You know where you can go? The f**k to sleep.”Go the Fuck to Sleep is a book for parents who live in the real world, where a few snoozing kitties and cutesy rhymes don’t always send a toddler sailing blissfully off to dreamland. Profane, affectionate, and radically honest, it captures the familiar—and unspoken—tribulations of putting your little angel down for the night. Read by a host of celebrities, from Samuel L. Jackson to Jennifer Garner, this subversively funny bestselling storybook will not actually put your kids to sleep, but it will leave you laughing so hard you won’t care.

    A story of prejudice and acceptance, funny lists and silly words, this new book has all the hallmarks of David’s previous bestsellers.Our hero Ben is bored beyond belief after he is made to stay at his grandma’s house. She’s the boringest grandma ever: all she wants to do is to play Scrabble, and eat cabbage soup. But there are two things Ben doesn’t know about his grandma.1) She was once an international jewel thief.2) All her life, she has been plotting to steal the Crown Jewels, and now she needs Ben’s help…

    No era or tome emerges unscathbed as Beaton rightly skewers the Western world's revolutionaries, leaders, sycophants, and suffragists while equally honing her wit on the hapless heroes, heroines, and villains of the best-loved fiction. She deftly points out what really happened when Brahms fell asleep listening to Liszt, that the world's first hipsters were obviously the Incroyables and the Merveilleuses from eighteenth-century France, that Susan B. Anthony is, of course, a "Samantha," and that the polite banality of Canadian culture never gets old. Hark! A Vagrant features sexy Batman, the true stories behind classic Nancy Drew covers, and Queen Elizabeth doing the albatross. As the 5600.000 unique monthly visitors to harkavagrant.com already know, no one turns the ironic absurdities of history and literature into comedic fodder as hilarious as Beaton.

    Star of action blockbuster Alpha Papa; a man with a fascinating past and an amazing future.Gregarious and popular, yet Alan’s never happier than when relaxing in his own five-bedroom, south-built house with three acres of land and access to a private stream. But who is this mysterious enigma?Alan Gordon Partridge is the best – and best-loved – radio presenter in the region. Born into a changing world of rationing, Teddy Boys, apes in space and the launch of ITV, Alan’s broadcasting career began as chief DJ of Radio Smile at St. Luke’s Hospital in Norwich. After replacing Peter Flint as the presenter of Scout About, he entered the top 8 of BBC sports presenters.But Alan’s big break came with his primetime BBC chat show Knowing Me, Knowing You. Sadly, the show battled against poor scheduling, having been put up against News at Ten, then in its heyday. Due to declining ratings, a single catastrophic hitch (the killing of a guest on air) and the dumbing down of network TV, Alan’s show was cancelled. Not to be dissuaded, he embraced this opportunity to wind up his production company, leave London and fulfil a lifelong ambition to return to his roots in local radio.Now single, Alan is an intensely private man but he opens up, for the second time, in this candid, entertaining, often deeply emotional – and of course compelling – memoir, written entirely in his own words. (Alan quickly dispelled the idea of using a ghost writer. With a grade B English Language O-Level, he knew he was up to the task.)He speaks touchingly about his tragic Toblerone addiction, and the painful moment when unsold copies of his first autobiography, Bouncing Back, were pulped like ‘word porridge’. He reveals all about his relationship with his ex-Ukrainian girlfriend, Sonja, with whom he had sex at least twice a day, and the truth about the thick people who make key decisions at the BBC.A literary tour de force, I, Partridge: We Need to Talk About Alan charts the incredible journey of one of our greatest broadcasters.

    Features the complete script and song lyrics, with 4-color spot illustrations throughout, an original introduction by the creators, and a foreword by Mark Harris.The Book of Mormon, which follows a pair of mismatched Mormon boys sent on a mission to a place that's about as far from Salt Lake City as you can get, features book, music, and lyrics by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone.Parker and Stone are the four-time Emmy Award–winning creators of Comedy Central's landmark animated series South Park. Tony Award–winner Lopez is co-creator of the long-running hit musical comedy Avenue Q. The Book of Mormon is choreographed by three-time Tony Award–nominee Casey Nicholaw (Monty Python's Spamalot, The Drowsy Chaperone) and is directed by Nicholaw and Parker.The book includes • an original foreword by journalist Mark Harris (author of Pictures at a Revolution) • an original introduction by the authors on the genesis of the show • a production history • the complete book and lyrics, with four-color spot illustrations throughout.

    Collecting every cartoon from 50,000,000 Pearls Fans Can't Be Wrong and When Pigs Fly, this hot-to-the-touch, volatile edition also includes annotated thoughts reflecting Pastis's searing wit.Offering blistering commentary on hot-button topics related to recent news events, popular culture, cartoon-page contemporaries, and more, Pearls Before Swine expertly illustrates the flaws and shortcomings of human nature through Pastis's mindful menagerie of fiery and feisty characters. Arrogant, self-centered, and totally hilarious Rat stars in misadventure after misadventure with his four-legged friends, Pig, the slow but good-hearted conscience of the strip; Goat, the voice of reason that often goes unheard; Zebra, the activist; and those eternally inept carnivorous Crocs.Catch the dynamite action inside this hot-off-the-press edition of Pearls Blows Up. With multiple honors as Best Comic Strip of the Year by the National Cartoonists Society, and an international fan base that follows the strip's appearance in more than 600 newspapers worldwide, Pearls Blows Up is guaranteed to be a blast.

    Includes:- Big Nate - Big Nate Strikes Again

    if it would just cut to the chase. Stripped of its arcane language and its interminable passages of poetry, genealogy, and law, every book of the Bible is condensed down to its core message, in no more than a few pages each. Written by Mark Russell with cartoons by New Yorker cartoonist Shannon Wheeler, God Is Disappointed in You is a frequently hilarious, often shocking, but always accurate retelling of the Bible, including the parts selectively left out by Sunday School teachers and church sermons. Irreverent yet faithful, this book is a must-read for anyone who wants to see past the fog of religious agendas and cultural debates to discover what the Bible really says.

