A hilarious bipartisan collection of rants, malapropisms, doublespeak, and just plain idiocy from lifelong politicians and Washington wannabes.

Whether it's a Republican mayor on crime -- "The streets are safe in Philadelphia. It's only the people who make them unsafe (Frank Rizzo) -- or his Democratic counterpart on the same subject -- "Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country" (Marion Barry) -- political discourse is often off-course, not to mention unintentionally hilarious.

Wickedly funny when read from either direction, this book presents both Republican stupidity ("Approximately 80 percent of our air pollution stems from vegetation"-- Ronald Reagan) and matching head-slappers from Democrats ("For those who died [in the San Francisco earthquake], their lives will never be the same again" -- Barbara Boxer).

The 267 Stupidest Things . . is the perfect antidote to election-year bombast.

'Bilston is a magician with words' - Guardian The perfect, witty gift for Valentine's and beyond. Alexa, what is there to know about love? is a wonderful collection of poems by Brian Bilston, Twitter's 'unofficial poet laureate', in which he frets over the challenges of modern life, extols the pleasures of books, broods over politics, and ponders the curiosities of language. But at its heart, this is a collection of poems about love. From our caveman days to the internet era, from first dates to love in old age, Alexa, what is there to know about love? has a love poem for every time, place and occasion - and will stir the soul of even the most jaded romantic. 'Brian Bilston is a laureate for our fractured times.' - Ian McMillan 'Someone who knows their way round both a joke and a bittersweet narrative.' - The Times 'Part John Cooper Clarke, part Frank Sidebottom . . . all brilliant.' - Esquire

Another collection of the heartwarming and hilarious Family Circus cartoons of Bil Keane, featured daily in nearly 1,500 newspapers worldwide!

"From the Paperback edition."

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
"[This] may be as close as Vonnegut ever comes to a memoir."
-"Los Angeles Times
"
"Like [that of] his literary ancestor Mark Twain, [Kurt Vonnegut's] crankiness is good-humored and sharp-witted. . . . [Reading "A Man Without a Country" is] like sitting down on the couch for a long chat with an old friend."
"-The New York Times Book Review"
In a volume that is penetrating, introspective, incisive, and laugh-out-loud funny, one of the great men of letters of this age-or any age-holds forth on life, art, sex, politics, and the state of America's soul. From his coming of age in America, to his formative war experiences, to his life as an artist, this is Vonnegut doing what he does best: Being himself. Whimsically illustrated by the author, "A Man Without a Country" is intimate, tender, and brimming with the scope of Kurt Vonnegut's passions.
"For all those who have lived with Vonnegut in their imaginations . . . this is what he is like in person."
-"USA Today"
"Filled with [Vonnegut's] usual contradictory mix of joy and sorrow, hope and despair, humor and gravity."
-"Chicago Tribune"
"Fans will linger on every word . . . as once again [Vonnegut] captures the complexity of the human condition with stunning calligraphic simplicity."
-"The Australian"
"Thank God, Kurt Vonnegut has broken his promise that he will never write another book. In this wondrous assemblage of mini-memoirs, we discover his family's legacy and his obstinate, unfashionable humanism."
-Studs Terkel

