11 Christmas-Themed Novels to Read This Month

'Tis the season to read holiday books. Although many of you may be seeking out books about Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Druids, the solstice, and other December holidays or events or religious observances, today I'm featuring 11 books that have something to do with Christmas. You'll find humor, mysteries, a middle grade book, and adult fiction. Enjoy the Christmas spirit, or bypass these books for tales that fit your own celebrations.

• Bel, Book, and Scandal by Maggie McConnon (St. Martin's, Dec. 5): A wedding caterer who takes a healthy interest in crime. In this outing she's on the trail of a missing person.
• A Bella Flora Christmas by Wendy Wax (Penguin, Nov. 7): Old friends gather to celebrate the holiday in this brand new Ten Beach Road novella.
• A Christmas Return by Anne Perry (Ballantine, Nov. 7): An anonymous Christmas gift provides a clue to a long-ago unsolved murder, prompting grandmother Mariah Ellison to visit an old friend; set in 1896 England.
• The Ghost of Christmas Past by Rhys Bowen (Minotaur, Nov. 14): PI Molly Murphy Sullivan and her husband are celebrating Christmas 1906 at the home of friends when a young woman knocks on the door, claiming to be the hosts' long-lost daughter.
• The Gift by Shelley Shepard Gray (Avon Inspire, Nov. 7): A series of not-so-accidental accidents threaten to mar Christmas for a newly arrived family in this Amish of Hart County story.
• The Girl Who Saved Christmas by Matt Haig (Knopf Books for Young Readers, Oct. 31): One of Santa's secret sources of magic comes from Amelia, the first child to have ever received a Christmas present; this is her story, set in Victorian London.

• Hark the Herald Angels Slay by Vicki Delany (Berkley, Nov. 28): Christmas in July in a small town in upstate New York will come to a murderous halt unless a gift shop owner can track down the killer.
• Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb (William Morrow, Oct. 3): When Evie's brother and best friend go off to war in 1914, everyone is sure they'll be home for Christmas; this epistolary novel reveals their fates.
• Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva (Flatiron, Oct. 31): This historical fiction imagines how Dickens came to write his famous Christmas story by reimagining that very tale.
• Not a Creature Was Purring by Krista Davis (Berkley, Nov. 7): Christmas in West Virginia is tinged with the wrong kind of red, when Holly Miller stumbles on a murder victim at the holiday market; she and her furry helpers are determined to find the killer.
• Twas the Nightcap before Christmas by Katie Blackburn (Faber & Faber, Sept. 26): After putting the kids to sleep Mom and Dad get a little too carried away with holiday cheer; good fun (and a good stocking stuffer).

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Sound Recommendations: Audiobook Hits & Misses

I Was Really Very Hungry: A Portrait of M. F. K. Fisher is a collection of Fisher's writings that was adapted for the theater by Kelly Nespor for L.A. Theatre Works. Fisher, if you don't know, was one of the original food writers, and if you are familiar with her work, you'll recognize many of the scenes compiled here. The audiobook is a recording of the theater production and is read by a full cast, headed by Anne Archer as Fisher. All the actors, and especially Archer, captured the personalities of characters, giving the production a believable emotional depth. The pieces making up this audiobook are linked by their focus on the many types of appetites, such as hunger, sex, love, and ambition. The audiobook production is well done and maintains the theater feel by retaining the audience's reaction to the stage play. Probably best suited for Fisher's fans.

Love, Loss, and What We Ate is a memoir written and narrated by Padma Lakshmi. I normally shy away from author-read audiobooks, but I had confidence that Lakshmi's television experience would make her a good narrator. I was right, and it was pleasure to hear her read her own story. I was interested in her journey from India to America and from model to food television fame. And, of course, I was curious about her marriage to Salman Rushdie. Lakshmi's performance is relaxed and conversational, making you feel as if you were listening to a friend talk about her life. Besides a little celebrity gossip, Lakshmi frankly shares her issues with infertility and endometriosis, giving this memoir broad appeal.

Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan is a sort of mashup of dystopian fiction and the fairy tale "Rapunzel." I know, sounds really weird, but the story kind of worked. The characters were good, the love story had some depth, and the action scenes were vivid, but the overall world-building was lacking. In addition, the characters sometimes acted in unbelievable ways (a blind girl found her way through an unfamiliar forest, for example). Still, the performances by Phoebe Strole and James Fouhey were well done and emphasized the differences between the two main characters. Listen to this if you are a fan of fairy tale retellings or zombie stories, otherwise I think you'll be safe to pass on it.

I like Roy Blount Jr. and I like food writing, so Save Room for Pie seemed like a good match for me. The audiobook is a compilation of essays in which Blount talks about dishes from his childhood, eating local, raising chickens, and going fishing, among other topics. The stories are mostly amusing and are read by Blount himself, who has years of experience behind the mic. I particularly liked the contrasts between his Southern upbringing and his current New England life, especially in terms of how he eats. Although the subtitle of the book is "Food Songs and Chewy Ruminations," there is no singing. Unfortunately I can't quite recommend this wholeheartedly. The performance was fine, but I began to tire of the stories by the end of the audiobook. If you're curious, I suggest listening to this a piece or two at time, perhaps on your commute.

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Today's Read & Giveaway: American Housewife by Helen Ellis

If you can't laugh at yourself (or the people you love), then what can you laugh at? The twelve stories in Helen Ellis's collection are the perfect winter boost and the cure for the post-holiday blues. Some women are driven slightly crazy by their lives—could you (or I) be one of them?

If someone moves to make room for you, take up more room. If someone is looking over there, there's something to see. If someone sneezes, run. If someone brings a bag into your home, look inside it. If you don't want someone to leave, sit on his suitcase.

—American Housewife by Helen Ellis (Doubleday, 2016, p. 155 of eGalley, opening to "Take It from Cats")

Quick Facts

• Setting: modern times; definitely America
• Genre: Short stories, humor, social commentary
• General thoughts: I really liked all the stories in this book, which rarely happens. True, some clicked with me more than others, but still, this is a solid collection. All the pieces are funny, but not in a belly-laugh kind of way. You'll chuckle, you'll nod your head, you'll be grinning. Even when a story didn't describe my life, I could still relate; after all, I'm a woman living in America and so I know the same people Ellis does.
• One of my favorites: I'm a Yankee and I particularly loved the story "Southern Lady Code." I needed this dictionary cause I didn't know things like this: " 'She's the nicest person' means she's boring as pound cake."
• A few more that made me laugh: "Hello! Welcome to Book Club" is a great commentary on what it means to be in an exclusive club. Yeah, the members are welcoming on the outside, but inside they're making comments about your reading tastes and cultural touch points. "Dead Doorman" offers some dark humor, and "Take It from Cats" is absolutely on target and perfect for cat lovers (like me).
• Recommendations: This is a quick read with some great lines you'll want to read out loud to your family and friends. Even if you aren't normally a short story person, I bet you'll like this collection. Come on, you need some lightness to warm your soul this month. (The book will be released on January 12.)

The Giveaway

Thanks to the nice people at Doubleday, I'm happy to be able to offer one of my readers with a U.S. mailing address a copy of Helen Ellis's American Housewife. All you have to do to be entered for a chance to win is to fill out the following form. I'll pick a winner, via a random number generator, on January 15. Once the winner has been confirmed and I've passed the name and address along to the publisher, I'll erase all personal information from my computer. Good luck!

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2014 Gift Ideas for the Readers on Your List: 1

I know it's still November, but it's not too early to start thinking about gifts for all the readers on your holiday shopping list. I have a lot good ideas this year, so watch this space for more suggestions over the coming weeks. Hope you find the perfect present for someone special.

