Syrup by Maxx Barry
Goofy, charming, and brilliant, Scat is determined to become very rich very young in the image-obsessed cut-throat world of corporate marketing. After being tricked out of his million-dollar notion for a new cola product, Scat is misled, double-crossed, and seduced by competitors like Sneaky Pete, 6, and @, only to become entangled in the biggest marketing scheme ever conceived. Over-the-top satire, chock-full of pop-culture meta-references -- and absolutely hysterical.
Lesley Knieriem, South Huntington Public Library
Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death by M. C. Beaton
Agatha retires to her dream cottage in the Cotswalds to escape the hectic London scene and the high pressured world of public relations. She was going to live the idyllic life of peaceful walks and beautiful landscapes, but a local baking contest shatters the tranquility. The judge is poisoned, and she is a suspect; will she be able to clear her name? It is a witty romp through English country life, with the cantankerous Mrs. Raisin as your guide.
Rosemarie Jerome, Half Hollow Hills Public Library
The Sweet Potato Queens' Book of Love A Fallen Southern Belle's Look at Love, Life, Men, Marriage, and Being Prepared by Jill Conner Brown
This book is an irreverent commentary on men and life from a Southern female perspective. It is funny - the Sweet Potato Queens are a group of formidable women who gained their title on demand rather than earning it in the traditional fashion of winning a beauty contest. To know the Sweet Potato Queens is to love them. Since the early 1980s, this group of belles gone bad has actually been the toast of Jackson, Mississippi, with their glorious annual appearance in their annual St. Patrick's Day parade. In The Sweet Potato Queens' Book of Love, their royal ringleader, Jill Conner Browne, introduces the Queens to the world with this sly, hilarious manifesto about love, life, men, and the importance of being prepared. Chapters include: The True Magic Words Guaranteed to Get Any Man to Do Your Bidding, The Five Men You Must Have in Your Life at All Times, Men Who May Need Killing, Quite Frankly, What to Eat When Tragedy Strikes, or Just for Entertainment and, of course, The Best Advice Ever Given in the Entire History of the World. From tales of the infamous Sweet Potato Queens' Promise to the joys of Chocolate Stuff and Fat Mama's recipe for Knock-You-Naked-Margaritas, this is an irreverent and shamelessly funny book. It's hard to describe the Sweet Potato Queens in just a few words. They are, quite simply, the sassiest, naughtiest, funniest and most eye-catching gang of women in the entire United States. The Sweet Potato Queens have discovered the secret to happiness; life is what you make of it, and each of these fallen Southern Belles has decided to make life a riot, a romp, a long, involved, and perfectly executed practical joke, a reason for joy. Even while facing the variety of idiots and jerks and creeps (as well as indigenous critters) we come across in this world, the Sweet Potato Queens handle every dilemma with aplomb, humor, and sisterhood. They are also (thank God!) cheerfully addicted to bad food, good drinks, trashy lingerie, practical jokes, and watching beauty pageants with the supreme satisfaction of goddesses who know that the best crown is the one you give yourself, and it's yours for life. They are convinced of their own sovereignty. This book relates the history of the SPQs and then swings into a profoundly funny trove of advice and anecdotes. There are also recipes not to be found in any Junior League Cookbook.. The SPQs show you how to follow their example with the sassy and wise enthusiasm that is the trademark of a group of women who have declared themselves bona fide goddesses and are having a complete blast with the world at large. Read this droll and hilarious book when your life needs a little sparkle and lots of laughs.
Frances Altemose, Sachem Public Library
Bridget Jones: the Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding
Bridget Jones is back! Still a single "thirty-something" searching for a mature relationship, Bridget manages during the course of the year to keep herself occupied by a number of bizarre, laugh-out-loud scenarios including boyfriend troubles, her "Mum", and her friends. She counts calories, alcohol unites, cigarettes, boyfriend status, and outrageous behaviors on a daily basis, and records it all in her diary. Although a sequel to Bridget Jones's Diary, it is a complete story and stands on its own very well.