This volume is a collection of five satires from the Reformation period, written between 1517 and 1526. In her Introduction to the work, Rummel explains that the battle between reformers and champions of the old faith was waged on many fronts, "not only by preachers thundering from the pulpits, theologians facing each other in acrimonious disputations, and church authorities issuing censures and condemnations." This collection focuses on the impact and importance of a supporting cast of satirists whose ad hoc productions reached a wider audience, in a more visceral manner, than the rational approach which typified scholarly theological arguments. Rummel explains: "Satire, a genre that requires finely honed language skills, was the preferred weapon of the humanists, who by and large sympathizes with the reformers." The humanists and reformers were often so closely associated in the reading publicas mind that the earliest phase of the Reformation was sometimes interpreted as a quarrel between philogists and theologians, a manifestation of professional jealousies. Thus Erasmus claimed that the debates of his time were the result of antagonism between the faculties of Arts and Theology. Three of the selections contained in the volume represent the Reformers, and two support the Catholics, the "Papists" of the title. These satirical essays, circulated widely among educated laypersons, use wit and biting humor to ridicule and discredit their adversaries and belong to a genre which was part of a larger body of sixteenth-century satire. The proliferation of satires became a concern of authorities who moved to suppress what they called "hate-mongering." Officials banned the publication ofanonymously authored writings, effectively ending the publication of the satires, which were largely published either anonymously or carried only the name of the publisher. As a result, many of the pieces did not survive to the present day, many more are only known to us through obscure references in other literature. This volume brings to light five of these satiric pieces, written in the pivotal period when the Reformation ceased to be a protest and organized itself as a full-fledged movement. The topical issues featured in each satire are brought into historical context by a headnote explaining the circumstances surrounding its publication and giving bibliographical information about the satireas author. The witty style makes this collection entertaining reading and the impact of these writings sheds new light on the history of the Reformation.

To mark the tenth anniversary of the smash-hit 50 People Who Stuffed Up South Africa, the original 50 People team brings you an all-new sequel: 50 People Who F***ed Up South Africa: The Lost Decade.

As witty, enlightening and entertaining as all the franchise books, this Christmas compendium is an eye-watering indictment of our tragicomic “last lost decade”, a time of ruinous and unprecedented national decline. Whereas it took more than 350 years to come up with the list of shame for the first book, they needed just ten more for the next 50 names, from Shaun Abrahams to Zuma, Zuma and Zuma. Shot through with the architects and beneficiaries of state capture – Magashula, Mahlobo, Mahumapelo, and not forgetting the Guptas – it is also features crisp takedowns of the individuals who represent the standout scandals in this time: the like of Nkandla, Marikana, Life Esidimeni, Steinhoff, Bosasa and VBS Mutual Bank.

The end result is a readable, accessible overview of the South Africa’s recent political and socioeconomic landscape. Because sometimes humour and a clearly painted picture really is the best coping mechanism…

This volume is a collection of five satires from the Reformation period, written between 1517 and 1526. In her Introduction to the work, Rummel explains that the battle between reformers and champions of the old faith was waged on many fronts, "not only by preachers thundering from the pulpits, theologians facing each other in acrimonious disputations, and church authorities issuing censures and condemnations." This collection focuses on the impact and importance of a supporting cast of satirists whose ad hoc productions reached a wider audience, in a more visceral manner, than the rational approach which typified scholarly theological arguments. Rummel explains: "Satire, a genre that requires finely honed language skills, was the preferred weapon of the humanists, who by and large sympathizes with the reformers." The humanists and reformers were often so closely associated in the reading publicas mind that the earliest phase of the Reformation was sometimes interpreted as a quarrel between philogists and theologians, a manifestation of professional jealousies. Thus Erasmus claimed that the debates of his time were the result of antagonism between the faculties of Arts and Theology. Three of the selections contained in the volume represent the Reformers, and two support the Catholics, the "Papists" of the title. These satirical essays, circulated widely among educated laypersons, use wit and biting humor to ridicule and discredit their adversaries and belong to a genre which was part of a larger body of sixteenth-century satire. The proliferation of satires became a concern of authorities who moved to suppress what they called "hate-mongering." Officials banned the publication ofanonymously authored writings, effectively ending the publication of the satires, which were largely published either anonymously or carried only the name of the publisher. As a result, many of the pieces did not survive to the present day, many more are only known to us through obscure references in other literature. This volume brings to light five of these satiric pieces, written in the pivotal period when the Reformation ceased to be a protest and organized itself as a full-fledged movement. The topical issues featured in each satire are brought into historical context by a headnote explaining the circumstances surrounding its publication and giving bibliographical information about the satireas author. The witty style makes this collection entertaining reading and the impact of these writings sheds new light on the history of the Reformation.

