Reviews (76)

Appropriate title
It is very difficult to like Toby Young (certainly on the basis of this book), however this is a very good and entertaining book.

It tells the story of Toby Young's time in New York working for Vanity Fair magazine. Toby Young is an interesting, if not particularly attractive, character. He is a very strange mixture of high brow and base instincts coupled with a rather adolescent sense of humour and an amazing ability to offend both intentionally and unintentionally. He seems very self-aware in reflection but is clearly unable to use this self-awareness in the heat of the moment. At times he seems to suffer from 'Roger Rabbit' syndrome - he must say it because it is funny (at least to him) regardless of the consequences.

Toby Young arrives in New York expecting to the presented with a smorgasbord of attractive women bowled over by his English accent, evident (at least to him) intelligence and his celebrity connections (from his position at Vanity Fair). This does not happen. He expects to have a brilliant career at Vanity Fair but he finds the office politics difficult (because he is not a believer) and his sense of humour and capacity of foot in mouth constantly land him in trouble. He becomes obsessed with celebrities but demonstrates a total lack of ability to talk to them in interviews or social situations - a bit of a problem when working for a celebrity magazine. He finds many aspects of life at Vanity Fair distasteful and cannot keep his mouth shut about them leading him inexorably towards the door.

Toby Young comes from the great British tradition of intellectual scepticism (lapsing into cynicism and negativity) and through this filter he is often startlingly perceptive about Vanity Fair, New York and the USA in general. These are the best bits of the book. The chapter on Harvard is very interesting - the lack of intellectual diversity and curiosity appalled him as did the dogmatism and lack of dissent. He is quite perceptive about sexual and office politics although this is somewhat tainted by some of his personal attitudes. The analysis of the popularity of Jane Austen and the New York marriage market is spot on and hilarious; as is the analysis of the extremely hierarchical nature of US society, the so-called meritocracy, and the appalling behaviour in engenders. He is also very good on the shallowness of Vanity Fair and the fashion world in general. Less impressively he has problems with homophobia or rather an inability to notice that people are gay and then saying something ridiculously inappropriate. He also flirts with sexism although some of this is due to a descent into a rather laddish worldview caused by his inability to cope with Vanity Fair and New York.

This is a rather uneven book sometimes very intelligent and perceptive (most of the analysis), at others infantile and rather silly (most of the stuff actually about Toby Young). However, it is a very entertaining book if you can cope with Young's less attractive qualities.

Honest and funny, a teaching book
Toby Young has written a valuable book here, full of insight and pertinent observations.Someone said in a review on this website that they didn't laugh out loud once.I did, several times.It's funny, because Toby makes fun of himself.

But he stays true to his inner nature, and stands against the forces of social society in the New York publishing world.

Toby found that the fashion world, at least with respect to publishing, was based on a religious attitude, a "religion I couldn't take seriously."This religion is based, essentially, on chasing new fads.This isn't surprising, since the publishing world must earn its nickel by selling "news" to the public.It's the same with newspapers in general.

But, as Young cites Tocqueville, "It's an extreme form of materialism....an obsession with bodily pleasures at the expense of the immortal soul."Well, Toby was a non-believer in the Conde Nast world, but from my own perspective, his indictment of the materialistic cravings there could apply all over the country.In fact, it seems that it's inherent in capitalism itself, that is, the pursuit of gain by exchanging value for value.It doesn't hurt the "newness priests" to invent something as new as often as possible.

Toby made many good points like this.He paints himself as a loser and an outsider, and so he probably was, but he finds love in the end and returns to his London home.

I learned much from this book, and I could identify with Toby Young as an outsider and non-believer.Many organizations have the same insider/outsider bifurcation, and those who don't worship in the right way may be ex-communicated pretty quickly.

Toby also addresses the matter of sibling rivalry and competition following us throughout our lives.The book has an index, a rarity these days, and I'm using it right now to find a quote by Gore Vidal, as follows: "Every time a friend succeeds, I die a little."Toby adds: "This, in turn explains why we feel a sudden rush of elation on hearing about some terrible calamity that has befallen one of our friends."

And you know, I'm that way, too, but I always believed that I was the only one and had to do everything I could to hide such anti-social feelings.It helped to read this exposition: sibling rivalry throughout life is not that uncommon.

Diximus.

Reviews (4)

This book rocks!
This book was awsome! It's about people farting in your face they show thier butts and fart!

This book rocks!
This book was awsome! It's about people farting nin your face they show thier butts and fart!

