors, Being Texan explores the landscapes that are home to more than 29 million people; the joys and idiosyncrasies of Texan life; underappreciated episodes of Texas history; and distinctive strains of Texan arts and culture. Illuminating, surprising, and entertaining, Being Texan reveals the Lone Star State in all its beauty, vastness, and complexity. Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook
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Humour, Actors biography, Parenting
Human-narrated audio
From Academy Award-winning actor, comedian, and musician Jamie Foxx, a candid and funny look at the joys and pitfalls of…
being the father of two daughters with very different personalities. Jamie Foxx is not only one of the country's most talented multi-hyphenates, he's also starring in his most humbling and long-running role yet as father to two complicated girls - Corinne, 25, and Anelise, 11. While Corinne and Annalise have very different personalities, there is one thing they agree on: Dad gets on their motherf***ing nerves. Every day with his girls brings hurdles and hilarity, but he's learned a lot along the way. Like, despite never-ending pizza slices and game-tokens, Chuck E. Cheese is not a proper Dad understudy and, if you close your eyes for a minute while watching your toddler, you might find her gone when you wake up. You would think being a Hollywood A-lister would ease his dad-duty struggles, but it often feels to Jamie like more of a hindrance than a help. For example, a teenage girl who just wants to blend in with her friends will not be excited to see her dad's flashy new Rolls Royce convertible at the front of the carpool lane. And readers won't just get Jamie's point of view. In a bold move, he lets his daughters present their sides of the story-often totally at odds with his and sometimes downright embarrassing. When Jamie congratulates himself for shielding his daughters from his dating life over the years, Corinne cuts him down a few pegs: "I don't know how he could have thought I didn't notice all the women." ACT LIKE YOU GOT SOME SENSE is a funny, thoughtful, and sensitive book that reveals Jamie Foxx's parenting journey while sharing priceless stories about the tough love and old-school values he learned growing up in humble Terrell, Texas; from his early days in Hollywood; and so much more
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Humour, Journals and memoirs, LGBTQ+ biography
Human-narrated audio
There's no right way to keep a diary, but if there's an entertaining way, David Sedaris seems to have mastered…
it. If it's navel-gazing you're after, you've come to the wrong place; ditto treacly self-examination. Rather, his observations turn outward: a fight between two men on a bus, a fight between two men on the street, pedestrians being whacked over the head or gathering to watch as a man considers leaping to his death. There's a dirty joke shared at a book signing, then a dirtier one told at a dinner party—lots of jokes here. Plenty of laughs. These diaries remind you that you once really hated George W. Bush, and that not too long ago, Donald Trump was just a harmless laughingstock, at least on French TV. Time marches on, and Sedaris, at his desk or on planes, in hotel dining rooms and odd Japanese inns, records it. The entries here reflect an ever-changing background—new administrations, new restrictions on speech and conduct. What you can say at the start of the book, you can't by the end. At its best, A Carnival of Snackery is a sort of sampler: the bitter and the sweet. Some entries are just what you wanted. Others you might want to spit discreetly into a napkin
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Family and relationships, Poetry, Humour
Human-narrated audio
Collection of humorous poems about married life. Topics include relationships with in-laws, attending workplace holiday parties, household chores, parenting, and therapy. Strong language. 2018
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Humour, Science and technology, Science and medicine biography
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Did you know that Albert Einstein was a high-school dropout and that he failed his physics class when he finally…
made it to college? Or that when he died, his brain and eyeballs were removed from his body? Have you ever wondered why his hair looked so wild? Siblings Paige and Turner have—and they've collected some of the kookiest and most unusual facts about him, from his childhood and school days through his time studying relativity and working on the atomic bomb. Narrated by the two spirited siblings, Albert Einstein Was a Dope? expertly balances authoritative information with Dan Gutman's signature zany humor
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Humour
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Fran Lebowitz inPublic SpeakingA Martin Scorsese PictureNow an HBO® Documentary FilmThe Fran Lebowitz Reader brings together in one volume, with…
a new preface, two bestsellers, Metropolitan Life and Social Studies, by an "important humorist in the classic tradition" (The New York Times Book Review) who is "the natural successor to Dorothy Parker" (British Vogue). In "elegant, finely honed prose" (The Washington Post Book World), Lebowitz limns the vicissitudes of contemporary urban life--its fads, trends, crazes, morals, and fashions. By turns ironic, facetious, deadpan, sarcastic, wry, wisecracking, and waggish, she is always wickedly entertaining.From the Trade Paperback edition.
