Following hot on the heels of last year's Top 10 bestseller, Ripley's Believe It or Not! 2018 offers a completely new assortment of strange-but-true facts and amazing stories! From the elephant who can play baseball, to the flowers that bloomed in space, to the weasel found inside the world's biggest computer, Ripley's compendium of hair-raising oddities will delight and fascinate the whole family. Complete with a mind-blowing 3D-effect cover, and packed with gob-smacking photos and illustrations, Ripley's Believe It or Not! 2018 offers another feast of mind-blowing tales of the extraordinary. Prepare yourself for this year's Ripley's bonanza!

'So funny it will make you sick' TIME OUT 'Cooper's letters are absurd, pointless and very, very funny' RICKY GERVAIS 'The funniest book you'll read' THE GUARDIAN _______________ The massive bestselling book featuring the wonderfully silly letters of Robin Cooper (aka Friday Night Dinner creator Robert Popper). For several years, Robin Cooper has been plaguing department stores, hotels, associations, fan clubs and a certain children's book publisher with his letters. So who is Robin Cooper? Architect, thimble designer, trampoline tester and wasp expert, he is all of these things - it just depends on who he is writing to... This cult hit is a collection of Robin's mad-cap letters to everyone from Prince Charles to the Peanut Council, Harrods to the British Halibut Association - no one is safe. The resulting replies, as well as Cooper's replies-to-these-replies, will have you in hysterics. Letter writing will never be the same again.

Brilliant, witty, perceptive essays about fly-fishing, the natural world, and life in general by the acknowledged master of fishing writers.
For the first time, two of John Gierach's most popular fishing books are collected in one volume--a double dose of delight for longtime fans or first-time visitors to Gierach country.
As Gierach astutely observes in "Dances with Trout, ""Fly-fishing is solitary, contemplative, misanthropic, scientific in some hands, poetic in others, and laced with conflicting aesthetic considerations. It's not even clear if catching fish is actually the point." This observation might also describe Gierach's writing--catching fish might be the subject, but most of the fun and (mis)adventure comes well before that point. Whether it's fishing close to home waters (Colorado) or farther afield (Alaska, Scotland, Texas); ice-fishing, tournament fishing, or night fishing; fishing for trout, salmon, carp, splake, or grayling; fishing with familiar companions like A.K. Best or the enigmatic "Zen master among fishing guides"; no detail of the fishing life is too insignificant or too absurd for Gierach.
As he writes in "Another Lousy Day in Paradise, ""The real truth about fly-fishing is, it is beautiful beyond description in almost every way, and when a certain kind of person is confronted with a certain kind of beauty, they are either saved or ruined for life, or a little bit of both." So start reading and be saved--or ruined--by Gierach's wonderful insights into the world around us.

When "New York Times" bestselling author and comedian Jim Norton isn't paying for massages with happy endings, or pretending to be fooled by transsexuals he picks up, he spends his time wondering what certain people would look like on fire...

What do Heather Mills, the Reverend Al Sharpton, and Dr. Phil have in common? Jim Norton hates their guts. And he probably hates yours, too, especially if you're a New York Yankee, Starbucks employee, or Steve Martin.

In thirty-five hilarious essays, "New York Times" bestselling author and comedian Jim Norton spews bile on the people he loathes. Enjoy his blistering attacks on Derek Jeter, Hillary Clinton, fatso Al Roker, and mush-mouthed Jesse Jackson. It's utterly hilarious -- and utterly relatable if you've ever bitten a stranger's face or thrown a bottle through the TV screen while watching the news.

But don't think Jim just dishes loads of shit on his self-proclaimed enemies; he is equally atrocious to himself. He savages himself for his humiliating days as a white homeboy, his balletlike spins in the outfield during a little league game, and his embarrassingly botched attempt at a celebrity shout-out while taping his new HBO stand-up series.

Uncomfortably honest, "I Hate Your Guts" is probably the best example of emotional vomiting you'll ever read. But there is hope; at the end of each essay, Jim generously offers helpful suggestions as to how the offender can make things right again: Eliot Spitzer: If you run for re-election, instead of shaking hands with voters, let them smell your fingers.

