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Humor & Giftbooks
From the writer and director of Knocked Up and the producer of Freaks and Geeks comes a collection of intimate, hilarious conversations with the biggest names in comedy from the past thirty years--including Mel Brooks, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Sarah Silverman, Harold Ramis, Seth Rogen, Chris Rock, and Lena Dunham. Before becoming one of the most successful filmmakers in Hollywood, Judd Apatow was the original comedy nerd. At fifteen, he took a job washing dishes in a local comedy club--just so he could watch endless stand-up for free. At sixteen, he was hosting a show for his local high school radio station in Syosset, Long Island--a show that consisted of Q&As with his comedy heroes, from Garry Shandling to Jerry Seinfeld. They talked about their careers, the science of a good joke, and their dreams of future glory (turns out, Shandling was interested in having his own TV show one day and Steve Allen had already invented everything). Thirty years later, Apatow is still that same comedy nerd--and he's still interviewing funny people about why they do what they do.
Sick in the Head gathers Apatow's most memorable and revealing conversations into one hilarious, wide-ranging, and incredibly candid collection that spans not only his career but his entire adult life. Here are the comedy legends who inspired and shaped him, from Mel Brooks to Steve Martin. Here are the contemporaries he grew up with in Hollywood, from Spike Jonze to Sarah Silverman. And here, finally, are the brightest stars in comedy today, many of whom Apatow has been fortunate to work with, from Seth Rogen to Amy Schumer. And along the way, something kind of magical happens: What started as a lifetime's worth of conversations about comedy becomes something else entirely. It becomes an exploration of creativity, ambition, neediness, generosity, spirituality, and the joy that comes from making people laugh. Loaded with the kind of back-of-the-club stories that comics tell one another when no one else is watching, this fascinating, personal (and borderline-obsessive) book is Judd Apatow's gift to comedy nerds everywhere. Praise for Sick in the Head "I can't stop reading it. . . . I don't want this book to end."--Jimmy Fallon "An essential for any comedy geek."--Entertainment Weekly "Fascinating . . . a collection of interviews with many of the great figures of comedy in the latter half of the twentieth century."--The Washington Post "Open this book anywhere, and you're bound to find some interesting nugget from someone who has had you in stitches many, many times."--Janet Maslin, The New York Times "An amazing read, full of insights and connections both creative and interpersonal."--The New Yorker "Fascinating and revelatory."--Chicago Tribune "Anyone even remotely interested in comedy or humanity should own this book."--Will Ferrell
Roxanne says: A must read for any comedy aficionado or anyone brave enough to try stand-up! Apatow interviews all the greats: Seinfeld, Shandling, etc.
Praise for Fast Funny Women, last year's breakout in the Fast Women Series, edited by Gina Barreca
If you're a woman and you like humor in your life--plus intelligence--get this book.
--Nancy Thayer, author of Family Reunion
Every man should read this book.
--Jay Heinrichs, author of Thank You for Arguing
The 2nd book in the FAST WOMEN SERIES, with fierce new works from writers you know by heart--NYT bestselling novelist Caroline Leavitt, NPR's own Maureen Corrigan, award-winning poet Phillis Levin, stand-up comic Leighann Lord, Founder and Director of the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop Teri Rizvi, playwright Beth Blatt, screenwriter Pamela Katz, activist and author Leslie Morgan Steiner, Rabbi Marisa Elana James, Pastor Jamie Spriggs, activist and teacher Ebony Murphy-Root--alongside other familiar and emerging authors whose original pieces were commissioned.
Winner, 2021 Foreword INDIES award
"Every man should read this book." --Jay Heinrichs, author of Thank You for Arguing75 women writers, ages 20 to 89, were invited by editor Gina Barreca to make a party out of their life's most unnerving, challenging, illuminating, desperate, and hilarious moments. You know many of these brilliant women, but you've never heard them like this! With new works commissioned for the book from:
And many more! Political campaigners, devoted teachers, lousy daughters, good mothers, would-be nuns, admired sportswriters, grad-school-wanna-bes, revenge-driven sisters, frustrated roommates, body-fluid-sorting professionals, lace-loving fashion mavens, intrepid daters, hungry lovers, justice-seeking nasty-women, ACE wedding celebrants, trapped wives, and women with all kinds of ammunition tell their stories--and their stories are all under 750 words.
A classic --Simon Kuper, Financial Times An economist explains five laws that confirm our worst fears: stupid people can and do rule the world Throughout history, a powerful force has hindered the growth of human welfare and happiness. It is more powerful than the Mafia or the military. It has global catastrophic effects and can be found anywhere from the world's most powerful boardrooms to your local bar. It is human stupidity. Carlo M. Cipolla, noted professor of economic history at the UC Berkeley, created this vitally important book in order to detect and neutralize its threat. Both hilarious and dead serious, it will leave you better equipped to confront political realities, unreasonable colleagues, or your next dinner with your in-laws. The Laws: 1. Everyone underestimates the number of stupid individuals among us.
2. The probability that a certain person is stupid is independent of any other characteristic of that person.
3. A stupid person is a person who causes losses to another person while deriving no gain and even possibly incurring losses themselves.
4. Non-stupid people always underestimate the damaging power of stupid individuals.
5. A stupid person is the most dangerous type of person.
Here are 297 cartoons in a revised second edition featuring more than 50 new cartoons--even better, even worse! The cartoon set-ups may be familiar--a couple in bed, a few people stranded on a desert island, a doctor and patient in an examining room--but the joke are anything but, with twists so unexpected, you can't help but laugh out loud.
Bryn says: Talk about a perfect beach read, you'll take a look into the trash bin of The New Yorker's cartoon editor and laugh out loud at what we didn't get to see between the magazine's pages. A reminder that even the best can get passed over. Oh, and you'll also get to know some of your favorite cartoonists/rejects.
Reader, beware! A cat's name will set the tone for the rest of their personal and professional life. Recent studies from dubious cat blogs have shown that 80 percent of cat owners regret the name they gave their feline friends. The number one reason: it became too popular. Fear not. Whether the goal is a name to carry on family tradition or to find something new and different, The Complete Book of Cat Names is packed with options, along with all-new, cat-themed cartoons by Eckstein, making this crucial step in owning a pet a pleasure.
Here, you will find the most popular cat names (to avoid), bookstore cat names (Homer or Pip), cat names for foodies (S'more or Capers), James Bond villain cats (Golden Paws or Jinx), and many more. In addition, Eckstein provides handy charts for identifying a cat's type (inside or outside, sassy or sweet). It's the perfect gift for any cat owner.