    The gunshot that set off the race of irresistible and hilarious novels in the Spellman series—The wisecracking Spellmans truly put the "fun" in dysfunctional.Curse of the Spellmans: The knockout sequel to The Spellman Files features the same lovable family chaos—and even more bizarre twists and turns—as Izzy undertakes some recreational surveillance of her own. Nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Novel of 2008.Revenge of the Spellmans: Third in the critically acclaimed series, Revenge of the Spellmans gives us another dose of smart-ass antics and a gut-busting glimpse into the Spellman world. This time, Izzy is not only on the case, but also on the couch—in court-ordered therapy. While Izzy decides whether she wants to stay in the family business, she tends bar and takes on the case of Ernie  Black's not very suspicious wife. The Spellmans Strike Again: The fourth Spellman novel is packed with the most family drama yet. Izzy finally agrees to take over the family business, and the transition is not a smooth one. This book proves beyond a reasonable doubt that no matter how much Isabel shrinks her head, she will never be able to follow Rule #1: Act Normal.

    The book chronicles the city's colorful citizens and hopping nightlife, and also explores some of the most hilarious events from its crazy history—like the time the whole town was on fire, its ongoing raccoon infestation, and the cult that took over in the 1970s. Packed with laugh-out-loud-funny photographs, illustrations, and commentary by the other inhabitants of Pawnee, it's a must-read that will make you enjoy every moment of your stay in the Greatest Town in America. Praise for Pawnee: "Carrying this book around is a good way of picking up girls with glasses." —Tom Haverford "I have read over four books, and this is by far the one that has me in it the most." —Andy Dwyer "Literally the greatest endeavor of human creativity in the history of mankind." —Chris Traeger

    Hilarious and beautifully produced, this is a visual feast which will delight and entertain Noel's many impassioned fans."Growing up in the jungles of India there was no need for drawing or painting. I would sometimes arrange ants into primitive still lives or scratch out portraits onto the trunks of trees. Things changed when I was 11, a lame tiger who owned a stationery shop gave me the keys to his stock room, I would roll around in acrylic and oil pastels in reverie, licking canvases and tucking coloured pencils into my wild hair. It was here I learned how to draw and paint well enough to be accepted into Croyden Art College. There, Dexter Dalwood (Turner Prize nominee) taught me and after two years under his supreme tutelage and much hard graft he advised me to become a comedian." —Noel Fielding

    The Sookie Stackhouse Novels True Blood Collection.Dead ReckoningDead in the Family A Touch of Dead DeadGone Dead To The World Dead as a Doornail All Together Dead Club Dead Definitely Dead Dead Until Dark From Dead to Worse Living Dead in Dallas

    brigade who may be more than just the eager freshman she appears to be. As the two realities converge, the SOS Brigade learns that the new member may have the ability to bring the two story "timelines" together... and save the world in the process. This book was originally published as two separate volumes in Japan, but the U.S. version will feature both volumes for the price of one.

    Whether it was stapling his nutsack to his leg or diving into a pool full of elephant crap, almost nothing was out of bounds. As the stunts got crazier, his life kept pace. He developed a crippling addiction to drugs and alcohol, and an obsession with his own celebrity that proved nearly as dangerous. Only an intervention and a visit to a psychiatric ward saved his life. Today he has been clean and sober for more than three years.

    Taking place in Paris, the film follows Gil Pender, a screenwriter, who is forced to confront the shortcomings of his relationship with his fiancée and their divergent goals, which become increasingly exaggerated as he travels back in time each night at midnight. The movie explores themes of nostalgia and modernism.

    He and his family live an idyllic life of peace and solitude, punctuated by afternoon tea, long strolls in the garden, and summer showers. Or would if they weren't in a Wodehouse story.The apple of Lord Emsworth's eye is the Empress of Blandings, a splendid Berkshire sow who has twice won honors in the Fat Pig class at the local agricultural show. Besides keeping his pig in shape, Emsworth must deal with his sister's snobby demeanor, his brother's crazy memoirs, and a rival pig whose bulk might dash the Empress's hopes of another medal. Throw in a few young lovers and you have yourself a perfect brew of hilarious adventures. Included in this omnibus are Summer Lightning, Heavy Weather, and Blandings Castle. Evelyn Waugh once said, "The gardens of Blandings Castle are that original garden from which we are all exiled. All those who know them long to return."

    Released by Summit Books, the book compiles over 100 of their craziest, naughtiest, and most laugh-out-loud Top 10 lists.The Best of Chico & Delamar’s The Morning Rush Top 10 is guaranteed to keep a smile on your face all day with page after page of quotable quotes, pick-up lines, statements, and more. The Morning Rush with Chico & Delamar has been airing on RX 93.1 since 1996 and has already been awarded as Best Comedy Program in the 19th KBP Golden Dove Awards.-The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online (mb.com.ph)

    A poet who favours dark suits, lager and long hot baths, he works on BBC Four in Charlie Brooker's Newswipe and on Radio 4, doing his late night poetry show.In 2009 he won the Edinburgh Comedy Award for his poetical recital The Slutcracker and has filmed some of his verse in black and white to overwhelming critical approval. Billed by Time Out as “He’s a genius plain and simple” Tim’s incomplete and unabridged reading of his book is hilarious and inventive, playful and punchy, and light and dark by turn.

    But things go from bad to worse when they are suddenly attacked by a cadre of Arm Slaves.

    In full color for the very first time, the YouTube sensation is back on the page—only smaller and cuter. This cat will do anything to be fed.

    She is single, sorted, happy – with a great job and a buzzy social and sex-life. All of this is threatened when she falls deeply in love with Dan, who is only 23. Jess, being older, recognises this as the real, precious thing – but in his immaturity, Dan does not. Unable to cope with the stigma of being with an older woman, he eventually leaves her. Ten years pass…Jess, who is still gorgeous at 50, is married now, with a child of her own.They meet again. The years fall away.This time, Dan understands – but is it too late?

    This unfinished adventure is not included in the print edition of JDatE that is coming out this fall, and right now is an online exclusive.This was part of an early draft of David Wong's totally rad novel This Book Is Full Of Spiders.

    Welcome to a world of crude cartoon and misplaced melodrama; a world free of all but the most trifling of consequences, where exaggerated sensitivity is rife and a semester’s success or suicide hangs on the whim of a woman. Young Tommo wiles away his evenings in a purple drunken stupor, lost to the tender mercies of what he desperately wishes was a hopeless love affair, but in reality isn’t even that. Gristle, meanwhile, is enraged when his weak-bladdered housemate Spadge moves out, only to be replaced by a neurotic freak named Jamal, who dares not only to bring books into his house, but to read them too.And for poor Will, matters are even worse. Women are staying in of a night! How’s he supposed to rack up his ‘tally’ of conquests if women daren’t leave their digs? They’re all terrified that they’ll be the next to fall prey to the invisible menace that has started stealing students away from the streets of Hull. Will has nothing to fear though – after all, he has his recently arrived destitute father to watch his back. And the fearsome Gristle. And the zealously neurotic Jamal. And the dangerously depressed Tom…The Student Bubble is about to burst, and when it does, the degenerate residents of 146 Worthington Street will find themselves drowning in a reality that they’re not equipped to comprehend, let alone survive in.

