Download or read book No Laughing Matter written by Joseph Heller and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2004-12-15 with total page 293 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An uproarious and frank memoir of illness and recovery, No Laughing Matter is a story of friendship and recuperation from the author of the classic Catch-22. It all began one typical day in the life of Joe Heller. He was jogging four miles at a clip these days, working on his novel God Knows, coping with the complications of an unpleasant divorce, and pigging out once or twice a week on Chinese food with cronies like Mel Brooks, Mario Puzo, and his buddy of more than twenty years, Speed Vogel. He was feeling perfectly fine that day—but within twenty-four hours he would be in intensive care at Manhattan's Mount Sinai Hospital. He would remain hospitalized for nearly six months and leave in a wheelchair. Joseph Heller had Guillain-Barré syndrome, a debilitating, sometimes fatal condition that can leave its victims paralyzed from head to toe. The clan gathered immediately. Speed—sometime artist, sometime businessman, sometime herring taster, and now a coauthor—moved into Joe's apartment as messenger, servant, and shaman. Mel Brooks, arch-hypochondriac of the Western world, knew as much about Heller's condition as the doctors. Mario Puzo, author of the preeminent gangster novel of our time, proved to be the most reluctant man ever to be dragged along on a hospital visit. These and lots of others rallied around the sickbed in a show of loyalty and friendship that not only built a wild and spirited camaraderie but helped bring Joe Heller, writer and buddy extraordinaire, through his greatest crisis. This book is an inspiring, hilarious memoir of a calamitous illness and the rocky road to recuperation—as only the author of Catch-22 and the friend who helped him back to health could tell it. No Laughing Matter is as wacky, terrifying, and greathearted as any fiction Joseph Heller ever wrote.

Download or read book Laughing Matters written by Lee Siegel and published by Motilal Banarsidass Publishe. This book was released on 1989 with total page 528 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Laughing Atoms Laughing Matter written by T.H.M. Gellar-Goad and published by University of Michigan Press. This book was released on 2020-03-02 with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The aim of this study is to track De Rerum Natura along two paths of satire. One is the broad boulevard of satiric literature from the beginnings of Greek poetry to the plays, essays, and broadcast media of the modern world. The other is the narrower lane of Roman verse satire, satura, whose canon begins in the Middle Republic with Ennius and Lucilius and closes with Juvenal, an author of the Flavian era. The first main portion of this book (chapters 2-3) focuses on Lucretius and Roman satura, while the following chapters broaden the scope to satiric elements of Lucretius more generally, but still with plenty of reference to the poets of Roman satura as satirists par excellence. By examining how Lucretius' poem employs the tools, techniques, and tactics of satire-by evaluating how and where in De Rerum Natura the speaker functions as a satirist-we gain, I argue, a fuller, richer understanding of how the poem works and how its poetry interacts with its purported philosophical program. Attention to the role of De Rerum Natura in the more specific tradition of Roman verse satire demonstrates that Lucretius' poem stands as a detour on the genre's highway, a swerve in the trajectory of satura. The numerous satiric passages and frequently satiric narrator of De Rerum Natura draw on earlier Roman satire, and in turn the poem influences the later satiric verse of Horace, Persius, and Juvenal. While De Rerum Natura is not in and of itself a member of the Roman genre of satire, it is an important player in the genre's development"--

Download or read book Laughing Matters written by Larry Gelbart and published by Random House (NY). This book was released on 1998 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author of many great scripts tells of writing radio comedy at age sixteen, of behind-the-set stories, and of "the places he's lived and how he's lived and what he's learned while doing so."--Jacket.

Download or read book The Laughing Matter written by William Saroyan and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2014-12-18 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Evan Nazarenus returns from a teaching post at the summer school in Nebraska, he cannot wait for a couple of blissful weeks spent with his wife and two children in Clovis, a small town where his brother has a summer house. But soon after they arrive for the long awaited holiday, Swan, Evan's wife, announces that she is expecting a child ... who is not fathered by Evan. This news shocks and hurts Evan deeply, but for his children's sake he decides to keep it to himself through the holidays they dreamt of for so long. But a family secret of such calibre is difficult to hide and the curious small-town neighbours begin to notice that something is amiss with the couple. The Laughing Matter, first published in 1953, is a disturbing family drama set against the landscape of a small Californian town, with a close-knit community who embrace new-comers with the curiosity of those hungry for gossip. William Saroyan draws his characters with immense sensitivity for human erring and self-inflicted suffering.

