Funny and Meaningful Throughout
924269
Mike is a natural author and his ministry is stronger than ever. Bus People exudes humor, caring, and a remarkable ease of communicating with the reader. That is a rare treat. This looking-glass into another world of people through the witty lenses of one who walked the walk with them is priceless.
2314233
I am going to start by saying how much I love the format of this book. It's not quite short stories or essays, its more like what you would expect from a blog entry. To me this book is like a years worth of blogging neatly packaged up with some awesome artwork into a convenient package.

This guy could be a stand-up comedian I would imagine. He has an interesting way of viewing life, and manages to find the humor in most every situation. I particularly love how he can write in a way that anyone can identify with. Either you have been there, or know someone who has been there which makes the stories that much more hilarious. The author doesn't take things to seriously and the reader will love him for that!

One of my favorite stories "Hair", is about the strange places we find hair, and how evolution should have taken care of this issue by now. Another favorite starts with the words "You might be a hot mess if..." and is fantastic! "Grumpy Old Men" is hilarious because, lets face it, we all know one!

All in all this book is great. I highly recommend.
551714
ok, first thing i loved was the humor.  genuinely funny, sincere, and the author has a great way of observing both her present, and remembering her past.  chapter titles are clever, and there's a self-conscious appreciation for what she's writing.

second thing i loved was that this is a book that isn't strictly for people of a single generation or culture.  i even lent it to my father, and he was in stitches.  i think anyone can relate to the tone of gill's book in the way it makes us think about looking back on what shaped us growing up, and the great message i got from this is that no matter what, the best thing to do is take those experiences, acnowledge them, and use them to shape the rest of our lives for the better.

this book is more fun than a week at disney world, a slumber party, or an adventure in new york (you'll get what i mean if you've read it)
4322583
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: This is a novel that, while packing a good amount of satire, still delivers a meaningful message.

Opening Sentence: On the day were the last people to see indie kid Finn alive, were all sprawled together in the Field, talking about love and stomachs.

The Review:

Its Mikeys last year of high school. He can feel time running out; he wants so badly to ask out his friend Henna, but can never work up the courage, and he doesnt want to leave his friends and his siblings. Strange things begin happening, though  glowing blue eyes, immortals, chosen ones. Heres the thing: Mikey isn't one of the people who is going to stop them. Hes not an indie kid, the name given to those that are the kids that have powers and fight the supernatural.

So Mikey isn't special, in a world where paranormal events are mostly background events (because, in the end, its the indie kids that take care of them). He cares about his friends, his family, and making it through the school year. As well as this, hes struggling to fight past a disorder that is trapping him in painful loops that are getting bad again. But just because hes not one of the saviors, that doesnt mean hes not special, does it? After all, most of us aren't indie kids. The rest of us just live here.

I got an advance copy of this at the last ALA annual in San Francisco, so Ive had a galley for quite a while. Ive always wanted the chance to pick it up, because it seemed like a lot of fun. When I was asked to review it, I got the perfect opportunity to fit it into my hectic schedule, so I read it. It ended up being a satire of the YA cliches we all know and love, in the best way.

For example, before each chapter from Mikeys perspective, you got a glimpse of what was going on with the indie kids. It was just a short paragraph about what they had been doing while Mikey had been narrating. The love triangles, the death, the paranormal  summarized like that, with all the typical YA aspects, it all seemed ridiculous. And the funny thing is, I definitely would have loved something like that had it been expanded.

I liked this novel. It had the perfect balance of satire and meaning. I loved the message that everyone is significant to the world, and that our normal lives are incredible. The characters were layered and complex, and I enjoyed our very relatable protagonist Mikey. Their was a lot of diversity in this book, as well, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The writing style was simple but easy to follow. I think this is a cute story, and it seemed to live up to all of my expectations. Ive been in bad place with books Ive read recently  none of them are really doing it for me  so hopefully a novel like this, that was fun to read, will pull me out of it. Others will enjoy how it breaches unprecedented territory!