Reverend Al Sharpton: The next time you feel the need to protest, do so dressed as an elk in Ted Nugent's backyard.

Hillary Clinton: When you absolutely must make a point of laughing publicly, don't fake it. Just think of something that genuinely makes you laugh, like lowering taxes or any random male having his penis cut off.

For the legions of devoted fans who know Jim Norton for his raw, sometimes brutal comedy, "I Hate Your Guts" is what you've been waiting for. But even more important -- it's a great book to read while taking a shit.

Die geliefde dominee Barend Vos se sketse oor die lewe van ’n predikant en sy gesin in ’n plattelandse gemeente het tot op hede in vyf bundels verskyn. Dié sketse verskyn die afgelope tien jaar elke maand in die tydskrif LIG, met illustrasies deur Fred Mouton.

In Liefdegroete, Grootseun word ’n dertigtal van Vos se Grootseun-stukke wat die afgelope jare in Lig verskyn het, byeen gebring as keur van die meer as 100 wat sedert sy laaste versameling verskyn het. Elke rubriek word aangebied as ’n brief wat deur “Grootseun” geskryf word aan sy ouers. Die sketse het meestal ’n sterk humoristiese aanslag en gefokus op ’n plattelandse kerkgemeenskap waarvolgens “Grootseun” die Jongdominee van die gemeente is. Die ruimte is dus plattelands, kerklik en geskryf met ’n deernisvolle aanbod wat eie is aan Vos se skryfstyl.

A riotous collection of bathroom graffiti and words of wisdom, "The Porcelain God Speaks" is a paean to anonymous bathroom philosophers everywhere. Featuring important commentary on religion ("Jesus Saves But wouldn't it be better if He had invested?"); Politics ("Bread not Bombs--but we tried bread and found it would not explode"); Psychology ("It's my parent's fault more than the drug's"), among many other pearls of wisdom, "Porcelain" is a witty, humorous and edgy guide to the best of the bathroom wall. With each page illustrated in inspiring full-color, "The Porcelain God Speaks" is a literary and artistic milestone in bathroom studies.

Texas-born Jacque Lynn Schiller is an accomplished satirical writer and humorist. She is also the wife of Tom Schiller, a writer for the original Saturday Night Live.

Laughterpedia of Fun Plus is a compendium of jokes compiled during lockdown, with the assistance of Ellie J., a young artist. Her picture gallery is presented with apologies to Picasso and others as some of their ideas have been re-used.

In "We Learn Nothing," satirical cartoonist Tim Kreider turns his funny, brutally honest eye to the dark truths of the human condition, asking big questions about human-sized problems: What if you survive a brush with death and it doesn't change you? Why do we fall in love with people we don't even like? How do you react when someone you've known for years unexpectedly changes genders?
With a perfect combination of humor and pathos, these essays, peppered with Kreider's signature cartoons, leave us with newfound wisdom and a unique prism through which to examine our own chaotic journeys through life. These are the conversations you have only with best friends or total strangers, late at night over drinks, near closing time.
This edition also includes the sensationally popular essay "The Busy Trap," as seen in the "New York Times."

Written by sex educator and body-positivity advocate Ruby Rare, Sex Ed is the practical and fun guide to sex that you've always wanted - but never known how to ask for. This is the information you should have been taught at school: a no-holds-barred roadmap that covers everything from how the brain is the most important sex organ and how to communicate what you want to yourself and a partner, all the way down to the messy stuff - solo sex, orgasms, touching, kissing, blow jobs, cunnilingus, anal play, lube, toys, kegels. After all, sex education shouldn't start and end with putting a condom on a banana.

Khaya Dlanga has established himself as one of the most influential individuals in South African media, particularly social media, a platform he uses to promote discussion on topics that range from the frivolous to the profound. In to quote myself, Khaya recounts entertaining and moving stories about his roots and upbringing in rural Transkei, how he made his mark at school as well as his time spent studying advertising and as a stand-up comedian. He also shares his political views, how he overcame homelessness to become one of the most influential marketers in South Africa and he gives the reader a dose of the truly weird and wonderful that is routinely a part of his life.

Tim Cotton has been a police officer for more than thirty years. The writer in him has always been drawn to the stories of the people he has met along the way. Dealing with the standard issue ne’er-do-wells as a patrol officer, homicide detective, polygraph examiner, and later as the lieutenant in charge of the criminal investigation division certainly provides an interesting backdrop—but more often he writes about the regular folks he encounters, people who need his help, or those who just want to share a joke or even a sad story. The Detective in the Dooryard is composed of stories about the people, places, and things of Maine. There are sad stories, big events, and even the very mundane, all told from the perspective of a seasoned police office and in the wry voice of a lifelong Mainer. Many of the stories will leave you chuckling, some will invariably bring tears to your eyes, but all will leave you with a profound sense of hope and positivity.

Go further under the covers and stay in bed a little longer with Marian Keyes in this winning follow-up to her smash essay collection, Under the Duvet. Written in the witty, forthright style that has earned her legions of devoted readers, "Cracks in My Foundation" offers an even deeper and more candid look into this beloved author's mind and heart, exploring such universal themes as friends and family, home, glamour and beauty, children, travel, and more. Marian's hilarious and thoughtful take on life makes her readers feel they are reading a friend, not just an author.

Marian continues to entertain with her reports from the trenches, and throws in some original short fiction as well. Whether it's visiting Siberia, breaking it off with an old hairdresser, shopping (of course!), turning "forty," living with her beloved husband, Himself (a man beyond description), or musing on the F word (feminism), Marian shares the joys, passions, and sorrows of her world and helps us feel good about our own. So grab a latte and a pillow and get ready to laugh your slippers off!

Arranged alphabetically by topic, from Adam to Youth, and culled from his novels, speeches, letters, and conversations, this anthology of quotes is timeless and represents the very essence of Mark Twain -- hilarious, cranky, and insightful.

One of the biggest changes any child experiences is the transition to school. While children are adaptable and adventurous, they are also fragile and innocent, and they need the guidance of parents, adult friends, older siblings, and family members to encourage them on the journey forward to life's adventures. Starting school is a milestone where a positive outlook can make all the difference. Penelope is looking forward to her first day of school, and she wants to share that excitement with your child. Join Penelope as she prepares for her big day.

"Hi! I'm Victoria Wood and I've proved that playing the piano and singing songs very inaccurately can help you to lose weight and more importantly keep that weight off on a permanent basis. No calorie counting! No faddy restrictions! No weird combinations! Just sing songs at the piano for several hours a day, then drink eight pints of distilled water and lock yourself in the lavatory. Try it! It worked for me."

'The poet laureate of lists' John Mitchinson, QI Elf 'Brilliant, hilarious fun from a master wordsmith - you will LOVE this book' Kit de Waal Join wordsmith Adam Sharp as he journeys around the world in idioms, proverbs and general nonsense. Learn unusual insults from France (You are a potato with the face of a guinea pig), how to hurry someone up in the US (You're going as slow as molasses in January) and what they call a shark in Vietnam (fat fish). Full of fascinating, ridiculous and hilarious translations from around the world, Adam has rounded up the very best of what every corner of the globe has to offer. Let's get this show on the road! Or: Let's saddle the chickens! (German) On with the butter! (Icelandic) Forward with the goat! (Dutch)

Beginning with the legendary story of a man in Jonesport (or was it Dexter or Waterford or Litchfield?) who raffled off his horse, which incidentally had been dead for some time, these twenty-nine tales cover the length and breadth of Maine and extend back to the sixteenth-century fishing camps that were set up a hundred years before Jamestown and Plymouth. Learn about the origin and history of "schoolmarms," along with other classic tales on Down East thrift, the evils of drink, Maine weather, lumbering folklore, and Paul Bunyan. These yarns often pull your leg, so keep a sharp eye! Such a collection makes for an encyclopedia of the great cultural achievement of Mainers, which has been compared to the Rosetta Stone and the birth of Chaucer. But essentially The Jonesport Raffle is a book of the highest humor that will be a source of infinite enjoyment.

Maine curmudgeon John Gould offers humorous tongue-in-cheek advice for fathers-to-be with a non-medical, non-technical, non-scientific explanation of the masculine side of the matter, with much that is useful and nothing that is wholly useless.