Forty Days: A Book By Tommy Jonq [Paperback] Review

Forty Days is high quality fiction, at a tremendously affordable price. The writing again showcases the author's deft narrative skill and imaginative flair (I have read Gemini Tiger by the same author). I really enjoyed the award-winning "Ivy", the first story -- mostly because you wouldn't think that a male author would be behind the female narrator in the piece ;)! These aren't short stories to be quickly skimmed through -- doing so would thoroughly decrease a reader's chances of savoring the clever wordplay, through the pieces.

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Product Description:
The award-winning author of "Gemini Tiger" takes on Barbie-Ken dream weddings, Jimmy Carter, and Teenaged Atomic Cheerleaders in this collection of short stories, poems, and a thing or two in between.

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Waking Up Wendell [Hardcover] Review

Early in the morning a little bird begins to sing - which wake up the entire Fish Street population, one by one. As everyone begins to arise - who will be last to wake up? A fine story of sleeping in and early risers invites kids to understand differences in sleep patterns - and to enjoy the zany story of animals who like to rise at different times, and in different ways.


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God's Mercies Are New Every Morning (too bad the kids get home in the afternoon) (Kindle Edition) Review

Wow!This is clearly the best book I've ever written!A page-turner from the beginning to the part where I totally cash in on it!!I've never made more money off the exploits of my children!!

In the words of my mother,"I'm so proud of you Richie!!Now, when are you having more grandkids?"

In the words of my father, "For this we sent him to four years of college?He says school instead we get jokes about our lovely grandkids??!?I want my money back...."

According to the New York Times (assuming they'd review it this way, which they haven't, but I'm sure it would go something like this):

"This is clearly the best book ever written ever!!!Burn all the books you've ever owned and buy multiples copies of this one!!!"

Seriously, if you don't buy this book you're a terrible person and totally support terrorists or something.If you DO buy this book you have my personal guarantee you are an awesome person!

Because...if you're not having fun you missed the point of it all :)

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Product Description:
A funny, inspirational book written by a father of six and a husband of one.Richie shares his adventures being a police officer in the arctic, chasing polar bears out of the yard, and cleaning peanut butter off of the walls (and baby).

A light book that will keep you laughing and inspire you to never, ever have kids.

Excerpt from the book:

"When Tam got home I proudly showed her the wreckage of the kitchen as evidence that I managed to accomplish what only a father would call a successful dinner.Most of the children were covered in orange cheese-flavored sauce to which was clinging a surprisingly large quantity of intact macaroni noodles (and for some reason a Lego or two).They looked like some sort of monsters from the original Star Trek.I can only assume the toddlers found some sort of candy somewhere because their hands from fingers to elbows and their faces from chins to foreheads were covered in some sort of colorful sticky substance that vaguely suggested they had recently killed and eaten a clown.

I pointed out that Zak and Hannah ate macaroni. Caleb had eaten half a bowl of macaroni, three graham crackers he found under the couch, and an orange crayon.

My smile faltered slightly as I indicated the toddlers, but I just pointed at them like the stains upon them and all the furniture within lunge distance was de-facto proof that they must have eaten something.

Tam then closed her eyes, pinched her nose, and took a deep breath in such a way that suggested she was overcome with emotion at how well I'd done.Obviously I'm the best husband ever.

However, the vein which started throbbing on her forehead suggested that she wasn't as entirely thrilled as I expected her to be.I assumed this can only mean something went wrong at the library.

Tam then asked if the baby has been fed

I quickly masked my look of horror/panic as I realized I have no idea where I left the baby!!!"


