Showing results by publisher "Phoenix Books" in Comedy & Humour

He's a grand guy, that Guy Grand—billionaire by birth, entrepreneur by avocation, and thoroughly unpredictable. He "keeps his hand in", buying into and revolutionizing industries ranging from championship boxing to African safaris. Is he a crackpot, or an eccentric, or perhaps a visionary with a goal of social redemption? Grand's greatest project, his tour de force, the cruise ship Magic Christian, sets sail on Easter Sunday, fully renovated into the most luxurious vessel ever to sail the seas.

The Three Little Pigs and the Perils of Subsidized Housing, Cinderella and the Glass Ceiling, Hillary the Snow Queen - these rehabilitated "classics" and many more would be required bedtime reading under the regime of President Gingrich, or "Uncle Newt," as he likes his little pals to call him. Yes, all the orphans at the new Boy's Town, their bellies full of ketchup, will be enraptured by these GOP fairy tales celebrating the Contract with America and cautioning youngsters about the evil Welfare State of long ago. These bedtime stories could keep you awake all night. Narrator Arte Johnson won an Emmy for his work on the classic TV show, Laugh-In.

Harry Beltway, idealistic young conservative and grandson of a famous evangelist, has just come back from a two-years tour as a missionary when he is persuaded to join the campaign staff of Tim Duncannon, an arch-conservative television commentator who has set his sights on the Republican nomination for presidency so that he can build a barbed wire fence around America.

Emmy Award-winner Jonathan Winters proves once again that he was one of the greatest performers to ever grace this galaxy. His impersonations of famous personalities, from Jimmy Carter to Marlon Brando, will put you away - which Jonathan said is, after all, what they did to him. We thank Jim B. Smith for being wise enough to purchase one of the very first telephone answering machines in the 1980s. As Jonathan Winters' best friend, Jim knew that doing so would provide Jonathan a 24-hour-a-day performance platform.

If the Watergate scandal was a national nightmare, then maybe the Clinton scandal was a national wet dream, and who better to narrate it than the screenwriter Joe Eszterhas? In American Rhapsody, Eszterhas, whose credits include Basic Instinct and Showgirls, takes us through the events that threatened to topple a president. From scandalmongers Matt Drudge and Ken Starr, to his final, unimpeachable witness, Willard - none other than President Clinton's talking penis - Eszterhas gives us the goods.

The sun always shines over England, England! With remarkable wit, acclaimed novelist Julian Barnes tells the story of an egotistical mogul and his vision of recreating all of England's attractions in one place. Now visitors can conveniently site-see everything from the Tower of London to Stonehenge in a single weekend. But what happens when fantasy and reality begin to blur?

 Mort Sahl has been described as one of the greatest political and social satirists of the 20th century. In Mort Sahl's America, the sophisticated political satirist exposes the grand follies of the powers that be. Deflating celebrity pretensions, he skewers liberals and conservatives alike. From Bill Clinton to Bob Dole, from Al Gore to Jesse Jackson, no one is spared.

 From basic training to World War II to the Gulf War, America's veterans share their funniest stories in this collection of Reader's Digest's popular "Humor in Uniform" column. Beneath the horror of war lies a rich tradition of comedy and satire, and these anecdotes have entertained fans for decades.

 Better than CliffsNotes, funnier than Monarch Notes, and shorter than the originals—comes a hilarious spoof of the blockbuster hits you love, not to mention many books you've come to despise. 

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich continues to be a polarizing figure in America. But fear not! The coauthor of Contract with America is always good for another tale or two, regaling youngsters with “The Three Little Pigs and the Perils of Subsidized Housing,” “Cinderella and the Glass Ceiling,” and “Hillary the Snow Queen"—to name just a few. 

Penniless and downtrodden at the loss of his wife and one of his daughters, Samuel Clemens turned to writing. The short stories and essays in Letters from the Earth find Clemens—under the pseudonym of Mark Twain—at perhaps his most quizzical and questioning state ever. Written as diary entries, Twain penned a series of letters from the point of view of a dejected angel on Earth who observes the many curious natures of man. These pieces, gathered by Twain's literary executor, feature sharp takes on the inconsistencies of Christianity and farcical criticisms of American life.

