Subjects:  1. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    2. Foreign Language Study    3. Latin    4. Literature: Classics    5. Literary studies: classical, early & medieval    6. Works by individual poets: classical, early & medieval   

Reviews (2)

Not that funny
There are some gems in here, but not enough. The letter written by Groucho Marx is great, you can hear his voice in it. About two-thirds of the way through I got tired of wading through the muck to get to laugh-producing material, and gave up.I understand that this is not a joke book, but I just thought it would be funnier.

genuinely funny
Humor being a matter of taste, it's difficult to find a collection that actually works. Russell Baker's collection really does accomplish what it sets out to do: "to make you laugh, or at least smile, or maybe justfeel a little more interior warmth despite 'the situation'" (from theintroduction). Running the gamut from sheer looniness to literary parody,and containing vintage material as well as contemporary items, this is awonderful collection of items to lighten things up. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American - General    2. American Satire And Humor    3. American wit and humor    4. Form - Jokes & Riddles    5. General    6. Humor    7. Literature - Classics / Criticism    8. English    9. Humour    10. USA   

Reviews (3)

Enjoyable and Insightful
In this book, Perrin gives us an honest view of what it's like to be an amateur farmer in Vermont.He is realistic and open enough to share his own foibles.Perrin does not romanticize farming or rural life, even while writing about the richness such living can hold."First Person Rural" is also full of lots of practical advice for those looking to buy pickup trucks or chainsaws or looking to make maple syrup/maple sugar.A quick but meaningful read.

Peasant Tales
This book is a collection of essays by a man who describes himself by observing "I once was a New Yorker.Now, I'm a peasant."Perrin moved to Vermont some 14 years before writing these essays and had a lot of time in the meantime to learn the ways of the country.He shares with us some practical advice, like how to rescue burned maple syrup, or how to build fences using trees from your own land.In one story featured in this collection, he tries to take a load of firewood to New York City to see how much of a killing he could make by selling it there.Some of the stories are a bit humorous, but mostly, they aim towards the practical.
A fine, though dated, intro. to a rural life in Vermont
I just finished the last half of this book last night. Perrin's book is a droll but always honest take on the country life in his beloved adopted "homeland" of Vermont as he alerts the reader to the realitiesbehind the romantic vision portrayed on various Maple syrup containers.Country life is tough and not for the soft-hearted or timid. Some of thechapters are dated (it was published in 1978), especially the pick-up truckadvice. But I did learn a lot from this book as I consider my own move tothe hard rural life of Vermont and I was thoroughly entertained the wholeway through. It's a really easy read with some great tips if you'rethinking of making the move to a more rural life. I'm looking forward toreading Second and Third Person Rural books in the next couple of weeks. Igot through this one in 3 days of sporadic reading. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anecdotes    2. Anecdotes, facetiae, satire, etc    3. Country life    4. Essays    5. General    6. Literary Collections    7. Literature: Classics    8. Nature    9. Sociology - Rural    10. United States - State & Local - General    11. Vermont   

Subjects:  1. Ancient, Classical & Medieval    2. Criticism and interpretation    3. General    4. History and criticism    5. Literary Collections    6. Literature - Classics / Criticism    7. Literature: Classics    8. Lucilius, Gaius,    9. Persius    10. Roman Literature    11. Saturae    12. Verse satire, Latin    13. ca. 180-ca. 102 B.C    14. ca. 180-ca. 102 B.C.    15. BCE to c 500 CE    16. Language Arts & Disciplines / General    17. Latin    18. Literary studies: classical, early & medieval    19. Poetry & poets: classical, early & medieval    20. Verse satire, Latin--History and criticism   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. General    3. Graphic Satire And Humor    4. Great Britain    5. History & Criticism    6. History and criticism    7. Literature - Classics / Criticism    8. Popular Culture - General    9. Satire And Humor    10. Sociology    11. Techniques - Cartooning    12. Underground comic books, strip    13. Underground comic books, strips, etc.    14. United States   

Subjects:  1. 1918-1938    2. 20th century    3. Austria    4. Authors, Austrian    5. Biography    6. European - German    7. Historical - General    8. History    9. Jewish Studies    10. Jews    11. Literature - Classics / Criticism    12. Social Science    13. Social conditions    14. Sociology    15. Vienna    16. Biography & Autobiography / Historical    17. Biography: historical    18. European history: from c 1900 -    19. Germany   

Subjects:  1. Ancient, Classical & Medieval    2. Asian - Indic    3. Literary Criticism    4. Literature - Classics / Criticism    5. Satire, Sanskrit    6. Semiotics & Theory    7. Translations into English    8. INDIC LITERATURE_HISTORY AND CRITICISM    9. Literary Criticism / Asian / Indic    10. Other prose: classical, early & medieval   

