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Recommend this book:
. This inspirational book is beyond cute. It is packed full of silly descriptions, which accurately, yet comically describe real life situations and identities, and laugh out ...){kind=link}
Mary, Mary Quite
On Raising Children (and other mind-altering substances)
Mary Huckstep
2015 Silver Medal
124 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Humor/Comedy
Reviewed by Cheryl E. Rodriguez for Readers' Favorite
You will find yourself giggling through some of life's most precarious moments in Mary Huckstep’s, Mary, Mary Quite: On Raising Children (and other mind altering substances). This inspirational book is beyond cute. It is packed full of silly descriptions, which accurately, yet comically describe real life situations and identities, and laugh out loud anecdotes. Laughter is truly good medicine for the soul, so do yourself a favor and take a big dose of joy and hilarity with Mary, Mary Quite: On Raising Children (and other mind altering substances). It is a light-hearted, fun-loving look at life’s ups and downs, not to mention it is amusingly insightful.
Mary Huckstep tackles many of life’s touchy subjects, such as parenting, family living, finding yourself, and the difference between girls and boys. She portrays these subjects with truth, and a bit of twisted humor. Simply written, Huckstep delivers her stories with style and finesse. The underlying theme woven through her text is to laugh at life’s mishaps and enjoy being joyful. Every chapter is filled with an element of comedy and wit, causing the reader to laugh out loud. Furthermore, each chapter has a comic illustration that captures the essence of the author’s words. As a mom, wife and grandmother, I found myself relating to every chapter. Mary, Mary Quite: On Raising Children is full of humor, ageless wisdom, but wisdom that only comes from life experience. Can’t wait to read what she writes next.
You will find yourself giggling through some of life's most precarious moments in Mary Huckstep’s, Mary, Mary Quite: On Raising Children (and other mind altering substances). This inspirational book is beyond cute. It is packed full of silly descriptions, which accurately, yet comically describe real life situations and identities, and laugh out loud anecdotes. Laughter is truly good medicine for the soul, so do yourself a favor and take a big dose of joy and hilarity with Mary, Mary Quite: On Raising Children (and other mind altering substances). It is a light-hearted, fun-loving look at life’s ups and downs, not to mention it is amusingly insightful.
Mary Huckstep tackles many of life’s touchy subjects, such as parenting, family living, finding yourself, and the difference between girls and boys. She portrays these subjects with truth, and a bit of twisted humor. Simply written, Huckstep delivers her stories with style and finesse. The underlying theme woven through her text is to laugh at life’s mishaps and enjoy being joyful. Every chapter is filled with an element of comedy and wit, causing the reader to laugh out loud. Furthermore, each chapter has a comic illustration that captures the essence of the author’s words. As a mom, wife and grandmother, I found myself relating to every chapter. Mary, Mary Quite: On Raising Children is full of humor, ageless wisdom, but wisdom that only comes from life experience. Can’t wait to read what she writes next.
Recommend this book:
This Time It's NOT Personal
Why Science Says Get Over Yourself
Sam Hicken Ph.D.
2015 Gold Medal
194 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Humor/Comedy
Reviewed by Roy T. James for Readers' Favorite
Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, This Time It's NOT Personal: Why Science Says Get over Yourself by Sam Hicken Ph.D. is an inherently captivating read that is as informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking. However, the author begins with an insurance, I suppose, by saying, 'There are flights of absurdist fancy interleaved with the science,' giving himself an escape route if things don’t go well. No, this well written work does not seem to be in need of any such thing, stating in the beginning, 'for a scientist the bitterest truth is better than the sweetest lie,' and thus it takes all issues head on.
Sam Hicken Ph.D. dwells on the origins of the universe and life, describing experiments of passing an electric spark to a mixture of carbon, hydrogen, etc. to find out how organic molecules came to life. Interwoven with a respectable amount of humor, he reminds us of a common research pitfall. While looking for connections when some things show up on the day of a full moon, people think, “Ah, full moon,” but on the other 28 days nobody thinks, “Ah, not full moon.” He has demonstrated the perspective view of the book’s theme; the descriptions are full of uncommon aspects of events and occurrences with, for example, people investing their IQ in buttressing their own case rather than in exploring the matter more thoroughly and evenhandedly.