For your well-read friend with a great sense of humor: Mallory Ortberg's Texts from Jane Eyre can be summed up by it's subtitle: And Other Conversations with Your Favorite Literary Characters. From the ancient Greeks to Harry Potter, these text convos will have you LOL'ing right from page 1. It won't take you long to realize that Ortberg really nails her characters' personalities: whether it's Peeta and Katniss bickering or Lizzy Bennett trying to deal with her mother, her imagined texts are spot on. Just imagine Scarlett O'Hara with a smartphone (poor Ashely . . . or maybe poor Mammy). To give you a hint, the following is just the one of the text conversations found on Hamlet's phone. Texts from Jane Eyre is the perfect stocking stuffer, promising hours of good fun. (Henry Holt; ISBN 9781627791830)

Gertrude: darling I don't mean to criticize but you really hurt your father's feelings last night
Hamlet: hes not my real dad / why do you even like him

For the Austen lover: Jane Austen Cover to Cover: 200 Years of Classic Covers by Margaret C. Sullivan, is a gorgeous coffee table book. This collection of the cover art of Austen's novels ranges from the early 1800s all the way through to the movie tie-in editions. Sullivan even includes the spin-offs, like Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, illustrated editions for young readers, and comic book versions. The text provides the publication history of Austen's work and information about the books' paper and bindings. Some of the covers are beautiful abstracts or details from classic paintings; others made me laugh, especially the editions that show Austen's characters in Victorian clothing. Austen fans will spend many enjoyable hours with Jane Austen Cover to Cover. (Quirk Books, ISBN: 9781594747250)

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Weekend Cooking: My Drunk Kitchen with Hannah Hart

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. For more information, see the welcome post.

_______

Do you know Hannah Hart? Even if you don't know her name, the chances are good that you've heard about her My Drunk Kitchen YouTube videos, which started out as way for Hart to connect with a few friends and ended up being watched by a gazillion followers.

After about three years of videos, Hart's recipes, tips, and philosophy have been collected into book form. My Drunk Kitchen is full of good fun, adult humor, recipes of a sort, and lots of drinks.

Here's a warning, though: If you're looking for an actual cookbook with step-by-step instructions, timing, and oven temperatures, you might be a wee bit disappointed. On the other hand, if you put your pretensions aside, pour yourself a great big drink, look in your cupboards, and get crazily creative, you'll end up with a smile, even if you haven't managed to make dinner.

Hart's quirky sense of humor and playful outlook are evident throughout the book. And the designers have done her text and Robin Roemer's photos justice by using bright colors, slanted text, eye-catching fonts, and cute graphics.

Frankly, I don't know what else to say. You'll like Hannah Hart's humor or you won't. I don't love every episode, but I admire her generally upbeat attitude. The book was fun to read and would make a great gift for Hart's fans. The most important thing to remember is that My Drunk Kitchen is comedy, not a usable cookbook.

Here's a sample video, which gives you an idea of what Hannah Hart is all about. This episode appears in the book as the chapter titled "Things in a Blanket." Note that this video is not for family viewing. (Check out Thursdays: My Drunk Kitchen for all 95 videos.)

HarperCollins / Dey Street, 2014
ISBN-13: 9780062293039
Source: Review (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy)

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Imprint Friday: Three from HarperTeen

Welcome to Imprint Friday and today's featured imprint: HarperTeen. Stop by each week to be introduced to a must-read title from one of my favorite imprints. I know you'll be adding many of these books to your wish list.

This week at Imprint Friday, I'm highlighting three recently released books from HarperTeen, which publishes quality fiction for young adults (and older adults) in a wide range of genres, including contemporary, dystopian, romance, fantasy, and literary. If you've read Meg Cabot, Melissa Marr, Chris Crutcher, Veronica Roth, or Candace Bushnell, then you're already familiar with HarperTeen's strong commitment to excellence.

