Nutty Nonfiction

Boogers Are My Beat: More Lies, But Some Actual Journalism! by Dave Barry (814 Bar)
The New York Times calls him "the funniest man in America." In Boogers Are My Beat, Dave gives us the real scoop on: the scientific search for the world's funniest joke (you can bet it includes the word "weasel"); RV camping in the Wal-Mart parking lot; outwitting "smart" kitchen appliances; elections in Florida ("You can't spell Florida without 'duh'"); the Olympics (where people from all over the world come together to accuse each other of cheating); the truth about the Dakotas, the Lone Ranger and feng shui; and the choice between death and taxes. Plus much, much more - including some truths about journalism and serious thoughts about 9/11. Also try Dave Barry is Not Taking This Sitting Down and Dave Barry Is From Mars and Venus.

Nothing's Sacred by Lewis Black (814 Bla)
A playwright, stand-up comedian, and a correspondent on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" includes both his personal history and his observations on current events in this hilarious, informative book delivered in his particular blend of charged humor.

The Sweet Potato Queens' Book of Love by Jill Connor Browne (818 Bro)
Since the early 1980s, this group of belles gone bad has been the toast of Jackson, Mississippi, with their glorious annual appearance in the St. Patrick's Day parade. In The Sweet Potato Queens' Book of Love, their royal ringleader, Jill Conner Browne, introduces the Queens to the world with this sly, hilarious manifesto about love, life, men, and the importance of being prepared. Chapters include: The True Magic Words Guaranteed to Get Any Man to Do Your Bidding, The Five Men You Must Have in Your Life at All Times, Men Who May Need Killing, and Quite Frankly What to Eat When Tragedy Strikes. Also try God Save the Sweet Potato Queens.

A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson (917.4 Bryso)
A Walk in the Woods showcases Bryson at the height of his comic powers. Meeting up with characters such as Beulah and her fearsome husband, "Bubba T. Flubba," readers risk snakebite and hantavirus to trudge through swollen rivers, traipse up mountainsteps, and develop a new reverence for cream sodas and hot showers. But Bryson also uses his acute powers of observation to conjure a poignant backdrop of silent forests and sparkling lakes, thereby making a gentle but unforgettable plea for the ecological treasures we are in danger of losing. Also try: I'm a Stranger Here Myself.

Brain Droppings by George Carlin (818 Car)
The thinking person's comic who uses words as weapons, Carlin shares his all-new opinions, thoughts, musings, questions, lists, curiosities, monologues, and more. Demolishing everyday values, you'll laugh out loud at Carlin's skew on sports fans and improving the TV networks, plus his favorite oxymorons ("original copy''), redundancies ("added bonus''), and other observations. Includes the classics, "A Place for My Stuff'' and "Baseball and Football.''

Cosbyology: Essays and Observations by the Doctor of Comedy by Bill Cosby (B Cosby)
Fusing his classic jazzy timing and edgy humor with the intelligence and perception that have made him a huge star, Bill Cosby draws from his own life to tell these laugh-out-loud stories. With a dry wit and uncanny insight, Cosby writes about his first experiences skiing, lying to his mother, and fretting about ingrown hairs. This is a wonderfully funny collection of stand-up material that touches on everything from childhood and marriage to school, sports, and work. Also try I Am What I Ate … and I'm Frightened!

I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts On Being A Woman by Nora Ephron
(814 EPHRO)
The woman who brought us the movies When Harry Met Sally ..., Sleepless in Seattle, and You've Got Mail, and the author of best sellers Heartburn and Crazy Salad, discusses everything - from how much she hates her purse to how much time she spends attempting to stop the clock: the hair dye, the treadmill, the lotions and creams that promise to slow the aging process but never do. Oh, and she can't stand the way her neck looks. But her dermatologist tells her there's no quick fix for that. Ephron chronicles her life as an obsessed cook, passionate city dweller, and hapless parent.

Who Let the Dogs In?: Incredible Political Animals I Have Known by Molly Ivins (973.929 Ivins)
Ivins takes us through two decades of political life, from Ronald Reagan, through George Sr. and Bill Clinton, to our current top dog, known to Ivins readers simply as Dubya. But, those are just a few of the political animals who are skewered for our amusement. Ivins also writes hilariously, perceptively, and at times witheringly of Misters Ashcroft, Cheney, & Rumsfeld, as well as of Tom DeLay, Ann Richards, Al Gore, Jimmy Carter, and the current governor of Texas, Rick "Goodhair" Perry.

Being Dead Is No Excuse: The Official Southern Ladies Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral by Gayden Metcalfe (393.097 Metca)
In this deliciously entertaining slice of Southern life (and death), inveterate hostess Gayden Metcalfe explains everything you need to know to host an authentic Southern funeral, such as: Can you be properly buried without tomato aspic? Who prepares tastier funeral fare, the Episcopal ladies or the Methodist ladies? And what does one do when a family gets three sheets to the wind and eats the entire feast the night before a funeral? Each chapter includes a delicious, tried-and-true Southern recipe you'll need if you plan to die tastefully any time soon.

Darwin Awards: Evolution in Action by Wendy Northcutt (081 Nor)
Named in honor of Charles Darwin, the father of evolution, the Darwin Awards commemorate those who improve our gene pool by removing themselves from it, showing us just how uncommon common sense can be. Meet the absentminded terrorist who opens a mail bomb returned to him for insufficient postage. Marvel at the thief who steals electrical wires without shutting off the current. Also try Volumes 2 & 3.

Early Bird: A Memoir of Premature Retirement by Rodney Rothman (306.3 Rothm)
What happens when an able-bodied 28-year-old decides to "retire" in a Florida senior community? It may seem like the setup for a Carl Hiaasen novel, but it's actually the project Rothman thinks up after losing his television job. In Boca Raton, he infiltrates the social hierarchy of the "pool group," eats dinner at the local early-bird specials and joins a shuffleboard club. He captures these experiences in short, humorous chapters, consistently detailing his own physical and mental failings compared to the seniors he meets.

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (818 Sed)
Sedaris's caustic gift has not deserted him in his fourth book, which mines poignant comedy from his peculiar childhood in North Carolina, his bizarre career path, and his move with his lover to France. Though his anarchic inclination to digress is his glory, Sedaris does have a theme in these reminiscences: the inability of humans to communicate. Also try: Naked and Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim.

America: The Book by Jon Stewart (320.973 Stewa)
Iconoclastic, subversive, hilarious, and vulgar, Jon Stewart of the "Daily Show" is a major source of news for the 20-something set as well as older television watchers numbed by conventional reporting. Packed with jokes, this mock textbook contains chapters packed with ludicrous charts and maps, sidebars, illustrations, and "were you aware?" and discussion questions.

Mama Makes Up Her Mind by Bailey White (814 Whi)
In the tradition of Eudora Welty and Fannie Flagg, White writes about growing up in a small Southern town and tells warm and funny stories about her cane-wielding Mama going to a juke joint, teaching first-graders, and more. She can also be heard on NPR.