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General fiction, Family stories, Serious and literary fiction, RomanceHumour
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&‘This book was laugh-out-loud hilarious and give-me-a-box-of-tissues heartbreaking. I loved it so much!... I literally went back and reread some…
parts a few times just because they were so funny! It&’s a beautiful story and I&’m sure it&’ll stick with me.&’ Tales of a Bookbound Mum,5 stars The must-read book of 2019! Equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking, fans of Jojo Moyes, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and One Day in December will love this special novel by Drew Davies.Dear Lily,It&’s me, Joy, your much wiser and (very slightly) older sister. I thought I&’d start a new tradition of letter writing – now that we&’re long distance.On the plane over here, I began to cry in seat 21C. I think the magnitude of it finally hit me, after everything that happened…I haven&’t even unpacked yet – the only thing I&’ve taken out of my suitcase is Harville, your beloved childhood teddy. Sorry for stealing him, but I need him more than you do. Every time I look at that little brown bear I think about our childhood. Remember that dance we made up to Annie&’s &‘It&’s a Hard Knock Life&’? (Remember the broom choreography?)I&’m also sorry for abandoning you – I&’ve always been your agony aunt, and a buffer in your infamous shouting matches with Mum. But I had to leave, Lily, I had to.Anyway, I&’m here now. I&’m here to start over, and to face up to the past. I want to learn to laugh again, and to find someone to love who will maybe even love me back. You always told me I was just getting by, not actually living, so I&’m finally doing it. Wish me luck, little sister.Love,Joy xA beautiful book-club read for anyone who has ever hit rock bottom, longed for a fresh start, or needed to heal a broken, aching heart.Readers absolutely love Dear Lily:&‘Hysterical and unbelievably relatable… This book was so funny and romantic, but at the same time, extremely emotional… Broke my heart and then turned around and put it back together again.&’ Goodreads reviewer&‘An absolute delight to read!… This book took me through such a wide array of emotions – I was laughing one minute and practically crying the next… A roller coaster ride of emotions and a very surprising twist… Entertaining, fun and able to make you shed a few tears, you need to get your hands on this fab book!&’ It&’s All About the Thrill&‘All I can say is WOW.&’ Shelley&’s Book Nook, 5 stars&‘This book is wonderful. Simply wonderful. I can&’t recommend it enough. Funny, heartfelt, wise, sweet. It had me laughing and crying. Perfect.&’ JTHBooks, 5 stars&‘Iabsolutely loved this book!..…
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General non-fiction, Humour
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Learn the slang words, modern phrases, and curses they definitely never taught you in Italian class with this super-handy and…
hilariously improper English-Italian phrasebook.You already know enough Italian to get by, but you want to be able to tell those inside jokes, greet your friends in a laid-back manner, and casually pick someone up at a bar. From &“What&’s up?&” to &“Wanna go home with me?&” Dirty Italian will teach you how to speak like you're a regular on the streets of Milan or Rome. But you&’ll also discover material that goes beyond a traditional phrasebook, including: Hilarious insults Provocative facts Explicit swear words Themed Italian cocktails And more! Next time you&’re traveling or chatting with your Italian friends, pick up this book, drop the textbook formality, and get dirty!
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General non-fiction, Humour
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Learn the slang words, modern phrases, and curses they definitely never taught you in French class with this super-handy and…
hilariously improper English-French phrasebook.You already know enough French to get by, but you want to be able to tell those inside jokes, greet your friends in a laid-back manner, and casually pick someone up at a bar. From &“what&’s up?&” to &“Wanna go home with me?&” Dirty French will teach you how to speak like you're a regular on the streets of Paris. But you&’ll also discover material that goes beyond a traditional phrasebook, including: Hilarious insults Provocative facts Explicit swear words Themed French cocktails And more! Next time you&’re traveling or chatting with your friends in &“the language of love,&” pick up this book, drop the textbook formality, and get dirty!
