Ryan Bingham’s job as a Career Transition Counselor–he fires people–has kept him airborne for years. Although he has come to despise his line of work, he has come to love the culture of what he calls “Airworld,” finding contentment within pressurized cabins, anonymous hotel rooms, and a wardrobe of wrinkle-free slacks. With a letter of resignation sitting on his boss’s desk, and the hope of a job with a mysterious consulting firm, Ryan Bingham is agonizingly close to his ultimate goal, his Holy one million frequent flier miles. But before he achieves this long-desired freedom, conditions begin to deteriorate. With perception, wit, and wisdom, Up in the Air combines brilliant social observation with an acute sense of the psychic costs of our rootless existence, and confirms Walter Kirn as one of the most savvy chroniclers of American life.

What started out as a mutual affinity for kitschy Jewish album covers-think Neil Diamond baring his chest hair on the cover of "Hot August Night "or Barbra Streisand in hot pants on the cover of "Streisand Superman"-soon became a quest for identity, history, and culture between the grooves of LPs. Together, Roger Bennett and Josh Kun embarked on a thrilling journey, scouring the world to collect thousands of vinyl LPs from attics, garage sales, and dusty archives. Pieced together, these scratched, once-loved and now-forgotten audio gems tell a vibrant tale: the story of Jews in America. "And You Shall Know Us by the Trail of Our Vinyl" spans the history of Jewish recorded music from the 1940s to the 1980s, weaving an account that begins with sacred songs and ends with the holy trinity of Neil, Barbra, and Barry. The LPs found here are also a love letter to forgotten moments in Jewish American pop history, celebrating well-dressed cantors singing Christmas tunes, Long Island suburbanites dancing the mambo, and Chassidic prog-rockers. The music, much of which is no longer available in any format, is brought to life through commentary from writers Aimee Bender, Etgar Keret, Michael Wex, and Shalom Auslander; performers Sandra Bernhard and Motown legend Lamont Dozier; music critics Oliver Wang and Anne Powers; and TV pioneer Norman Lear. A gateway to a forgotten kingdom of sound, the good, the bad, and the ugly of Jewish vinyl gives this aspect of Jewish culture the attention it so richly deserves.

This hilarious memoir, by Sally Fingerett, tells the tale of a free spirited musician and touring member of the original musical comedy theatre troupe THE FOUR BITCHIN' BABES. Traveling the country for 25 years, performing on over eight hundred stages, Sally, wanted it all--husband, kids, and career, even though she became the designated daughter to a manic-depressive mother. In this heartwarming book, she offers a view from the bridge between living life and creating art from it. In these tales, she shares those everyday moments women experience, as seen through her distinctly funny viewfinder. This "Jewish girl born on Christmas Day," comes from a long line of medicated women. Wild and crazy, genuine and caring, these Medicated Matriarchs handed down to this traveling Gypsy-Singer, their big thighs, their love of family, and their wackadoodle DNA. As a self-proclaimed "student of crazy," Sally compiled a heartwarming collection of forty essays, three family SECRET recipes, and the lyrics to thirty-three of her best loved songs, each following the story they're connected to. ALSO available (sold separately) is the companion double disc anthology CD set of those 33 songs, titled The Mental Yentl, Songs from a Lifelong Student of Crazy.

Dear Former Campers, Do you recall your glory days at summer camp as some of the best months of your life? Was your camp experience *OK *fun *bunktastic! When you think about camp, what are your best memories? *singing "If I Had a Hammer" around the campfire *winning color war two years in a row *getting to third base with your camp crush Open Camp Camp and head back to the one place on earth where appropriated Native American terminology, competitive sports, social heirarchy, and libido-soaked nights lived in wholesome harmony. Here is your trip down memory lane, a trip so beautifully illustrated and fully remembered that you can almost smell the pine of the cabins when you open the pages. Camp Camp is a love letter to camp, a chance to relive every Champion sweatshirt-wearing, accidental-bed-wetting, sky-hook-wedgie-receiving, tie-dye-making golden moment via hundreds of photographs and stories straight from the source, including tall tales from AJ Jacobs, Rachel Sklar, Paul Feig, David Wain, Jamie Denbo, and Rodney Rothman. Do you miss... *camp friendships *camp freedom *camp fun If so, then Camp Camp is your one-way ticket back to this magical world in which Fantasy Island met Lord of the Flies.

Stanley G. Weinbaum's classic horror novel, originally entitled "The Mad Brain". When an unassuming man's personality changes dramatically toward the sinister, the woman he loves seeks help from a psychologist, leading to a disturbing discovery.