The hilarious writing of James Thurber, author of 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty', collected in this classic anthology. This collection brings together the best of James Thurber's brilliantly funny, eccentric and anarchic writings. It includes his most famous work, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, in which an ordinary man's fantasies have a more powerful hold on him than reality, as well as essays, poetry and cartoons gathered from all of Thurber's collections. Making fun of his own weaknesses and those of other people (and dogs) - the English teacher who looked only at figures of speech, the Airedale who refused to include him in the family, the botany lecturer who despaired of him totally - James Thurber is a true original, whose off-beat imagination shows us everyday life from a different angle. James Thurber was born in 1894 at Columbus, Ohio, where, as he once said, so many awful things happened to him. After university (Ohio State) he worked at the American Embassy in Paris from 1918 to 1920, and then turned to journalism. From 1927 onwards he was on the staff of the New Yorker, and first published much of his work in it. He died in New York in 1961, and is today recognised as one of America's greatest twentieth-century humourists. 'One of the absolutely essential books of our time' Saturday Review of Literature 'One of the great humorists' Sunday Times

After nearly two decades spent on British soil, Bill Bryson-bestsellingauthor of The Mother Tongue and Made in America-decided to returnto the United States. ("I had recently read," Bryson writes, "that 3.7 million Americans believed that they had been abducted by aliens at one time or another,so it was clear that my people needed me.") But before departing, he set out ona grand farewell tour of the green and kindly island that had so long been his home.

Veering from the ludicrous to the endearing and back again, Notes from a Small Island is a delightfully irreverent jaunt around the unparalleled floating nation that has produced zebra crossings, Shakespeare, Twiggie Winkie's Farm, and places with names like Farleigh Wallop and Titsey. The result is an uproarious social commentary that conveys the true glory of Britain, from the satiric pen of an unapologetic Anglophile.

After nearly two decades spent on British soil, Bill Bryson-bestselling author of The Mother Tongue and Made in America-decided to return to the United States. ("I had recently read," Bryson writes, "that 3.7 million Americans believed that they had been abducted by aliens at one time or another, so it was clear that my people needed me.") But before departing, he set out on a grand farewell tour of the green and kindly island that had so long been his home.

Veering from the ludicrous to the endearing and back again, Notes from a Small Island is a delightfully irreverent jaunt around the unparalleled floating nation that has produced zebra crossings, Shakespeare, Twiggie Winkie's Farm, and places with names like Farleigh Wallop and Titsey. The result is an uproarious social commentary that conveys the true glory of Britain, from the satiric pen of an unapologetic Anglophile.

15 Bytes Book Award 2021 Independent Publisher Book Awards, Gold Medal Winner In English disparate means "different" or "miscellaneous"-apt descriptors of these essays by Patrick Madden. In Spanish, however, disparate means "nonsense," "folly," or "absurdity,"-words appropriate to Madden's goal of undercutting any notion that essays must be serious business. Thus, in this collection, the essays are frivolous and lively, aiming to make readers laugh while they think about such abstract subjects as happiness and memory and unpredictability. In this vein, Madden takes sidelong swipes at weighty topics via form, with wildly meandering essays, abandoned essays in honor of the long tradition of essayists disparaging their own efforts, and guerrilla essays-which slip in quietly under the guise of a borrowed form, abruptly attack, and promptly escape, leaving laughter and contemplation in their wake. Madden also incorporates cameos from guest essayists, including Mary Cappello, Matthew Gavin Frank, David Lazar, Michael Martone, Jericho Parms, and Wendy S. Walters, much like a musician features other performers. Disparates reflects the current zeitgeist by taking on important issues with a touch of cleverness, a dash of humor, and a little help from one's friends. Read Chapter 1.

It’s been the year of living dangerously, a year of being acknowledged, and it will be the year of the long-awaited court case. The national conscience has been hard at work in this, Zapiro's latest collection, But Will It Stand Up In Court?