    

    His career began one night in a pub in Chorlton when a comedian didn't arrive for his set and Jason, the 17-year-old glass collector stepped in to fill the gap. From that point on he's never looked back, until now that is...This is the story in his own words of everything that lead up to that fateful moment - a colourful tale of growing up with lots of family and not enough money, of getting by and sticking together. It is a story of his shameless extended clan of wayward uncles and singing nans and a gobby little knobhead at the heart of it all called Jason.Featuring rock-hard great granddads, doting grandparents, pub-crooning nanas, football-mad dads, pet-obsessed mums, more dodgy uncles than you can shake a stick at, failed exams, dead-end jobs, paper rounds, prostitutes, shocked priests, manslaughter, winning goals, sudden losses, replica shirts, chip-fat incidents, scary pubs, pet meat, fighting Gandhis, cancelled Christmases, Sir Oswald Mosley, flooded tents, call centres, circumcision, puppy love, friends for life, difficult girlfriends, gigs from hell, heart break and, finally, true love...With his laugh-out-loud tales of coming of age, Jason shows he's a generous storyteller and as natural an observer on the page as he is on stage.

    And he can drive.Adults and children alike would do well to read this book over and over again to learn from Maddox’s sage-like wisdom. Every keystroke Maddox types is brilliant. The world is better off with him in it. Maddox has selflessly shared some of his own art, and we must thank him for it. May his fertility continue to be dangerously potent, so as to impregnate as many babes as possible, and not one fewer.

    However, he's still focused on following in his father's footsteps and has stepped up his training by enlisting Evangeline as his magic master and Ku Fei as his martial arts master. How can a ten-year-old find the time to learn magic and martial arts from two demanding teachers and still be able to deal with his crazy class of hyperactive students?

    Search through the Cybermen, dig through the Daleks and ogle the Ood to find the Doctor and his friends!

    Negi and his class of quirky girls embark on an epic field trip to historic Kyoto and Nara that unexpectedly (or expectedly to some) brings all kings of trouble. As Negi deals with potent magical creatures, he discovers that most of the trouble comes from his very own students!

    This coloring book features eighteen fat scifi heroines doing what they do best: trekking across the time and space, blasting off into adventure, and saving the day.

    It has been declared illegal under international law and its impact on life in the West Bank has been enormous.Mark Thomas - as only he could - decided the only way to really get to grips with this huge divide was to use the barrier as a route map, to 'walk the wall', covering the entire distance with little more in his armoury than Kendal Mint Cake and a box of blister plasters.In the course of his ramble he was tear-gassed, stoned, sunburned, rained on and hailed on and even lost the wall a couple of times. But thankfully he was also welcomed and looked after by Israelis and Palestinians - from farmers and soldiers to smugglers and zookeepers - and finally earned a unique insight of the real Middle East in all its entrenched and yet life-affirming glory. And all without hardly ever getting arrested!

    This book features the best Sunday strips.Belly up to the buffet . . . it's time for a Sunday Brunch. Inside this immense all-you-can-read hardcover, close to 300 of the best and most popular full-color Sunday strips are presented along with annotations, essays, and original sketches by Zits creators Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman. Parents themselves, Borgman and Scott have learned a thing or two about living with and parenting teenagers. Lauded by the Los Angeles Times "as one of the freshest and most imaginative strips," and designated as Best Newspaper Comic Strip twice by the National Cartoonists Society, Scott and Borgman's Zits offers shared experience on both sides of the generation gap.Inside Sunday Brunch, sixteen-year-old Jeremy, the son of parentals Connie and Walt, grapples with the latest trends, confronts hot-button issues ranging from sex and impending career choices, and tackles lighter topics such as sleep schedules and appetite cravings. Next Sunday, sleep a little later and make your pancakes and mimosa even more enjoyable with Zits Sunday Brunch.

    Stephanie Cole, Benedict Cumberbatch & Roger Allam star in the second series of the hit sitcom about the tiny charter airline for whom no job is too small, but many, many jobs are too difficult. By John Finnemore (‘The News Quiz’, ‘That Mitchell & Webb Sound’). Run by the forbidding divorcée Carolyn Knapp-Shappey (an unfortunate marriage, name wise, but in Carolyn’s opinion, marginally better than Carolyn Shappey-Knapp), her two pilots are the smooth, experienced and almost-certainly-fired-by-a-big-airline-for-all-round naughtiness Douglas, and struggling almost-competent pilot and sweaty man Martin. All-round help is provided by Carolyn’s near-idiot son, Arthur.

    Comics. "'All objections to progress,' writes Hans Blumenberg, 'could come down to the fact that it hasn't yet taken us far enough.' That's philosophy—and it's funny—but no one would ever level the same complaint at pain or laughter, this fine book's subjects and two phenomena that can take human beings great distances almost immediately. Absolutely modern—but never resolutely maudlin—Sommer Browning doesn't settle for making it new; rather, she lets it bleed and gets us there on time"—Graham Foust.

    

    So much of what you need to know is already defined for you. You know that your script needs to be a certain short length, with a certain small number of characters. You know that your choice of scenes is limited to your show’s standing sets and maybe one or two swing sets or outside locations. You know how your characters behave and how they’re funny, either because you invented them or because you’re writing for a show where these things are already well established. Sitcom is easy and sitcom is fun. Sitcom is the gateway drug to longer forms of writing. It’s a pretty good buzz and a pretty good ride, a great way to kill an afternoon, or even six months. And now, thanks to comedy writing guru John Vorhaus (author of THE COMIC TOOLBOX: HOW TO BE FUNNY EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT), writing situation comedy is easier than ever. In THE LITTLE BOOK OF SITCOM, you'll find a whole trove of tools, tricks and problem-solving techniques that you can use -- now, today -- to be the sitcom writer of your wildest dreams. Ready to write? Ready to have fun? THE LITTLE BOOK OF SITCOM is the big little book for you.

