Baby boomer humorist Fred Lavner takes you back to the corner of his Philadelphia neighborhood and beyond for a hilarious account of his schools, friends, exploits and other examples of teenage angst. It's a blast from the past!

The definitive collection of Georgia's odd, wacky, and most offbeat people, places, and things, for Georgia residents and anyone else who enjoys local humor and trivia with a twist.

This is a book of true stories about birds and animals that my family and I have fostered or adopted over the years. We enjoyed these tempporary, and sometimes permanent, members of our family. All of the birds and animals had distinct personallities. Some were bossy and some were very easy to have as companions. A lot like people. We learned that there is a "something" that runs all through living beings, be they human, animal or fowl.We have been the foster parets, or adoptive parents, to blue jays, cardinals, piegeons, African gray geese, ducks, a Guinea pig, swamp rabbits, a mockingbird, gray foxes and assorted other birds and animals that have hopped, flown and walked through our life, including a cat that hunted with predator tapes.

Your round-trip ticket to the wildest, wackiest, most outrageous people, places, and things the Prairie State has to offer!

Sometimes people ask Smiley, "When are you going to retire?" He answers by telling this story: "I once asked my former publisher, David Manship, ''When can I retire?" His response was "retire from what? I don''t guess I''ll ever retire, after all, I love my work, my readers supply me with great material, and there''s no heavy lifting." Life around Smiley is never dull. Whenever he goes out, whether in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, even Orange Beach, Alabama, and San Francisco, California, people recognize his face and just have to get to him to tell him a joke or a story. Smiley is a joyful little cherub of a man and his work exudes wit and character. He''s the kind of guy you just want to "belly up to the bar" with. And you really haven''t lived until you''ve seen him at Spanish Town Mardi Gras in his pink tu-tu and red pumps. Katherine Scales Anders, "current wife" aka "Lady Katherine"

Mark Twain (or Samuel Clemens) intended for his autobiography to be published long after he died. He felt that he couldn't be honest about his experiences and contemporaries if he was worried about the reaction of others. However, in 1906 he agreed to publish selections from the autobiography in the North American Review, from September 1906 through December 1907. The twenty-five "Chapters from My Autobiography" have been brought together in this book. At the beginning of each chapter is the following preface: Prefatory Note -- Mr. Clemens began to write his autobiography many years ago, and he continues to add to it day by day. It was his original intention to permit no publication of his memoirs until after his death; but, after leaving "Pier No. 70," he concluded that a considerable portion might now suitably be given to the public. It is that portion, garnered from the quarter-million of words already written, which will appear in this Review during the coming year. No part of the autobiography will be published in book form during the lifetime of the author. -- Editor N. A. R.Eventually the full 'Autobiography of Mark Twain' was published after his death. It is more a lengthy set of anecdotes and ruminations than a traditional autobiography, published in four volumes and comprises some half a million words.

"Bynum - Retracing Steps" tells the history, development and decline of a small community located on and next to a U.S. Army ordnance depot which covers the time period of the 1950's and 60's. Within this history are numerous stories about interesting people who lived there and events that occurred during the period. All accounts are true. The names of the people are actual names except for Joe who shot off his middle toe to avoid the draft during the Vietnam War.

I asked 70 strangers, 'Please give me a piece of life advice.' I used their responses as inspiration to write my next poem. This poetry collection is the result. The youngest stranger I asked was six years old. The oldest stranger was eighty-something. Some were asked in the queue at the supermarket or the post office. One time I asked the waiter at a restaurant. I also asked Joanne, who was trying to sell me car insurance over the phone. My favourite? It's hard to choose. "Don't tie your shoelace in a revolving door" said by a chap called Russell was a corker. "Spend time with the people you love" said Nicole, aged nine, on a particular day when I was feeling alone, really pulled on my heart strings. And then 'Make every day count' said Matt, was a particular fond memory. I met this stranger by chance in a woodland car park. It was a cold winter's day and I had been for a run in the woods. Caked in mud I arrived back at the car park only to find I had somehow locked my car keys in the car. He was an incredibly kind man and he drove me to my house and back to get my spare keys. During the car journey, with conversation flowing, of course I had to ask him for his life advice. When I was younger I was told, 'don't talk to strangers.' Good advice. But on this occasion, I am so glad I did.

How to be cool when you're afraid you've forgotten how . . .

Sure, you can try to stay younger by exercising, coloring your hair, and wearing stylish clothes--but how do you respond when someone asks, "Do you Twitter?" "How Not to Act Old" gives you simple ways to come back from over the hill and to act as young as you look.

Covering everything from old-people entertainment (cancel that dinner party!) to old-people communication (it's called a "voice mail," not a "message," and no one leaves or listens to them anyway), Pamela Redmond Satran decodes the behaviors, viewpoints, and cultural touchstones that separate you from the hip young person you wish you still were. This irreverent guide is essential for anyone who doesn't want to embarrass their kids--or themselves.

Strap on yir seatbelts for a brah an' bumpy ride alang eviry twist an' turn o' the Dundonese dehelict. From the vehrus to the V&Eh, from matteramonial matters to shoppin' - and never forgetting pehzn beans an' pehzn peas - Wha Bohked in the Aspadeestra? is a delightful slice of the Tayside pie. Peppered with Bob Dewar's quirky illustrations and salted with Norman Watson's tongue-in-cheek translations, this wee gem of a book will resonate with Dundonians and their kin the world over. M'wah. E've got tae skoot!

The definitive collection of South Dakota's odd, wacky, and most offbeat people, places, and things, for South Dakota residents and anyone else who enjoys local humor and trivia with a twist.

Most people would agree, no matter what language they speak, that familiar proverbs and sayings emerge. These are readily spoken and understood within that particular culture without regard to how or when they began. Unique among these is the language spoken by Americans since it has developed from many languages, dialects, and regional cultures, each contributing to it, if only a little. No attempt is made here to explain the origins of these sayings. We've tried to entitle groups of sayings by category, such as verbs, animals, birds, people, etc. Thus far, we've collected about 400 with more coming to light every day from various sources. In the meantime, we hope these will amuse and entertain you and stir up your pure minds. We made very little attempt toward grammatical correctness. In many cases, this would render the saying much less effective. Also, the use of slang and "non words" often helps paint "word pictures," where this would be absent when applying correct grammar.

Coal Miners from the forties and fifties were a special kind of people. The community of the camps they lived in instilled value and culture that is lacking in today's world. The "Coal Camp Kids" and "Teens" aren't kids any more. Most of them have great grandchildren. "Coal Camp Kids, The End of an Era" catches up with the "Kids" today, and tells how they are passing on their values. The process creates some amusing circumstances. As you read, find out: Who got a phone call from Jesus, why were Bonnie and Margie on a four wheeler, who told David Pittman, "That's how they do it on TV," Why was Ruby Bartley so embarrassed, who thought they might need a good talking to, what did Karen shower everyone with, who got a standing ovation, what did Billie pray for, who is afraid of a thunderstorm, who thinks they would get a rush from a tornado, what got Paula tickled on the elevator, why was Joshua splashing in the tub, and who was interested in Margie's twelve string? Explore the joys and heartaches that fill our everyday lives in the West Virginia Mountains. "The End of an Era" completes the trilogy.