Customer Reviews

Cheap Laffs: The Art of the Novelty Item

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Everything that the editorial material above says is true: this handsomely photographed and crisply designed book is packed with oddball novelties from the preeceeding century. What the above does not convey is that Cheap Laffs is also laugh (or should I say "laff") out loud funny.
Buy it.
Now.

The "TARGET:" lines on "The Laffs" pages alone are worth the price of the book!
Oh, wait a minute, this book costs $19.95. The "TARGET:" lines and maybe the nice, firm cover together are worth the price.
Maybe.

An intertaining books. A short history of novelity items and a pictorial of many items which brought back plesant memories.

My father got this for Christmas and I immediately stole it - it's got dry humor in the descriptions, cynical humor in the "Target Audience," and matchless unintentional comedy from the original ads and product imagery. It's a must-have for anyone interested in the corny heyday of gag props as well as the post-modern snarkiness and wit of excellent writing. Recommended for fans of: Chris Ware, Jon Stewart, Sockington.

I was a little disappointed with this book. I was expecting a scholarly history, biographies of the inventors, inside stories, tales of invention and rivalry, etc... But the book really belongs more on a coffee table. There is an interesting, not-too-in depth essay at the beginning talking about the history and origins of the "Novelty Movement", but the rest of the book is dedicated to a picture dictionary with explanations and blurbs that are sometimes interesting, but not horribly informative. Whats in the Mystery Bag?? They never tell you! Frustrating purchase...