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Quite Ugly One Morning [Paperback] Review

I first read Brookmyre in the Fresh Blood 2 anthology, where his story "Bampot Central" had me in stitches (the story is also posted on Brookmyre's website). I then read his book to be publishedin the US, "Not the End of the World," which is a fairly predictable Los Angeles-set thriller, suitable for a long rainy night or airplane, but little else. I thought I'd give him one more chance to wow me with this, his prize-winning first novel.
I have to say, I'm not sure what other reviewers are talking about when they throw out terms like "noir", "pulp", or "Irvine Welsh" when talking about this book. I mean, it is a crime story, and it is set in Edinburgh, and there are a (very) few Scottish idioms, but otherwise it's a pretty mainstream crime novel, heavily laced with humor. It's not noir at all, it's not Irvine Welsh at all (unless you think Irvine Welsh invented black humor), and it's only pulp in the Quentin Tarantino sense, which is to say, hip postmodern neo-pulp. There are some rather gory scenes at the beginning and end, but it's all handled with so much comedy and wisecracking that it's more cartoon show than horrorshow. Think Elmore Leonard or Carl Hiassen rather than Raymond Chandler or James M. Cain.
In any event, the story is a mostly enjoyable tale about corruption within the National Health Trust system. Hero investigative journalist Jack Parlabane literally stumbles into a cover-up murder and then teams up with a female cop and the murder victim's ex-wife to get to the bottom of it all. Fast-paced, with some memorable villains (the shell-suited hitman is a riot), and plenty of digs at Thatcheism and privatization schemes, it's a fun read with plenty of one-liners, but unlikely to make a lasting impression.

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I'll Be Sober in the Morning (Paperback) Review

Upon stumbling in on a nude Winston Churchill as he was a guest in the white house, Churchill said to Franklin Delanor Roosevelt "The Prime Minister of Britain has nothing to hide from the President of the United States." - "I'll Be Sober In the Morning: Great Political Comebacks, Put downs, & Ripostes" shows that some of the most powerful men in the world have also have been some of the most sharp-witted. Filled cover to cover with countless retorts and hilarious vocal burns, and charmingly illustrated by Steve Stegalin, "I'll Be Sober In the Morning: Great Political Comebacks, Put downs, & Ripostes" is highly recommended to humor shelves everywhere with a nod to political studies shelves.

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Product Description:
A collection political, comebacks, putdowns, and ripostes over the last 2500 years, with 12 humorous illustrations by Steve Steglin.

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All those mornings . . . at the Post The 20th Century in Sports from Famed Washington Post Columnist Shirley Povich (Paperback) Review

An interesting conversation took place the other day. I mentioned to my grandfather, now in his early 80s, that I had just bought the new book entitled "All those Mornings...at the Post." And he responded with, "I grew up reading Shirley Povich."

My response: "So did I, and I am 25." And so did my father. That's the amazing thing about Povich - he linked generations. He wrote about stars from Walter Johnson to Michael Jordan and everyone in between.

As a freelance sports writer, and former sports editor of my college newspaper, the Towerlight in Towson, Md., Povich was my biggest inspiration growing up and I would be willing to bet that most other sportswriters or aspiring sportswriters feel the same way.

I tried to put in perspective to my wife how influential he was. I said he is the Humphrey Bogart of sports writing. He is the epitome of what newspapermen should be and he was just as good in 1994 as he was in 1924.

The amazing thing is he never retired and wrote his final column the day before he died in 1998. This book brings his most important columns to life and for people of my generation we get to live events such as the Senators' only World Series title in 1924 for the first time.

This book is a treasure and is highly recommended to anyone who has ever read a sports column. Chances are the person who wrote the column did so because Shirley L. Povich inspired him.


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Joy in the Morning (Hardcover) Review

P.G. Wodehouse could write a phonebook and make it brilliant.But this story is so incredibly good that words fail me.He weaves farce upon satire upon mystery upon suspense upon hilarious premise and delightful payoff until the reader is dizzy with laughter and awe.The usual suspects are here:Bertie Wooster and his butler, Jeeves, plus frightening debutants, pompous authority figures, shrill relatives, troublesome children, and yet another pleasant English country village...pleasant, that is, until Bertie & Co. come along. Wodehouse was the absolute master of the English language, of humor, and plot construction.This book is as good an example of his mastery as there is.My only regret is that the reading experience passes by too quickly.

