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Auntie Mame

2014-09-08T02:27:02+00:00

Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis. “An old classic. Extraordinarily witty and well-written, it's akin to P.G. Wodehouse - i.e., absurd story lines mixed with clever social critiques. A light-hearted but nonetheless rich and rewarding read.”

Campusland

2019-08-07T22:48:12+00:00

Campusland by Scott Johnston will be released August 13th, but I'm giving it top billing, because it's gotten great advance praise, and because my friend-in-law wrote it. Sorry - not checking my (editorial) privilege. From Kirkus: "Been to college lately? Here it is in all its glory, from the trigger warnings and the bias response teams to the hookups and the hashtags, served with plenty of kombucha and seasonally correct vegan stew."

Crazy Rich Asians

2018-07-12T23:23:33+00:00

Crazy Rich Asians, China Rich Girlfriend, Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan. A super fun trilogy about the unimaginably wealthy people of Singapore. Unbeknownst to her, a very down-to-earth American is dating the highly eligible son of the most private, dynastic family in Singapore. She is thrown into his world on a summer trip to meet his parents and hilarity ensues. Just thinking about people having so many billions of dollars to throw around is hard to conceive. Kwan is from Singapore, and though clearly fiction, the novels have a ring of potential truth to them. Coming out in film soon, read the books first!

Does this Volvo Make my Butt Look Big

2017-06-14T08:56:23+00:00

Does This Volvo Make My Butt Look Big? Thoughts for Moms and Other Tired People by Annabel Monaghan. “Wherever you are when you read this book, you will spontaneously burst into laughter. All the absurdities of raising a family in this day and age, the impossible expectations thrust onto mothers, are in there. In a series of essays, Monaghan renders with precision and wit our daily lives: the grocery store runs, school fairs, parent-teacher conferences, and playdates. You will see yourself in here but mostly those ‘other’ moms who ruin it for the rest of us! You will learn to celebrate your cranky selfish side who is craving ’me’ time”.

Dress your family in Denim and Corduroy

2014-06-02T00:09:53+00:00

Dress Your Family in Denim & Corduroy, Holidays on Ice, Me Talk Pretty One Day, or anything at all by humorist David Sedaris. “I devoured them all on spring break.”

Hyperbole and a Half

2017-06-14T09:18:38+00:00

Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh. "Allie, where have you been all my life? I read some of blogger Allie Brosh’s humoristic memoir (which also features quirky cartoon drawings) to my teen daughter. We were laughing so hard we cried. Brosh’s life has not been easy, and she is raw and honest in taking on tough topics, but she’s SO DAMNED FUNNY."

Mommies Who Drink

2014-09-06T19:58:14+00:00

Mommies Who Drink: Sex, Drugs, and Other Distant Memories of an Ordinary Mom by Brett Paesel. "It may not be for everyone because of the raunchiness but if you want a chuckle, it’s worth it. Here is the part from Amazon that I feel sums up her humor: Paesel's willingness to mock herself even allows her to milk a laugh from a postpartum visit to a therapist. "I'm so unhappy," she cries. "I hate myself. I hate my life. I feel like it's never going to change." After a while, the therapist makes a suggestion. "Maybe we should think about antidepressants.'' "What?" Paesel thinks. "It's not that bad." And guess what? She eventually finds that motherhood is not that bad. In fact, she likes it, which is lucky, since Hollywood demands a happy ending. Even so, it's safe to say that if there's Jell-O around, this mommy wants not a lollipop but a vodka-infused "shooter."

Paradise Lodge

2017-06-14T09:16:59+00:00

Paradise Lodge by Nina Stibbe. 5 stars for sheer enjoyment. This is a wonderful follow up to Stibbe's Man at the Helm. The Paradise Lodge nursing home is the perfect setting for quirky characters and hysterical observations from 15 year old Lizzie in 1970's Britain. I love Lizzie's voice and laughed out loud multiple times throughout the book which I consider to be high praise (pushing this from 4 to 5 stars). If you've enjoyed Stibbe's earlier books, you'll love this one. If you haven't read her yet (and you like Adrian Mole style British humor) then add this to your TBR.

Sh*t My Dad Says

2014-09-06T20:08:26+00:00

Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern. Halpern, 29 years old, moves back in with his 74 year old dad, who is, according to some, like a potty-mouthed prophet. Maybe he's just potty-mouthed, but either way, he's hilarious. Justin started tweeting things his dad says, and found himself himself with 1.4 million followers on Twitter, and now a book.

This is Where I Leave You

2014-09-01T20:41:56+00:00

This Is Where I Leave You: A Novel by Jonathan Tropper. "Think back to the early days of chick lit... when it was good. Now, imagine it from a male perspective. Jonathan Tropper writes fiction from a guy's perspective that, I think, appeals to women (at least it did to me). The book opens with the main character's wife cheating on him, then leads to him joining his family in their childhood home while they all sit shiva for his dead father (who was an atheist). Forced to be in a room with four brothers and sisters day in and day out, stories unfold, hilarity ensues, and some sexual secrets are laid bare... all the chick-lit cliches, but written in a way that doesn't make you want to barf or stab someone." "Laugh out loud funny but tragic at the same time. Read it before they make the movie." "Jonathan Trooper writes compulsively readable, laugh-out-loud funny novels, and his fifth book, This Is Where I Leave You is his best yet." "I laughed out loud with this one and some things are over the top, but a delightful read."

What I Did While You Were Breeding

2019-07-03T21:02:48+00:00

What I Did While You Were Breeding by Kristin Newman. "A very funny read from a Northwestern Grad who is now a tv comedy writer/producer in LA — she was kind enough to Skype into my daughters book club and that was before she knew they were a group of NU seniors."

When you are Engulfed in Flames

2014-09-06T20:14:25+00:00

When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris. "If David Sedaris were not gay, and in a committed relationship, I would marry him. This collection of essays is funny, wry, slightly tipsy and a definite read-when-you-need-a-laugh book."

Why Not Me

2017-05-22T00:59:06+00:00

Why Not Me by Mindy Kaling. “Not as good as her first memoir, but still damn funny.”

Why We Suck

2014-09-06T20:16:02+00:00

Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid by Dennis Leary. "'nuf said"

Yes, Please

2015-06-07T22:20:02+00:00

Yes, Please by Amy Poehler. “No review or explanation will do it justice. Read this book. Read it now. It puts Bossypants to shame. Even better is the audio version, because Amy reads it and is the awesomest of all things that are awesome.” "We listened to this on a long car ride and were in hysterics. Maybe not a good idea if there are pre-teens or youngsters in the car. If there are teenagers (as we had) just be ready to fast forward in places. She's so funny."