With plenty of references to popular literature in related fields, and invoking all the known experts in its genre like Richard Dawkins, this book has the potential to hold the attention of many a reader. Easy to understand and with a flowing narrative, this is a good addition to one's library. The book ends with a comment that is so true: Life is the dancer, lighten up and enjoy the show.
Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, This Time It's NOT Personal: Why Science Says Get over Yourself by Sam Hicken Ph.D. is an inherently captivating read that is as informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking. However, the author begins with an insurance, I suppose, by saying, 'There are flights of absurdist fancy interleaved with the science,' giving himself an escape route if things don’t go well. No, this well written work does not seem to be in need of any such thing, stating in the beginning, 'for a scientist the bitterest truth is better than the sweetest lie,' and thus it takes all issues head on.
Sam Hicken Ph.D. dwells on the origins of the universe and life, describing experiments of passing an electric spark to a mixture of carbon, hydrogen, etc. to find out how organic molecules came to life. Interwoven with a respectable amount of humor, he reminds us of a common research pitfall. While looking for connections when some things show up on the day of a full moon, people think, “Ah, full moon,” but on the other 28 days nobody thinks, “Ah, not full moon.” He has demonstrated the perspective view of the book’s theme; the descriptions are full of uncommon aspects of events and occurrences with, for example, people investing their IQ in buttressing their own case rather than in exploring the matter more thoroughly and evenhandedly.
With plenty of references to popular literature in related fields, and invoking all the known experts in its genre like Richard Dawkins, this book has the potential to hold the attention of many a reader. Easy to understand and with a flowing narrative, this is a good addition to one's library. The book ends with a comment that is so true: Life is the dancer, lighten up and enjoy the show.
Recommend this book:
Love, Regret and Accidental Nudity
My true stories, unusual circumstances unpredictable outcomes
Mariana Williams
2014 Finalist
150 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Humor/Comedy
Reviewed by Trudi LoPreto for Readers' Favorite
Love, Regret and Accidental Nudity: My True Stories, Unusual Circumstances, Unpredictable Outcomes by Mariana Williams is an extremely funny book that had me laughing out loud and always smiling. I don’t usually read non-fiction but the description caught my attention and I am delighted that it did. I haven’t enjoyed reading a book just for fun, well, in forever. Mariana shares the stories of her life with us, the readers. Each chapter is a new and wonderful story. We begin with Mariana taking acting lessons and go on from there. We share in her teenage weekend in Beverly Hills; go along with her on New Year’s Eve; go to a funeral with a very unusual coffin; feel her joy and pain as she falls in and out of love; her 'sort of' meeting the Obamas; her low cost eye lifting plastic surgery experience; vacations, massages and more.
Love, Regret and Accidental Nudity is one hundred and fifty pages of perfection. Mariana Williams is a superior storyteller who leaves you wanting more. I will be adding all of her books onto to my Kindle reading list. I felt as though Mariana was a good friend telling me her latest escapade. Love, Regret and Accidental Nudity is the perfect book to read while sunbathing at the pool, relaxing in the tub, whenever and wherever you need an escape from the pressures of your everyday life. I cannot imagine Love, Regret and Accidental Nudity not becoming the next most talked about new book and spending a very long time on the top of the bestseller list.
Love, Regret and Accidental Nudity: My True Stories, Unusual Circumstances, Unpredictable Outcomes by Mariana Williams is an extremely funny book that had me laughing out loud and always smiling. I don’t usually read non-fiction but the description caught my attention and I am delighted that it did. I haven’t enjoyed reading a book just for fun, well, in forever. Mariana shares the stories of her life with us, the readers. Each chapter is a new and wonderful story. We begin with Mariana taking acting lessons and go on from there. We share in her teenage weekend in Beverly Hills; go along with her on New Year’s Eve; go to a funeral with a very unusual coffin; feel her joy and pain as she falls in and out of love; her 'sort of' meeting the Obamas; her low cost eye lifting plastic surgery experience; vacations, massages and more.
