A Lough out Loud book!
595266
I recommend this book for anyone who wants a good laugh. Same with all of Dave Barry's other books, it contains light fluffy material that you can read and pick up on anytime and anywhere.  And pretty much anyone will find what he writes humorous.  THis is because his material is understandable to anyone who reads it.  His "guide to guys" is truly observative humor even though he tends to exaggerate a lot (which makes it all the more funny).

This book is divided into chapters based on different categories of "guyness". FOr example one chapter could deal with guys actting macho, or problems of guys, etc.  This is great because you can flip to the chapter of your choice, you don't have to read it front to back.  THis is what i tend to do on my 2nd or 3rd read.  THe great thing about Dave Barry books is that you can read it over and over again, and the jokes remain fresh.

The only problem i have with this book is that it tends to be repetitive in some subjects.  And also, the transition from subject to subject may seem abrupt.  But all in all i toootally recommend this book to anyone, guy or girl.  You'll really get a good laugh out of this.
3261627
This book is a book that I think a lot of people would enjoy, especially those who like a more colorful use of language! :-)
4256611
This is one of the most delightful books I have read in a long time!!!  Characters were wonderful.  And the Irish terms & phrases often made me laugh out loud.  You Irish readers, please don't take offense!  Totally entertaining!!!!
2986032
My kids LOVE this book!  It has a main story (his tractor breaks down), but the real story is in the stories that happen behind his back (dragons, knights, princesses, goose laying a golden egg among them).  I know others have complained that he swears each time his tractor breaks down, but for goodness sake's, I'll take "dollops of dung" any day.  My kids howled every time he came up with something new to swear.  G.R.E.A.T. book!!!  I'm purchasing another to donate to a silent auction at their preschool.
3923067
As entertaining for the (adult) reader as it is for the listener! FUN! It is a good read aloud book for grandmas and grandpas.
1701268
I have passed this book so many times on a shelf it's ridiculous!  The american cover to this book, just didn't attract me enough to want to read it. However, after reading ahern's 3rd book, which i recieved as a gift, my mum went out and bought me P.S. I LOVE YOU and WHERE RAINBOWS END. I finished P.S. I LOVE YOU in less than a day, I couldn't put it down. I loved the premise of this book. Holly and Gerry are childhood sweethearts, best friends and soul mates who are perfect for eachother. When Gerry dies from a brain tumor, Holly has to figure out how to go on living without her other half. Even with the love and help from her family and friends, Holly just doesn't know how to pick herself up, until she recieves a message from Gerry. A package arrives with a letter and 10 envelopes inside. Gerry has written "the list" for Holly to help her get through the rest of the year without him. (I thought this was a beautifully fresh approach to recovering from losing a loved one). So we are taken along for a ride with Holly as she tries to get through 10 months of grieving, love, laughter, anger and bitterness.

Ahern's writing is alittle rough and akward, however her characters are very colourful and come to life easily. I wasn't surprised to learn that this has been picked up and turned into a film. I absolutely adore Gerard Butler and I can picture him as Gerry, however the rest of the cast left a sour tatse in my mouth. Why chose so many americans to play such witty IRISH characters! It will be interesting to see how faithful to the book they remain.

 I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a light and easy read.
3907069
Having stay in Dingle, I found this to be a brilliant depiction of Ireland, the the culture and the people. The book involves a female lawyer who is a killer. A male who is model material. Of course there is romance involved. Some readers felt it was too descriptive. I find it to be titillating!  A bonus. There is much depth to the psychological issues both hold within their minds and hearts. Fun to see how this evolves. Can,t wait to read book 2 of the trilogy.
4090085
We love this book!  T is front read for both child and mom!  Tongue twisters at times, and a catchy rhythm for reading.  Very enjoyable.  We read it three times in a row today.  I need to order a back up copy!
4161854
I loved this book ,from beginning to end. Anyone would enjoy this book ,but especially those of Irish decent.  It is definitely a good read.
3801005
THE CLARINET POLKA

I had a stack of books, trying to decide which one to read next.  I started to skim THE CLARINET POLKA, and the next thing I knew it was an hour later.  I had found my next read!

What can I say about this book?  It is just WONDERFUL, full of truly believeable characters, people that you just down right care about.  This is a big, fat, small print, 400 page novel, one that I wish had never ended.

Two of my friends are currently reading this and I envy them -- at least Mr. Maillard has a list of books that we can dive into.

Meet Jimmy Koprowski who returns to his small West Virginia home town after serving time in Guam during the Vietnam era.  He comes back to a town, while still the same, has changed due to the fact he has been through so much.  Jimmy returns home, finds a job, finds his old friends, gets involved in a torrid affair, starts to drink heavily, and generally lives his life.  All the while, his sister and friends are forming an all-girl Polish band, and he is also involved in that. Jimmy just basically slides through his days, living his life as a heavy drinker, not caring about much, trying to find his place in the world.  He is mixed up, messed up, he is wonderful!!!!