One of America's funniest comedians, Carl Reiner, tells of a young man's frustrations as a machinist's helper who tries to break into show business. The semi-autobiographical novel details the bumpy journey as the aspiring actor tries to extricate himself from his overly protective parents—and his two girlfriends. Enter Laughing is a heartwarming, laugh-out-loud, and relatable story of a young man with love in his heart and grease paint on his face—a tale that guarantees to have listeners exit laughing.

Eleven-time Emmy Award winner and icon of American comedy, Carl Reiner, performs a sweet, wry, and whimsical collection of two dozen multi-dimensional short stories—some true and others merely tales. Included in this collection are stories about a man too handsome for his personality, a lifetime bond that is created by a football accident, and a widower's nostalgic trip to the live chicken market. Together they represent the poignant, nostalgic, and laugh-out loud funny genius of this comedic superstar.

From the minds that brought you The Official Politically Correct Dictionary and Handbook comes a wickedly funny send-up of the most dangerous trend ever to strike love, romance, and relationships—sexual correctness. In the be-sensitive-or-else era, everyone needs a guide to the essential don'ts and don'ts of sexual behavior and courtship. If a man compliments his date on her dress, should she go to the police? If a businesswoman licks her lips during a meeting, should she be fired without pay? Is a girlfriend just another unpaid sex worker?

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, bestselling author, and failed Wheel of Fortune contestant Dave Barry has questions—lots of them—and sets out to find the answers. If you've ever wondered things such as, “Just how does Oprah have the power to turn a 1957 Hotpoint toaster manual into a #1 bestseller?” or “What makes people want to eat animals they would never consider petting?”, then this book is for you. Dave Barry proves that one man even in this incredibly complex global society using only his mind and the power of information can make a difference.

Since Dave Barry writes about weird things, you might be tempted to think he has a weird brain. He does, of course, but that's not the whole explanation: A lot of the things he writes about—exploding Pop-Tarts, for example—are real. Join Dave as he examines UFO thrill-seekers and Elvis-worshippers, runs for president, and plays Claptonesque guitar in the world's most literary band that includes Stephen King (The Rock-Bottom Remainders). 

In yet another collection of essays, investigative journalist Dave Barry is on the job, hard at work between lunch and naps researching and compiling out-of-the-ordinary news stories from his legion of loyal followers all across the country. Reported as only Dave's wit and wisdom can accomplish, Barry covers everything from exploding municipal toilets to spontaneous human combustion (over 200 cases) to humor impairment—citing Exhibit A, former President Richard Nixon. No one is exempt: Barry lambasts traffic cops, dentists, doctors, Congress, and his very dumb dogs.

"Take my wife—please!" Henny Youngman, the king of one-liners, delivers a classic collection of jokes. For more than sixty years, Henny Youngman provoked giggles, roars, and belly laughs for audiences on stage, in nightclubs, and on radio television. In his famous style, Henny delivers rapid-fire jokes in succession. He adds even more zest to this recording with a variety of anecdotes featuring the greatest names in show business. From funny bone ticklers to groaners, these jokes and stories are delivered the way only Henny Youngman, the Master of Comedy, can.

The charm of the crazy Clampett clan lives on! After striking oil on his land in the Ozarks, Jed Clampett decides the sophisticated life in Beverly Hills is just what he and his kin—Jethro Bodine, Elly May, and Granny—deserve. Humorous antics ensue when they proceed to shake up privileged society with their hayseed ways. This novelization of the film features all of the favorite characters from the original series—including uptight banker Mr. Drysdale and his prim assistant Miss Jane Hathaway.

In this brilliant retelling of the classic tale about the transcendent power of love, author Stephen Mitchell writes, "There are two kinds of women: those who marry princes and those who marry frogs.” While the frogs never become princes, over the course of an ordinary marriage, a prince may turn into a frog. However, Mitchell tells of a different kind of love story. This adult fairytale is the story of a meditative frog's love for a rebellious princess, how she came to love him in spite of herself, and how her refusal to compromise helped him become what he was truly meant to be.