    The first treasury, Something Old, Something New, (December 2010), has already shipped more than 17,000 copies.As its title suggests, First, There Was Chaos follows John and Elly Patterson as they tackle the everyday joys and sorrows—and surprises and frustrations and challenges—that arise when raising a young family. In her second For Better or For Worse treasury, Lynn Johnston takes readers back to the 1980s, when Elly leaves her ho for a job at the library. As Elly chases her professional goals, she struggles with spending less time at home. Meanwhile, John provides consistent comic relief, as he plays Mr. Mom, breaks his foot with a 25-pound turkey, and gets arrested for trying to steal a potty. Of course, the kids are always in tow—Michael learning that with age comes responsibility and Elizabeth discovering the thrills of kindergarten. Combining strips from Johnston’s fourth, fifth, and sixth cartoon collections—Just One More Hug, The Last Straw, and Keep the Home Fries Burning—First, There Was Chaos reflects Johnston’s longstanding tradition of portraying family life with charm, humor, and honesty. Devoted fans will love reliving the Pattersons’ younger years, and first-time readers will discover why this endearing foursome is North America’s favorite funny page family.It takes a keen eye to recognize life’s shared experiences and an even keener intellect to assemble those moments in a humorous and heartfelt way. With For Better or For Worse, Johnston elevates everyday aspects of life into brilliant observations on personal career goals, parenting choices, and coffee klatch friendships. In 2008, Johnston made an unprecedented move within the cartooning community by deciding to use former plotlines as starting points for new ones. For Better or For Worse has been syndicated since 1979 and was named Best Syndicated Comic Strip in 1992. For Better or For Worse appears in more than 1,600 newspapers in 23 countries, and is translated into 8 languages for a devoted readership of more than 220 million. The strip boasts a lively Web presence at www.fborfw.com.As its title implies, In the Beginning There Was Chaos follows John and Elly Patterson as they tackle the everyday joys and sorrows--and surprises and frustrations and challenges--that arise when raising a young family. In her second For Better or For Worse treasury, Lynn Johnston takes readers back to the 1980s, when Elly leaves her column for a job at the library. As Elly chases her professional goals, she struggles with spending less time at home. Meanwhile, John provides consistent comic relief, as he plays Mr. Mom, breaks his foot with a 25-pound turkey, and gets arrested for trying to steal a potty. Of course, the kids are always in tow--Michael learning that with age comes responsibility and Elizabeth discovering the thrills of kindergarten.Combining strips from Johnston's fourth, fifth, and sixth cartoon collections--Just One More Hug, The Last Straw, and Keep the Home Fries Burning--In the Beginning There Was Chaos reflects Johnston's longstanding tradition of portraying family life with charm, humor, and honesty. Devoted fans will love reliving the Pattersons' younger years, and first-time readers will discover why this endearing foursome is North America's favorite funny page family.In the Beginning There Was Chaos includes Johnston's commentary on the inspiration behind strips, as well as photos and newspaper clippings from the early days, providing a behind-the-scenes glimpse for fans of For Better or For Worse. Join the Patterson family as they find humor in everyday life's challenges.Lynn Johnston was born in Collingwood, Ontario, and grew up in British Columbia. Today, she lives in Corbeil, Ontario. Johnston is the first woman to receive a Reuben Award for Cartoonist of the Year by the National Cartoonists Society in 1985. She has also received the Order of Canada and claims a star on Canada's Walk of Fame.For Better or For Worse has been syndicated since 1979 and was named Best Syndicated Comic Strip in 1992. For Better or For Worse appears in more than 2,000 newspapers in 23 countries, and is translated into 8 languages for a devoted readership of more than 220 million. The strip boasts a lively Web presence at www.fborfw.com.

    But what would you really get if you entrusted your hard-earned $1.69 to the post office?Mail-Order Mysteries answers this question, revealing the amazing truths (and agonizing exaggerations) about the actual products marketed to kids in the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. Pop-culture historian Kirk Demarais shares his astonishing collection, including:100 Toy Soldiers in a Footlocker Count Dante’s World’s Deadliest Fighting Secrets GRIT Hercules Wrist Band Hypno-Coin Life-Size Monsters Mystic Smoke Sea Monkeys Soil From Dracula’s Castle U-Control Ghost Ventrilo Voice Thrower...and many, many more!With more than 150 extraordinary, peculiar, and downright fraudulent collectibles, Mail-Order Mysteries is a must-have book comic book fans everywhere. Trust us.

    It is one of the fastest growing comics online, having sextupled in readership since 2008. SMBC appeals to many different groups, as evidenced by the fact it has been featured on a variety of important websites and blogs, including The Economist, Glamour, BoingBoing, Bad Astronomy, Blastr, Blues News, Joystiq, The Washington Post, Freakonomics, and more. SMBC has never released a book, which is almost unheard of for a comic with such an extensive archive, making this first-ever collection highly anticipated. BreadPig donates its profits to DonorsChoose.org, a not-for-profit organization that aims to improve public education by empowering every teacher to be a change-maker and enabling any citizen to be a philanthropist.

    He guards bunkers, patrols perimeters and stands around in a boiler suit waiting to get knocked out by Ninjas. This is his job. He’s worked for some of the most notorious super villains the world has ever known – Doctor Thalassocrat, Victor Soliman, Polonius Crump; Mark was with each of them when they met their makers at the hands of British Secret Service super-spy, Jack Tempest and lived to tell the tale – if not pay the bills. Still for every hour under gunfire there are weeks if not months of sitting around on monorails so Jones starts a book club with his fellow henchmen to help pass the time. It was only meant to be a bit of fun. It was never meant to save the world.

    Illustrated parody of goodnight moon inspired by Caldwell Tanner's Goodnight Dune Illustration in his article: Five Sci-Fi Children's Books on College Humor.

    Art. Images by Jonathan Marshall. "I often have a difficult time distinguishing between the memories of my childhood nightmares, the movie Time Bandits, and now KINGS OF THE F**KING SEA. At the heart of each is an unrecoverable distance from home. In Dan Boehl's poems, the sea is not home. If we stay on it, we will eventually drown in it, but there is nothing we can do. His poems are unforgivably wise. Like the sea, they are an unafraid mirror. And though they remind us it's always too late—that our adventure is a constant failure—their beauty keeps us afloat for just long enough"—Zachary Schomburg.