Kurt Tucholsky was a brilliant satirist, poet, storyteller, lyricist, pacifist, and Democrat; a fighter, lady's man, reporter, and early warner against the Nazis who hated and loathed him and drove him out of Germany after his books were burned in 1933. His contemporary Erich Kaestner called him a "small, fat Berliner," who "wanted to stop a catastrophe with his typewriter." The New York Times hailed him as "one of the most brilliant writers of republican Germany. He was a poet as well as a critic and was so versatile that he used five or six pen names. As Peter Panter he was an outstanding essayist who at one time wrote topical sketches in the Vossische Zeitung, which ceased to appear under the Nazi regime; as Theobald Tiger he wrote satirical poems that were frequently interpreted by popular actors in vaudeville and cabartes, and as Ignatz Wrobel he contributed regularly to the Weltbühne, an independent weekly that was one of the first publications prohibited by the Hitler government." Tucholsky, who occupied the center stage in the tumultuous political and cultural world of 1920s Berlin, still emerges as an astonishingly contemporary figure. As an angry truth-teller, he pierced the hypocrisy and corruption around him with acute honesty. Imagine a writer with the acid voice of Christopher Hitchens and the satirical whimsy of Jon Stewart, combined with the iconoclasm of Bill Maher. That's Tucholsky in a nutshell. Like Hitchens, Tucholsky wrote a mixture of literary essays, social observations, and political commentary. His irony made the line between his "serious writing" and his "entertainments" almost invisible. The fashionable outsider watched the political "center" disappear, and, in the end, he found himself catapulted out of society altogether. His career was sandwiched between the two most deadly events of his century: the bloodbath of World War I and the scourge of Nazism. Just as the first war launched Hemingway's lifelong career as a wounded tough guy with a soft spot for guns and broads, Tucholsky discovered the reflexes of an escape artist. He was equally elusive as a writer. In today's world, a journalist isn't supposed to write plays, and a playwright isn't welcomed as a novelist. But in 1920s Berlin, Tucholsky was dealing with postwar realities that required shouting from the rooftops, and any rooftop would do. Kurt Tucholsky is one of Weimar Germany's most celebrated literary figures, loved by his many readers and hated by the Nazis. The poet, journalist, and satirist who was at the center of the tumultuous political and cultural world of 1920s Berlin still emerges as an astonishingly contemporary figure. But he was more than just an angry truth-teller; he was also one of the funniest satirical writers of his era, depicting everyday lives during the rise of modernity.The iconic translation of Harry Zohn, a literary figure from Vienna himself, presented Tucholsky to an American audience for the first time. Long out of print, Zohn's book is now being republished in a new edition.

Mordecai Richler’s final book pays homage to his personal heroes and celebrates a writer’s love of sport with his trademark irascibility, humour and acuity. Even while writing his bestselling novels, Mordecai Richler nurtured his obsession with sports, writing brilliantly on ice hockey, baseball, salmon fishing, bodybuilding, and wrestling for such publications as GQ , Esquire , The New York Times Magazine , Inside Sports , Commentary , and The New York Review of Books . Mordecai himself chose the pieces to include in Dispatches from the Sporting Life , and together they give us an intimate portrait of a man who admired the players and prized the struggle of sport—as much as he enjoyed skewering those who made a mockery of its principles. His encounters with Pete Rose, Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe (“Mr. Elbows... the big guy with the ginger-ale bottle shoulders”) are by turns bizarre, moving and uproarious. Richler travelled with Guy LaFleur’s Montreal Canadiens (“Les Canadiens sont là!”), but also with the “far-from-incomparable” Trail Smoke Eaters to Stockholm for the world hockey championships, where Canadians are “widely known, and widely disliked.” There are wonderful pieces here about Ring Lardner, George Plimpton, Hank Greenberg and lady umpires, and a marvellous essay on his unlimited enthusiasm for the all-inclusive Encyclopedia of Jews in Sports , which includes among its champions Sandy Koufax, “who may well be the greatest pitcher of all time, regardless of race, colour or creed,” as well as one Steve Allan Hertz, an infielder who played five total games in Houston in 1964 and had a batting average of .000.