Notable Scene:

Chapter the thirteenth, in which the prince is tricked into turning Satchel and second indie kid Finn over to the Empress of the Immortals; he tries to save them, but is forced to sacrifice Finn to do so; Satchel refuses to accept this and, through only her own cunning and bravery, thwarts the empress; she saves Finn and as they flee, she steals a glimpse of the Immortal Crux, the source of the Immortals power, through the gateway; it is full of charms and jewels, with an empty space in exactly the shape of her amulet.

FTC Advisory: Harper Teen provided me with a copy of The Rest of Us Just Live Here. No goody bags, sponsorships, material connections, or bribes were exchanged for my review.
2377496
This has to be one of the funniest books I've read in a long time.  I kept  laughing out loud on the subway reading it.  The story of Eve as she goes  through a period of elation then confusion and anxiety before her wedding  is written in a birlliant, honest and extremely funny way.  The writing  style is brief with short sentences that add to the comical rhthym.  Each  chapter is a month that goes up until the big day of the wedding as Eve  tells the reader exactly how she feels as she goes through work, wedding  planning and life.  The book also has some touching moments and draws you  deeply into the story.  My cousin who just got married said it was  hauntingly accurate and painfully honest.  Anyway I really recommend it,  even if you can't relate to the exact situation, it is well-written, funny,  and a great story.
1510240
I was just re-reading parts of The Cosmopolitans. What really struck me is that while I remember the book being funny, to the point where I laughed out loud a lot (and laughed until I cried more than once), the truth is that just about every single individual sentence in the entire novel is funny all by itself. Which is an amazing feat. And I don't mean funny as in trying really hard or being full of jokes--the writing just has an effortlessly insightful and sharply observant quality that makes for good humor.

I'll leave it to other folks to summarize the plot and structure and themes. For me, th book served as a very delightful, entertaining and thoughtful catalogue of human frailties: the thousand and one ways that clever and well-intentioned people make themselves ridiculous. In almost every scene, these characters are making goofy efforts to prop themselves up and fit into the world, and they never quite succeed. But the book never degenerates into snarkiness. Kalman's portrayals are sympathetic and tender. And while none of these characters do anything grand or heroic, in the end you sort of end up admiring them for their persistence and determination.

I loved this book, it is mucho recommended.
2213351
This book is funny, and insightful with a powerfully spiritual message.
Giannaris manages to make you think about life and personal values while chuckling through his experiences helping his father establish a landmark restaurant on Long Island.
I highly recommend it.
3160535
I enjoy comedy as much as the next person, but the deep meaning in this book was moving.  The book is about life--and how we follow the examples set before us no matter how good or bad.  Some of us claim to be better  than that, however, no matter how advanced the education, you are still  your fathers son.  I finished the book wanting more, only to realize that  Sully's son would only be repeating the mistakes made by his father years  before.  A comedic novel about the human cycle.
3337102
This book makes me laugh. So much. Just look at that guy on the cover. He's hilarious. I also like this book because its a really clever look at accepting and embracing the parts of ourselves that we might find lumpy, bumpy, or filled with flies. The voices of the world-wise father, the endearingly annoying child, and the big bad wolf hit just the right notes without being preachy. My kids like it because of the jokes and lively language. It's something we all enjoy reading.
153185
In this thoughtful, funny, complex novel, Katherine Taylor tackles the big themes: money, family, identity, and loss.  Her style is so subtle, her voice so funny and direct,  its easy to miss the depth and intricacies of her themes  but serious readers will be rewarded.

After suffering a series of major life setbacks, Ingrid Palamede finds herself homeless, penniless, and emotionally wrecked.  She returns to the small town of her childhood because she has no place else to go, but also to reset herself, to find some kind of direction and identity.  What she finds is that the polished veneer of her parents life and the familys successful ranching enterprise has begun to crack, and within those cracks Ingrid begins to discover the source of her stunted adulthood, whats contributed to her lifes weightlessness.

Taylors voice is the thing here (as it was in her excellent first novel, as well):  as funny and engaging as emails from your closest, most intelligent friend, but with an underlying sadness and sense of loss that makes the humor almost devastating.