Zapiro has been tackling the state of the nation, and what a state it’s been in!

President Zuma launched a R5 million court case against Zapiro. This, combined with the ANC’s court action against Brett Murray, informs the title of this year’s collection.

The hilarious new collection of stories and observations from Jeremy Clarkson - setting our off-kilter world to rights with thigh-slapping wit once again. Who is that tractor-driving Gentleman Farmer? Has Jeremy turned into a horny-handed son of the soil? These and other perplexing questions may or may not be answered in the latest volume of Clarkson's utterly unbiased musings on life, the universe and everything in between (except cars - this isn't one of his four-wheel drive books). Inside you'll also discover why: * Bathing in crude oil isn't for everyone * People who go fishing hate their kids * Noise-cancelling headphones will never silence James May * The rambler who stole his marrow is in for it Full of fact-checked opinions and ideas so good they're no longer following the science but chasing it up a tree, Can You Make This Thing Go Faster? is one hundred per cent guaranteed Clarkson . . . Praise for Clarkson: 'Brilliant . . . laugh-out-loud' Daily Telegraph 'Outrageously funny . . . will have you in stitches' Time Out 'Very funny . . . I cracked up laughing on the tube' Evening Standard

Anjelah Johnson had two dreams as a kid: to be an actress and to be a chola. You may know Anjelah Johnson for her viral sketch "Nail Salon" (over 30 million views) or her beloved ghetto-fabulous MadTV character Bon Qui Qui, but it's her clean humor and hilarious storytelling that make her one of the most successful stand-up comedians today. In Who Do I Think I Am? Anjeleh shares hilarious stories about her life, from her irrational fear of death ("Please Don't Die, Okay?") to growing up caught between two worlds ("I'm Mexican/Hella American") to her cultural pride ("Chola Wishes & Caviar Dreams"). Of course, like any good Latina, she offers a choice of stories that are mild ("I Love Jesus But I Will Punch A 'Ho), medium ("Chin-checked by Prince") and spicy ("I'm Dating You Cuz I'm Hungry"). The book follows Anjelah's unlikely journey as she transforms from a suburban kid with Aquanet-drenched hair into a conservative Christian who abstains from drinking and premarital sex, into a mall-famous Raider cheerleader, and then an actually famous comedian traveling the world and meeting people from all-walks of life. As she travels the world, Anjelah has eye-opening experiences, and she morphs from square, rigid Anjelah into "Funjelah," and learns that she can still ride with Jesus without squashing the other parts of her personality. Anjelah's stories explore subjects such as embracing--and sometimes trying too hard to embrace--your racial identity, finding your place in the world and chasing your crazy dreams, the messiness of an evolving faith, and searching for belonging and meaning. Through her journey, Anjelah discovers her true identity, found only in the all-encompassing love of God, and encourages readers to have the audacity to dream big and fight to achieve their goals, no matter what obstacles they may face.

Prolific writer Gary Soto introduces the beauty of the much neglected literary form, the "proverb." His proverbs are quirky, fun, urban and enlightening for all ages. Some people might consider the literary genre of proverbs to be stodgy or out of date, perhaps pretentious and irrelevant in our techy world. Not so with Meatballs for the People: Proverbs to Chew On. These proverbs are all original, all beckoning for verbal debate and discussion, and addictive in that it's impossible to read just one. The nearly even hundred proverbs are discussion starters and could be a favorite work among book groups. They are enjoyable fodder not only for laughter, but for possible enlightenment. The title alone-Meatballs for the People-suggests substance and a hardy meal. You can really chew on these.

