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All Dilbert books are funny. This is a Dilbert book. Ergo, Snaffle eats cheese. No, wait, that's the conclusion to a different logical progression, but you get the point. Anyway, this Dilbert book, as all Dilbert books are, is funny. But it isn't particularly outstanding as Dilbert books go; there was nothing that made me laugh out loud, only a few strips that I wanted to read to my wife, and nothing that I wanted to copy & put up on my office wall. But it's definitely worth the read.

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This latest Dilbert is witty, funny, and I give Scott Adams an A+ for putting greater details into his art works.

Scott Adams brings an utterly human and sensible perspective to what is so often inhuman and insensible: the world, especially the office world. Adams' satire is sometimes so bizarre and abstract as to actually approach reality.
Adams' only trouble is that he seems to be running out of ideas, cycling some of the same basic jokes in different packages. But he's still a funny read, and one of the best comics out there.

If you have ever read Dilbert and cracked a smile or saw where you worked in the joke then you need to buy the collected strip editions.

"Don't Squat With Yer Spurs On! A Cowboy's Guide to Life" by Texas Bix Bender is a delightful little book, pocket-size, with a cowboy aphorism on every page.

Small black-and-white drawings, expertly done, of cowboy life on ranch and range appear on every left page.

Flipbook silhouettes appear in the upper corners of the right pages. As you flick the pages front to back you see a cowboy riding his horse, walk to full gallop, stopping and rearing in encountering a rattlesnake, bucking, the cowboy flying off, losing his hat, getting up, dusting off, trying again. Evidently the sidewinder gets away.

The title language reflects the wisdom and earthiness throughout the sayings.

"If it don't seem like it's worth the effort, it probably ain't."

"Never ask a barber if he thinks you need a haircut."

"Control your generosity when you're dealin' with a chronic borrower."

"Talk low, talk slow, and don't say too much."

"No matter where you ride to, that's where you are."

"Some things ain't funny."

Bender's book is fun and a lot more, pardner.

By the way, he's also come out with "Don't Squat With Yer Spurs On! II." Yeah, to both of `em.

I haven't receive this order yet. When do you expect to ship?

Thanks,

Jim Thomas 208.841.6393

This is one of the best books of all time. Short, succinct and worth reading again and again. I spend my time with "dazzling urbanites" and it's a good antidote of Western, best taken liberally.

I noticed that this book has not been reviewed for a few years and it's worth a new review. The book consists of 138 pages with a single statement per page. The statements are all short, accurate, and almost incomprehensible to most Americans living in the year 2005. We needed this book about 40 years ago when there were still a few folks that could understand it. That's the only reason I am giving it 4 stars instead of 5....the author missed his due date! Anyway, if you don't read anything else, read that first page and live by it.

Pretty much everything we need to know about getting by in life is contained in the sage sayings in this book. One of my favorites is, "Never drink downstream from the herd." Some are simply funny. Others are downright insightful. This is the "Confusius says" of the American West. It makes a good gift, and the perfect thing to pass around at a gathering for laughs and conversation. --Christopher Bonn Jonnes, author of Wake Up Dead.

In reading "Greasy Lake" what are we really experiencing? T.C. Boyle presents his observations of love and loss with the unclouded eye of a reporter. He captures these moments in time with exceptional prose. His lyrical use of language, the skill with which he presents the tale is fabulous, but in the end I felt that I had missed something. When I put the book down it was if I had had a delicious gourmet meal but still felt hungry. For when I closed the book, I forgot about the characters. I didn't think about what had happened to them - I didn't wonder, I didn't care. Despite that is "Greasy Lake" worth reading? Definately. TC Boyle's richness of description is worth every lucious moment.

What? You weren't aware that Eisenhower had a top-secret affair with Khrushchev's wife? Perhaps you need the vivid details of blues impresario Robert Johnson's death? And have you availed yourself of the former President's plan to snag two terms in the White House...by building a new moon? Yes, this lunacy and much more fun awaits in this file of T.C. Boyle short stories. These pieces, penned for a host of magazines (Antaeus, Antioch Review, Atlantic Monthly, Esquire, Iowa Review, Oui, Paris Review, TriQuarterly, and others,) were written earlier in Boyle's career, between 1979 and 1985. These are entertaining sketches of whimsical, off-beat protaganists and moments in time. An Elvis impersonator, a yuppie asparagus-crepe eater and his haunting rebel shadow, the survivalist who moves his family to Montana, a loyal Communist fighting to "hold public property sacred" in the cold Moscow winter...Boyle unfailingly delivers rare specimens in story after story.

"There was a time when courtesy and winning ways went out of style, when it was good to be bad, when you cultivated decadence like a taste. We were all dangerous characters then." These opening lines from the first story "Greasy Lake" could describe most all of the zany, complex characters who color these fifteen stories. A quick, entertaining read.

unforgetable characters, thrilling plot, shocking humor, and a richly involving, rewarding reading experience where I cringed, and encouraged as if I were shouting at a movie screen. This book totally rules, because the author is so fearless. TCB tackles issues and characters without flinching, and he really takes care of his readers. Fast-paced, and with a stunning prose-style, this guy can do no wrong.

If a writer of fiction can be believed, then T.C. Boyle's description of how he begins his writing routine is psycho crazy! According to him he cuts a chicken's throat, bleeds it into a bowl which he places under his desk, immerses his bare feet in the bowl and then writes until the blood feels cold. You certainly won't find this advice in any writer's how-to manual at your local library! If this is the price of new, fresh and contemporary fiction, then some might argue that a few chickens being sacrificed for art is worth the price. One of Boyle's gifts is that he is always interesting and truly original. How many contemporary authors can you really say that about today? Anyway, this collection is in my opinion one of his best. From the title story to a short sketch about the bluesman Robert Johnson, he keeps you on your toes from one short piece to the next. You never quite know what to expect with regard to Boyle's style. Another of his gifts is that he takes society's norms and conventions and manages to turn them upside down in a very entertaining fashion. With Boyle, you as the reader are always in on the joke. Many of his pieces despite their non-conventional nature have appeared in conservative men's magazines like GQ. Go figure....If you like to explore new authors, then you could hardly do better than picking up anything by this one. He is like a modern-day cross between Gogol and Kafka, but on some serious hallucinogens. If he and Dr. Hunter S. Thompson aren't friends, then they definitely should be. See for yourself why Boyle is one of the only exciting voices in contemporary fiction.

there's a playfulness in this collection that I haven't seen anywhere else. the language and the plot are like being winked at -- Boyle lets you in on the joke and he trusts that his readers are as sly and smartass as he is.

most people were probably introduced to Boyle in high school English with the title story, "Greasy Lake," and if, like my entire class, that was your favorite story all year long, you won't be disapointed. these other stories are just as accessible, bleak and funny in the coen-brothers way that only Boyle delivers.

All of the characters have not yet appeared in their final forms, and I still don't find myself laughing out loud on every page, but there is usually a smile on my face as I read this book.

Over time, the characters became far more fleshed out and more interesting. This is a bit of an inflection point, if you'll forgive the horrific reminders of Calculus. From here, the betterment of Dilbert really starts to pick up.

If you are a completist, or you haven't ever read it, I would suggest picking it up. If you have seen it, you probably won't read it again and again, the way you might later collections. I leave it up to you.

Harkius

In this book, we start to see the true sides of the boss and Wally, and the true side of Dilbert's crazy office life. But, it blends in perfectly with Dilbert and Dogbert's life outside of work. Whether it's a meaningless meeting or a walk with Dogbert, it's always a ton of fun. So join Dilbert, Dogbert, the pointy haired boss, Wally, and the rest of the office crew in this delightful compilation book, that includes, for the first time ever, regular comics plus Sunday comics!

The scary thing about Dilbert, I've just realized, is not so much that it resembles the company I work for so many times, but the fact that it must resemble more than just my company alone to account for its growing appeal. I guess in my heart of hearts I was hoping that if I ever moved to another company, I could leave the Dilbertisms behind--fat chance, it seems.

Dilbert is well on its way to becoming a classic comic strip. Like the ones canonized before it, it has been able to take a segment of our society (Doonesbury) or life (Calvin and Hobbes) and relieve our tension. Adams is the one writer who can actually answer the question, "Where do your ideas come from?" because he often receives what becomes next week's strip from a reader email. As long as there are companies searching for answers in a changing marketplace, Adams will likely have material. Me, I'm just glad someone is enjoying the situation.

Most comic books, to me, are funny. But I can't really tell any difference from book to book. For some reason, this book strikes me as the funniest in my collection of about 5 Dilbert books. While Dilbert isn't my most favorite cartoon (probably because I'm not an adult), but its the one that I can laugh the most at particular outrageous strips. Want 476 good laughs for twelve bucks??? Buy it Now!!!

This is the first large Dilbert book in which we are given color Sunday strips in addition to the regular black-and-white regular strips. This book covers strips from May 19, 1991 to December 13, 1992. The Boss begins to take the form we are familar with (the pointy hair starts) and Wally comes into existance. Alice also begins to take form in this book. One of my favorite characters (and one whom Scott Adams has used rarely) is Zimbu the monkey and he shows up here as well. The strip continues to improve in the pages of this book. Great for light reading or a good laugh.

I ordered this book to use as a reference for a course. I have found many references made to this book in other places, so it has been a good addition to my personal library.

This book gives a great overall perspective to the Old Testament.

I thought that this was a really interesting textbook. The authors reveal the message of each Old Testament book, while discussing some of the scholarly issues surrounding each part of the Old Testament (such as the JEDP theory). Unfortunately William Lasor passed away in 1991, so Hubbard (who is dead now too) and Bush recruited six other OT scholars to complete the revision. This may be one of the reasons why the authors ride the fence on issues such as whether or not we can take the numbers in Numbers literally, the number of Isaiah's, the historical worthiness of Joshua and Jonah, and the happenings surrounding the Exodus from Egypt. The authors also seem to lean toward the book of Jonah being a parable rather than actual history, although they don't take a really strong stand on that, either.

The reviewer who wrote that this book supports the JEDP theory was mistaken: In fact, the authors predict that this theory will eventually be out of vogue with scholarship. What the authors do affirm is that Moses was originally responsible for the Pentateuch and that through the centuries, the community revised and updated it.

And contrary to an earlier reviewer, I didn't find the book tedious at all: It was very well written and very interesting throughout. I especially appreciated the articles at the end about the Authority of the Old Testament for Christians, Messianic prophecy, and the chronological puzzle.

In short, I recommend this book, only wishing that the authors would take a stand on some of the issues discussed above.

After the founding pastor of my church returned to seminary to pursue his doctoral studies, he recommended this book to better understand the theological foundation of Christianity. He wisely suggested to first read the background in chapters 44-49, followed by chapters 1-15 to get the big picture on Torah and history. Then comes the survey of The Prophets in chapters 16-30, the glorious encounter with The Writings in chapters 31-43 and finally, archeology (chapter50) and messianic prophecy (chapter 51).

Over the course of nearly a year, I read this book alongside the Old Testament. I experienced what the first Ethiopian Christian must have felt as Philip explained the book of Isaiah to him in Acts 8. These three scholarly authors helped me see things I never knew existed, which positioned the gospel in a new way.

As the hearts of the pilgrims en route to Emmaus burned within them as Jesus opened the same Scriptures to them, I gained a deeper understanding and yearning. The New Testament Letter to the Hebrews now makes much more sense, and I am better able to see how OT prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus. My subsequent visit to the Holy Land was enriched by knowing the geography, history and theology of the Old Testament that I gained from this survey.

Without blabbering on about the evangelical theological leaning of each chapter I thought I'd write an actual review of this book rather than attempt to debate the authors' theology. First off, the book is a great survey. It is a bit short at times and a bit simplistic around some of the prophets (the sections on Jonah and Haggai for example are far too basic) but it is always fair and contains some great visual aids, charts, photographs and organization. The book is set up simplistically and is a must for first year theological students. The only real problem I have ever had with this text book is that I have never been a fan of the index (which is far too short).

I am going to seminary right now and this is the book being used for OT I (going from Genesis to Kings. I find the book an easy to read book, the way the chapters themselves are set up are fairly straight forward, giving consideration and theory. I would imagine that I'm probably more conservative than the writers of the book, but then again, I take things with a grain of salt ... by that I mean I go back and trust that the Bible is to be taken as a literal word of God and message of God to we who are the human race.

(By literally I mean my "five finger rules--literal history as with creation and the virgin birth as examples; literal ministry as with the teachings of the Law in the OT and the teachings of the verification of the Law through Jesus Christ in the NT; literal prophecy, that is that the prophecies of OT and NT can be trusted as God's revelation to us of the past, the present, and the future; literal analogy as with the parable; and finally literal symbolism as with saying Jesus is the Lamb of God.)

The one gripe I have about the book is that I dont like how it is distributed. There are chapters on geography and language and such later in the book, something I would rather have at the first of the book because that gives the reader the background so when we the reader starts to read about Genesis and forward, we understand the geographical, cultural, et al background to beginning our read on their interpretation of Genesis and forward. Me myself while I might agree and disagree with some of what they right, the points are there so that the class as a whole can come together and discuss what is the ultimate truth-that the OT is the ground that pointed toward the coming, the verification, the life, the ministry, the death, the resurrection of Jesus Christ and played an all important foundation as being the Scripture used by the apostles and the early church to teach the truth of the Lord God.

I would not suggest that you read this for "fun" as in just a book to pick up and have a few days worth of read. That wont work with this one, but if you need some help and some thoughts toward your college courses (Master Degree forward and upward) this is the book that can give you some assistance.

The best humor ever. It have me looking at squirrels, turtles and racoons differently now.

I am going to draw a hard line here, and everyone involved with both the strip and the movie, forgive me; Do NOT go straight into comparing the movie to the strip. DO NOT! First impressions of each are far different, and the overall feel of the two separate worlds are vastly different. If you have about an ounce of both insight and decency, and a good sense of humor, you will be able to enjoy the strip having seen the movie first. I did. Illinois does not publish Over the Hedge, anywhere, so I did not find out about it until 2007. It is now my favorite strip (ranking a tie with Calvin and Hobbes). Need I say more?

As for my actual review: This collection is a few years apart from the third, but it is still the same offbeat genius I have come to expect from Mike Fry and T Lewis. Sharing the same insights and differences of opinion, RJ and Verne continue their suburban lives with a new partner in crime, Sammy. They explore such topics as the Dating Season, The Tree that Knows Stuff, the controversy of Stem Cell Research, and Reality TV. Pretty much what every suburbanite faces in their lives, but with a much different perspective. I give props to Mike and T, and I can only hope that another installment is on the way.

This is a very fuuny strip that has been around for years and is now a major animated feature. This volume, which has strips that were published before the movie also proves that the crazy squirrel, named Hammy in the movie and everything after that, was originally named Sammy. Why they changed the name is beyond me, but if you enjoy Over The Hedge, this is a great book of collected daily and Sunday strips.

Having watched the movie "Over The Hedge" I expected the characters to be just as funny, animated and entertaining. I found the books disappointing, slow and sometimes crass and NOT funny. I believe the screenwriters did a fantastic job in shaping this animated film, a rare case in which the movie is better than the book.

With the recent release of the Over the Hedge movie, more people are being exposed to the characters. Michael Fry does a superb job of showing humanity with all its warts as seen through our furry friends. Great book.

I have just finished reading T.O.Y.S, by J.David Jamesson.This book tells it all.I could not put the book down, until the very end. J.David Jamesson, tells it like it is! He pulls no punches and exposes these people. The corruptions,scandals, lies, are very real. J. David Jamesson, tells it like it should be told, and not what people want to hear about their idols. J David Jammeson, is witty, sarcastic and very truthful. Nothing is sugarcoated and that is the way, it should be told. I laughed so hard,I had tears in my eyes, because he is so right. J David Jamesson's book is very well, written and a must read!
Ashlee L.Mora

This book is not for the squeamish. David Jamesson calls it like he sees it. He has addressed topics, which most of us have had the same thoughts about, but never had the nerve to say. He says it in plain words, sometimes with a bit of profanity in his language, but you can certainly understand what he is talkng about. It's a well-written book, and whether you agree with him or not, it will make you think, and probably give you a laugh or two besides. I liked the book enough to give it five stars.
Donna Thompson-Ohio .

J. David Jameson describes himself as an insignificant man with an insignificant view. Maybe so. What he is not, however, is an insignificant writer.

From a worm's eye perspective, and with sly, at times Carlinesque, acerbic, cynicism, Mr. Jameson delivers his fire-side bitch session with the bitter-sweet air of a "the show must go on"-spirited call-girl on PMS. And while he's at it, he doesn't leave a stone unturned, digging up and throwing in our faces the maggots of everything that ails our country and society -- screw political correctness!

While turning the pages, I kept waiting for the soap box to cave in under his feet, but it never happened. Mainly, because there wasn't one. Jameson neither preaches, nor advocates, nor does he offer solutions. Neither closet politician nor would-be social scientist, he is simply fed up with all the bull feces by which so many of his fellow citizens are held captives, telling it - not yelling it - like it is, in unpretentious, simple, words to which we can all relate.

Indeed, what makes ex-cop and novice author J. David Jameson's first book not only bearable, but downright enjoyable and provocatively thought-stirring, is its casual tone and endearing voice, quickly drawing us in as allies and sympathizers, rather than using us as punching bags. So much so, that about half-way through the book, I expected Jameson to personally pop out of the pages and buy me a beer. That clearly being but a fantasy, I walked over to the fridge, book still in hand so that I wouldn't miss anything, and grabbed my own beer while continuing my read, cheering... vicariously joining the pen jockey in his rant.

Mark Wirtz
(author of "Love Is Eggshaped" and "CyberGod" -
[...]

This book written by J. David Jamesson is one of a kind. He tells it like it is and I envy his opinions, great book and I can't wait to read more of his upcoming books.


Tempra

While I disagree with Dave on some things I love the way he has taken the time to Speak Out. He is right about the most important thing in his book, people need to get involved, do some home work on your local Politicians. Know where they stand and how they have voted in the past, then make your OWN decision at the ballot box. It was a pleasure to read Daves book.

This is a fine example of fiction that takes so many pains to prove its veracity that you almost find yourself falling for the joke, even though you know going in that you're reading a fiction. Mr. Wilson's Cabinet of Wonder comes close to the same subtle and painful humor as the Lambshead guide, creating a reality that is completely palatable as much as it is made up. The collection of fine talent from the entire spectrum of fantastic fiction delivers the goods. Vandermeer deserves credit for lighting the fire under such an entertaining project.

If you allow yourself to be contaminated by the gallows humour at work in the Thackery T. Lambshead Disease Guide, I'm quite sure you'll find it a treasured addition to your library. The writing is often quirky and inventive, and while not all of it is great, the work of such talented people as Stepan Chapman (who writes the best stuff in the Guide), Michael Cisco, Jeff Ford, Shelley Jackson, Michael Moorcock, Alan Moore and Jeffrey Thomas, easily makes up for the few uneven spots the book has.

The Guide is also beautifully produced, with superb design and illustrations by John Coulthart that reflect his obsessive attention to detail. Michael Moorcock's disease entry, set in flawless mock-Victorian style, is perhaps the most striking example.

The Lambshead Disease Guide is a strange and original book that overflows with talent. It's perhaps not for the squeamish, but the humour, though dark, is brave and commendable for it dares to laugh (or at least chuckle) in the face of our own mortality and some of our greatest fears. Can't recommend it enough, definitely one of the best books of 2003.

Jeff VanderMeer (ed.), The Thackery T. Lambshead Guide to Eccentric and Discredited Diseases, 83rd Edition (Night Shade Books, 2003)

Thwack's at it again-- publishing another compendium of diseases that seem like outright fabrications. Until, that is, you find yourself faced with someone suffering from Clear Rice Sickness. Then, of course, you will find this book invaluable.

It helps somewhat that this time round, the esteemed Dr. Lambshead, now at the spry old age of 103 (as of this edition), has combed the planet for some of the finest talents in the medical profession. Such luminaries as K. J. Bishop, Jeffrey Thomas, Neil Gaiman, and many others have contributed their expensive medical knowledge to this volume. He even goes outside the bounds of the medical profession every once in a while, for example in the cast of the Right Rev. Michael Moorcock; one would think that perhaps a man of the cloth wouldn't have much to contribute to a medical volume, but you'd be surprised.

If there is a problem with the newest version of the guide, it is to be found in the environment itself. There are so many eccentric diseases around these days (very few, surprisingly, are discredited; doesn't everyone know by now that Twentieth-Century Chronoshock is nothing more than a bad hangover?) that it sometimes seems that the enterprising young physician with an open mind will be paging through the blasted thing for years, if not decades, trying to figure out what's wrong with his patient. During which time, naturally, the patient might expire. Imagine, if you will, the good doctor's chagrin upon running into the patient's house with the proper tincture and finding the patient had been buried six months previous.

Still, an invaluable asset that belongs on the shelf of any good physician. If yours does not keep a copy of the Guide handy, you'd best go find yourself one who does, or risk the most severe of consequences. ***

Normally, when a person reviews a book, they aren't actually reviewing "the book" but the ideas contained therein. And normally, such a semantic quibble would be absurd, but in the case of "The Thackery T. Lambshead Pocket Guide to Eccentric & Discredited Diseases" it holds some merit. Because not only does it contain a fascinating selection of the bizarre from a remarkably talented group of authors, but it compiles their writings in a visually stunning collection that beautifully mimics the style, and rather drolly the content, of a Victorian Era monograph.

The basic premise of the Guide is that it is the long running publication of the eponymous Dr. Lambshead, who specializes in bizarre diseases. Moreover, the esteemed Dr. Lambshead is 102 years old, and his guide focuses on diseases that are, shall we say, beyond the pale of modern medicine. From Bone Leprosy to Wife Blindness there isn't an eccentric or discredited disease uncovered by such medical luminaries as Jeff Vandermeer, Paul Di Fillipo, China Mieville and K. J. Bishop (to name a few).

The book begins with two introductions, one from Lambshead and one from the editors, both of which are hilarious. The book concludes with entries from past guides, as well as remembrances from Lambshead's associates, a history of the guide and biographies of each of the contributors (in doctor manifestation, of course). However, the obvious reason to read the Guide is the meat between these two pieces of bread: the diseases. Each author spends anywhere from two to four pages detailing the history, cause and treatment of their own particular disease.

It would be impossible to consider each contribution here, and would spoil the fun of the book for other readers, but there are a few highlights worth mentioning just to offer the flavor of the Guide. First up is Michael Barry's "Ballistic Organ Syndrome" which should be self-explanatory, and which nicely sets the tone for the rest of the Guide. China Mieville's "Buscard's Murrain" is the first (and best) of several literary, or word based, diseases; it's characterized by his dry wit and excellent use of language and tone. Michael Cisco's "Clear Rice Syndrome" has an almost Lovecraft-ian feel, and is one of several contributions that could easily be fleshed out into something longer. John Coulthart's "Printer's Evil" is cleverly placed within historical context and is superbly printed (more on this later). Finally, there is "Tian Shan-Gobi Assimilation" by Jeff Vandermeer; not only is it another disease that could easily turn into something bigger, but it echoes numerous themes in his Ambergris work (without explicitly tying back to them) and will thus be a particular treat for fans of his work. These are just a few of the many great contributions to the Guide, and my failure to mention others shouldn't be treated as an indictment, but rather as an acknowledgement of the consistently high standard of writing displayed throughout the guide.

As one can discern, the writing more than justifies the purchase price of the Guide, but what clinches it is the superb quality of the presentation. Liberal use is made of different fonts to denote different periods in the Guide's history, and occasionally (as in the case of the aforementioned "Printer's Evil") to lend a period effect to a given disease. However, the superb illustrations are what set the guide apart. First, each disease is provided with an illustration, in the style of an 18th century illustrated book or newspaper (or the Wall Street Journal today). Some are grotesque, some hilariously subtle, but they all nicely capture the disease in one snapshot. Secondly, there are photographs of "old" copies of the guide and various locations and personalities, all of which are beautifully presented such that they actually look like a sixty year old book or a team of doctors working to contain a vicious outbreak of venereal disease or what have you.

Finally, the editors brought a real sense of historical weight to the Guide by creating "characters" and texts that appear repeatedly throughout the Guide. Not only does this link together what would otherwise be largely unrelated vignettes, but it also deepens the satire by creating a comprehensive sense of realism around an entirely absurd creation.

Clever in its conception and execution, contributed to by an astonishingly talented pool of authors, and beautifully produced, "The Thackery T. Lambshead Pocket Guide to Eccentric and Discredited Diseases" is an absolute joy to read and a must have for anyone who appreciates books as works of art. Its mind-bending amalgam of genres and influences is all the more intriguing for their smooth integration into one truly original work; the Guide was an enormously ambitious project that the contributors, and especially the editors, pulled off in spades.

Enjoy!

Jake Mohlman

This is a compilation of accounts of various and sundry diseases and ailments as reported by such contributors as China Mieville, Michael Moorcock, Alan Moore, Brian Stableford, Gahan Wilson, and some flash little twerp named Neil Gaiman. Needless to say, all of these diseases are fictional--OR ARE THEY? (Yes, they are.)

The afflictions discussed are sometimes comical, sometimes ghastly. Some of the more notable ones include buboparazygosia (where the victim is covered by plague-like buboes that swell up to grotesque proportions, eating away the body and then bursting to reveal miniature human fetuses), Buscard's murrain (in which a certain "wormword", when pronounced in just such a way, causes chemical reactions in listeners such that nerve fibers in their brains are converted to self-reproducing parasites), Emordny's Syndrome (which causes those affected to basically chameleonically mimic their surroundings), internalized tattooing disease (where autopsies reveal that certain people have somehow unconsciously created artwork on their spleens and livers), and the unearthly Tian Shan-Gobi assimilation (a "The Thing"-like consumption of the host by fungal colonies).

About two-thirds of the book is taken up by these case studies, and the remainder by short accounts by the contributors of their encounters with the titular doctor and of "reprints" of lengthier studies from previous editions. In some ways, this last section is stronger than the preceding pages. A lot of the material in the first part is repetitious (the collected authors sometimes seemed to all come up with the same idea) or just not that great. Also, many of these folk appear to be English in nature. Americans these days can't seem to stir themselves to dash off a few pages for genre anthologies. But it did introduce me to the work of Kage Baker, whose "Anvil of the World" I recommend.

If you can find this at a library (good luck), it's worth perusing, but I wouldn't commit your monthly book-buying budget to it, unless you've sworn a solemn vow to collect all things Gaiman. But I guess there are worse manias to have.

What a book! This book is unique in the fact that it is not what you might think it was by looking at the title but at the same time once you have read the book cover to cover you will see that the title is exactly what it purports to be... (Are you still with me?)

By and large, no pun intended, Charlie Hills has succeed in his humorous sarcastic take on his failures at being able to keep weight off - although he has had sporadic successes when he asserted himself. The whole point of Charlie's writing the book is that most all diets work and at the same time most all diets don't work; the onus is on the dieter to use common sense in eating right and getting the proper exercise and not continually falling for one fad diet after another. The book is rather sarcastic in a hilarious way but if you are one of the millions of people who have found yourself trying to shed a few pounds (or more than a few) you will see yourself in Charlie Hills's self-deprecating remarks. This tome is about getting serious about loosening up about dieting and I must say it works for me.

If you want a shot of humor with a dose of reality about dieting, get hold of this book. It would also make a good gift for any friends you know who are comrades in the struggle to reach their ideal size and weight.

When I picked up the book by Charlie Hills, Why Your Last Diet Failed You, I thought, Great, yet another book on dieting. Then I read the subtitle of the book: "And How This Book Won't Help You on Your Next One". My thought on that was, Huh, well, at least he's honest.

Not only did I find the cover of Why Your Last Diet Failed You amusing, but I also found it honest, and that's what you're going to find inside the book. That is, essentially, what the very foundation of this book, yet another book on dieting, is all about: honesty, with a dash of humor, and it's calorie free.

One thing that stood out when reading the book is that Mr. Hills makes it clear upfront his isn't a miraculous weight loss story. He's never weighed 400 pounds, had a near death experience, or any of the other amazing and heartwarming stories we see in late night infomercials from people with whom we cannot relate. Instead, he's just a normal American human being, who, like the majority of Americans, has been battling the bulge and the "trampoline" weight loss and gain, and he found himself loosing the war.

Pros: Humorous, realistic, practical... this book will make you laugh, might even motivate you to lose weight, and even if it doesn't, provides enough entertainment value to make it worth the read.

Con: The book is a bit pricey.

Overall, I recommend the book for its entertainment value alone, but if you pick up some useful information along the way, all the better!

When you've been on diet after diet after diet in your life, you become somewhat of an expert on the subject. And they always say to write what you know and that's exactly what Charlie Hills did with this humorously-titled book. Struggling to lose weight and then gaining it all back got frustrating and Charlie finally figured out that he needed to find what worked best for him (which turns out to be a healthy low-carb diet, by the way!). He hopes by sharing about his ups and downs over the years that other people can finally find that plan that will give them the final answer to this lifelong problem. And he's kinda funny talking about it, too. :D

So many diet books, so many failed diets - sometimes you just can't take the nonsense anymore. "Why Your Last Diet Failed You: And How This Book Won't Help on Your Next One" is a humorous look at the diet book fad, following the author's own journeys through the ups and downs of the problems of his own diet, losing more of his mind than he did pounds. Also examining the American culture's fascination with being thin and shedding the pounds, it's a laugh riot from front cover to back. "Why Your Last Diet Failed You: And How This Book Won't Help on Your Next One" is highly recommended to community library humor collections with a nod to health collections as well.