I waited almost ten years for Katherine Taylors second book.  It was worth it.
3392226
The author somehow manages to be hysterically funny and thought-provoking at the same time.  After reading it from beginning to end, I plan on buying copies as Hanukkah gifts for my nieces and nephews.  Highly recommended.
2918702
I'm not a typical reader of anecdotal works, but I found this work to be uniquely inspiring and meaningful.  His stories were inspiring, always serving to teach a lesson, but also humorous and a very enjoyable read.  I think what I appreciated the most was that the stories took me back to my own childhood, which is very useful with two small children of my own.  I think though our stories are all different, they have many similarities.  We all start out confused trying to find our way in the world the best we know how.  This book served as a very useful reminder of that fact.  I think anyone who takes the time to read this, would thoroughly enjoy the read.
2973005
This book was a joy to read with fun writing style and valuable insight into the human condition and the not so secret sources of happiness. I truly enjoyed the humor, the cultural insights, and the wide variety of perspectives provided. By the way, don't let him fool you, Eric is not as much of a grump as he would like you to believe.
183515
This book made me chuckle a lot, but it also made me think about what being human is, and what living really means. I definitely would recommend this book to anyone.
513954
I adored this book. It was heartfelt, honest, and truly funny. If you're a fan of&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/8-Simple-Rules-for-Dating-My-Teenage-Daughter-And-Other-Tips-from-a-Beleaguered-Father-Not-That-Any-of-Them-Work/dp/0761123148/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter: And Other Tips from a Beleaguered Father (Not That Any of Them Work)</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Bill-Cosby-Fatherhood/dp/B002SK8YB2/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Bill Cosby - Fatherhood</a>, then you will love this book. I enjoyed every moment of it, and it's more than clear the love he has for his children and wife. I have been a fan of his comedy for a while; but I'm an even bigger fan after this book.
270295
Elna Baker is a very funny woman.  Like most comedians, her best material is about what she knows best-herself.  Although a common, and maybe self-indulgent theme, Elna delights readers easily in tales of her offbeat life: a Mormon who decides to try life in the Big Apple after a childhood of hilarious scenarios (and quite a bit of traveling).  She graduates NYU and decides to stay and try out her acting chops.  But her path, like so many others, does not lead to great success immediately.  She must endure terrible jobs, a terrible dating scene, and all the self doubt that comes with growing up.  And like so many others before her, she uses this journey to create her success.

But Elna is so grounded in herself and who she is that this book is a departure from all those cliches that came before her.  Being a Mormon is very much a part of her identity, so much so that it is how she decides her life.  She has morals and a conscience that take her away from many situations.  But she also has the most adorable spirit where she believes in endless possibilities and the power of "yes." She intrigues you by all the paradoxes that she and her life are, but she also takes you through all her growing pains of losing weight, a challenging love life, and her uncertainty about her faith.

And here is where this book is most unique and most accessible, she has tremendous doubt at times about her faith and her life choices.  She possesses certainty and a desire to be certain, while also letting those negative voices prove she is not beyond reproach.  Love, sex, life, existence, faith, family-the whole kit and caboodle are analyzed and over analyzed, coming to the same conclusion, still more uncertainty.  Like so many other women today she feels the sting of all our progress: what do you choose when you have unlimited possibilities, but you know that a choice will take so many possibilities completely out of the equation?  Thankfully, Elna never pretends to be wise beyond her 27 years, which is also refreshing.

I highly recommend this book.  You do not have to be Mormon, single, a woman, or any other nicely pigeonholed person to appreciate the humor, humility, hubris, or heartache in this little gem.
2061185
Each poem has a thought provoking and inspiring message.  The fun of it all is in the humor I found in the way Donald Needham writes.  He has a unique way of viewing everyday life and seeing the special moments and humor many of us overlook. I truly enjoyed reading this book and have read several poems over again enjoying them each time.  I highly recommend getting Donald Needham's book and sharing it with your friends.  Enjoy!