Love, Regret and Accidental Nudity is one hundred and fifty pages of perfection. Mariana Williams is a superior storyteller who leaves you wanting more. I will be adding all of her books onto to my Kindle reading list. I felt as though Mariana was a good friend telling me her latest escapade. Love, Regret and Accidental Nudity is the perfect book to read while sunbathing at the pool, relaxing in the tub, whenever and wherever you need an escape from the pressures of your everyday life. I cannot imagine Love, Regret and Accidental Nudity not becoming the next most talked about new book and spending a very long time on the top of the bestseller list.
Recommend this book:
A Job For Joe
Joe Paris Lee
2014 Finalist
Kindle Edition
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Non-Fiction - Humor/Comedy
Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite
A Job for Joe by Joe Paris Lee takes a humorous look at Joe's working life. Joe has had no less than 56 jobs in 60 years, something of a record perhaps. A Job for Joe takes us into the roller-coaster ride of his attempts at a “career” or several. Hold on tight as Joe’s coaster crawls its way to the top and then flings its readers into the most hair-raising journey of their lives. Far from being a slacker who cannot hold down a job, Joe juggles his way through a number of different jobs, each one with its own story and each one with the same eventual outcome. Readers, be prepared to be entertained in a seriously big way.
A Job for Joe by Joe Paris Lee is one of the funniest and best books I have read in a long time. He is a seriously good writer, very funny and has an amazing way with words. I cannot remember ever having laughed so much at a book. This was one of those 'can’t put down' books. I just wanted to see what scrapes he got into next and I wanted to see what the eventual outcome was. As well as being a humorous look at Joe's working life, it’s also a lesson of sorts – well, several lessons actually. You will find yourself thinking hard in between picking yourself up off the floor from laughing. I would love to read more books from Joe, especially if they are as funny and thought-provoking as A Job for Joe.
A Job for Joe by Joe Paris Lee takes a humorous look at Joe's working life. Joe has had no less than 56 jobs in 60 years, something of a record perhaps. A Job for Joe takes us into the roller-coaster ride of his attempts at a “career” or several. Hold on tight as Joe’s coaster crawls its way to the top and then flings its readers into the most hair-raising journey of their lives. Far from being a slacker who cannot hold down a job, Joe juggles his way through a number of different jobs, each one with its own story and each one with the same eventual outcome. Readers, be prepared to be entertained in a seriously big way.
A Job for Joe by Joe Paris Lee is one of the funniest and best books I have read in a long time. He is a seriously good writer, very funny and has an amazing way with words. I cannot remember ever having laughed so much at a book. This was one of those 'can’t put down' books. I just wanted to see what scrapes he got into next and I wanted to see what the eventual outcome was. As well as being a humorous look at Joe's working life, it’s also a lesson of sorts – well, several lessons actually. You will find yourself thinking hard in between picking yourself up off the floor from laughing. I would love to read more books from Joe, especially if they are as funny and thought-provoking as A Job for Joe.
Recommend this book:
A Trip to the Hardware Store & Other Calamities
Quirky Essays for Quirky People
Barbara Venkataraman
2014 Honorable Mention
Kindle Edition
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Humor/Comedy
Reviewed by Ginna Lamkie for Readers' Favorite
A Trip to the Hardware Store & Other Calamities by Barbara Venkataraman is a book of short stories that reflect on her family and some of her quirks, and ideas.
I love love loved this book! I felt like I was listening to a dear friend talk while I was reading it. I felt that Lazy Bones was about me. I am a short-cut taker and I always joke that it is because I am efficient. Where Did the Time Go was very heartwarming. When Venkataraman talks about how her dad is losing it a bit, but that it's a good thing because it means he is more carefree, it instantly made me feel better about ageing. I always watch my kids and envy how carefree they are. I had never thought about the elderly that way before. It made me happy. Beyond Belief was very cute and had a really charming dynamic between husband and wife. I really feel Venkataraman saved the best for last though. High Finance was my favorite. It showed such a wonderful family bond.
I really like Barbara Venkataraman’s writing style. She conveys so much heartwarming emotion without spelling out what she wants you to feel. This is a great read. I would recommend it as a purse book. Stuff it in your purse and pull it out and read it in line at the bank, or in the waiting room at the pediatrician. It will definitely bring a smile to your day.