Dive into the whimsical world of the Kennedy dynasty with the iconic "JFK Coloring Book" by Mort Drucker, a celebrated illustrator known for his distinctive work in Mad Magazine. This captivating coloring book, a New York Times Best Seller, offers a unique blend of political satire and engaging artistry, perfect for enthusiasts of history, humor, and coloring alike. Originally published in 1962, this masterpiece features 22 pages of expertly crafted illustrations that humorously critique the Kennedy family, showcasing their wealth, privilege, and influence through a light-hearted and satirical lens. Crafted by the brilliant trio of Mort Drucker, Paul Laikin, and Jackie Kannon, this book takes you on a delightful journey, poking fun at the intricacies of the JFK administration and the societal impact of the Kennedy Clan. It's an exceptional pick for anyone looking to combine their love for coloring with a dash of political humor and historical insight. Whether you're a teacher seeking engaging educational resources or a coloring enthusiast with a penchant for history and satire, the "JFK Coloring Book" is a must-have addition to your collection. Explore the vibrant, humorous caricatures and gain a unique perspective on one of America's most talked-about political families. Perfect for classroom use or as a thoughtful gift, this book promises not only a fun coloring experience but also a fascinating glimpse into American political culture during the early 1960s.

From writing a birth announcement that won’t attract the attention of kidnappers, to doing criminal background checks on the other parents before having a playdate, How Not to Kill Your Baby is the perfect comedic antidote to parental paranoia. "This laugh-out-loud hilarious book is mandatory reading for parents, and should be taught in schools as the "cautionary tale" portion of Sex Ed. Run don't walk to buy it, and if you're a baby with lethal parents, crawl don't roll." --Rob Kutner (writer, The Daily Show, Conan, The Future According To Me ) "Unlike babies themselves, copies of Jacob Sager Weinstein's book can be bought and sold on the open market. Buy two and bring joy and laughter to the lives of a copy-less couple." --Jose Arroyo (writer, Conan ) "The "s-a-g-e" in Jacob's middle moniker indicates exactly that. He is a whimsically wise and hysterically funny fellow whom any child (or book buying adult) would be wise to listen to." --Dennis Miller "If you don't buy this book and then your baby dies, how are you going to feel? Pretty bad, I imagine." --Larry Doyle (writer, I Love You Beth Cooper; Go, Mutants!; The Simpsons ) Have you ever read a parenting book that left you feeling inadequate and/or terrified? In other words, have you ever read any parenting book whatsoever? If so, you need How Not To Kill Your Baby , a hilarious parody of every fear-mongering, crazy-making pregnancy and parenting manual you've ever cringed over. Just consider the following advice: * "As you know if you have ever seen someone give birth in a movie or television show, all newborns emerge with adorable round faces, pudgy limbs, and twinkling eyes. If, by contrast, the nurse hands you a tiny, squawling creature with the face of an old man and skin covered in goo, hand it back immediately. There has clearly been some sort of mixup with a nearby ward for senile midgets." * "It's essential that you keep careful track of your baby's every bodily function. That way, when she is president of the United States and a paranoid-minded conspiracy movement springs up denying her eligibility for the position, you will have documentary proof that she did, in fact, poop on U.S. soil at 8:23AM on February 23." * "When choosing a nursery school, make sure to visit first, and ask the teachers about their educational philosophies. Then ask about their criminal records. If they insist they have none, you may need to keep asking, perhaps while shining a bright light in their face. Also, take their fingerprints, then follow them home from a discreet distance and go through their trash. Oh, and don't forget to thank them for their dedication to helping the young!" * "It is easy to adjust your parenting techniques as your children grow: simply do and say the exact same things, but raise your voice by one decibel for every year of your child's age." How Not To Kill Your Baby is printed on child-safe, 100% piranha-free paper, and bound without the use of exploding staples. You'll get no such promise from What To Expect When You're Expecting . How Not To Kill Your Baby is the book for you... unless you're some kind of baby-hating creep who wants to parent all wrong.

Since the late 60s author Richard A. Lupoff has been writing parodies of famous SF authors like Philip K. Dick and H.P. Lovecraft under the name, Ova Hamlet. In 1979 a collection of seven of the stories was published as THE OVA HAMLET PAPERS. It was lavishly illustrated by Trina Robbins and introduced by Philip Klass. Now, Lupoff and Ramble House are proud to present the first complete collection of Ova Hamlet parodies, fourteen in all, with seven more brand new illustrations by Trina Robbins. Authors who are parodied include Kurt Vonnegut, Harlan Ellison, Philip Jose Farmer, Mickey Spillane, Stephen King, J.G. Ballard, Norman Spinrad, Robert E. Howard, Barry Malzberg, L. Ron Hubbard, John Norman and Fritz Leiber. It's a 256-page book that will take you back to the days when SF was really fun and Ramble House is extremely proud to be publishing it.

