With One Eye Open by Polly Frost

Good morning, boys and girls!

Today's first lesson (that's right, be prepared for more than one today) is all about one thing...HUMOR.  The laughs, the smiles, the things that make us chuckle no matter what is going on and in spite of ourselves.  This is one genre that most people either love it or leave it, but as I normally go against the grain I both love AND leave it.  Okay, that sounded wrong some how but you know what I mean.

While I don't choose to read this type of book all the time, when I do...I make it count.  This particular addition to the "humor books I've read" category has got to count in spades...really...for it's not just a funny story, it's a collection of short spur of the moment funniness that...well, I think you might get a kick out of too.  Without further mindless blathering (see, I can laugh at myself), today's book of choice is....

With One Eye Open

by

Polly Frost

A word to the wise....this book is intended for adult audiences, so those not quite of age to call themselves that dreaded "a" word might want to avert their gaze until this afternoons review.
This is a tongue in cheek look at those situations in life that are best seen through the eyes of a clown, unless of course they are of the scary creepy variety and then let's just switch it back to an image of a fun house mirror ~shudders~. From diets to dreams, love and self diagnosis, there's at least one topic if not more that will have you chuckling, grinning, perhaps even guffawing for a few moments out of your day...and who couldn't use a few more laughs? There's even one that addresses people JUST like us.  How so?  It speaks to those afflicted with one or more wide spread "conditions"...perhaps you've heard of them? Blogaholism? Twitteritis? Status Update Disorder? (LOL.) Let's get a showing of hands to see just how many of you suffer from one (*cough* or all *cough*) of these.... (-raises hand-)

The "chapters" are short and sweet; in fact they read like blog posts.  Oh, wait...scratch that...they are very much like blog posts just with a bit more of the "famous" added in to spice things up.  Seriously!  Some of her stories have been published in some rather infamous publications including this little gem seen in The Atlantic. 

Although I could quote quite a few passages that tickled my funny bone, one that I do believe we'd have a shared laugh over most easily is in the story Goodbye.!  No that is not a miss type on the punctuation there.  It's a quick tribute to all those that read a little bit more into the use of exclamation points when someone posts a message or replies to one you've sent.  Let's see, how does she put it?  Oh yes!  When looking over her past use of the little bugger (i.e. the exclamation point), she makes this eye opening observation... "...I'd think my personality had changed completely -- from a person striving to be at least a little dignified to someone who was the human equivalent of a Jack Russell terrier!!" (pg 7)  (ROTFL!) Been there, seen and done that.  Suffice it to say that this is one author that has been around the block (and that is meant in the nicest way possible, promise) and is not afraid to tell it like it is...with a side of humor to make it go down nice and easy. 

Recommended read for older teens through adults.  Why?  Because I said so....gheesh!  Just kidding...there's a mention or two not quite for the younger set (not to mention an image or two that is built through the lovely descriptive words used that are a bit harder to erase than others...*shudders*). Certainly a good book to grab when you're looking for a break in your otherwise serious day...

Review copy received courtesy of the author herself.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this book and her current works, feel free to visit her website. 

Until next time...happy count down to the new year...and happy reading!