Subjects:  1. 1792-1822    2. Authority in literature    3. Criticism and interpretation    4. English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    5. Great Britain    6. History and criticism    7. Literature - Classics / Criticism    8. Romanticism    9. Shelley, Percy Bysshe,    10. Shelley, Percy Bysshe, 1792-1822    11. Verse satire, English    12. English    13. Poetry & poets: 19th century    14. Shelley, Percy Bysshe    15. Views on violence   

Reviews (2)

A Note on the Translation
One cannot go astray with the Loeb Classical Library, of course.However, I am not sure I am a believer in the readability of this translator.Having begun my own translation of the Ars Poetica, I noticed that this particular translator ought to be given credit for his deference to the Latin, for his intensely literal version of the text.However, if you are of the sort, as I am, that believes that a translation is of high quality in proportion as it renders the original accurate in meaning and intended effect, then this translation may not be for you.

Great!
Though this is not necessarily a book for the idle poetry reader, I loved this completely. If you enjoy reading the work of the ancient poets and writers, this is perfect. Since it has the original Latin text on the facing page to the translation, it is possible to see how the syntax and lines fit together to make the beautiful, if a bit idiosyncratic, poetry of Horace. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient, Classical & Medieval    2. Literature - Classics / Criticism    3. Roman Literature    4. Literary Criticism & Collections / Ancient & Classical    5. Other prose: classical, early & medieval   

Subjects:  1. American - General    2. American Prose    3. American Satire And Humor    4. American wit and humor    5. Form - Essays    6. General    7. Humor    8. Humorous stories, American    9. Literary Collections    10. Literature: Classics    11. Middle West    12. Collections & anthologies of various literary forms    13. English    14. Humour collections & anthologies    15. USA   

Reviews (5)

Perelman a masterwordsmith
A man who made so many people laugh in his day is almost forgotten today. For those for whom games with words are thestuff of life he is an incomparible master of the incorrigibly long and complicated regurgitation of delicious delicatessanlike drivel . All who read him come away wondering whether their heads are screwed on right or have been swimming in a washing machine and are infinitely damaged. Perelman does stuff that no one else does. Of course he should be in print, and of course read far more than he is today even though I might say I have laughed at his work sometimes without having a clue as to whether I really understand it.

This is the place to start
To become a devout fan and follower of S.J. Perelman all you have to do is read any one of the stories in this compilation.Scratch that, all you need to do is read the title of one of the stories in this compilation. They all attest to how much Mr. Perelman loved words and how obsessed he was with turning a pretty phrase on its heels and knocking it off its feet. even better than Roger Ebert
I too find it deplorable that this is out of print.Besides many well-chosen words (who besidesPerelman and the late Robertson Davies uses "tohubohu," a word from the Hebrew Bible that sounds exactly likewhat it means?), this book has several movie reviews that made me amoeboidwith laughter."The Wickedest Woman in Larchmont"--a review ofthe movied that gave the world the phrase "Kiss me, my fool"--isitself worth the price of the entire volume (to use a cliche, whichPerelman would never do except to make ithilarious).Read more

Subjects:  1. American - General    2. American Satire And Humor    3. Literature - Classics / Criticism    4. Literature: Classics   

Subjects:  1. Ancient, Classical & Medieval    2. General    3. Language    4. Language Arts & Disciplines    5. Latin language    6. Literature - Classics / Criticism    7. Poetry    8. Political poetry, Latin    9. Readers    10. Roman Literature    11. Rome    12. Verse satire, Latin    13. Language Arts & Disciplines / General    14. Latin language--Readers    15. Poetry texts & anthologies   

Reviews (2)

A GREAT OL' READ
Like my title said: A GREAT OL'READ, but without getting old,
Scathingly brilliant satire
I have read the first satire, "A Christmas Carol" four times now, and it is ever more pointed, sharp, and uproariously funny. Lapham shows off his love of words, rolling description, and deep intelligence, and boundless sense of humor, in a collection of essays and stories that stand with the greatest of satires. Twain, Mencken, Bierce, move over for Lewis Lapham. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Satire And Humor    2. Essays    3. General    4. Literature - Classics / Criticism    5. Political Science    6. Politics/International Relations   

Reviews (2)