MR3971XJKA-also known as Mary-is the Grays' scout, liaison, diplomat, and translator. Along with her boyfriend DuckBob and their friends Tall and Ned she has saved the universe from invasion by beings from another reality. Twice.DuckBob loves her and trusts her without question. Still, he doesn't actually know anything about her past. Which is why, when Mary asks him to accompany her to her college reunion, he jumps at the chance.That tense reunion is interrupted by a distress call-from the Grays themselves. It seems the invaders are back, and this time they're determined to finish the job.Mary and DuckBob quickly find themselves overwhelmed. To pull this one off, they're going to need help. A lot of it.Can they get their disparate allies to work together, though? Or will rivalries, dissension, and distrust do the invaders' work for them, once and for all?

If you are one of the millions of fans who've seen Annie on HBO Real Sex specials, you know her extraordinary blend of humor, earthy eroticism and spirituality. Even if you've never seen her perform, you're probably familiar with Annie's "bosom ballet" or "101 Uses for Sex". Whether you're a man or woman, straight or gay, you'll be thrilled to see these "greatest hits" from books and shows that are now rare and out of print. Each postcard book features a different selection of pictures of Annie throughout her years as a porn star, pin-up model, performance artist, sex-positive feminist and new age sex guru. There are also many of Annie's own well-known photos of famous sex-positive feminists including Susie Bright and Lily Burana or rock stars like Lydia Lunch and Kembra Pfahler. Don't miss her Transformation Salon ("before and after" pictures of her models), her exploration of erotic archetypes, as well as her classic "Anatomy of a pin-up photo", "Tit prints" and "Pornstistics" -- hilarious pie charts and bar graphs of the economics of sex work. Each volume has a different selection of eternally popular images, so you'll definitely want to order both. Erotic but not X-Rated, they will appeal to hip women and men alike wanting to find the perfect funny and hot gift for their Valentine -- or for the whole year thereafter!

Osher Gunsberg, one of Australia's most loved celebrities, opens up in a powerful, dark, funny and heartwrenching memoir about life, love and living with mental illness. It's hard to remember a time when Osher Gunsberg (or Andrew G as he was then) wasn't on TV - he's just always been there, looking at ease in the spotlight, beaming a big smile, with a questionable haircut. He was there hanging out with The Offspring backstage at the Warped Tour on Channel V; announcing to a national audience of three million people that Guy Sebastian was our first Australian Idol; and later capturing the heart of the nation by hosting every season of The Bachelor, The Bachelorette and now Bachelor in Paradise. But while everything looks great from the outside, the real picture has not always been quite so rosy. Osher has always known he's different to most people. Struggling with anxiety, panic attacks and weight issues since he was young, he tried for years to drink away the anxiety and depression. He ended up unemployed, divorced, suicidal and certifiable on the other side of the world, yet somehow he managed to put the broken pieces of his mind back together and make a life for himself again. He lives with a mental illness - and he's come to terms with it to live an authentic, rich and fulfilling life. A revealing, raw, funny and heartfelt memoir from one of Australia's most well-known and well-liked celebrities.

In this witty and highly irreverent book, Fritz Spiegl recounts a sparkling array of the most foolish, ridiculous and hilarious gaffes and blunders that have graced concert halls and musical gatherings the world over, along with a variety of the most peculiar and curious happenings that make the world of music and musicians so colourful. From Sir Thomas Beecham to Sir Georg Solti, and from hoaxes and jokes to misprints and mishaps, this lively and fascinating book is a must for all music lovers.--from Publisher's description.

Vicky and Charlie, 20-something, one the son of a vicar, the other daughter of a much loved Radio 4 and Times columnist, friends for years but never boyfriend/girlfriend, decide to make a hardcore porn movie. This is the hilarious story of their journey from a sofa in North London, through the heart of the sex industry in California, to their own film set in Amsterdam. What happens when a nice girl falls in love with a rent-boy, and a vicar's son attempts to film a gang-bang? Vicky and Charlie learned to see the world through new eyes, and the sex-workers learned how to play cribbage. And together they produced perhaps the most baffling skinflick in history.

At first glance, this book appears to be a light-hearted book of humour and cartoons. Certainly it is, but, it is more than that. Many of the pieces deal with philosophy, ethics, metaphysics, science, psychotherapy, astrophysics, health, love, and the human condition.