Pride and Prejudice
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be hoarding toilet paper.

 

(Midu shared this on LinkedIn the other day; thought I'd pass it on.)

 

And there are a couple of repuposed last lines, too ...

Tucker Grizzwell's Worst Week Ever by Bill Schorr and Ralph Smith was borne from a comic strip and is (supposedly) aimed at children. However, I found it to be so full of word play and puns that I think it would be better suited to an adult audience. In my opinion, it was a little too densely packed with jokes to the point of being somewhat annoying and obnoxious. This wasn't marketed as a collection of comic strips but it was lacking in a coherent plot beyond the bare bones 'lesson learned' tale of a cub realizing that adults may not necessarily have all of the answers to the world's questions. 

 

Apologies for the shortness of this review but some books don't lend themselves to a lengthy analysis especially when they're so middle of the road like this one. 2/10

 

 

Sorry this isn't clearer and easier to read. :-/ [The Phoenixed Forums]

 

What's Up Next: Peanuts Vol. 9 by Charles Schulz (and others)

What I'm Currently Reading: Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond

 

Satire Wars

 

Episode IV: A New Joke

Puns of Steel was an interesting collection of single-panel comics done by Scott Hilburn. I picked up this book solely because it had the word 'puns' in the title.

Even though it was published in 2011, some of the panels still hold up very well. Others, of course, definitely show their age. About one in every 6 panels had me at least snorting in amusement. A rare handful made me giggle. Most made me think "Eh...he must have been desperate that day."

This was a pleasant way to spend twenty minutes. While I don't think I would actually recommend the collection to anyone, if you come across it at your local library, you might as well pick it up and give it a flip through.

"...the most important reason for going from one place to another is to see what's in between..."

 

There were several lines from The Phantom Tollbooth that I could have chosen to start this blog post but this one really stuck with me. It might come as a surprise for you to learn that this was the first time I had read Norton Juster's classic work for children. It has been on my TRL for years and I finally knuckled down and checked out a copy. I'm glad that I did because it was just what I needed. For those who haven't been initiated, The Phantom Tollbooth is the story of a little boy named Milo who seems to make his way through the world with a listless, bored attitude...until a mysterious package appears in his bedroom. What happens next is a pun lovers' dream. (If you're a fan of grammar and word play then this is the book for you.) Milo goes on an adventure which will totally change the way he looks at the world. This is the perfect book to create lifelong learners because it's all about critical thinking. (I realize that I'm making this sound like homework but I swear it's fun educational learning.)

 

A/N: Today marks 6 years that I've been posting my book reviews online. I can't believe that something that started as a fun little side project has turned into my second job (albeit unpaid). I feel very proud of how far I've come and I am very much looking forward to the future (and all of those books!). Thanks to those who have been around from the beginning and those just now discovering me (hello!). I hope that in some small way I've helped you to find your next great read and somewhat brightened your day.  Here's to the next 6 years! :-D