My Planet: Finding Humor Review
Written by: Mary Roach
Softcover: 160 pages
Publisher: Readers Digest
Language: English
May 2013, ARC
Genre: Essays/Humor
Follow New York Times bestselling author Mary Roach -- but be careful not to trip -- as she weaves through personal anecdotes and everyday musings riddled with her uncanny wit and amazingly analytical eye. These essays, which found a well-deserved home within the pages of Reader's Digest as the column "My Planet," detail the inner workings of hypochondriacs, hoarders, and compulsive cheapskates. (Did we mention neurotic interior designers and professional list-makers?) For Roach, humor is hidden in the most unlikely places, which means that nothing is off limits. Whether she is dwelling on her age or talking about the pros and cons of a bedroom night light -- "A married couple can best be defined as a unit of people whose sleep habits are carefully engineered to keep each other awake" -- Roach finds a lesson, a slice of sarcasm, or a dash of something special that makes each day comical and absolutely priceless.
In keeping with our mission -- curating the best reads in the land -- Reader's Digest editors neatly packaged these timeless (and hilarious) Roach essays together for the first time. Whether you read this cover-to-cover or during spare moments over morning coffee, flip to a page in this volume and try not to smile.
+++++++++++++
Mary Roach makes me giggle. I have read Stiff, Bonk and Spook and Gulp is in the TBR pile. She is funny, witty and honest in her point of view and that is a great thing. This is a compilation of her columns in Reader’s Digest and range from the wonders of Costco to life with her husband. In a way she reminds me a bit like Laurie Notaro just not as snarky.
Things I loved: There is really nothing bad that I can say about this book. As I said Mary Roach is a funny lady. Admittedly I couldn’t relate to all of the different columns as she is a bit older and married and yet this was just a fun read. It’s the good clean family fun that my stepmom would love and laugh over.
It’s not a book that you can read in one sitting. Admittedly some of the stories are uneven, but that is usually the case with any sort of collection. And yet the perfect little mini collection of lightweight fun. For those of you who haven’t read any of Mary’s other works, this is a cute start as you see life from her point of view. Though I highly recommend her more learned fare in her other books.
Buy or Borrow: Buy. This makes a great little gift for those who need a smile or two in their lives
Part of: Standalone
Also Recommended: For more anthologies I recommend any of Laurie Notaro’s books, Chelsea Handler’s books or I was Told There’d Be Cake by Sloane Crosley
3 out of 4 happy bibliosnark bookmarks
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