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Product Description:
Trapped in the rural hell-hole of the Steeple Bumpleigh with his bossy ex-fiancee, Florence Craye, her fire-breathing father, Lord Worplesdon, her frightful Boy-Scout brother, Edwin, and her beefy new betrothed, 'Stilton' Cheesewright, Bertie Wooster finds himself walking a diplomatic tightrope. With Florence threatening to ditch Stilton for Bertie, and Stilton threatening to trample on Bertie's insides if she does, things look black until Jeeves arrives to save the day. One of Wodehouse's most sparkling comedies, replete with an attendant cast of tyrannical aunts, demon children and literary fatheads.

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You Can't Drink All Day If You Don't Start in the Morning (Hardcover) Review

I love reading deep, thought-provoking novels; but every once in awhile I need a book that just allows me to escape. You know what I mean -- one of those books that makes you laugh out loud and possibly even snort soda through your nose! Well, YOU CAN'T DRINK ALL DAY IF YOU DON'T START IN THE MORNING by Celia Rivenbark really hit the spot for me!

YOU CAN'T DRINK ALL DAY is a collection of very funny essays that cover a little bit of everything -- from Christian action figures to High School Musical to Jon & Kate Plus 8. As a mother of a young girl who is about the same age as Ms. Rivenbark's daughter, I could relate to quite a few of her stories about being a wife and mom. There were times that I was shaking my head at her outrageous (yet hilarious) opinions about life in general, and there were other times that I was absolutely howling!

I loved Ms. Rivenbark's spot-on perspectives about life in general -- her essays were entertaining while also being extremely honest. Of course Ms. Rivenbark is Southerner, so there is a very Southern feel to this book. While I haven't lived in the South for over 20 years, her stories about the places and people came rushing back to me. But even if you aren't familiar with the South and its charm, I think you'll still appreciate her essays.

As a food lover, I really appreciated the recipes that were included at the end of some of the essays. It probably goes without saying that since Ms. Rivenbark is a Southern girl, many of the recipes were high in calories and fat (but of course that means high in taste!) and most of the recipes were extremely easy. Some of the recipes in the book that appealed to me were the Michelle's Belly-Bustin' Super Supper, "You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw" Apple Enchiladas, and Better-Than-Six-365-Nights Cake.

Prior to reading YOU CAN'T DRINK ALL DAY, I'm not sure that I was familiar with author Celia Rivenbark (although something about her is awfully familiar.) I'm pretty sure that many Southerners will recognize her though! Ms. Rivenbark has written four other funny books as well as a weekly humor newspaper column. I definitely enjoyed YOU CAN'T DRINK ALL DAY; and I'd love to revisit some of her earlier works, especially STOP DRESSING YOUR SIX YEAR OLD LIKE A SKANK -- that has to be one of the best titles evah!

I highly recommend YOU CAN'T DRINK ALL DAY if any of the following criteria apply:

- you are a woman
- you are a wife
- you are a mom
- you like reading essays
- you are a Southerner
- you like books with recipes
- you like to eat
- you enjoy funny books
- you like to laugh

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Product Description:
From the author of the bestselling classics We're Just Like You, Only Prettier, and Bless Your Heart, Tramp, comes a collection of essays so funny, you'll shoot co'cola out of your nose. Topics include such gems as: - Why Miss North Carolina is too nice to hate - How Gwyneth Paltrow wants to improve your pathetic life - Strapped for cash? Try cat whispering - Sex every night for a year? How do you wrap that? - Get yer Wassail on: It's carolin' time - Airlines serving up one hot mess - Action figure Jesus - Why Clay Aiken ain't marrying your glandular daughter - And much more! Complete with a treasure trove of Celia's genuine southern recipes, You Can't Drink All Day if You Don't Start in the Morning is sure to appeal to anyone who lives south of something.

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Good Morning Sam (Stella) [Hardcover] Review

This is a fun story to read to little ones...my two (ages 4 & 2) giggle over Sam's antics every time.Very much written in a story line my children can relate to.I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

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