Three silly books for the holiday weekend

In the US, Monday is Labor Day, so many of us are off work. So here's a book review of three very silly books in case anyone's reading Ask Moxie this weekend, or wants to read a goofy book this weekend.

Silly book #1 is It's a Guy Thing by Scott Seegert, and I can't think of a book that lives up to its name so exactly. Seegert has gone through patent application records and chosen the most useless, ridiculous, jejeune, nonsensical, dangerous patent applications over the past several hundred years, and put them together with explanations, illustrations, and commentary. To be honest, I found this book kind of dumb. But it was sitting on the corner of my desk at work, and literally all the men who walked by my desk stopped, picked it up, flipped through, started laughing, and then asked the other guys in the room if they'd read one or another of the patent applications. It was a universal man-pleaser. So I'd say maybe no for your female friends and relatives, but if you're looking for something goofy for your brother-in-law, this is probably your book.

Silly book #2 is Cube Monkeys: A Handbook for Surviving the Office Jungle by the Editors of Careerbuilder.com. I'm hoping everyone looking for serious career advice takes note of the monkeys wearing business clothes on the cover and moves on, because this book is Not At All Serious. And it's very snarky and cynical. It's in the same spirit as Dilbert and the movies Office Space (I'm just going to need you to go ahead and rent this movie if you haven't seen it) and 9 to 5 (every working woman should know this movie), but broader in humor style. Kind of like the movie Brazil crossed with Tom Bergeron's jokes on "America's Funniest Home Videos." Or the US version of The Office, but with Bruce Vilanch in place of Jim.

Silly book #3 is a classic: The Lazlo Letters by Don Novello. Much imitated by never equaled, the book is a collection of letters Don Novello wrote to important people (under the name Lazlo Toth) asking them utterly ridiculous questions about their products. The book contains the letters and the responses he received from famous politicians of the time and business leaders (almost everyone takes him at face value and answers earnestly). Lazlo Toth is the grandfather of Ali G and Borat--even more hilarious, but more good-natured and freewheeling. This is one of the books I'd take to a desert island.

Comments

[rebecca]

The Lazlo Letters has been a favorite for 20+ years. It's fantastically silly and funny if you are in that kind of mood.

It's not exactly straight up humor, but I'll throw in Alice in Wonderland. It's probably my favorite book, and it's very snarky silly for sitting on the veranda with some lemonade.

[enu]

Ah, the Lazlo Letters!
Thanks for bringing back the memory of laughing myself sick.

[SuzieQ]

Hey Moxie -- this seemed like an appropriate time to mention how much I like seeing what your kids are reading. (This s a new addition to the page, no? Or have I just been completely oblivious?) Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe was one of my favorites! I remember actually "watching" it on Reading Rainbow and then getting my own copy. Can't wait to start a library for our soon to be born little one.

[Moxie]

@SuzieQ: I decided to put up what I was reading because of the Chronicles of Narnia, but figured if anyone cared what I was reading they'd probably be more interested in what the kids were reading. I'd never read the red canoe book, but it really made me want to get one and go on a long trip.

@rebecca: I've actually never read Alice in Wonderland. Maybe I should put it on my reserve list at the library, since I'm already doing children's classics.

@enu: It doesn't have to be just a memory! You can read it again now.

[Another Erin]

Oh, my 10 m.o. loves loves loves "Peek-a-Who" right now! Also a fan of the train page, although what does she know from trains? She keeps kissing (licking?) the image of herself in the mirror. Glad to know this book will continue to entertain for months to come.

[ALG]

Alice in Wonderland was read to me as a young child, and then I read it again about two years ago. I think it was much funnier as an adult. I highly recommend both it and Through the Looking Glass. Great fun! (Also, the chapters were the perfect length for me to read on the subway ride to work.)

[rebecca]

Moxie, I think you'd like Alice in Wonderland. It really isn't a children's book so much, but might be good at an in between age where the child is somewhat mature but still willing to get into the silliness. I don't know. :) I feel like it's a kid's book, but only read it as an adult.

I'm trying to remember my favorite books as a kid. Maybe Narnia, Little House on the Prarie, Alexander Key books (had a charming correspondence with him for awhile many years ago), Mrs Frisbee and the Rats of NIHM, yertle the turtle, Go Dog Go...