Laurie Aitken, Islip Public Library
Elvis, Jesus, and Coca-Cola by Kinky Friedman
Colorful characters, controversial plot elements, and comical writing combine to make an entertaining mystery. Kinky Friedman, the hero and namesake of the author, is an amateur sleuth with a mixture of Southern charm and New York attitude. While the mystery elements may be a bit dull, the style and dialogue are original and the eclectic cast of characters fresh and unconventional. Be prepared for Friedman's politically incorrect humor, which is targeted at many religious, ethnic, and political groups.
Christine Ranieri, Smithtown Public Library
The Love Song of J. Edgar Hoover by Kinky Friedman
New York's most cosmic private detective launches once again an investigation that leads him far afield of both the law and the lower Manhattan loft he calls home. Soon after he is hired by a lovely young woman to find her missing husband, Kinky smells a rat. But it is not until he's been shot by the DC police and locked in a burning limousine that he figures that maybe he is the one with his tail in a trap.
Jane Moore, Half Hollow Hills Public Library (Melville Branch)
Sick Puppy by Carl Hiassen
This mystery centers around the avaricious lobbyist Palmer Stoat, and a vigilante environmentalist named Twilly Spree. Other characters include a demented, but sympathetically portrayed, ex-governor of Florida, an assortment of greedy politicians, big game hunting enthusiasts, and a "Republicans-only" hooker. The story, and the language, are rough and might give offense, but it is a well-written, satirical commentary on modern America.
Suzanne McGuire, Commack Public Library
The Inn at Lake Devine by Elinor Lipman.
The Marx family takes a cabin every summer on a lake. When Mrs. Marx writes to the Inn at Lake Devine one summer, she is denied accommodations because of her religion. As a result, her daughter Natalie becomes fixated on the inn and its owners. As Natalie grows up, her life becomes entwined with theirs, and she eventually marries the owner's son. Themes of prejudice, intermarriage, and cultural differences form the meat of this romantic comedy.
Karen Jaffe, Comsewogue Public Library
The Last Resort byAlison Lurie
70-year-old Wilkie Walker, world famous naturalist, and his 46-year-old wife Jennie have been happily married for 25 years. But Wilkie feels professionally marginalized, convinces himself that he is fatally ill, and decides to commit suicide. Jennie, who has devoted her married life to Wilkie's career, believes he has lost interest and no longer loves her. Wilkie's unsuccessful attempts to drown himself in the waters of Key West grow increasingly comical and both he and Jenny interact with local characters and visitors in ways that entertainingly alter perceptions of love, marriage, gender roles, and even dying.
Arlene Leventhal, Half Hollow Hills Public Library
Food and whine: Confessions of an end of the Millenium by Jennifer Moses
Unorthodox recipes and an amusing look into the heart and mind of a 30-something woman of the 21st century. Mother of three and widely published journalist, Moses' reveals her wit in the midst of the chatter and clutter in her kitchen. The now-familiar conflict between career and motherhood is brought into focus with a wry smile and, at times, gritty language. A fun read for men and women of any age interested in family life, love and survival served up with humor and grace.
Grace O'Connor, West Islip Public Library
Junk-Drawer, Corner-Store, Front Porch Blues by John R. Powers
Donald Cooper is a man/boy professional comedy writer at a crossroads. A spot on his lungs has just been found, his girlfriend is tired of having a "baby brother," and his mom has suddenly been hospitalized. Forced to finish the growing up which has been on hold for 20 years, he returns to his childhood home alone, to recover his mother's most prized possessions kept in "a brown box somewhere in the house." A good story with elements of tragedy, plus plenty of laugh-out-loud one liners.
Carolyn Hasler, Huntington Public Library
God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian by Kurt Vonnegut
Occasioned by a "botched anesthesia during a triple bypass," during which he saw the end of a blue tunnel, the author worked out a deal (he claims) with Dr. Jack Kevorkian, to appear at the lethal injection facility in Huntsville, Texas and be assisted in making round trips to Heaven to interview the dead. He speaks with both saint and sinner, including such figures as James Earl Ray, Sir Isaac Newton, Shakespeare, and St. Peter, who becomes annoyed with Vonnegut's incessant coming and going. These tales provide a chuckle and some outright laughs despite unsetting moments.
Marie T. Horney, Cold Spring Harbor Library