A Trip to the Hardware Store & Other Calamities by Barbara Venkataraman is a book of short stories that reflect on her family and some of her quirks, and ideas.
I love love loved this book! I felt like I was listening to a dear friend talk while I was reading it. I felt that Lazy Bones was about me. I am a short-cut taker and I always joke that it is because I am efficient. Where Did the Time Go was very heartwarming. When Venkataraman talks about how her dad is losing it a bit, but that it's a good thing because it means he is more carefree, it instantly made me feel better about ageing. I always watch my kids and envy how carefree they are. I had never thought about the elderly that way before. It made me happy. Beyond Belief was very cute and had a really charming dynamic between husband and wife. I really feel Venkataraman saved the best for last though. High Finance was my favorite. It showed such a wonderful family bond.
I really like Barbara Venkataraman’s writing style. She conveys so much heartwarming emotion without spelling out what she wants you to feel. This is a great read. I would recommend it as a purse book. Stuff it in your purse and pull it out and read it in line at the bank, or in the waiting room at the pediatrician. It will definitely bring a smile to your day.
Recommend this book:
Intelligent Life on Earth?
The Search Continues
Barbara Cohea
2014 Bronze Medal
206 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Humor/Comedy
Reviewed by Lee Ashford for Readers' Favorite
Intelligent Life on Earth? The Search Continues by Barbara Cohea is FUNNY! This entire book is a collection of short essays about… well, about almost everything. All the way through this book, I kept thinking, “This woman should be a newspaper columnist.” After the conclusion of the book, I was delighted to see that she is, indeed, a humor columnist for a magazine called Outreach NC. However, that’s not good enough. She should be a nationally syndicated columnist, appearing in newspapers all across the country. Her astute powers of observation, particularly where the absurd is concerned, should be designated a national treasure. She has a sense of humor that would make a lemon laugh. Even my wife thought she was funny, and that’s saying something.
Intelligent Life on Earth shines a light on such globally significant concerns as putting a life vest on a cat, or tasing a rampaging camel. She covers in detail an incident where a swan was used as a weapon of assault, and another case where a fox shoots a hunter. And that was just in the first few pages! There are many important topics discussed in this book: milking a mouse; giving giant chocolate Madagascar hissing cockroaches to your Valentine; how to keep your baggy pants from falling off, even when the crotch is down below your knees; and the sheer stupidity of the multi-layered “security” questions you have to answer just to tell the phone company they overcharged you. Good luck with that one, by the way.
I have an assignment for you, America. Buy this book; remember, it’s called Intelligent Life on Earth? The Search Continues. Read it. Then contact your local newspaper and convince the editor he/she needs to start carrying Barbara Cohea’s humor column. Let him read your copy of the book, if necessary, but I think we all need a daily dose of this kind of humor. With all due respect to her state, Barbara Cohea’s talent should not be kept solely in North Carolina.
Intelligent Life on Earth? The Search Continues by Barbara Cohea is FUNNY! This entire book is a collection of short essays about… well, about almost everything. All the way through this book, I kept thinking, “This woman should be a newspaper columnist.” After the conclusion of the book, I was delighted to see that she is, indeed, a humor columnist for a magazine called Outreach NC. However, that’s not good enough. She should be a nationally syndicated columnist, appearing in newspapers all across the country. Her astute powers of observation, particularly where the absurd is concerned, should be designated a national treasure. She has a sense of humor that would make a lemon laugh. Even my wife thought she was funny, and that’s saying something.
Intelligent Life on Earth shines a light on such globally significant concerns as putting a life vest on a cat, or tasing a rampaging camel. She covers in detail an incident where a swan was used as a weapon of assault, and another case where a fox shoots a hunter. And that was just in the first few pages! There are many important topics discussed in this book: milking a mouse; giving giant chocolate Madagascar hissing cockroaches to your Valentine; how to keep your baggy pants from falling off, even when the crotch is down below your knees; and the sheer stupidity of the multi-layered “security” questions you have to answer just to tell the phone company they overcharged you. Good luck with that one, by the way.
