Other books that might interest you

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  Knickerbocker's History of New...

  Washington Irving

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  Washington Irving, an author, biographer, historian, and diplomat, completed his first major work, a satire of contemporary local history and politics entitled A History of New-York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty, by Diedrich Knickerbocker in 1809.  Prior to its publication, Irving started a promotional hoax (not unlike some modern-day publicity stunts?) by placing fake missing persons advertisements in local newspapers asking for help in locating Diedrich Knickerbocker.  As a continuation of the hoax, Irving also published a notice purported to be written by the proprietor of the hotel where Knickbocker was staying, in which he threatened to publish a manuscript “left behind” by Knickerbocker if the hotel bill was not paid. From “The Author’s Apology”: “The main object of my work, in fact, had a bearing wide from the sober aim of history, but one which, I trust, will meet with some indulgence from poetic minds. It was to embody the traditions of our city in an amusing form; to illustrate its local humors, customs and peculiarities; to clothe home scenes and places and familiar names with those imaginative and whimsical associations so seldom met with in our new country, but which live like charms and spells about the cities of the old world, binding the heart of the native inhabitant to his home.” - (Summary by lubee930 from the text and adapted from Wikipedia)

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  Humans: A Brief History of How...

  Tom Phillips

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  Modern humans have come a long way in the seventy thousand years they’ve walked the earth. Art, science, culture, trade—on the evolutionary food chain, we’re true winners. But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing, and sometimes—just occasionally—we’ve managed to truly f*ck things up.Weaving together history, science, politics and pop culture, Humans offers a panoramic exploration of humankind in all its glory, or lack thereof. From Lucy, our first ancestor, who fell out of a tree and died, to General Zhou Shou of China, who stored gunpowder in his palace before a lantern festival, to the Austrian army attacking itself one drunken night, to the most spectacular fails of the present day, Humans reveals how even the most mundane mistakes can shift the course of civilization as we know it. Lively, wry and brimming with brilliant insight, this unique compendium offers a fresh take on world history and is one of the most entertaining reads of the year.

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  News from Lake Wobegon: Fall -...

  Garrison Keillor

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  Funny and touching, these monologues from original live broadcasts of A Prairie Home Companion focus on the fall season.Includes: Giant Decoys Daryl Tollerud's Long Day Hog Slaughter ThanksgivingThe Royal Family

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  The Little Nugget

  P. G. Wodehouse

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  The Little Nugget is a novel by the undisputed master of comedy P.G. Wodehouse, first published in 1913. Mrs. Nesta Ford, in her London hotel room, reveals to her new friend Lord Mountry that she hopes to take her son Ogden on a yachting trip proposed by Mountry, despite her ex-husband having won custody of the boy. As Mountry leaves, Cynthia Drassilis arrives with Ogden, whom she has led away from his father's country house. Mrs. Ford rewards Cynthia, but soon Mr. Ford's secretary, a Mr Minnick, arrives to recover the stolen child. Cynthia tries to bribe his colleague, Mrs. Sheridan, but to no avail, as she believes Nesta's influence has spoiled the boy. After they have gone, Nesta reveals to Cynthia Ogden's past as the 'Little Nugget', and the repeated attempts to kidnap him made by US gangsters. Nesta wishes to call in professional help, but Cynthia persuades her she can still do it, with the help of her new fiancé...If you think this is messy, you haven't heard anything yet!

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  In The Name of Jaysus! - Stuff...

  Colin Murphy

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  Ever lose the head when the country grinds to a halt after two centimetres of snow?
  Do the parish-pump politicians, perennially pathetic health services and practically useless road signs drive you to drink?
  Are all these and a million other maddening quirks of Irish society sapping your will to live?
  In the Name of Jaysus is a hilarious rant about all things exasperating, irritating and downright infuriating in Ireland today. If you're Irish – or if you just live here and have to endure our traditional manner of doing things arseways – then, in the name of Jaysus, this is the book for you!

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  The Busy Body

  Donald E. Westlake

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  The funeral for a Mafia drug mule leads to trouble when the body goes missing. 
  Al Engel had worked his way up to being Nick Rovito’s right-hand man, near the top of the Syndicate. And this was a delicate job that Rovito had given him: retrieving a very important jacket, loaded with heroin, from the fresh grave of the drug mule who was accidentally buried wearing it.  
  Rovito orders Engel to go to the grave in the early hours of the morning, dig up the coffin, and get back the suit—plus kill two bird with one stone (so to speak) and whack the guy who will help with the digging. There’s just one problem (at least there’s just one to begin with): It turns out the grave is empty. Now it’s Engel who finds himself “in deep”. 
  Busy Body is early Westlake, as he was mastering the genre he would become known for: the comic caper.

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