Jimmy and his family/friends are Polish-American and their heritage is brought to life in this amazing book.  Polkas, the Polish language, Polish traditions, foods, -- it is all in this great awesome book.

The books moves quickly and this reader was NEVER bored or skimming the pages.  It is all absorbing, full of fun, facts, history, and life.  The author takes us back to WWII and the Nazi camps for Jews -- it is all related to the book and was so interesting.

Read this book, you will love it!  It would make an awesome movie!

Thank you!
Pam
640106
A nice connection to Irish Culture through this easy read!
3432060
As a school librarian I am always looking for engaging books to read to students...."No More Slooping, Sara Sue!" is one I will be using often!! I first read it to my own children...boys 8 & 10 and although it was a story about a little girl they thought it was hilarious and we all couldn't help but make the different sound effects as we read aloud! It is a great story with a very funny ending. I especially enjoyed all of the different sounds and wonderful illustrations when reading it to students. The author does an excellent job of keeping the story interesting and children engaged! I highly recommend this book as a wonderful addition to any home or school library!
4272387
Laurie Knowlton's latest offering begs to be read out loud! A modern-day take-off on the old woman who swallowed a fly, the story is a clever combination of rhyming stanzas and non-rhyming dialog from the children. Their incredulous reactions to Miss Devine's rampage and their curiosity about the word effectively draw the reader in and help move this vocabulary-rich story along.
Despite the artist's dubious choice to portray Miss Devine as an antiquated stereotype, the illustrations are luminous, colorful, and enhance the exaggeration of the tale. Miss Devine's passion for reading shines through, making this an especially appealing book to librarians and teachers and a perfect read-aloud for the classroom or story hour.
4200308
What a joy This book was to read! I From the moment I started it I couldn't put it down, what a fabulous reading adventure! I loved everything about it, from the intriguing story line, to the great characters and the vivid description of the beautiful scenery of Ireland.  You are quite the writer, I predict you will go far  if all your books are as great as this one was!
Keep up the good work. God has given you a great gift of story telling, use it to His Glory!
3713685
I was very pleasantly surprised at how good this book is! I am working on learning Irish on my own, and am using a variety of materials. This book is small, and covers only a basic beginner level, but it is quite well-designed and effective. The audio (which the publisher now offers free on their website) is excellent quality and easy to use. Not everything in the book is on the audio, but a very significant amount is. A variety of speakers are used, who are all speakers of the Cois Fharraige dialect that is featured. The audio for each chapter is divided into multiple tracks, and the track numbers for each dialog/section are helpfully included in the book, so it is easy to play just the selection you need, and replay at will. The speakers speak perhaps a bit slowly, but naturally.

The fourteen chapters are topically arranged and focus on useful communicative skills (introducing yourself, talking about your family, ordering food, shopping, etc.). But, unlike quite a few other "communicative" books I've seen, truly helpful grammar explanations are included as well. Each chapter has two short dialogues, followed by multiple short sections which expand on and explain the grammatical structures found in the dialogues. These little bursts of grammar are kept at a fairly non-technical level, but enough info is given to make the point clear. You will not know everything about Irish grammar after reading this book, but you will be able move beyond just memorizing the dialogue to actively creating new sentences using known vocabulary. The dialogues, as well as examples from some of the explanatory sections, are all included on the audio recordings. There are also a decent number of useful, well-designed exercises following each dialogue (although more would have been better).

The back of the book contains a brief grammar reference, answer keys to the exercises, short Irish-English and English-Irish glossaries, and most uniquely, an interesting chapter-by-chapter overview of how various other regional dialects differ from the Cois Fharraige Irish featured in the book.

The only things I would say are missing would be: 1) vocabulary lists for each chapter (new words are introduced all over the place in each chapter - it would be nice to have them assembled in one place, so they are easier to keep track of), and 2) a second book just like this one with the next level!
2894268
We love this book! It is so funny!!! It is ready at least 4 nights out of the week. Once you get going, it's hard not to practically sing "drive-drive-drivey-drive-drive"! We love it how Elephant yellsv" Get those bags!" That's become a common phrase in our house!!! But, what happens when both Elephant and Piggie want to go for a drive, but they don't have a car? Hmmmmm, guess you'll have to read it to find out!!!
1319922
This is an excellent book for anyone who is going to Ireland for the first time and an even better book for those who have been, but would like to see something off the beaten path. I have doggy-eared the pages of where our trip will begin and I can't wait!