Download or read book Laughing Matters written by Phil Callaway and published by Multnomah. This book was released on 2005-08-01 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Find Out What’s So Funny When Nothing’s Funny Sometimes life just stinks—people disappoint, bad things happen, and hardship comes. Laughing Matters is a collection of stories that shows the difference between those who resign and those who rejoice when reality bites. Readers will be encouraged to choose joy, to find hope, and to discover the abundant life Christ offers all who follow Him. Author and humorist Phil Callaway—once described as “Dave Barry with a message”—employs his revealing and hilarious style to remind readers that, “it’s always darkest just before the fridge door opens.” Do you resign or rejoice when reality bites? Sometimes life just stinks. People disappoint. Bad things happen. Hardship comes in double helpings. The last thing you want to do is laugh. So let hilarious humorist Phil Callaway show you—as only he can—that some of the darkest times are those just before the fridge door opens. *** ** *** ** “Everything Phil Callaway writes is full of life because he’s discovered a fabulous secret: The joy of Christ doesn’t go away, even when life is a mess.” Luis Palau, President of the Luis Palau Evangelistic Association “Phil really knows how to get in touch with his spiritual funny bone.” Janette Oke, Bestselling author “One page into this book and I’m quaking with laughter. Callaway has the uncanny ability to uncover the funny in any situation and report it with inspirational wit.” Paul L. Maier, Coauthor of The DaVinci Code: Fact or Fiction? “This book is an excellent source of encouragement for anyone in the midst of a crisis who may be asking God that hardest question of all: ‘Why?’” Martha Bolton, Author of Cooking with Hot Flashes and Didn’t My Skin Used to Fit? Story Behind the Book Phil Callaway wrote this book after a five-year journey he and his wife embarked upon when she began having seizures. He discovered that when life throws you curve balls, juices lemons in your eyes, scrunches you in a knuckle sandwich…the last thing you want to do is laugh. And at the moment we realize that life can just plain stink, “this book helps us know where to go from that point,” he says. Celebrities like Dave Dravecky, Barbara Johnson, Gloria Gaither, and Joni Eareckson Tada have endorsed Callaway’s positive approach to trials. “Everything Phil Callaway writes is full of life because he’s discovered a fabulous secret: The joy of Christ doesn’t go away, even when life is a mess,” says evangelist Luis Palau.

Download or read book No Laughing Matter written by Angus Wilson and published by Faber & Faber. This book was released on 2012-03-15 with total page 512 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A panoramic novel that stretches from 1912 to 1967 No Laughing Matter is perhaps Angus Wilson's most autobiographical novel. The novel chronicles the end of the bourgeois way of life as seen through the lives of the six Matthews children and their dysfuntional middle-class family. Their parents - Billy Pop and the Countess - are objects of ridicule to their children who vow never to make their mistakes. Quentin, the eldest, is a socialist who adores women. His fervent views, however, become distilled over the years until he transforms into a cynical TV pundit. Gladys, plump and amenable, is unlucky in love and eventually falls for the charms of a crook. Rupert, the handsome actor, has a successful career until he fails to adapt to the changing theatre. Margaret is a brilliant and highly acclaimed novelist but she becomes bitter as her twin Sukey sinks into domestic bliss, while Marcus, the baby of the family, believes that his career is his life. An ambitious and enriching novel No Laughing Matter is an extraordinary work in its depictions of complex family relationships, where it is just as easy to hate as to love and where everyone struggles to be an individual.

Download or read book No Laughing Matter written by Anthony Cronin and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 392 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Flann O'Brien's writing career was launched in 1939 with his brilliant first novel AT SWIM TWO BIRDS--a cult classic praised by James Joyce--quickly followed by other influential novels. But O'Brien lived a dark and tragic life, his writing obscured by various pseudonyms. Here Anthony Cronin, a member of O'Brien's intimate circle, offers a remarkable and fascinating portrait of the writer. photos.

Download or read book Chalk Talks on Alcohol written by Joseph C. Martin and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 1989-05-10 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Classic Guide to Recovery from Alcoholism This no-nonsense guide to understanding and recovering from alcoholism provides new hope for alcoholics, their families, and friends. Hard-won experiences -- Father Martin is a recovering alcoholic -- underlies this thorough yet always clear presentation. Chalk Talks sheds new light upon the complex problems of alcoholism, which affects the mind, body, soul, and emotions. Father Martin does not preach or moralize but remains practical in discussing attitudes toward, and reasons for, alcoholism; the physiological/psychological effects; health problems; symptoms; intervention; treatment and support; and where to turn for further information and assistant. Chalk Talks is not a scientific treatise but a message of hope to all persons concerned with America's number-one health problem.