    A prolific journalist who made himself a dominant figure in the emerging literary culture of postwar san Francisco, Bierce developed a style of slashing sarcasm that made him a feared antagonist. As a short story writer—whether drawing on wartime experiences or exploring realms of supernatural and psychological horror—he used extreme situations to give voice to his uniquely engrossing brand of pessimism.This volume gathers the most celebrated and significant of Bierce’s writings. In the Midst of Life (Tales of Soldiers and Civilians), his collection of short fiction about the Civil War, which includes the masterpieces “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” and “Chickamauga,” is suffused with a fiercely ironic sense of the horror and randomness of war. Close-up portraits of life in camp and on the battlefield offer unique, often startling, perspectives on the war whose after-echoes pervade Bierce’s writing.Can Such Things Be? brings together “The Death of Halpin Frayser,” “The Damned Thing,” “The Moonlit Road,” and other tales of terror that make Bierce the genre’s most significant American practitioner between Poe and Lovecraft. These tales are notable, in editor S. T. Joshi’s words, for “the meticulous etching of the precise effects of the supernatural upon the sensitive consciousness of his fear-raddled protagonists.”The Devil’s Dictionary, the brilliant lexicon of subversively cynical definitions on which Bierce worked for decades, displays to the full his corrosive wit.In Bits of Autobiography, the series of memoirs that includes the memorable “What I Saw of Shiloh,” he recreates his experiences in the war and its aftermath. The volume is rounded out with a selection of the best stories not gathered in the two major collections. Acclaimed Bierce scholar Joshi provides detailed notes and a newly researched chronology of Bierce’s life and mysterious disappearance.

    Berkeley Breathed’s Bloom County burst onto the American comic scene in December 1980 and it soon became one of the most popular comic strips of all time. The endearing and quirky denizens of the strip included Milo Bloom, Steve Dallas, Michael Binkley, Cutter John, Bill the Cat, and Opus the Penguin. Bloom County was a strip that dealt with many issues relevant to the period. Occasional “Context comments” are added throughout this collection, giving the reader a greater understanding of the time. This is the first time Bloom County has been collected in a digital library. IDW will add more volumes, one year per volume. Each newspaper strip is reproduced in chronological order from first to last. Great effort has been made to ensure the highest production values are achieved.

    Berkeley Breathed’s Bloom County burst onto the American comic scene in December 1980 and it soon became one of the most popular comic strips of all time. The endearing and quirky denizens of the strip included Milo Bloom, Steve Dallas, Michael Binkley, Cutter John, Bill the Cat, and Opus the Penguin. Bloom County was a strip that dealt with many issues relevant to the period. Occasional “Context comments” are added throughout this collection, giving the reader a greater understanding of the time. This is the first time Bloom County has been collected in a digital library. IDW will add more volumes, one year per volume. Each newspaper strip is reproduced in chronological order from first to last. Great effort has been made to ensure the highest production values are achieved.

    Luke's dream is to set up on his own and find his place in the world. These things, however, are never quite straightforward.

    Based on Carlo Goldoni's classic Italian comedy The Servant of Two Masters, in this new English version by prize-winning playwright Richard Bean, sex, food, and money are high on the agenda.

    You've done something to offend him, but you don't know what. How can you defuse the situation? Better yet, how can you make sure you never end up there again? With intergalactic travel easier than ever, Wookiees can now be found on nearly every planet in the galaxy and on starships everywhere in between. This helpful guide teaches citizens of the galaxy key phrases in the Wookiee language, eliminating near-fatal encounters with notoriously short-tempered Wookiees while smoothing the way to lasting partnerships and friendships. The handy sound module recorded by Chewbacca himself! demonstrates proper pronunciation of ten key phrases.

    Slain while rescuing a young woman from a would-be rapist, he finds himself in a pseudo-life, caught between two realities, belonging to neither.Haunted by the ghosts of his father and grandfather, he learns that the woman he rescued is in fact an Innocent, the physical embodiment of hope. As it turns out, seeing dead people is the least of James' worries. It's the trolls, goblins, vampires, and other assorted creepy-crawlies that make being dead a living nightmare.When a Madness Demon kidnaps the Innocent to sacrifice at the Blood Moon ritual, it's up to James and an odd assortment of Otherworld companions to rescue her. If they fail, humanity will be without hope for the next thousand years.To succeed, James must first battle his own inner demons, and come to grips with who and what he has become. After all, when you're dead, wishing you were is kind of counter-productive.

    To mark the 50th anniversary of the magazine in 2011, Adam Macqueen has produced a fascinating A-Z history of Private Eye.

    Wodehouse is one of the best loved authors in the English language. Amongst his most famous creations is where you will find the 'Jeeves' stories, featuring Bertie Wooster and of course, Jeeves himself.

    Nothing ever goes his way, he hates his life and he's always one swig of whisky away from oblivion.In Misery Bear's Guide to Love & Heartbreak, the furry critter shares his photos, stories, diary entries, poems, love letters, romantic recipes and doodles... All from the paw of a chronically depressed bear who just wants someone to love.

    56 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more – everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove. This detailed literature summary also contains Topics for Discussion and a Free Quiz on The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove by Christopher Moore.

    A poet in a former life, Archy was reincarnated as a bug who expresses himself by diving headfirst onto a typewriter. His sidekick Mehitabel is a streetwise feline who claims to have been Cleopatra in a previous life. As E. B. White wrote in his now-classic introduction, the Archy poems “contain cosmic reverberations along with high comedy” and have “the jewel-like perfection of poetry.”Adorned with George Herriman’s whimsical illustrations and including White’s introduction, our Pocket Poets selection—the only hardcover Archy and Mehitabel in print—is a beautiful volume, and perfectly sized for its tiny hero.

    If you're looking for a funny, well-written novel . . . give this a try!"—AfterEllen.comJust when you thought it was safe to pitch your tent, the Santora family shows up. Lisa's taken over a rundown campground, baby sister Marie's been dumped (again!) by the actress, and the Santoras don't know the meaning of minding their own business. When the whole clan decides to fix things for their girls, it's a hilarious recipe for havoc. Camptown Ladies is the sequel to Greetings From Jamaica, Wish You Were Queer.Mari SanGiovani lives the crazy Italian family lifestyle and writes about it like no one else.

    Only the J.R.P. (Jerk Redemption Program) can help him now. He's sent back to earth in the body of his K-9 partner to help a troubled teenager and his dysfunctional family. Spencer also swallowed an important microchip his killers need to execute their evil plan. Can Spencer maul the shins (and other choice areas) of the criminals and stop them? Find out in this hilarious thriller.

    To make things worse, his parents have kicked him out of his house. Fortunately, his grandmother owns the fabulous Hinata Lodge and has agreed to take Keitaro in as caretaker. What he doesn't know is that the lodge is actually a girl's dorm and he's the only guy around! Most guys would kill to live with five sexy ladies, but if Keitaro's not careful, this job will kill him.

    Everyday objects like raisins, cupcakes, pears, and puzzle pieces take center stage as they’re bent into clever visual vignettes that provide a new perspective on that ever-elusive emotion. Each photograph is accompanied by a sweet caption that is sure to evoke that warm, fuzzy feeling inside, but with the author’s signature ironic twist.In the tradition of bestselling humorous photography books featuring artful creations with food such as Hello Cupcake! and Cake Wrecks, this book will surprise and delight with every spread. And with its affordable price point and gifty trim size, Bent Object of My Affection is the perfect present for loved ones on Valentine’s Day, for anniversaries, or “just because.”

    Oops. The phenomenally successful damnyouautocorrect.com began when author Jillian Madison innocently tried to invite some friends over for gelato. Autocorrect, however, had another idea, and asked them over for a night of 'fellatio' instead. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Damn You, Autocorrect! includes 200 never before seen submissions to the website, as well as an introduction from the author and website creator, Jillian Madison.

    Helicon and move to Mt. Parnassus under the governorship of the god Apollo. When Thalia and Apollo raise a cursed nymph from the dead, Thalia starts to wonder if the Muses have greater powers than anyone realized. The Fates, threatened by this possibility, put her to a test. But Thalia cares less about the Fates’ games than the behind-the-scenes drama of the Olympian royal court. Why did Apollo kill the Cyclops, Zeus’ minion? Why did Zeus give Apollo such a light sentence? And with the Cyclops dead, who will resupply Zeus’ lightning bolts when they run out? Will Hera then make her move for Zeus’ throne, or will she be too busy torturing his latest paramour? And what will happen to the Muses when said paramour is one of them?

    But with 200 shares in a worthless company on offer, who wouldn't step into a makeshift teleporter which has already claimed one victim?Hal and Clunk, stars of the Hal Spacejock comedy series, feature in this brand new 8000-word short story. Framed slots into the series any time after Hal Spacejock: Second Course, but can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone.There are five Hal Spacejock novels and two short stories available now, and Hal 6: Safe Art, will be released Q4 2012.

    In the second volume of her memoirs, the prize-winning author Janice Galloway reveals how the child introduced in This Is Not About Me evolved during her teenage years.

    This volume collects the first Reid Fleming comic and the mini-series, Rogues to Riches, as well as Heartbreak Comics.

    You’ll read about dumb crooks and criminal masterminds, mafia henchman and low-level goons, ancient warriors and Old West gunslingers, crazed cops and jovial judges, and even a few loony lawyers and crooked Wall Street types. It’s the True Crime book that only Uncle John could make! Here are some of the unusual suspects . . .- New York City’s “Mad Bomber”- The Biddle Brothers and the Queen of the Jail- Law and Order: Special Pants Unit- Dopes who hide their dope in the strangest places- America’s first private eye- NASCAR’s bootlegging beginnings- The real pirates of the Caribbean- Why CSI makes the cops’ job even harder- Billy the Kid and other outlaws who died with their boots on- George Luger, Samuel Colt, and other fathers of guns- The greatest train robberies- Arrested for farting- And much more!

    I hope you learn a little and laugh A LOT!

    You'll laugh you'll cry you'll finish reading a better person. It's hard to describe..so get it, you'll like it.

    With biting wit, bracing satire, and boundless good cheer, Mary Jo-distinguished member of the First Family of Circle Pines, Minnesota; she'll explain-takes you on a poignant, hilarious journey through the world of keepin' on. Dispatched from her Midwestern home state, then New York, Texas, and exotic points beyond, these very personal stories and essays, with illustrations by Len Peralta, reveal a warm, smart, funny writer who can spot the absurdities in what she deals with every day, and make her readers LOL at them. There's nobody else like Mary Jo Pehl. But then, there's nobody else like you, either. Hey, you two should get together! Read this book, and you will, my friend: you will.

    But he was not always such a roaring success. 'The Life of Lee' is an utterly hilarious and very moving autobiography charting his ups and downs on the way to the top.

    And when you, like Sallie, have a fantastic and nice dad, there isn't much to be done on his part.Read the stories about "Why you far", "My uncle and my Uncle's new dog", "The girl who remembered everything", "The poor toy-less child", "The last story in the world", and many more.As always when you read Kim Fupz, you'll dive into a universe with a mixture of fantasy, realism, seriousness and humor, that is especially great for children!

    For twenty years, Tomorrow’s sharply funny and fiercely intelligent commentary has been a beacon of much-needed satire in the often-bleak world of media news. Recently, as a regular feature in weekly papers nationwide as well as online, This Modern World has continued to lend the voices of its irreverent regulars—Sparky, Blinky, and Conservative Jones, among others—to the issues of what has been a remarkable, turbulent time in this nation’s history.This latest anthology collects Tomorrow’s work from 2008 to the present along with never before seen pieces. It covers the drama and spectacle of the presidential campaign, the historic election and first year in office of Barack Obama, the financial meltdown and Great Recession, and the rise of the teabaggers and the battle over healthcare reform, among other madcap topics.The result is more than simply the sum of its parts—at once a cultural artifact and an absolutely brilliant survey of political cartooning at its acme.

    Hell consists of the Eight Greater Hells and the Eight Cold Hells, which are further divided into 272 subdivisions. Spearheading the seemingly endless, multifarious affairs in this gargantuan Hell is but one Fierce God, King Enma's first aide, Hozuki. Between this cool-headed sadist and his colorful band of peers, every day is a riot in Hell! And though this book might make Hell seem like a happening place, please try to behave during life!

    15 years, seven series and more than 60 episodes later, 24.3 million people watched the final installment of Only Fools and Horses—over a third of the British population, and the largest audience for a sitcom ever recorded. On the 30th anniversary of the show, Britain's favorite entertainment writer celebrates Britain's best-loved sitcom.

    His short, intense career encompassed battling drink and drugs, censorship of his material, the pressures of international fame and, on the verge of conquering the States, his diagnosis with cancer at the age of 32. His fierce independent spirit and relentless pursuit of truth and higher understanding made him a comic ahead of his time, and he blazed a path for countless young comedians afterwards. American: The Bill Hicks Story provides the most in-depth and personal account of his amazing life and career ever published. Based on in-depth interviews with Hicks's family and closest friends, and including rare and intimate photos that cover his entire career, it is the definitive oral and visual history of this legendary outlaw comic.

    Including 125 all-new photos with misspelled captions, this fourth installment of the series will give cats and their hoomins the keys to living their most awsum (and LOLable) lives.

