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Our Dumb World

Our Dumb World

By The Onion 256 pages Adult

Danny Says

Since I despise textbooks, I have been on a fake textbook kick. If you are not familiar with The Onion, you are in for a treat, as the Onion provides readers with all sorts or egregious, inaccurate and hilarious “facts.” Since the news can often be a drag, I recommend you pay attention to the Onion’s news. It may not be true, but it certainly brings a smile to my face (something the nightly news rarely accomplishes).
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Born Standing Up

Born Standing Up

By Steve Martin 208 pages Adult

Danny Says

Wow! This wild and crazy guy has led an amazing life, and Steve Martin has managed to create a tight autobiography that makes you laugh, cry and think. One of the few autobiographies I have ever read that I actually thought was too short, as I could not put this book down once I opened it. Any fans of the comedian will find this highly intimate account to be fascinating. 
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"Simpsons" Comics Royale

By Matt Groening 128 pages Adult

Danny Says

I think too many people take for granted The Simpsons. How that show has managed to stay funny and pertinent for the past 20 years is astounding to me. Here is a comic for grown-ups that includes all sorts of great insights from Groening and a WONDERFUL essay at the end entitled “Give a Hoot, Read a Book” about books that inspired Groening when he was a kid.
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Sisterhood of Faith

Sisterhood of Faith

By Shirley Brosius 412 pages Adult

Danny Says

Is that a typo? I thought I was supposed to only share books that are under 250 pages? Let me explain this pick: it is meant to be read as a page a day. Subtitled “365 Life-Changing Stories About Women Who Made a Difference (the extra pages are references, etc.),” this book is one of those books I turn to everyday for inspiration. The vignettes are wonderful and take less than a minute of your time. Can you spare a minute for daily inspiration? How about turning down the volume during a TV commercial and reading a page from this wonderful book. I highly encourage you to buy a copy.
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A Modest Proposal and Other Satirical Works

A Modest Proposal and Other Satirical Works

By Jonathan Swift 64 pages Adult

Danny Says

I wanted to begin the new year with a book that could make everyone laugh, cry and think, and I could not think of a finer writer to capture all human emotions than the expert satirist Jonathan Swift (best known for Gulliver’s Travels). This book contains a wonderful collection of Swift’s essays that should bring joy to anyone who is trying to decide who to vote for in 2008’s elections (I have not seen any candidate make as bold of a proposal as Swift’s “modest” idea for solving hunger and overpopulation by encouraging poor Irish folks to eat their babies). This is one of the books that actually attracted me to literature as a teenager (while almost all other reading assigned to me quickly decimated any interest I had in the classics).
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The Importance of Being Earnest

The Importance of Being Earnest

By Oscar Wilde 64 pages Adult

Danny Says

This is the perfect type of book for the lazy reader who wants to sound “cultured” at a cocktail party. At under 80 pages, this classic is a terrific introduction into the quick wit of one of literature’s most prized humorists. The play is easily adaptable for modern middle and high school students, as well.
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People First

People First

By Jack Lannom 150 pages Adult

Danny Says

The great thing about the start of the new year is the vast amount of potential that each of us has. I included this book because it is a quick-read and reviews some simple considerations for improving a variety of life skills. We each have the power to change our own lives, and I enjoy books like this to reinforce that concept.
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Beguiled by the Wild

Beguiled by the Wild

By Charley Harper 132 pages Adult

Danny Says

I try to include a variety of books for all ages and genres, and here is a book that captures the imaginations of all ages and fits a variety of genres. Charley Hopper’s modern art drawings of animals, along with brief descriptions, make this a great coffee table book that is sure to start wonderful conversations at any party (or in any classroom).
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Customer Mania!

Customer Mania!

By Ken Blanchard 208 pages Adult

Danny Says

You need to know that I LOVE Ken Blanchard. He is one of the best speakers on the circuit, and his books read like his speeches: inspirational, filled with practical advice and packed with great anecdotes. I’d recommend anything Blanchard writes, and this great, quick read chronicles the success of the Yum! Corporation (which includes KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, A & W, etc.).
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The Last Beach Bungalow

The Last Beach Bungalow

By Jennie Nash 271 pages Adult

Danny Says

One of the dilemmas I face on my page-length requirements is what to do with books that are small in size with large fonts. This is such a book, and I am including it because it is a great Valentine’s Day gift and should take only a couple of hours and glass of Merlot to finish. Nicholas Sparks, move over, as Nash writes a touching tale of a cancer survivor trying secure her dream beach house. Reminded me of that Kevin Kline movie My Life As a House…but I enjoyed this book much better.
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Aristotle and an Aardvark Go to Washington

Aristotle and an Aardvark Go to Washington

By Thomas Cathcart,Daniel Klein 191 pages Adult

Danny Says

Authors of the wonderful Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes, this book comes long just in time for the election. Democrats and Republicans, Libertarians and Visigoths will all enjoy this terrific look at how politicians from all time periods and ideological backgrounds use words to deceive and confuse.   
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Sharp Objects

Sharp Objects

By Gillian Flynn 254 pages Adult

Danny Says

So I subscribe to Entertainment Weekly, and I often read Gillian Flynn’s pieces. Nothing, however, prepared me for this gripping horror/suspense. Flynn has written a frighteningly memorable debut novel that left me eager to purchase her next effort.
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Walden

Walden

By Michael T. Dolan 135 pages Adult

Danny Says

This one reads like a college freshman version of The Catcher in the Rye. A clever satire that blends laughs and tears, joys and fears. I enjoyed how this novel captured a contrarian perspective of the early college experience. 
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The Biggest Loser Success Secrets

The Biggest Loser Success Secrets

By Biggest Loser Experts and Cast 256 pages Adult

Danny Says

I have battled with my weight my entire life, and while my favorite diet program is Michael Thurmond’s Six-Week Body Makeover (which helped me lose 35 pounds in five weeks), the most inspirational program I watch on television is NBC’s The Biggest Loser. I have a lot of empathy for people who are trying to improve their lives – whether through weight loss or giving up smoking or creating some other positive lifestyle change – and this book is a handy reminder for anyone looking for motivation to improve themselves. Give the book (and the TV show) a chance.
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Things I've Learned From Women Who've Dumped Me

Things I've Learned From Women Who've Dumped Me

By Ben Karlin 240 pages pages Adult

Danny Says

This collection of short, funny essays from a variety of authors brought a smile to my face. Sorry, ladies – I imagine guys will find this funnier, but I found myself agreeing with many of the lessons. Good to see that some of the authors appreciate the importance of past girlfriends in shaping the healthy relationships they have with their present wives.
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