Are the end times near? Is the Rapture really just around the corner? Could Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson possibly be right? About 1 billion people among us believe, yes, absolutely.
And that means one thing: investment opportunities
For those who are not as expertly versed in the Book of Revelation, Ellis Weiner and Barbara Davilman, authors of the bestselling "Yiddish with Dick and Jane," helpfully offer both illumination and advice: What exactly is the Rapture, anyway? How is it different from the Tribulation? Who are the Antichrist, the Four Horsemen, and the 144,000 male virgins, and what do they want? And, most important, how can I make money during the 7 years of societal breakdown before Armaggedon?
Taking the familiar form of a how-to investment guide, HOW TO PROFIT FROM THE COMING RAPTURE instructs those readers who will certainly be left behind (Jews, Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, less ardent Protestants, and many more) on how to exploit the inevitable demise of the world in order to make a tidy profit. Sure, the rivers and seas will run with blood, locusts will swarm, mountains will move all over the place, and famine will strike. But for the "five billion" of us left behind, the post-Rapture world will be a time of even more unique investment opportunities.

"Sedaris is a remarkably skilled storyteller and savvy essayist....And based, on this latest collection, he's getting only better." ---Los Angeles Times
A guy walks into a bar car and...
From here the story could take many turns. When the guy is David Sedaris, the possibilities are endless, but the result is always the same: he will both delight you with twists of humor and intelligence and leave you deeply moved.
Sedaris remembers his father's dinnertime attire (shirtsleeves and underpants), his first colonoscopy (remarkably pleasant), and the time he considered buying the skeleton of a murdered Pygmy. The common thread? Sedaris masterfully turns each essay into a love story: how it feels to be in a relationship where one loves and is loved over many years, what it means to be part of a family, and how it's possible, through all of life's absurdities, to grow to love oneself.
With LET'S EXPLORE DIABETES WITH OWLS, David Sedaris shows once again why he is widely considered the "the funniest writer in America" ("O, the Oprah Magazine").

THE NO. 1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER This is Going to Hurt was the publishing phenomenon of the century, read by many millions, loved by at least fifty of them, and adapted into a major TV series. But it was only part of the story. By turns hilarious, heartbreaking and humbling, Undoctored is about what happens when a doctor hangs up his scrubs, but medicine refuses to let go of him. It's about an extraordinary medical school education. It's about opening old wounds and examining the present-day scars. It's about hospital admissions and personal ones. It's about blowing up your life and stitching it back together. It's about being a doctor and being a patient. It's about 300 pages long. Undoctored is Adam Kay's funniest and most moving book yet - an astonishing portrait of a life in and out of medicine, from one of Britain's finest storytellers.

'Matt is an Adorable Genius' Jilly Cooper The last twelve months seen through the eyes of the brilliantly funny cartoonist Matt - the perfect Christmas gift. 'No one can be funny every time - except Matt' John Humphrys 'So much greater than his nearest rivals it's almost embarrassing' Stephen Fry 'That rare thing - a daily cartoonist who never fails' THE TIMES There is no doubt: award-winning Matt definitely makes the world a happier place!

James Crosbie was Britain's most wanted man in 1974. With a successful business and an enviable lifestyle, he seemed to have everything going for him - until he got bored with his life and turned to armed robbery. He ended up in Peterhead Prison, doing time with some of the hardest, and funniest, men in crime. Peterhead Porridge is a remarkable account of the people he met. People like The Saughton Harrier who escaped from prison by dressing up as a runner, complete with running vest and number, and joining in as a race went by. And another escapee, Tweety Pie, was so-called because, when he flew the coop, he had a nasty case of jaundice. Then there's Square Go, the prison warder who was always up for a fight. And discover the practical jokes that were the trademark of Glasgow's Godfather Arthur Thompson and what really happened when someone poured their porridge over his head in the breakfast queue. Funny, sad and at times barely believable, Peterhead Porridge is a unique insight into the other side of prison life.

