Cowboy Logic: The Wit and Wisdom of Kinky Friedman (and Some of His Friends) [Paperback]

Kinky Friedman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2007

Cowboy Logic is filled with the bons mots of our favorite Texas legend, "the oldest Jew in Texas who doesn't own real estate." Complementing his ageless (and outrageous) maxims organized thematically are original cartoons and illustrations by the brilliant Ace Reid.

 

For example:

 

*Always respect your superiors, if you have any.

*Where there's a will, there's a lawyer.

*A happy childhood is the worst possible preparation for life.

*Trust me. I'm a Jew. I'll hire good people.

*Happiness is a moving target.

 

Kinky is famous for his one-liners, and here are the best of them.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Despite the pressures of campaigning for governor of Texas in the upcoming November elections (or perhaps in order to help finance it), Friedman has released a second book for 2006 (he published three in 2005), this one a collection of mostly funny one-liners ranging from crude to sentimental to self-indulgent. Of course, self-indulgent and self-deprecatory are two sides of the same coin for Friedman ("This is the twenty-fourth book that I've churned out-I mean, carefully crafted") and his abundant Texas charm keeps this book from tedium. Friedman pokes fun at everyone from Jews to Baptists ("They ain't makin' Jews like Jesus anymore," "The only thing wrong with Southern Baptists is that they don't hold 'em under long enough"), hillbillies to politicians ("Only two kinds of people wear cowboy hats: cowboys and assholes," "A fool and his money are soon elected"). No one could accuse Friedman of not covering his bases; axioms such as "how we react to the hungry, homeless stranger-is indubitably a measure of our own humanity," and "I mostly ride two-legged animals," demonstrate his romantic-to-ribald range. The entire spectrum of Friedman fans-Texans and New Yorkers, conservatives and liberals among them-are sure to enjoy this slim, funny volume. B&W cartoons from illustrator Ace Reid provide additional chuckles throughout.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Praise for Kinky Friedman:
 
"The new Mark Twain."
--Southern Living
 
"The Mother Teresa of literature."
--Willie Nelson
 
"A Texas legend."
--President George W. Bush
 
"Sometimes he's outrageous. Most of the time, he's outrageously funny."
--People
 
"Spreads more joy than Ross Perot's ears."
--Molly Ivins
 
"[Friedman] is in his own genre. His prose can range from the purely poetic to the pornographic to the deeply philosophical, quite often in the same sentence. He is a wordsmith of the first order."
--Fannie Flagg, The New York Times Book Review
  
 "I've now read all your books. More, please. I really need the laughs."
--President William Jefferson Clinton

 

Praise for Texas Hold 'Em
 
"[Texas Hold 'Em] may not be your typical political autobiography, but then Friedman isn't your typical politician. Friedman is entertaining, lyrical, sensitive, outrageous, profane, and inspirational."
---Houston Chronicle
 

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1St Edition edition (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312331576
• ISBN-13: 978-0312331573
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #565,600 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #47 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Entertainment > Humor > Essays

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cowboy Logic: The Wit and Wisdom of Kinky Friedman, November 2, 2006

By 

Mike "BlueGray" (Reno, Nevada United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cowboy Logic: The Wit and Wisdom of Kinky Friedman (and Some of His Friends) (Hardcover)

A Texan relative once introduced an old friend of his to me. They passed what sounded to be reminiscences of theirs with enduring crinkly-eyed smiles and grins. After closing-off the seemingly off-handed encounter, my relative pointed out the covert subtlties of the preceding event as we walked away. The old-timer had begun with seemingly self-deprecating remarks -- wrapping these around hidden and ironic, good-natured teasing and delayed-action barbs: the lovable Texas Two-step. Old-timers will give you the "high sign" -- that little wiggle of the pointer finger as you pass each other's pick-up trucks on a country road. They acknowledge that you may be a fool and/or a king, but we may need to help each other down the road. Life is you and it is I and the daylight between you and I. This book is a Texas high sign.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "When the horse dies,get off.", July 3, 2008

By 

J. Guild (Toronto,Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cowboy Logic: The Wit and Wisdom of Kinky Friedman (and Some of His Friends) (Paperback)

If you enjoy life,you'll love Kinky's latest book. Here, Kinky has assembled some of his favorite sayings to help anyone to see through the trials and tribulations of life and some downright good advice for you to live by.Kinky is one of those rare jewels who is totally enamored with life and everything about it. He has the ability to cut through the dense layers of fog that confound and confuse life; and just get to the point of it all.
The world lost something great when the people of Texas didn't elect him as Governor. Kinky gave them the chance,and we are all the poorer for it. Of all the Governors that have been elected, by all the States ;what an experience it would have been had he been elected.

His campaign slogan was;

"I'll fight wussification if I've got to do it one wuss at a time."

We've heard a stream of talk from politicians over the years;but never the straight talk we get from Kinky.
In the book Kinky gives us a good line with;
"Jesse Ventura just didn't realize that wrestling is real and politics is fixed."
Or his own assessment of how he would do as a Governor;
"I can't screw things up any worse than they already have."

Kinky starts his book with;
"Happiness is a moving target."
and concludes it with;
"Yep ,this is my watchdog--he watched them steal my
trailer,saddle,bridle,and fifty pounds of oats."
These are good examples of what you'll get in the book and the meanings always go deeper than the surfac.
If you believe that Kinky is not one of the wisest observers of life today;mull this one over for a while;

"Man's ability to delude himself is infinite."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very funny, February 20, 2007

By 

P. Puetz "love to read" (Fowler,IN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cowboy Logic: The Wit and Wisdom of Kinky Friedman (and Some of His Friends) (Hardcover)

This book is very funny. We read this book at a friend's house and really liked the book so thought we would get one for our house to finish reading. Would definately recomend this book to read.