    Army Special Forces veteran Chester Wong writing his memoir, Yellow Green Beret: Stories of an Asian-American Stumbling Around U.S. Army Special Forces, it's more about chopstick humor-and random acts of hilarity. From his days at West Point through his time serving as a Green Beret combat commander on the frontlines of Iraq and the Philippines, Wong tells how he scaled the ranks despite being more adept at cutting corners than taking orders. Darkly comic and brutally honest, Wong's stories range from sting operations on Filipino cell phone thieves to ordering pizzas during special operations wilderness survival school. And beyond the humor, his darker stories offer up a no-holds-barred account of what it's like to serve on the front lines as a Special Forces commander, showing the strange mix of tedium, absurdity, danger and bravery that colored his four tours and just what it's like to be yellow and fight for the red, white, and blue. Whether or not you're in the Army, there's a whole lot of adventure and a whole lot of "who'd have thoughts" and "imagine thats" in this military memoir. With short stories like "Johnnie Walker Brown," "Wily Filipino Cell Phone Thieves," and "Sniper School: Extending the Range of Personality Lethality," Wong pokes fun at the ironies of special operations combat, the idiosyncrasies of military life, and the absurdities of life on the frontline; more often than not he heckles his own harebrained ways. Each vignette is a standalone anecdote; sometimes there's a lesson, sometimes it's just for a laugh. He reminisces his West Point and Special Forces training, working with various militaries in Southeast Asia, and serving in Iraq and the Philippines, as well as general tidbits of military life. With a self-deprecating humor style, he leaves readers rolling with laughter and reflection on his unique observations and lessons learned from a path not often taken, which is good since this memoir is the first in a three-part collection.

    —New York MagazineMarried To The Sea: not only the true history of our civilization, but also the funniest comic around. —Andy Riley, author of Bunny SuicidesIf only I had put in legislation to require my state to read Married To The Sea. Perhaps during my next term. —Sarah Hutz, U.S. Congressmember from New HampshireAttention all friends: You're getting this for Christmas. —Chris Leavins, actorSingularly smart, often outlandish. —Sycamore Review

    It's a red-alert laugh riot when all of Springfield moves in with Mr. Burns after a hazardous nuclear cloud engulfs the town. Then, fire up the grill as Krusty the Clown's famous franchise gets some not-so friendly competition from a new burger meister--Homer Simpson And when Springfield faces its worst financial crisis in history, Mayor Quimby sets off a firestorm of trouble by declaring that the town be open for business 24/7. Watch the pies fly after Marge hires Krusty the Clown as her new life coach. Finally, in an incendiary fable, Homer is appointed the new fire chief and literally decides to fight fire with fire. This volatile and explosive comic collection will ignite a wildfire of hysterics.* *Caution: This edition does not come equipped with any laugh-saving devices.

    I never miss a meal."-Dan Piraro, cartoonist of Bizarro We've all been forced to endure jobs we don't like. We get up, go to work, go to bed, and do it again. No one knows these pains better than Doug Savage, whose dream of being a cartoonist was eclipsed by his ho- hum office job. That is, until he started doodling chicken cartoons on Post-its and turned them into one of the Internet's most popular cartoon blogs. "Savage Chickens" is a collection of cartoons starring Doug's beloved chickens and their officemates that will get a laugh out of even the most jaded number-crunching colleague. Doug blends cynicism, optimism, and interactive activities to create a portable pep talk for the overworked and underappreciated that will keep you sane-and amused- during the morning bus ride, the meeting-filled Monday, the tenth load of laundry, the bathroom break, or the red-eye to the coast.Watch a Video

    Dangling modifiers, gerunds, punctuation marks--it's enough to make you want to drop out of high school. Swearing and sex on the other hand, well, these time-honored pastimes warm the cockles of our hearts. Now, The Elements of F*cking Style drags English grammar out of the ivory tower and into the gutter, injecting a dull subject with a much-needed dose of color.This book addresses everything from common questions ("What the hell is a pronoun?") to philosophical conundrums ("Does not using paragraphs or periods make my thesis read like it was written by a mental patient?"). Other valuable sections include:•All I've got in this world are my sentences and my balls, and I don't break 'em for nobody•A colon is more than an organ that gets cancer•Words your bound to f*ck upOne glance at your friend's blog should tell you everything you need to know about the sorry state of the English language. This book gives you the tools you need to stop looking like an idiot on message boards and in interoffice memos. Grammar has never before been so much f*cking fun.

    He also has a very dark secret: When he was still an undiscovered teenager, he sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for his great fame and success. As his life draws to an end, he prepares to face the inevitable until he stumbles upon a very enchanting, modern-day witch named Angela, and her untraditional coven.Angela gradually introduces Reggie to her world of old school Witchcraft with its roots in alchemy and ‘natural chemistry’ dating to the Dark Ages. As their relationship grows, they devise a plan to break Reggie’s contract and save his soul.This is a story of the struggle between good and evil with a cast of characters that ranges from guardian angels to young witches-in-training. Together, they have to come to terms with the uncertainties of love, loss, and life decisions to save Reggie from an unbearable eternity. Here is a plot filled with unexpected twists and surprises to the very last page that will also cast an entirely different light on anything you may have ever considered as faith!

    Womanizing lothario Nick Salvatore is a millionaire restaurateur with looks, charm and wit. He's the man Elyse models all her fixer-uppers after, the man who seduced her three years ago, and the one man she wants nothing to do with --despite his ongoing efforts to woo her.But when Elyse's latest groom goes south, the IRS audits her, and her home is about to be foreclosed, she discovers the one man she can count on is the one she's spent years avoiding.

    The King and Queen are nervous because - let's face it - Camilla is plain! It is decided that a beautiful maid will impersonate Camilla until the wedding. The Prince hears of Camilla's beauty and, considering himself rather plain, has his extremely handsome man Carlo impersonate him. Simon and Camilla meet by chance and fall in love. Each is beautiful to the other and they live happily ever after.3 women, 2 men

    In a vast world, Emma, a girl with something lurking inside her, meets the magician Shion!!! What is the "Magico" ritual that will bind them together?! Even if they risk their lives to tread a path of thorns...!!

    Inside you'll find Jeremy Clarkson's typically unsubtle guide to wrapping presents, Richard Hammond's insightful guide to festive jumpers, James May's unsuccessful stint as Santa Claus, and the strange secrets of The Stig's Christmas dinner. There's also a brand new adventure starring everyone's favourite moustachioed 1970s crime fighters, The Interceptors, a unique insight into what the presenters want to find in their stockings, a list of people who won't be receiving a card from Top Gear this Christmas, an exclusive look at the script for a Top Gear pantomime, a guide to cars that make the right impression at a Christmas party and much, much more. A Top Gear Christmas - It's considerably more fun than slouching in front of a Harry Potter film eating your own body weight in chocolate.