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Arts and entertainment, Humour
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A visual pep talk of charts and essays on feeling better about not feeling better.Maybe This Will Help is one…
part the funny and relatable graphs that fans of Am I Overthinking This? and of Michelle Rial know and love, and one part the honest stories behind what makes those graphs so poignant. Michelle Rial brings to light her struggles with chronic pain, grief, and creative uncertainty in a way that reflects the universality of dealing with the unthinkable. Equal parts funny and moving, this book delves into the more serious side of things, finding levity and collective experience in the invisible difficulties that so many of us face. Through humorous charts and intimate peeks into the author's life, it explores the big things that can feel unmanageable and the everyday humor that keeps us moving forward.SELF-HELP WITH HUMOR: This book brings levity and laughter to serious topics without undermining the important message and relatability that makes it resonate.BELOVED AUTHOR: Michelle Rial's first book was beloved by her tens of thousands of fans as well as by the media, including Wired, Vulture, Book Riot—and the New Yorker even published her chart-based article on "Book Publishing by the Numbers."JUST THE RIGHT TONE: This book perfectly captures trying to figure out the "magic pill" that will fix things, struggling to find peace in how things are, and the humor in even the hardest times. It makes an ideal gift for someone struggling with physical or mental pain when you want to help but aren't sure how to.Perfect for: Fans of Michelle Rial's Instagram and first book, Am I Overthinking This?; people in their 20s and 30s grappling with big life changes or chronic illness
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Humour
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Imagine the best pub quiz you've ever been to, but without suffering the hangover the next morning!From heroic heroines, famous…
final lines and award-winning directors, to Hollywood's golden age, memorable movie flops and the film world's biggest franchises, the book's over 1,600 questions cover every aspect of the movies. Thrown in among the brain-testing questions are a series of visual quizzes and challenges—including an It's a Wonderful Life spot-the-difference and the world premiere of a Jean-Claude van Damme-themed wordsearch!Put together by the team at indie film magazine Little White Lies, The Movie Quiz Book includes 120 movie quizzes, from seriously difficult text-based, to downright silly illustrated visual quizzes.The Movie Quiz Book is illustrated by Sophie Mo.
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Humour
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Introduces the wacky world of wordplay with puns, spoonerisms, games of word substitution, and more.
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Humour, Self help
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Llega en formato libro el exitoso podcast de Gustavo Rodríguez Un escritor nacido en pleno siglo XX, criado y educado…
entre varones en una ciudad provinciana, ve llegar a su vida a tres hijas cada tres años. Ahora que sus hijas están grandes, siente que con ellas ha desmontado gran parte de su antigua mentalidad. De cambiar pañales a cambiar puntos de vista. De juerguearse con sus amigos a ver cómo empiezan a juerguearse ellas. De comprar anticonceptivos para sus novias a comprárselos a ellas. —Ya, papá, supéralo. Pues para superarlo, decidió escribir este libro. Gustavo Rodríguez se considera a sí mismo un “machista en constante redención”. Estas páginas dan constancia de la gesta personal de alguien que desafía las estructuras de pensamiento impuestas por la sociedad. A través de relatos cortos, Rodríguez propone esta bitácora de aprendizajes, anécdotas y nuevos desaprendizajes como el impacto de ver a sus hijas en minifaldas y con tatuajes, la aparición de novios en casa, el uso de anticonceptivos, entre otros. La llegada de sus tres hijas significó un desafío constante a sus ideas y parámetros establecidos por el cambio generacional. Un desaprender para volver a aprender y, en esa transformación, intentar ser mejor para quienes amamos. Machista con hijas nació como un pódcast que, poco a poco, ha generado gran impacto en Iberoamérica. Era de esperar que sus voces encuentren camino en un libro como este.
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Parenting, Humour, Actors biography
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From one of the country's most beloved comedians and host of CBC Radio's incredibly popular program The Debaters comes a…
funny, poignant, and at times unexpectedly wise look at what it means to be a dad in this day and age.Steve Patterson has been thinking about dad-dom for quite a while. In Dad Up! he gives his all to be the best father possible to two young girls while imparting his hard-won wisdom and insights to readers everywhere.The youngest of five boys growing up in an Irish Catholic household, Patterson mines his childhood for any sage advice he might have picked up from his own dad. He talks with candour about the difficulty he and his wife, Nancy, had conceiving, finding humour in their experiences with the fertility clinic's automated phone calls (which Patterson calls "RoboPimp") informing them when Nancy was ovulating. He chronicles the disappointment of failing to get pregnant, only to have the miracle conception take place in Regina during Grey Cup Week, under the guiding spirit of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and comedian Brent Butt (don't ask).From that point on, Steve Patterson assumes full dad-mode, riffing on the biohazard that is changing a diaper, the absolute futility of stuffed animals, becoming a public breastfeeding warrior in the most unexpected of places, and how growing up a little boy in no way prepares you to being a father to little girls.Most importantly, Dad Up! charts the awesome experience of watching tiny infants that you somehow had a hand in creating evolve into confident and crafty little people, and the lessons that they teach along the way.