From hairstyles to heartbreak, sisters are jolly spiffing and this tip-top collection of retro photos and frightfully funny captions captures everything to love about the trials and tribulations of having a sister. The Wit and Wisdom of... is a series of terrifically humorous books for adults brought to you by the rip-roaringly funny folks behind the best-selling On-the-Ceiling greetings cards Also available: The Wit and Wisdom of Brother The Wit and Wisdom of Grandma The Wit and Wisdom of Grandad The Wit and Wisdom of Mum The Wit and Wisdom of Dad The Wit and Wisdom of the Wife The Wit and Wisdom of the Husband The Wit and Wisdom of Beer The Wit and Wisdom of Wine The Wit and Wisdom of Prosecco The Wit and Wisdom of Gin

The perfect gift for Christmas! What does 'custard and jelly' mean in cockney rhyming slang? Which biscuit has half of its name on top of the cooker and the other half on the door? And 25 million of what drink are served by British Airways each year? We Brits can't get enough of a quiz. Stumped for office party chit-chat? Quiz. Midweek visit to the pub? Quiz. Stuck inside in pyjamas on a rainy night and in the mood to cause a big family argument? You got it - quiz. This book is correspondingly filled with questions on all things wonderfully and unequivocally British - you'll find all sorts of tickly teasers, complex conundrums, worrisome word searches and much more on topics ranging from our iconic weather to types of cake. Best enjoyed with a cup of tea and your favourite biscuit(s). *** ANSWERS: Telly, Hobnob, buy the book and find out! *** Praise for Very British Problems 'Had us guffawing into our Earl Grey tea' Bella 'My favourite twitter account at the moment is Very British Problems (@soverybritish) . . . it makes me laugh out loud' Tom Hiddleston 'Hilarious' Daily Express 'Temple pays affectionate and comic homage to the sheer quirkiness of being British' Good Book Guide

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Cat is a book of more than 20 influential artists reimagined as artistic felines. From Frida Catlo to Yayoi Catsama, Wassily Catdinski to Henri Catisse, each portrait of the artist as a young cat is accompanied by a clever tongue-in-cheek biography revealing the thrilling feline lives (all nine) behind their famed artwork. Loaded with clever cat puns, this playful romp through art history will twist the whiskers of any cat-loving creative, whether you're discovering the inspiration for Frida Catlo's renowned self-pawtraits to reflecting on the catmosphere that gave rise to Georgia O'Kitty's landscapes. * Features fantastic feline artists such as Mary Catsatt and Meow Weiwei * A cute and clever little book that cat and art lovers alike will love * Packed with tons of real biographical info about each artist and plentiful cat puns For cat lovers with an artistic purr-suasion, this is the ultimate celebration of their favorite artists. * A purrfectly smart and sweet gift book for cat lovers, art lovers, pun enthusiasts, and those who love them * Great for those who loved Fat Cat Art by Svetlana Petrova, Cats Galore by Susan Herbert, Of Cats and Men: Profiles of History's Great Cat-Loving Artists, Writers, Thinkers and Statesmen by Sam Kalda

In Nothing Is Wrong and Here Is Why, acclaimed The Washington Post satirist Alexandra Petri offers perfectly logical, reassuring reasons for everything that has happened in recent American politics and culture that will in no way unsettle your world view. In essays both new and adapted from her viral columns, Petri reports that the Trump administration is as competent as it is uncorrupted, white supremacy has never been less rampant and men have been silenced for too long. Q-Anon makes perfect sense! At the centre of the book is a virtuosic account of the past four years, a history as surreal and deranged as the Trump administration itself. This Panglossian venture into the swampy present will soothe- and terrify readers.

A light-hearted, intimate and emphatically feminist history of dating, from Jane Austen to Tinder.

Dating has never been easy. The road to true love has always been rutted with heartbreak, but do we have it any easier today? How did Victorians 'come out'? How did love blossom in war-torn Europe? And why did 80s' video-dating never take off?

Bursting with little-known facts and tantalising tales of lovelorn men and besotted women, Nichi Hodgson's intriguing history of amorous relationships, from enamoured Georgians to frenziedly swiping millennials (and everyone in between) may leave you grateful that you live - and love - today.