We Really Need To Laugh

We Really Need To Laugh
Author: Alec Gould
Publisher:
Total Pages: 176
Release: 2018-06-10
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9780986292545

Told in a style similar to Samuel Clemens and Will Rogers, inside this "must-read" are enjoyable short stories; some with a "twist". Stories such as "Life's a Birch", "Kindergarten King", "Time Tunnel" and "Venison On the Go". These stories and others will make you laugh, cry, or wet your pants. Sometimes all at once. Alec truly does have a way with words and we are fortunate that this book is just the start of many more in this series. By the time you finish reading, you shall see how versatile Alec is as there is a BONUS "poem". This one alone, you would swear Edgar Allan Poe himself had wrote. As Alec would say, "Enjoy my friends "

Ha!

Ha!
Author: Scott Weems
Publisher: Basic Books
Total Pages: 258
Release: 2014-03-04
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 0465080804

An entertaining tour of the science of humor and laughter Humor, like pornography, is famously difficult to define. We know it when we see it, but is there a way to figure out what we really find funny -- and why? In this fascinating investigation into the science of humor and laughter, cognitive neuroscientist Scott Weems uncovers what's happening in our heads when we giggle, guffaw, or double over with laughter. While we typically think of humor in terms of jokes or comic timing, in Ha! Weems proposes a provocative new model. Humor arises from inner conflict in the brain, he argues, and is part of a larger desire to comprehend a complex world. Showing that the delight that comes with "getting" a punchline is closely related to the joy that accompanies the insight to solve a difficult problem, Weems explores why surprise is such an important element in humor, why computers are terrible at recognizing what's funny, and why it takes so long for a tragedy to become acceptable comedic fodder. From the role of insult jokes to the benefit of laughing for our immune system, Ha! reveals why humor is so idiosyncratic, and why how-to books alone will never help us become funnier people. Packed with the latest research, illuminating anecdotes, and even a few jokes, Ha! lifts the curtain on this most human of qualities. From the origins of humor in our brains to its life on the standup comedy circuit, this book offers a delightful tour of why humor is so important to our daily lives.

Inside Jokes

Inside Jokes
Author: Matthew M. Hurley
Publisher: MIT Press
Total Pages: 374
Release: 2011
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 026201582X

Some things are funny -- jokes, puns, sitcoms, Charlie Chaplin, The Far Side, Malvolio with his yellow garters crossed -- but why? Why does humor exist in the first place? Why do we spend so much of our time passing on amusing anecdotes, making wisecracks, watching The Simpsons? In Inside Jokes, Matthew Hurley, Daniel Dennett, and Reginald Adams offer an evolutionary and cognitive perspective. Humor, they propose, evolved out of a computational problem that arose when our long-ago ancestors were furnished with open-ended thinking. Mother Nature -- aka natural selection -- cannot just order the brain to find and fix all our time-pressured misleaps and near-misses. She has to bribe the brain with pleasure. So we find them funny. This wired-in source of pleasure has been tickled relentlessly by humorists over the centuries, and we have become addicted to the endogenous mind candy that is humor.

We'll Laugh About This (Someday)

We'll Laugh About This (Someday)
Author: Anna Lind Thomas
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Total Pages: 241
Release: 2021-09-14
Genre: Humor
ISBN: 1400221978

A hilarious argument in favor of taking life a smidge less seriously Popular humor writer Anna Lind Thomas had an epiphany after her essay about a humiliating fart went mega-viral: Everything’s funny . . .eventually. You’ll cry-laugh your way through the many grave offenses she’s endured, like not getting credit for Lady Gaga’s career, an epic financial crisis, and exercising while her children dole out biting critiques about her dimpled thighs. Anna’s wit, charm, and painful relatability will encourage you to remember that your most humiliating moment may be the best thing to ever happen to you—or at the very least, it’ll make for a really good story. “A hilarious, heartwarming trip.” —Bunmi Laditan, bestselling author of Confessions of a Domestic Failure and humorist behind The Honest Toddler “I couldn’t put this down.” —Tiffany Jenkins, bestselling author of High Achiever and humorist behind Juggling the Jenkins “Deep, bowel-loosening laughs, along with a side dish of humanity and understanding.” —Johanna Stein, author of How Not to Calm a Child on a Plane and award-winning television writer and producer “Full of humor and heart.” —Cindy Chupack, New York Times bestselling author and Emmy-winning writer/producer of Sex and the City, Modern Family, Otherhood, and more

Cry Until You Laugh

Cry Until You Laugh
Author: Kim Sorrelle
Publisher: Morgan James Publishing
Total Pages: 234
Release: 2015-03-15
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1630472689

There are so many things that we do not have control over, things that we would not ever choose: cancer, loosing a spouse, tragic accidents. But we can choose how we will handle these things. Joy is a choice that anyone can make but not everyone knows how. Facing cancer, becoming a widow, loosing the future as the author saw it made her recognize that she had to choose a way to deal with the present.

The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh

The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh
Author: Helen Rutter
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 186
Release: 2021-08-03
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1338652281

When life is funny, make some jokes about it. Billy Plimpton has a big dream: to become a famous comedian when he grows up. He already knows a lot of jokes, but thinks he has one big problem standing in his way: his stutter. At first, Billy thinks the best way to deal with this is to . . . never say a word. That way, the kids in his new school won’t hear him stammer. But soon he finds out this is NOT the best way to deal with things. (For one thing, it’s very hard to tell a joke without getting a word out.) As Billy makes his way toward the spotlight, a lot of funny things (and some less funny things) happen to him. In the end, the whole school will know -- If you think you can hold Billy Plimpton back, be warned: The joke will soon be on you!