A great translation of a great work
Juvenal, is by far one of the greatest writers of the Roman era.His biting style and keen insight is a pleasure to read, and has not lost its appeal after the long years since it was written.Many of the subjects that Juvenal lashes at with his sharp wit are still apply today (government corruption and decadence among others). Cynical, pessimistic, ugly, haunting, bawdy, and oh so true
Juvenal was a misanthrope who looked around at the people he saw in ancient Rome and decided that most people were dishonest, corrupt, obsessed with sex, stupid, cheaters, etc. It's an ugly picture but hard to arguewith as people are pretty much the same now. There are some masterlydepictions here and some very good common sense, too. Not a pick me up.More like a "pull you down". Still worth reading to confirm yourworst suspicions and also as an antidote to much positive thinkingnonsense. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient, Classical & Medieval    2. Classics    3. Fiction    4. Juvenal    5. Literature - Classics / Criticism    6. Literature: Classics    7. Poetry    8. Rome    9. Translations into English    10. Verse satire, Latin    11. Ancient Rome    12. Dutch    13. Fiction / Classics    14. Latin    15. Literary studies: classical, early & medieval    16. Other prose: classical, early & medieval    17. Poetry & poets   

Subjects:  1. Anecdotes    2. Anecdotes, facetiae, satire, e    3. Authors, English    4. English Literature (General)    5. English literature    6. English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    7. Literature - Classics / Criticism    8. Literature: Classics    9. Collections & anthologies of various literary forms    10. English   

Reviews (2)

Day-to-day notices of life in the 1920s--Soviet style
Not since Gogol have I found such a bizarre, zany narrative, and such a peculiar narrator!Here Zoshchenko's narrator takes us through vignettes of everyday Soviet life, mostly of the NEP period, praising everything and making a fool of himself at the same time.The intense humanity of his characters come through, even (especially) when they're rioting in their collective kitchen over a coveted kitchen utensil.Very nice reading and re-reading for years to come.

Satire at its Best
When I read Nervous People for a Russian Lit class I was overwhelmed by the absurd humor. There hasn't been a funnier, politically poignant and appealing satirist since Lewis Carrol or Jonathan Swift.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1895-1958    2. Fiction    3. Literary    4. Literature - Classics / Criticism    5. Literature: Folklore/Mythology    6. Satire, Russian    7. Social life and customs    8. Soviet Union    9. Translations into English    10. Zoshchenko, Mikhail,    11. Zoshchenko, Mikhail   

Subjects:  1. American Satire And Humor    2. Dictionaries - General    3. English Semantics    4. General    5. Language Arts & Disciplines    6. Philosophy    7. Semantics    8. Spanish: Adult Fiction    9. Spanish: Adult Nonfiction    10. Fiction / Classics   

Subjects:  1. Ancient and Classical    2. General    3. History and criticism    4. In literature    5. Language    6. Language Arts & Disciplines    7. Literature - Classics / Criticism    8. Reference    9. Rome    10. Satire, Latin    11. Language Arts & Disciplines / General    12. Literary studies: classical, early & medieval   

Reviews (584)

Classic book, set an example for many to come!!!
This book was way ahead of it's time.A story of Alex and his gang who was set forth on a mission of ultraviolence.The book painted a picture of what could happen to kids in a world where violence is toned down to the point where it becomes "daily activity".It also gives descent insight into the mind of an Antisocial.Using a conglomeration of Russian, German, and made up words, Burgess even created a slang talk that enhances the uniquness of this story.Very cool book, one must pick it up, quick and easy read.

One of the Great Dystopia-FuturisticNovels
Burgess vision of the future is one of totalitarian control and violence at the point of chaos.The authorities have given up the night to the youth gangs that then menace citizens in both the street and in their houses.What is scariest of these thoughts is that the perpetrators of this violence are kids under the age of eighteen.Our protagonist, Alex, is fifteen and his droogs (friends) are not much older.They rob, rape, drink, take drugs.
Dystopian visions coming true!
Anthony Burgess has envisioned an ugly potential future that came to be. In addition to such writers as George Orwell and Aldous Huxley, British authors seem to be the masters of creating fiction which predicts the worst possible societal, political, and cultural decay, based on contemporary observations of the latest trends in these three factors. In Clockwork Orange, Mr. Burgess portrays what was for him, a near-future Britain, in which economic failure, inept and corrupt government, and social malaise result in a society overwhelmed by crime. The main perpetrators are vast numbers of street-gangs roaming the cities, savagely assaulting, robbing, murdering, raping, and vandalizing...for fun. The gangs are largely composed of teenagers, who aside from their random violence, are also obsessed with drug-abuse and pop-culture, a pop-culture with its own trendy slang-language (based on Russian in this case). This scenario, exists now, in certain neighborhoods of specific cities! The vision did come true!
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Subjects:  1. Burgess, Anthony - Prose & Criticism    2. Classics    3. Criminals    4. Fiction    5. Literature - Classics / Criticism    6. Satire    7. Science Fiction    8. Science Fiction - General    9. Teenage boys   

Subjects:  1. General    2. History and criticism    3. Imaginary societies in literature    4. Literature - Classics / Criticism    5. Reference - General    6. Satire, English    7. Travel    8. Voyages, Imaginary    9. English    10. Literary Criticism & Collections / General    11. Novels, other prose & writers: 16th to 18th centuries