Reviews (7)

funny, violent, clever, repetitive and everything else good
This is the best humor comic I have ever read, laughing out loud through every issue. Milk and Cheese basically hate everything and everyone with the exception of booze drinks, sharp objects, TV, Don Knotts, violence and Threes Company. They do what every person has wanted to do at least once in their lives (or several times a day for some)...maul and eye gouge their way through most segements of the population. Nobody is safe from these dairy products gone bad, they taget everyone from fat people to stand up comedians (with satisfying results)! That being said, keep the kids and the easily offended Sallys away from this one. The book is summed up best in their own words: "We hate what you hate, and we hate you!"

Booze and violence
This is one of the funniest comics around today (another being DORK, also by M&C creator Evan Dorkin).Why is it funny?Because Milk and Cheese get away with something we all wish we could get away with: getting liquored up and beating the crap out of annoying people.That's all this comic is, but then that's all it needs to be.Well, maybe that, and a dash of talk-show viewing, but even to do that, they have to rend, pummel, lacerate, and bludgeon anyone who gets in their way.This is pure mayhem, a 2-man riot.

Hilarious dialogue only adds to the mayhem.It's apparent that M&C take their mission, to destroy all idiots, very seriously.The question is: how can Evan Dorkin take essentially the same storyline and make it entertaining over and over again?Believe me, he does it VERY well, and the little comments and asides add immeasurably to the fun.I would prefer to give this 9 of 10, so please forgive the 4.

Now if only he'd start collecting DORK in trade editions.I need more!

Dairy Products Gone Horribly Wrong
MILK & CHEESE : Alcoholic dairy products filled w/ hate and aggression bent on correcting the status quo and the insipid (are they the same?They think so).It's downright hilarious and completely leftfield.An absolute *MUST* for anyone who sees a riotous playground in seeing an animatedcarton of milk and a wedge of cheese (my heroes) wreak havoc on everythingand everyone.

Reviews (6)

Sticky Situation
I made duct tape wallets with my youth group.we got the idea from this book.The directions were hard to follow and by the time we finally figured it out, we had a very sticky situation.the tape stuck to everything.No one had fun.I heard some people say that this book is easy to understand, well, it's not.The directions say things like rip into three strips.Then place one strip sideways and sticky side up.Then put another strip upside down ontop of the stip with the other one.it may sound easy, but once you read all the direstions, it is hard.the pictures aren't much help either.

Fun!
I purchased a duct tape wallet at a craft fair last year for fifteen dollars and am still surprised at how sturdy and functional it is! So when I came across "Got Tape?: Roll Out the Fun With Duct Tape!" at my local bookstore, I had to have it.

The first thing I did with this great book, is make a new bright purple duct tape wallet. Then, I fashioned an awesome matching purse (using purple and traditional silver duct tape) that gets compliments everywhere I go.

Duct tape is so easy to work with, comes in wonderful colors and is sturdy enough to last a long time. If you've been thinking about making your own duct tape creations, "Got Tape?: Roll Out the Fun With Duct Tape!" is a great place to start. You'll be amazed at how quickly you can make the projects.

Did I mention that the wallets make fantastic gifts? Every one of my friends has loved receiving one!

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Reviews (7)

Bitterly Disappointing
I was bitterly disappointed with this book as I thought it would help my terrier learn to kill on command instead of controlling his number two's.The editor should have given this publication a clearer title to avoid confusion.

This book is the real deal!
I was a bit skeptical when I read the previous reviews for "Eliminate on Command." I wasn't sure if these folks were "for real" or just joking about the book. Before I could read the book the evening of the day I received it, my hubby grabbed it and read it through in one sitting. I thought, "Fine, I'll read it tomorrow." He immediately began the training process, which is used on the dog's everyday, normal walks, and my hubby explained to me what we must do with an agreed upon "command" or "trigger word" for our precious Yorky's elimination. I followed through with the same command. Since she already understood the word "potty," we selected "potty-go," which fit into the category of a two or three syllable command. "...[T]he entire training time needed to accomplish your goal is less than five minutes during the entire week," (p. 9).

After only four days (while I read the book!), Abigail obeyed my hubby's command by immediately squatting and doing her business! I was stunned at the rapidity of the learning process/conditioning. PPC ("Piddle and Poop on Command," or "Positive Potty Control"), works well for a dog of 6 weeks or above. However, there are a few things which must be remembered. The command and praise must be used while the dog is eliminating, and this should be done for about 7 days--the command or trigger word being used approximately 50 to 75 times. But after the dog obeys the trigger word, the command should be used a few times each week only. Dr. Smith emphasizes that one should not over-use the command once the dog is trained.

Dr. Marjorie Smith says that "...PPC alone cannot housebreak your puppy, but it can help you enormously in your house-breaking efforts and greatly speed the development of reliable housebreaking patterns" (p. 23). Her book includes delightful illustrations of dogs in different training positions, and the dedication with a beautiful illustration on page 12 in memory of her three dogs is very touching. This lady truly knows her business, and I'd love to learn more about other training needs from her vast experience with animal behavior.