The Brokenhearted by Amelia Kahaney (ISBN-13: 9780062230928): Set in a dystopian urban environment, this first in a series introduces us to Anthem Fleet, a smart teen who is on her way to becoming a professional ballerina. One night, however, she attends a party in a questionable part of town and her life takes a new turn. Saved from death thanks to a mechanical heart, Anthem discovers she has gained not only a second chance at life but also superhuman abilities. Now leading a dual existence, she pretends to be a regular teen in public while hiding her involvement with the darker elements of the city. Action, love, and girl power pump up this futuristic take on the classic superhero story.

No Angel by Helen Keeble (ISBN-13: 9780062082275): A teenage boy never had it so good! Rafael Angelos arrives at his new boarding school to discover he's the only male enrolled at St. Mary's. What could be bad about having the dorm--and the girls--to himself? Actually, quite a bit. As Raf soon learns, his name is no accident, and when he sprouts wings and a halo, he's understandably freaked out. Then when he realizes the students of St. Mary's are really she-demons, things really begin to heat up. Can this newly fledged angel keep his typical teen-boy thoughts and feelings under control long enough to help the weak without succumbing to the temptations around him? This story of angels and demons is purposely campy; get ready for some devilish fun.

Find Me by Romily Bernard (ISBN-13: 9780062229038): Being in a foster home offers little security or peace for sisters Wick and Lily, especially considering their father's ties to the crime world. The apple don't fall far from the tree, though, and Wick spends her spare time learning the tricks of computer hacking, earning a little side money when she can. So when an old friend goes missing, Wick takes up the case, with a little help from the cute guy next door. Tension builds as Wick hides her activities from both the cops and the suspects and then reaches the breaking point when threats hit close to home. This well-written technological thriller has plenty of creep factor as Wick uses her skills to hunt down the bad guy and protect those she loves.

For more on HarperTeen, visit their website, where you can learn about your favorite authors, sign up for the "HipLit Newsletter," and enter contests. The imprint is active in social media, so you can follow them at your favorite sites: Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr.

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Today's Read and Giveaway: The Jane Austen Handbook by Margaret C. Sullivan

So you think you'd like to live in Regency England? The servants, the loose everyday dresses, the rich men looking for a wife—it sure sounds great. But how would a modern woman know how to act?

[On keeping house]
Oversee the servants. Much of the daily interaction with the servants can be delegated to your housekeeper, but at the least you should know the name and function of each person working in your house.

[On raising children]
Give them treats. If all else fails, liberal slices of cake solve many child-rearing problems.

[On declining a marriage proposal]
Distract him. Introduce him to a girlfriend who is not as picky as you are.

—The Jane Austen Handbook: Proper Life Skills from Regency England by Margaret C. Sullivan (Quirk Books, 2007, pp. 59, 72, 117)

Quick Facts

• What is it about? Everything you'd ever want to know about how to behave, marry, run a house, attend a ball, and more in Regency England
• Fun extras: period crafts and card games; line art; lists of Austen movies and modern print retellings
• Who would like it? Jane Austen fans, Regency fans, anyone curious about life in the past
• Genre: nonfiction with a good dose of humor and based on Austen's plot lines and characters
• Miscellaneous: last week was the 200th anniversary of the publication of Pride & Prejudice

The Giveaway

Thanks to Quirk Books, I am pleased to be able to offer one of my readers a copy of the fun and informative Jane Austen Handbook. Here's how to enter for a chance to win: Just fill out the following form and I will pick a winner on Valentine's Day. Because the publishing company will be mailing out the book, the giveaway is limited to readers with a U.S. mailing address (no post office box addresses, please). I'll delete the data in this form once a winner has been selected and confirmed. Good luck.



Buy The Jane Austen Handbook at an indie or at a bookstore near you. (Link leads to an affiliate program.)
ISBN-13: 9781594745058
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy).

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Imprint Friday: Moranthology by Caitlin Moran

Welcome to Imprint Friday and today's featured imprint: Harper Perennial. Stop by each week to be introduced to a must-read title from one of my favorite imprints. I know you'll be adding many of these books to your wish list.