I have an assignment for you, America. Buy this book; remember, it’s called Intelligent Life on Earth? The Search Continues. Read it. Then contact your local newspaper and convince the editor he/she needs to start carrying Barbara Cohea’s humor column. Let him read your copy of the book, if necessary, but I think we all need a daily dose of this kind of humor. With all due respect to her state, Barbara Cohea’s talent should not be kept solely in North Carolina.
Recommend this book:
Mindy's Musings
Mindy Levy
2014 Silver Medal
64 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Humor/Comedy
Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite
Mindy Levy offers readers a candid look at her family. She readily admits that there are two important F words in her life, Food and Family. Mindy’s family is Jewish. Even though I had read about some of the Jewish holidays and traditions, reading this book quickly showed me how much I did not know. Every event seems to surround food. Mommom is Mindy’s grandmother; when she was extremely hungry she would say, “I’m not very hungry” and then she would eat everything in sight. Mindy’s mother collects a keepsake from the table when they eat out: it could be a butter knife, salt and pepper shakers or the small coffee creamer. Laughter seems to be the bond that cemented her family together. It is amazing how laughter can make a difference in a family. When Sarah accidentally threw her two diamond rings down the garbage chute she hysterically called Mindy for help. After Mindy found the rings Sarah laughed hysterically, admitting that she would not have done the same for Mindy. Life as a step-mother is even funnier.
This book will have readers laughing out loud. I have only shared a few of the antics Mindy writes about. Life often takes us by surprise; we can become upset or we can laugh. I prefer Mindy’s method for handling life in general. Mindy and her whole family laugh and they have plenty to laugh about. "Mindy’s Musings" is an enchanting read. There are only 63 pages in this book but each page is filled with real life happenings that will keep the reader smiling if not laughing. Author Mindy Levy has a lovely manner of storytelling.
Mindy Levy offers readers a candid look at her family. She readily admits that there are two important F words in her life, Food and Family. Mindy’s family is Jewish. Even though I had read about some of the Jewish holidays and traditions, reading this book quickly showed me how much I did not know. Every event seems to surround food. Mommom is Mindy’s grandmother; when she was extremely hungry she would say, “I’m not very hungry” and then she would eat everything in sight. Mindy’s mother collects a keepsake from the table when they eat out: it could be a butter knife, salt and pepper shakers or the small coffee creamer. Laughter seems to be the bond that cemented her family together. It is amazing how laughter can make a difference in a family. When Sarah accidentally threw her two diamond rings down the garbage chute she hysterically called Mindy for help. After Mindy found the rings Sarah laughed hysterically, admitting that she would not have done the same for Mindy. Life as a step-mother is even funnier.
This book will have readers laughing out loud. I have only shared a few of the antics Mindy writes about. Life often takes us by surprise; we can become upset or we can laugh. I prefer Mindy’s method for handling life in general. Mindy and her whole family laugh and they have plenty to laugh about. "Mindy’s Musings" is an enchanting read. There are only 63 pages in this book but each page is filled with real life happenings that will keep the reader smiling if not laughing. Author Mindy Levy has a lovely manner of storytelling.
Recommend this book:
![](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=/book-award/aging-with-humor-and-grace&media=https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51%2BXI6pS0YL._SL442_.jpg._AA200_.jpg&description=If you are looking for an inspirational book about gracefully coping with the less than appealing aspects of aging, Andrea Partee's "Aging with Humor and Grace" isn't that tale. Instead Partee provides hilarious insight into the pitfalls of aging in a self-deprecating way to which we can all relate...or will eventually be able to relate. You don't ...){kind=link}
Aging with Humor and Grace
Andrea Partee
2013 Bronze Medal
164 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Humor/Comedy
Reviewed by Natasha Jackson for Readers' Favorite
If you are looking for an inspirational book about gracefully coping with the less than appealing aspects of aging, Andrea Partee's "Aging with Humor and Grace" isn't that tale. Instead Partee provides hilarious insight into the pitfalls of aging in a self-deprecating way to which we can all relate...or will eventually be able to relate. You don't have to be a woman of a certain age to enjoy her witty, and often embarrassing, take on wayward hair growth, bodily functions, pregnancy and child-rearing among dozens of other frighteningly funny topics.