Reviews (4)

Primarily for gay men
This book does not only concern the enjoyment of solo male sex as it pertains to oneself but goes into great detail in the admiration of the physical attributes of other men.The publisher's description of the content is very misleading and borders on false advertising as they know it wouldn't sell well were the truth about its homosexual nature be known.I sifted through the few chapters that were of interest to me then tossed the book into the garbage.

I read it on the touchline
When things are going bad on the pitch it reminds me of how bad things are with my wife. Never having gone solo this book shows you how. I've never wanted half time to come so quickly before. The techniques used really do make you feel special and who knows I might ask Ryan to give me a hand.

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Reviews (10)

Horrifyingly, howlingly funny
I first bought this book as a gag for some of the guys I work with as a river guide.I made the mistake of reading it first, and laughed so hard I cried on several of the stories.My daughters were awakened by my laughter and came to see what mom thought was so funny.We (myself and 2 daughters) shared the laughter for a little over an hour, and many times since.It is the most often asked for book at my house, and, it has gone, and will continue to go on river trips and camping trips with me.Some people gross out when the stories are read aloud, but nearly all will pick it up, read it, and laugh about it in private.

Amusing in a childish way
Scatological humour is fine in the right place and in small doses. Up Sh*t Creek meets neither criteria. The right place is in the men's room, or round a camp fire, where this type of story can be related first hand by the participants or witnesses. Small doses simply means that one or two stories are enough. Up Sh*t Creek attempts to bring together dozens of toilet jokes and, by doing so, is guilty of overkill - the stories lose their impact.

Probably the best place for this book is in the room we all use but seldom discuss. There, the stories can be 'digested' little by little and might pass for a few chuckles. Don't expect anything too cerebral, don't buy the book if the discussion of bodily functions offends you, and don't lick your fingers as you turn the pages!

Omigod omigod!
This is not a book to be read immediately before or immediately after a meal.

You will learn more about the logistics of removing human waste from wilderness areas than you probably cared to know.

You may find yourself screaming in horror as you hurl this book as far as the walls of the bathroom will let you.

You will laugh and in the process, you will learn something about whitewater rafting from the stories, the diagrams, and the glossary in the back.

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Isbn: 1575870533
Sales Rank: 3076587
Subjects:  1. General    2. Humor    3. Men   

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Helps me keep up with my son!
In my continuing quest to always be the source of all information for my son, Calculus For Cats has saved me! As his math skills continued, I was starting to pay for sleeping through Calculus in High School. But Ken Amdahl saved me. This is a perfect book for anyone wanting to learn the concepts of Calculus ... even if you hate math and cats!

The cats have succeeded
According to the authors, cats want to keep people confused about calculus, and I think that cats helped to write this book. Actually, I have been reading a lot of math and science concept books, trying to find any that really clarify the ideas, processes, and applications; technique is best learned with a good textbook. I did not find the analogies in Calculus for Cats to be particularly engaging or enlightening, but this short book does act as a primer of sorts. I would have enjoyed this book more if the authors had focused on interesting real-world examples rather than on mouse-catching examples.

Isbn: 0867270101
Sales Rank: 2442337

Editorial Review

You know those old postcards that show the local meatpacking factory in all its cinder-block glory or the sickening color scheme of a cheap '70s motel room? Well, here they are. Beginning with panoramas of highways in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and other U.S. states, Boring Postcards segues to truck stops, restaurants, motor inns, malls, airports, military bases, factories, tools, and automobiles. Every image is certifiably boring, whether by dint of a photographer's ineptitude (dead-on views taken from too far away) or the sorry state of corporate architecture and interior design. And yet, as earnest advertisements for the American Way of Life, they all radiate a sunny faith in the uniqueness and desirability of whatever they portray.

Reviews (3)

Depends Review
This book will pull you in from the first page.Look for a letter from Martha Stewart to Erma Bombeck and the return letter from Erma to Martha, also find out about some Barbie Dolls new on the market.This author has a great sense of humor, even when dicussing serious matters.She makes you smile at yourself and when that happens, healing and learning occur.Thanks, Barbara.

I thought this book was going to be about women's wrestling!
Despite the scatalogical references in the title this was a Christian book in the end. Mrs. Johnson is not afraid to make herself the butt of the joke, and most of her stories were a gas. Though not fine literature, thisbook definitely deserves a number two. I'm grateful she felt that sharingthese stories was her Christian duty.

But when, oh when, will she writeabout her experiences as a female wrestler? Barb, don't be shy!

Editorial Review

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