Let me admit right from the start that I didn't know who Caitlin Moran was before I read her Moranthology. If you're more well informed than I am, then you already knew she is a long-time columnist for the London Times and that her first collection of articles, How to Be a Woman, won the 2011 Galaxy Book of the Year award.

Before I tell you about Moranthology, read the publisher's summary:

The follow-up to Caitlin Moran's breakout hit, How to Be a Woman—A hilarious collection of award-winning columns, available to American readers for the first time ever.

Possibly the only drawback to the bestselling How to Be a Woman was that its author, Caitlin Moran, was limited to pretty much one subject: being a woman. Moranthology is proof that Caitlin can actually be "quite chatty" about many other things, including cultural, social, and political issues that are usually the province of learned professors or hot-shot wonks—and not of a woman who once, as an experiment, put a wasp in a jar and got it stoned. Caitlin ruminates on—and sometimes interviews—subjects as varied as caffeine, Keith Richards, Ghostbusters, Twitter, transsexuals, the welfare state, the royal wedding, Lady Gaga, and her own mortality, to name just a few. With her unique voice, Caitlin brings insight and humor to everything she writes.

Right from the start, Moran's humor shines through as she tells the story of how she became a teenage columnist for the Guardian and eventually the Times. She is frank about her struggle find her voice, which she boils down to this: pointing out cool things while being silly and polite. Based on the articles in Moranthology, she has mastered her niche.

I was pleasantly surprised, however, to find that behind the silliness and self-deprecating humor, Moran has an agenda, and many of the issues that are important to her are also important to me. If you watch the entire video embedded at the end of this post, you'll hear her switch from funny to serious as she talks about the Internet and the pay wall. Moranthology also includes her thoughts about cultural tolerance, libraries, the British royals, and social media.

Moran's issue pieces make up only one facet of the collection. Among the celebrity pieces reprinted here are her moving tribute to Elizabeth Taylor and hilarious interviews with Kieth Richards and Paul McCartney. Television and movie reviews cover Downton Abbey and Ghostbusters.

Read Caitlin Moran's Moranthology one article at a time or dive in and devour it in one sitting. Either way, you'll love the cool things Moran points out, you'll laugh at the silly stuff, and you'll appreciate her underlying politeness.

In the following video, Moran answers fans' questions

To learn more about Caitlin Moran, visit her website or follow her on Twitter.

Harper Perennial is a featured imprint on Beth Fish Reads. For information about the imprint, please read the welcome note, posted here on June 18, 2010. To discover more Harper Perennial books, use the Topics/Labels pull-down menu in the sidebar. I encourage you to add your reviews of Harper Perennial books to the review link-up page; it's a great way to discover Good Books for Cool People. For more about Harper Perennial, follow them on Twitter, Tumblr, or Facebook.

Buy Moranthology at an Indie or at a bookstore near you. (This link leads to an affiliate program.)
Published by HarperCollins / Harper Perennial, 2012
ISBN-13: 9780062258533
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy).

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Beth Fish Picks Four Books for Gift Giving

Even if you're planning to shun the Black Friday crowds to join us in the third annual Thankfully Reading Weekend (information at Jenn's Bookshelves), you know you're going to have to go gift shopping . . . and it's going to have to be soon. I know how difficult it can be to find the perfect gift for everyone on your list.

If you're like me, you think books make the very best presents, but sometimes you are overwhelmed by all the great choices you see at the bookstore. My advice is to take a deep breath and let go of your worries. Now take a look at my four great recommendations to make your holiday shopping just a little bit easier.