Partee's book is aptly named because she deals with embarrassment, insecurity and tragedy with both humor and grace. Subtly touting the grace that comes from the ability to laugh at oneself, "Aging with Humor and Grace" is a refreshing take on a genre typically focused on how to reverse the clock and make your fifty year old bum look twenty again. Written in a fast-paced, acerbic manner, this book allows women to laugh about the inevitability of aging in an effort to accept what comes. Instead of pretending as though she has found the secret to aging gracefully, Partee simply provides her funny take on the things we are often afraid to talk about in public. When the time comes for you to cope with the hazards of aging, skip the self-help section and pass by the plastic surgeon's guide to aging gracefully and go straight to the humor section where Partee will happily guide you down the road to aging gracefully and hilariously.
If you are looking for an inspirational book about gracefully coping with the less than appealing aspects of aging, Andrea Partee's "Aging with Humor and Grace" isn't that tale. Instead Partee provides hilarious insight into the pitfalls of aging in a self-deprecating way to which we can all relate...or will eventually be able to relate. You don't have to be a woman of a certain age to enjoy her witty, and often embarrassing, take on wayward hair growth, bodily functions, pregnancy and child-rearing among dozens of other frighteningly funny topics.
Partee's book is aptly named because she deals with embarrassment, insecurity and tragedy with both humor and grace. Subtly touting the grace that comes from the ability to laugh at oneself, "Aging with Humor and Grace" is a refreshing take on a genre typically focused on how to reverse the clock and make your fifty year old bum look twenty again. Written in a fast-paced, acerbic manner, this book allows women to laugh about the inevitability of aging in an effort to accept what comes. Instead of pretending as though she has found the secret to aging gracefully, Partee simply provides her funny take on the things we are often afraid to talk about in public. When the time comes for you to cope with the hazards of aging, skip the self-help section and pass by the plastic surgeon's guide to aging gracefully and go straight to the humor section where Partee will happily guide you down the road to aging gracefully and hilariously.
Recommend this book:
![](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=/book-award/the-long-and-whining-road&media=https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/5107GSfQ2ZL._SL442_.jpg._AA200_.jpg&description="The Long and Whining Road" by Simeon Courtie is one of the best books I’ve read in recent years. The story of how a family of five threw caution to the wind and launched into a trip around the world, busking Beatles beats for UNICEF while exploring the culture and meeting the people of the countries they travel to had me laughing out loud at alm...){kind=link}
The Long and Whining Road
Simeon Courtie
2013 Gold Medal
Kindle Edition
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Humor/Comedy
Reviewed by Eduardo Aduna for Readers' Favorite
"The Long and Whining Road" by Simeon Courtie is one of the best books I’ve read in recent years. The story of how a family of five threw caution to the wind and launched into a trip around the world, busking Beatles beats for UNICEF while exploring the culture and meeting the people of the countries they travel to had me laughing out loud at almost every page. Simeon, his wife Jill, and their daughters Edie, Bethan and Ella share their experiences as they come face to face with different cultures, peoples and situations while traveling on their reliable (most of the time) VW "Penny."
Dry English humor and puns aplenty await the reader lucky enough to come across this book. Beatles references dot each chapter, interspersed with fun facts that will make anyone bit by the travel bug smile in amusement. The book takes readers to the back alleys of India, to the marvels of Europe and to the dangers of Syria. It takes them to shark-infested waters, unreliable garages and warm, welcoming strangers’ homes. It is a rare book that makes readers want to revel in every little detail of each and every page. Simon Courtie is a great narrator, employing numerous tiny devices to make the reader actually feel like they are part of the Beatnik Beatles. The generosity of the people the Courtie’s encountered during their adventure is inspiring. Weird housemates and corrupt officials are turned into funny experiences. No author can ask for a better material to craft a book from and perhaps no other author can take such experiences and make it as interesting and as inspiring to read. The book is a mosaic of many things, both beautiful and ugly, but I what I took away from reading it is that it doesn't matter where you are, or what’s happening around you; what matters is that you’re with friends and family.