If You Want to Make God Laugh

If You Want to Make God Laugh
Author: Bianca Marais
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 450
Release: 2020-07-07
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0735219338

A rich, unforgettable story of three unique women in post-Apartheid South Africa who are brought together in their darkest time and discover the ways that love can transcend the strictest of boundaries. In a squatter camp on the outskirts of Johannesburg, seventeen-year-old Zodwa lives in desperate poverty, under the shadowy threat of a civil war and a growing AIDS epidemic. Eight months pregnant, Zodwa carefully guards secrets that jeopardize her life. Across the country, wealthy socialite Ruth appears to have everything her heart desires, but it's what she can't have that leads to her breakdown. Meanwhile, in Zaire, a disgraced former nun, Delilah, grapples with a past that refuses to stay buried. When these personal crises send both middle-aged women back to their rural hometown to heal, the discovery of an abandoned newborn baby upends everything, challenging their lifelong beliefs about race, motherhood, and the power of the past. As the mystery surrounding the infant grows, the complicated lives of Zodwa, Ruth, and Delilah become inextricably linked. What follows is a mesmerizing look at family and identity that asks: How far will the human heart go to protect itself and the ones it loves?

The Humor of Christ

The Humor of Christ
Author: Elton Trueblood
Publisher: Harper San Francisco
Total Pages: 136
Release: 1964
Genre: Religion
ISBN:

The Humor of Christ inspires Christians to redraw their pictures of Christ and to add a persistent biblical detail, the note of humor. Throughout the Gospels, Christ employed humor for the sake of truth and many of his teachings, when seen in this light, become brilliantly clear for the first time. Irony, satire, paradox, even laughter itself help clarify Christ's famous parables, His brief sayings, and important events in His life.

Get Your Life Back

Get Your Life Back
Author: John Eldredge
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Total Pages: 238
Release: 2020-02-11
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 140020867X

Find your way through the mess to embrace the fulfilling life you've always dreamed of. Join New York Times bestselling author John Eldredge as he shares practical, simple, and refreshing tips with you for living fully. How would you say you are doing these days? Are you happy most of the time? Do you feel deeply loved? Are you excited about your future? How often do you feel lighthearted? These questions almost seem unfair. Life is so hard on all of us, rough on our humanity. We live in soul-scorching times. The mad pace of it all, the number of demands on our time and energy, and the overwhelming torrent of information coming at us 24-7 have left us all ragged, wrung-out, and emptied. This isn't the life we want, but how do we get off the roller coaster? In Get Your Life Back, John Eldredge shows you how to move forward into the life you so desperately need. By incorporating a few simple practices—what John calls "graces"—you can begin to recover your soul, disentangle from the tragedies of this broken world, and discover the restorative power of beauty. These simple practices are yours for the taking. You don't need to abandon your life to get it back--in fact, John shares that you can start restoring your life here and now. Get Your Life Back will give you the tools you need to: Learn how to insert the One Minute Pause into your day Begin practicing "benevolent detachment" and truly let it all go Offer kindness toward yourself in the choices you make Drink in the simple beauty available to you every day Take realistic steps to unplug from technology overload God wants to strengthen and renew your soul, and Jesus longs to give you more of himself. The world may be harsh, but God is gentle; he knows what your daily life is like. All we need to do is put ourselves in places that allow us to receive his help. You can live freely and lightly. Let Get Your Life Back show you how. Your soul will thank you for it.

Positive Discipline

Positive Discipline
Author: Jane Nelsen
Publisher:
Total Pages: 286
Release: 1996
Genre: Child rearing
ISBN: 0345402510

THE KEY TO DISCIPLINE IS NOT PUNISHMENT, BUT MUTUAL RESPECT All parents try to do their best--but the best of intentions don't always produce the best results. Dr. Jane Nelsen, an experienced psychologist, educator, and mother, believes that children misbehave when they feel thwarted in their need to belong and in their need for love and attention. An authoritative approach, using phrases like " Because I said so!" , will only lead to rebellious behavior. Instead, parents need basic principles that bring them and their children closer. They need Positive Discipline. Dr. Nelsen explains that parents who use kindness and firmness to teach life skills will encourage self-respect, self-discipline, cooperation, good behavior, and problem-solving skills in their children. In Positive Discipline, revised and updated for the '90s, she shows all of us, parents and teachers alike, exactly how her practical program works--answering, step-by-step, such important questions as: *What works better than punishment to teach children positive, good behavior? *What mistakes do most parents make " in the name of love" ? *How can parents turn their mistakes into assets? *How can praise be dangerous? *What are the dangers of trying to be " Super Mom" ? *How can teachers avoid discipline problems in the classroom? " It is positive! It works! It saves your sanity! And it is easy to share with others." --Julie Pope, Parent Sacramento, CA " As a parent and psychotherapist, I have found enormous value and practical wisdom in Positive Discipline. It conveys a win/win atmosphere for parents and children. The techniques are so easy tolearn and fun to use...Anyone following these concepts will see almost instant results and big smiles on the faces of their children." --Katherine Dusay, Psychotherapist San Francisco, CA