Do you know about the Pocket Posh books published by Andrews McMeel? These cute pocket-size books are perfect stocking stuffers and make great quick gifts. Shown here is Pocket Posh Cocktails by John Townsley, which not only contains the recipes for many yummy drinks but also provides information on how to properly mix a cocktail, how to rim a glass, and how to measure correctly. Whether you're interested in a classic Stinger, a sweet Mojito, or a holiday Hot Toddy, you'll find the how-to's in this little book. Other food-related titles are Dining Out and Wine. Not into food and drink? No problem, look for Pocket Posh Suduko, First Aid, Sherlock Holmes, Crosswords, London, and more; I'm sure there's a title for everyone on your list. (ISBN-13: 9781449406806)

OMG, I can't tell you how much I adore one of this season's offerings from Sterling Children's Books. The Giant Book of Giants by Saviour Pirotta and illustrated by Mark Robertson will appeal to kids from about age five and older. In this beautifully designed picture book you'll find six stories about giants, starting with "Jack and the Beanstalk" and ending with a Sinbad story. In a new-to-me tale called "The Curious Giantess," Ida dreams about life among humans. When her curiosity gets the best of her, she visits the human village and learns some important lessons. Packaged with the picture book is a huge (four-foot-high) poster of a giant that kids can hang on their wall or door. The giant has pockets to open and locks to unlock and "plenty of playful extras, including flaps to lift and removable items such as a clock tower pocket watch, pipe organ harmonica, and even the giant's ear wax!" Great fun for boys, girls, and their parents. (ISBN-13: 9781402785962)

Romeo Alaeff is an artist and observer of the human condition. He also has a fun sense of humor. In I'll Be Dead by the Time You Read This (Plume Books), he wonders if animals worry about the same things people do. And assuming they do, what issues occupy their minds? Alaeff started with his beautiful black-and-white drawings of a variety of animals and insects and fish and then imagined what each creature might be obsessing over. For example, a unicorn thinks, "I wish someone would find me." I'll Be Dead is a fun stocking stuffer for Christmas morning. (ISBN-13: 9780452297456)

I'm huge fan of Artisan books, and I am in love with Shax Riegler's Dish: 813 Colorful, Wonderful Dinner Plates. I have spent several evenings pouring over Robert Bean's stunning photographs of a world of dishes, including gold-rimmed Limoges, colorful glass from Anchor Hocking, pink florals from Royal Winton, and kitschy pottery from a favorite diner. But Dish is much more than just a coffee table book. Riegler's text covers the history and evolution of patterns, such as the Indian origins of chintz plates, as well as the proper care of the dishes we own (washing and repairing, for example). Take a look at the video to get an idea of the depth and breath of Dish. Highly recommended for those who love antiques, china, pottery, beautiful table settings, and down-home kitchens. (ISBN-13: 978-1-579654122)

All four of these books are on my own shopping list. I hope one or more appeal to you or have inspired you to get to the bookstore this holiday season.

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Imprint Friday: Deliriously Happy by Larry Doyle

Welcome to Imprint Friday and today's featured imprint: Ecco books. Stop by each week to be introduced to a must-read title from one of my favorite imprints. I know you'll be adding many of these books to your wish list.

If you've ever watched American television then you know Larry Doyle. You may not recognize his name, but you certainly know one of the shows he wrote for: The Simpsons. Doyle's latest book--Deliriously Happy and Other Bad Thoughts--is a collection of his short humorous pieces. Some have appeared in magazines (such as The New Yorker), and others are new.

Here is the publisher's summary:

Do you like dogs? Babies? Baby dogs? Have you ever eaten ice cream or had love troubles? Wish there were dirty parts in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this is the book for you.

It’s all here: This impressively consecutive collection of funny writing by Larry Doyle, the winner of the 2008 Thurber Prize for American Humor, a former writer for The Simpsons, and the author of I Love You, Beth Cooper, brings together an astonishing range of subjects under the umbrella of hilarious—an umbrella that is your free gift if you order right now. . . .

Although I've never been a regular watcher of The Simpsons, Doyle's connection with the show was a draw for me. I also liked the fact that Deliriously Happy is a collection of essays, which means I can pick it up and read a piece as the mood strikes, thus drawing out my enjoyment.

The topics Doyle covers include love and dating, family life, work life, popular culture, and restaurants and food. Nothing is sacred, and humor can be found in almost everything. I haven't read every essay yet, but what I've seen is fun. I like that Doyle has presented the pieces in a variety of formats, such as outlines, quizzes, lists, and Twitter entries. These design decisions are an added bonus.