"The Long and Whining Road" by Simeon Courtie is one of the best books I’ve read in recent years. The story of how a family of five threw caution to the wind and launched into a trip around the world, busking Beatles beats for UNICEF while exploring the culture and meeting the people of the countries they travel to had me laughing out loud at almost every page. Simeon, his wife Jill, and their daughters Edie, Bethan and Ella share their experiences as they come face to face with different cultures, peoples and situations while traveling on their reliable (most of the time) VW "Penny."
Dry English humor and puns aplenty await the reader lucky enough to come across this book. Beatles references dot each chapter, interspersed with fun facts that will make anyone bit by the travel bug smile in amusement. The book takes readers to the back alleys of India, to the marvels of Europe and to the dangers of Syria. It takes them to shark-infested waters, unreliable garages and warm, welcoming strangers’ homes. It is a rare book that makes readers want to revel in every little detail of each and every page. Simon Courtie is a great narrator, employing numerous tiny devices to make the reader actually feel like they are part of the Beatnik Beatles. The generosity of the people the Courtie’s encountered during their adventure is inspiring. Weird housemates and corrupt officials are turned into funny experiences. No author can ask for a better material to craft a book from and perhaps no other author can take such experiences and make it as interesting and as inspiring to read. The book is a mosaic of many things, both beautiful and ugly, but I what I took away from reading it is that it doesn't matter where you are, or what’s happening around you; what matters is that you’re with friends and family.
Recommend this book:
Mindy's Musings
Mindy Levy
2013 Silver Medal
64 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Humor/Comedy
Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite
Mindy Levy offers readers a candid look at her family. She readily admits that there are two important F words in her life, Food and Family. Mindy’s family is Jewish. Even though I had read about some of the Jewish holidays and traditions, reading this book quickly showed me how much I did not know. Every event seems to surround food. Mommom is Mindy’s grandmother; when she was extremely hungry she would say, “I’m not very hungry” and then she would eat everything in sight. Mindy’s mother collects a keepsake from the table when they eat out: it could be a butter knife, salt and pepper shakers or the small coffee creamer. Laughter seems to be the bond that cemented her family together. It is amazing how laughter can make a difference in a family. When Sarah accidentally threw her two diamond rings down the garbage chute she hysterically called Mindy for help. After Mindy found the rings Sarah laughed hysterically, admitting that she would not have done the same for Mindy. Life as a step-mother is even funnier.
This book will have readers laughing out loud. I have only shared a few of the antics Mindy writes about. Life often takes us by surprise; we can become upset or we can laugh. I prefer Mindy’s method for handling life in general. Mindy and her whole family laugh and they have plenty to laugh about. "Mindy’s Musings" is an enchanting read. There are only 63 pages in this book but each page is filled with real life happenings that will keep the reader smiling if not laughing. Author Mindy Levy has a lovely manner of storytelling.
Mindy Levy offers readers a candid look at her family. She readily admits that there are two important F words in her life, Food and Family. Mindy’s family is Jewish. Even though I had read about some of the Jewish holidays and traditions, reading this book quickly showed me how much I did not know. Every event seems to surround food. Mommom is Mindy’s grandmother; when she was extremely hungry she would say, “I’m not very hungry” and then she would eat everything in sight. Mindy’s mother collects a keepsake from the table when they eat out: it could be a butter knife, salt and pepper shakers or the small coffee creamer. Laughter seems to be the bond that cemented her family together. It is amazing how laughter can make a difference in a family. When Sarah accidentally threw her two diamond rings down the garbage chute she hysterically called Mindy for help. After Mindy found the rings Sarah laughed hysterically, admitting that she would not have done the same for Mindy. Life as a step-mother is even funnier.
This book will have readers laughing out loud. I have only shared a few of the antics Mindy writes about. Life often takes us by surprise; we can become upset or we can laugh. I prefer Mindy’s method for handling life in general. Mindy and her whole family laugh and they have plenty to laugh about. "Mindy’s Musings" is an enchanting read. There are only 63 pages in this book but each page is filled with real life happenings that will keep the reader smiling if not laughing. Author Mindy Levy has a lovely manner of storytelling.
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