| Guide Picks - Recommended Humor Reading | |||||
| Looking for laughs or insights into the minds of humorists? Check out these books at your library. They make fine gifts, too. | |||||
| 1) American Movie Classics' Great Christmas
Movies by Frank Thompson This companion volume goes beyond Thompson's AMC special, featuring those humorous and heart-tugging favorites. Margaret O'Brien, Chevy Chase, and A Christmas Story's cast offer extended remembrances; plus, the sleigh load of glossy photos, including a beatific 1947 Natalie Wood, is worth the admission. By the way, the author is my friend and, I promise, he knows his stuff. Hardcover.
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| 2) Benchley Roundup, The by Robert Benchley My copy of this essay collection is parked in my night stand for quick access. James Thurber said, "One of the greatest fears of the humorous writer is that he has spent three weeks writing something done faster and better by Benchley in 1919." Benchley is a quiet, timeless wit. Paperback.
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| 3) Brain Droppings by George Carlin As a comedian, he's on the A-plus list. He's also an exceptional writer, claiming to have created all the material he's uttered in stand-up. In these pages you'll find some of those wonderful quotes, but most of these observations are little pieces that never made it into the act. Uproarious! Hardcover.
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| 4) Candy by Terry Southern and Mason Hoffenberg Ahh, the sweet memories. My first (and only -- ahem) dirty book. I was 14. I sat in the living room, a yard from my mother and read this one. Oh, of course, I had removed the cover and replaced it with Treasure Island's. Many readers will be offended; but I'm here to recommend Humor -- and this is a classic, of sorts. Please don't tell my Mom, will ya? Paperback.
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| 5) Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss This children's favorite keeps purring along from one generation to the next. I've always felt out of the Dr. Seuss loop. I don't get it, never did. Nowadays, I just wonder what the man was on and where can I get some. Hardcover.
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| 6) Catch-22 by Joseph L. Heller Undeniably, one of the great Humor classics. Here's where that phrase was spawned, Catch-22, in this rich, deeply funny satire on the insanity of war and the insanity of trying to remain sane. Yossarian and his hilariously delineated WWII comrades have remained with me for over 25 years. I shall return.
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| 7) Comedy Writer, The by Peter Farrelly At the risk of sounding like Oprah's Book Club, I hold in my hand a copy of this novel (purchased with my own monies), reportedly a scathingly funny journey through that perilous town, Hollywood U.S.A. Farrelly, co-writer and director of "Dumb and Dumber," should know of what he writes. Let's read it together, shall we? Then, let's dish. <grin> Paperback.
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| 8) Groucho Letters:
Letters From and to Groucho Marx, The by Groucho Marx This is real life, folks, not a novel. From those, sigh, bygone days when people used to pull out a pen and paper and toil over finely constructed romances and diatribes to their friends and enemies. We are allowed into the world and wit of this rascally wag. Terrific. Paperback.
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| 9) Laughing Matters: On
Writing M*A*S*H, Tootsie, Oh, God! and a Few Other Things by Larry Gelbart Anecdotal humor highlights these show business memories of the award-winning writer of films, stage, television and radio. His wit has been performed -- by Sid Caesar, Bob Hope, and Danny Thomas -- on the air, and through a lengthy string of movies, and the TV version of M*A*S*H. Hardcover.
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| 10) Laughter's Gentle
Soul: The Life of Robert Benchley by Billy Altman Here's a biography of the brilliant early 20th century humorist, movie actor, and Algonquin Hotel Round Table regular. This book focuses on his colorful private life, but does include pertinent examples of his writings. Hardcover.
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