The essay "My Heart: My Rules" is written in outline form:

2. As the result of years of painstaking trial and error, the television, stereo, thermostat, refrigerator, toaster, and furniture in this apartment are all set at their optimal levels in every regard. Any attempt to adjust any appliance or object in my apartment will only

1. result in them having to be reset, and
2. introduce passive-aggressiveness into the relationship, which, as any book on the subject will tell you, is bad.

"Local Wag" is written in the style of a gossip column:

Waggings: Ben Finestein, Manhattan's own Jew, denies rumors that his deli, or Jewish-style restaurant, serves moth balls. He says they're called matzoh balls (pronounced "Mott's-O," like the applesauce) and are harmless boiled balls of dough. Jews consider them a delicacy, Ben says. . . . And that wasn't Erma Bombeck spotted signing books at Kym's Kards and Gyfts, Etc. last Saturday. She's dead. It was Michael Moore. Kym apologizes for any misunderstanding.

Any one who likes The Simpsons and appreciates an irreverent look at life will like Doyle. I'm looking forward to reading his version of Huckleberry Finn, his take on actors' strikes, and more.

The promotional materials for the book include the following quotations. I share them here because the full reviews capture the heart of Deliriously Happy better than I could (click the links to read more):

• Kirkus Reviews concludes: "An unpredictable, unfailingly intelligent demonstration of a unique wit given free reign."
• Publisher Weekly says: "No matter the subject, Doyle can be trenchant, funny, esoteric, and unpredictable."

For more on Larry Doyle, visit his Facebook page, his website, or his blog or follow him on Twitter.

Beth Fish Reads is proud to showcase Ecco books as a featured imprint on this blog. For more information about Ecco, please read the introductory note from Vice President / Associate Publisher Rachel Bressler, posted here on July 15, 2011. Find your next great read by clicking on Ecco in the scroll-down topics/labels list in my sidebar and by visiting Ecco books on Facebook and following them on Twitter.

Deliriously Happy at an Indie

Deliriously Happy at Powell's

Deliriously Happy at Book Depository
These links lead to affiliate programs.

Published by HarperCollins / Ecco, November 8, 2011
ISBN-13: 9780061966835

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Review: College in a Nutskull compiled by Anders Henriksson

A few months ago, I received College in a Nutskull edited by Anders Henriksson, and I've been saving it for a lazy weekend. That weekend has just ended.

This fun--and sometimes a bit scary--book is a collection of college-student wisdom taken from exams, essays, and other sources. Henriksson simply organized the tidbits by subject matter. You may think the types of misconceptions and misspellings included in this book are rare at the college level, but you'd be wrong. I used to save them from my own students, and I can assure you such test answers and sentences from essays occur across the curriculum and around the world.

Let me share some of my favorites from the book:

• Americans created a cornumyopia of new religions. Some of these allowed "speaking in tongues," where people sound like a dog infected with rabbis. (p. 7)
• Rome was build in a day. Homes came with garden moratoriums. Amazing aqua ducks supplied fresh water. (p. 34)
• An epic is like a docudrama, but more boring. (p. 48)
• Peter the Great was a man of enormous projections who moved the capital to St. Peter's Bird. Late in life he was bothered by ticks due to Sysiphus. (p. 67)
• Dwayne D. Ikenhowitzer was President of the fifties. (p. 79)
• The currency of Mexico is the pinyata. (p. 113)
• Women are still getting brain dents from head-butting the glass ceiling. (p. 132)

Pick up College in a Nutskull for a chuckle or two. It might make you increase the donation you make to your alma mater.

College in a Nutskull at an Indie

College in a Nutskull at Powell's

College in a Nutskull at Book Depository
These links lead to affiliate programs.

Published by Workman Publishing, 2010
ISBN-13: 9780761154655
YTD: 93
Source: Review (see review policy)
Rating: B
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy)

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