Download or read book Narcolepsy written by Marguerite J. Utley and published by Marguerite Jones Utley. This book was released on 1995 with total page 166 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A book about narcolepsy, a little-known neurological sleep disorder, characterized primarily by excessive daytime sleepiness & cataplexy. Written in layman's terms, it gives accurate up-to- date facts about all aspects of the disorder. The author also shares her personal experiences, telling how she has coped with all the symptoms for over 30 years. Interesting facts combined with a sense of humor & amusing stories provide easy reading. The comprehensiveness & organization of the book make it an excellent reference source for people with narcolepsy & their families, health care professionals & the general public. M. J. Utley is on the Board of Trustees for Narcolepsy Network, Inc. & serves as the editor of their newsletter. What doctors in Sleep Medicine have to say about the book: "This book fills a yawning gap. It is warm & wise."--Charles P. Pollak, M.D. "Mrs. Utley provides an amusing, interesting & needed introduction to the fascinating world of narcolepsy."--James G. Minard, Ph.D. "Awesome,"--Gila Lindsley, Ph.D., A.C.P. Order from: M.J. Utley, P.O. Box 1923, DeSoto, TX 75123-1923; FAX: (214) 223-6696.

Download or read book No Laughing Matter written by C. W. Marshall and published by A&C Black. This book was released on 2012-07-19 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A specially commissioned collection of papers covering widely read works, fragmentary plays and lost authors, giving a new perspective on the study of ancient comedy.

Download or read book Laughing Matters written by Jody Baumgartner and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012-08-21 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines the role of humor in modern American politics. Written by a wide range of authors from the fields of political science and communication, this book is organized according to two general topics: how the modern media present political humor the various ways in which political humor influences politics. Laughing Matters is an excellent text for courses on media and politics, public opinion, and campaigns and elections.

Download or read book Rationale of the Dirty Joke written by G. Legman and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2007-11-01 with total page 822 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why do people tell dirty jokes? And what is it about a joke's dirtiness that makes it funny? G. Legman was perhaps the foremost scholar of the dirty joke, and as legions of humor writers and comedians know, his Rationale of the Dirty Joke remains the most exhaustive and authoritative study of the subject. More than two thousand jokes and folktales are presented, covering such topics as The Female Fool, The Fortunate Fart, Mutual Mismatching, and The Sex Machine. These folk texts are authentically transcribed in their innocent and sometimes violent entirety. Legman studies each for its historical and socioanalytic significance, revealing what these jokes mean to the people who tell them and to the people who listen and laugh. Here -- back in print -- is the definitive text for comedians and humor writers, Freudian scholars and late night television enthusiasts. Rationale of the Dirty Joke will amuse you, offend you, challenge you, and disgust you, all while demonstrating the intelligence and hilarity of the dirty joke.

Download or read book No Laughing Matter written by and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 405 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Laughing Matter written by Marcel Gutwirth and published by Cornell University Press. This book was released on 1993 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With the help of theorists in such fields as psychology, anthropology, physiology, sociology, and folklore as well as literary criticism, Gutwirth perceives that writers across history have attempted to explain laughter in one of three ways - focusing on its social or political function, its emotional rationale, or its intellectual dimension. Offering an array of readings of comic texts and incidents, he constructs a general model of laughter which takes into account its causes, immediate effects, and long-range influence on human affairs. In conclusion, he looks at the unique nature of comic wisdom, particularly as reflected in works by Santayana, Cervantes, and Beckett.

Download or read book No Laughing Matter Race Joking and Resistance in Brazilian Social Media written by Luiz Valério P. Trindade and published by Vernon Press. This book was released on 2020-10-06 with total page 230 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ‘No Laughing Matter: Race Joking and Resistance in Brazilian Social Media’ examines the social phenomenon of construction and dissemination of colonial-like racist discourses fostered against upwardly-mobile black women through disparagement humour on social media platforms, adopting a fresh and innovative perspective. In this book, Luiz Valério P. Trindade explores the idea that disparagement humour might not be as exempt of social impact as the jokers might believe, and that, in fact, this kind of humour reveals the hidden facet of deep-seated colonial ideologies still present in Brazilian society despite being hailed as a unique model of a post-racial society. The author argues that these ideologies establish and naturalise superior social positions and symbolic privileges to whites while undermining and delegitimising black women’s upward social mobility. Social media platforms enable the proponents of these beliefs not only to engage in the practice of online hate speech but also to attract a considerable number of like-minded people, creating a long-lasting echo chamber effect in the cyberspace. This way, they manage to amplify the reach and reverberation of their racist discourses in the online environment in ways not commonly seen in Brazilian offline social contexts. This monograph is of great interest and relevance to students, scholars, and researchers across a variety of disciplines, most notably Critical Race Studies, Media Communication Studies and Critical Humour Studies, and also academics in other areas such as Critical Discourse Analysis, Postcolonial Studies, Cultural Studies and Latin American Studies.

Download or read book Laughing Matter written by George Mikes and published by . This book was released on 1971 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: