February 2, 2004 - Essentials

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February 2, 2004
Essential (Light) Reading - Lee Ann Alexander

In a society saturated with choices, sometimes it's nice to receive some knowledgeable recommendations.

Shakespeare scholars, beware. Chaucer critics, go home. T here are some times when--let's face it--we're just not up for serious fiction and classic literature. So put the cap back on your highlighter and put the Cliff's Notes away. There won't be a quiz, but this collection of light-hearted favorites is sure to refresh your mind and trigger some good wholesome laughter.

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten: Uncommon Thoughts on Common Things
by Robert Fulghum
When Robert Fulghum released this classic, millions fell in love with his brilliant wit, hysterical sense of humor, and yet touching sentiment. Though a chart-topper on all the lists that matter, what's really important is that Fulghum goes after more than your laughter; he throws some hefty insights at his audience. What started as just observations on life with no thought of publication is now a book that will have you aggravating coffeehouse neighbors with chuckles on one page and pushed to serious introspection on the next.

Maybe (Maybe Not): Second Thoughts from a Secret Life
by Robert Fulghum
One of the many releases to follow Kindergarten's popularity, this book delves even deeper into Fulghum's ruminations on the meaning of life. It lives up to its expectations, providing worthwhile comedy and philosophy. And who knows, you may even pick up some spiritual applications from Fulghum's thought-provoking musings.

Let the Hammer Down!
by Jerry Clower
A lesser-known comedy book from one of America's favorite storyteller comedians, this book pulls together some of the best of Jerry Clower. While the setting is based on life in the rural South, the humor is universal, as so many commentators have noted. In this part autobiography/part comedy, Clower recounts favorite Ledbetter stories as well as his own humorous incidents on the road for an enjoyable read.

The Ponder Heart
by Eudora Welty
This book offers more humor from a Southern vein, but this time in the form of an actual novel much closer to serious literature. While Welty is an icon in literary circles, she clearly is just enjoying herself with this wacky tale of bizarre characters facing family drama.

I Lost Everything in the Post-Natal Depression
by Erma Bombeck
With a turn away from regional writing, this book offers a comic view of ordinary life experiences with which readers everywhere should connect. I'm admittedly a new Bombeck fan, so there are certainly other worthwhile titles among her work. But this book's collection of hilarious household incidents seems a great introduction to the housewife heroine who became a champion for women everywhere in the 1970s.

The Jumbo Duct Tape Book
by Jim and Tim, The Duct Tape Guys
To complete the reading list, we really need a bonus oddball book. That requirement is easily satisfied with Jim and Tim's tome. This square, colorful, and highly illustrated book presents 452 uses for duct tape. While it's supposed to be just for fun, don't be surprised if you find yourself pausing on a page to comment, "Hey, that's a good idea!"

ninetyandnine.com

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Lee Ann Alexander is a technical writer from Denham Springs, LA. She spent the holidays obsessing about LSU Tiger football and making a Top 10 list of New Year's resolutions to break before February.