Why Your Last Diet Failed You And How This Book Won't Help You on Your Next One
By Charlie Hills
(Lockshire Press, 2007)
Pages: 210
ISBN: 978-0-9749732-6-5
Price: $16.96, paperback

Books dedicated to dieting abound. How to diet, how not to diet, instructions for specific diets...the public's demand for guidance seems to grow exponentially on a daily basis. Its rise propelled by the increasing number of diets and dieters. This trend is precisely what Charlie Hills's book, Why Your Last Diet Failed You And How This Book Won't Help You on Your Next One, seeks to address.
While Hills's book may share a shelf with other diet books, it shares little else. And that, in my opinion, is a good thing. Hills's book does not try to capitalize on readers's potential insecurities. It does not try to promote any one diet or exercise plan. Nor does it try to sell: equipment, shakes, pills, or special foods. What it does do is speak frankly and honestly; from one dieter to another.
Charlie Hills is not a doctor or a dietician. He is a dieter. He has in fact tried many diets; a good portion of which are discussed in this book. By adopting the voice of a witty commentator, Hills shares the failures, successes, and revelations that came with his 192 months of diet-hopping. Neither his failures nor his successes are new. Many a dieter has fallen victim to the yo-yo effect, and the curse of the "dietlet". But that is what makes his book so appealing. He has been there. He is one of the dieters he is writing to. He's "one of us," his target audience can chant. What are new, or at least rare, are his revelations. And the way in which they are presented.
Hills's book has two purposes. To explain why diets fail, and why diet books do not help. (Hence the title). What Hills learned over the course of his dieting is that diets are not all-powerful. That any success a person has while on a diet is not because of the diet itself. It is because of the person. It is the dieter, not the diet, that makes the changes happen. Or not happen. To back this up he breaks down the most popular diets; including Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, South Beach, and Body for Life. He does not harp on any of these diet plans. In fact, he recommends them all. Because, as he rightly points out, every person is different, thus every diet can aide at least one person. Choosing a diet is a personality match. There is no right way or one way to approach weight loss. Despite the many tag-lines that claim otherwise.
Hills also tackles these tag-lines and plethora of claims. The mixed-messages they send that dupe the common dieter into repeatedly trying and failing. While all the while praying for the magic pill or plan to come their way. These mixed-messages, Hills argues, cause dieters to believe that the diet should do all the work for them. That if the dieter fails, it is the diet's fault. And if the dieter succeeds, it is the diet's victory. By discussing the popular diets of today, Hills points out how they, and all diet plans, are essentially the same. The bottom line being that every weight-loss plan tells its followers to eat less and exercise more. Everything else is a marketing technique.
Having tackled diets, Hills can more easily make his case against diet books. He does admit that such books can provide helpful tips and suggestions. But he argues that like their diet counter-parts, these books are all relatively the same. And all typically serve only a short-term purpose. They lay out guidelines and instructions and provide motivation. But basically state the same old fine print: eat less, exercise more.
Hills uses a fine tuned balance of personal experiences, observations, analysis, facts, and figures to successfully argue his two points. His honest, witty, and at times sardonic, voice speaks to his audience. Not at them, or down to them. He approaches his readers on their level. Because, as I said, he is one of them. He seeks only to share with others like himself the lessons he has learned while bouncing from one weight-loss attempt to the next. Why Your Last Diet Failed You And How This Book Won't Help You on Your Next One, is a fun and quick read for novice and professional dieters alike. It will help its readers take dieting and themselves a little less seriously. And manages to teach a few things in the process.

Reviewed by: Rachel Boehm

This book was a light enjoyable read. Just another example of the talent of Alan Thicke.

I found this book entertaining and funny. A good insight on the life of Alan Thicke. The twist he puts on things is great. A must have book.

It's nice to see Im not alone with these childhood issues. Im recently divorced with 4 older children and 1 that is just 8. So to hear Alan's stories really hit home and helped me while bringing a smile to my face. This book shows just how talented this man is and how funny he can be.

This book was a good follow up to Alan's first one "How Men Have Babies". Im a single mother and I enjoyed the way he told his stories and the humor he put into them. My son is only a little older than Carter and I can relate to the situations he has had with him. This book shows that no matter who you are you still have to deal with the same things with your kids as we all do. It makes you feel better. I recommend this feel good book to everyone.

Alan's warm and gentle humor was a pleasure to read. I enjoy how he can mix reality with comedy. I loved it from beginning to end.