    This short story, a prequel to the Aaron Tucker mystery series (For Whom the Minivan Rolls, A Farewell to Legs, As Dog Is My Witness) finds the freelance reporter as a young father, trying to find out who framed his six-year-old son Ethan for a heinous crime--bringing a water pistol to his first grade class--while investigating the death of a minor league baseball player.

    They call themselves Chachaoong which also means Shaman and they do not know how or when they came to this world. It is now a time for their current king to choose the future one and so he did by choosing Yu Jin an ordinary human...? Many of the Chachaoong can not tolerate a human ruling them and now the poor Yu Jin not knowing what suddenly hit him, is trying to avoid the Chachaoongs who are trying to kill him!

    This cute little medusa loves video games, chocodiles and making trouble for her new room mate. Fortunately Jake has a secret weapon, his super sarcastic nice Marah!Modest Medusa Season 1 collects the first 100 strips from Jake Richmond's popular webcomic, plus over 30 pages of brand new comics and art!This first edition came from the Kickstarter campaign.

    Grandpa hates me. He has always hated me, even before I used his ear as a swing toy (his lobes are so long and flappy!). I can’t imagine why. I assume Grandpa hates me simply because I am the bird—and he is not.”Everybody loves Bird. Joseph and Maya, Mother and Father, Humphrey the dog, Slick the snake. Everyone except Grandpa, who will stop at nothing to set Bird free. Forever.• How does the battle begin when Bird and Grandpa are alone together for a whole week?• See classroom chaos in Bring Your Pet to School Day!• Exactly what are they hunting at the Aw Shoot archery range?Fasten your feathers and warm up your wings—here are six collected short stories in the Grandpa Hates the Bird series!

     Why bother learning that... *Poland sells a drink called Fart Juice? *ATMs in Vatican City are in Latin? *a two-year-old learns about ten new words a day? *President George Washington checked out two library books that are now 220 years overdue? Do you really need to know... *how many clocks are in the Pentagon? *which state has towns called Intercourse and Virginville? *what WD-40 stands for? *the state with the fastest drivers?

    This time they're going to The Opera House. And that means they'll be famousWhen Miss Badger bans Polly from the choir for singing out of tune, Gertie refuses to go to the festival without her best friend. The headmistress, Mrs Godbolt can't have that because Gertie had the best voice in the whole school.Polly comes up with a brilliant idea. She says she's a great actress and could easily mime instead of singing. The headmistress agrees, but Miss Badger is horrified. She tells Mrs Godbolt that Polly stunk out their classroom and suggests she'll probably make a bad smell on the stage at the festival. And what if she broke her promise and sang instead of miming? Then they'd have no chance of winning.Well, no way is Polly letting anyone stop her from going to The Opera House. How else can she become famous? And she's not leaving Mange behind either. 'Cause Great Aunt Mabel is back and she doesn't even like dogs. She'd only stick him in the shed with the chook poo and feed him fish heads for dinner.

    Andy Seed's memoir is sure to charm fans of Jack Sheffield and Gervase Phinn's nostalgic style. 'Heart-warming and hilarious' - Daily Mail Dear Mr Seed, I am sorry that are Jack was not at school yesterday. He put on such a groth spurt in the night that nun of his clowthes fitted im next morning so I had to take him to the shops. Mrs R.Twenty-five years ago, newly qualified teacher Andy Seed moved to a remote village in the Yorkshire Dales with his wife Barbara, anticipating breath-taking views and the gentle simplicity of the countryside.The picturesque scenery did not disappoint. But life as a primary school teacher was anything but simple. With a classroom full of colourful characters whose capacity for misunderstanding was exceeded only by their enthusiasm and their ability to leave him incredulous, Andy fell in love with teaching and with village life.All Teachers Great and Small tells the true story of Andy's first year at Cragthwaite Primary School - how he bravely negotiated the vagaries of the local dialect, made disastrous bids to provide a family home, naively and hilariously tried out new-fangled ideas in a school stuck in a 1950s time warp, and ultimately discovered a little part of England he was proud to call home.What readers are saying about All Teachers Great and Small:'I howled with laughter on many occasions reading this book - it's a treasure!''Andy Seed brings the Dales to life with his memorable stories about rural school life in the 1980s. I loved this book''This book spoke to me on so many levels. It really is a jolly good read, and written with love and enthusiasm'

    Imagine a cross between Aesop's Fables and the Brothers Grimm.

    They are determined to give the school name Great Place High School an all-new meaning. Summer is coming and new rivals appear to challenge our favorite couple while trying to disgrace the school.

    

    Sprinkle in a little prison sex envy and some chocolate cream-filled cookies, and it's just another normal day.

    

    And why not? Smiling has been shown to relieve stress, boost the immune system, release endorphins, and even make us more attractive. It’s the natural drug. So put down the Xanax and pick up a copy of 1,033 Reasons to Smile. Whether it’s the sight of baby animals wrestling each other or watching pigeons fight over a Cheeto, there are more than enough funny, silly, and downright weird reasons to put a smile on your face inside this little book of joy, including:     • When the person in the next lane lets you ahead of them in heavy traffic     • When you finally get back into your own bed after being away from home     • You check the calendar on a Friday and realize that Monday is a holidayWe're all looking for a reason to smile these days. Here's 1,033 of them.

    

    The show presents 30 plays in 60 minutes, 50 weeks a year, to a devoted following. The ensemble of writer-performers generates between two and 12 new plays each week, as dictated by a roll of the dice, creating a constantly changing menu of plays. In 2004, a New York ensemble was formed and the show has been running there since, playing to houses of younger, culturally adventurous audiences as well as seasoned theater-goers. The 225 plays in this volume, culled from more than 1,300 the New York company has generated since 2004, reflect the diversity of 35 current and past ensemble members and the multiplicity of viewpoints and voices they bring to the stage. The material runs the gamut of style, tone, and topic: musical, confession, agit-prop, poetic gesture, physical comedy, puppet theater, audience interrogation, folk song, sex joke, and many more.

    Unfortunately, the closest she can get to an adventure is avoiding her dimwitted suitor Mr Poggleswede. But all that could be about to change...With the help of a mysterious stranger, his unusually clever parrot and a very unreliable narrator, Penny may be on her way towards a very peculiar adventure indeed...*gothic, but with more parrots**This is the hardcopy version of Francesca Dare's popular web comic: http://www.pennyblackfeather.co.uk/