Life is Ridiculous [Paperback]

Valerie Fausone (Author)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Writer, music publicist, and humor columnist with local and national credits.

Product Details

• Paperback: 154 pages
• Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (October 9, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1419633279
• ISBN-13: 978-1419633270
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,512,276 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Life is Ridiculous, but it's also very funny..., March 22, 2007

By 

Drew Carmody (New Brunswick, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Life is Ridiculous (Paperback)

First things first, I suggest a slight modification to the cover of Life is Ridiculous by Valerie Fausone. It needs to come with a "Don't be Drinking A Beverage While Reading This Book" advisory. Trust me, if you pick up a copy of this book, which you really should, don't be drinking anything while you read it. Or at least pause your reading, take a sip, swallow, and then go back to reading. Trust me on this, things will be less messy if you follow those simple steps. Ignore this warning at your own peril, and don't come crying to me when Mr. Pibb comes rocketing out of your nose, hosing down your favorite reading spot. I warned you.

This is a damn funny book. It made me laugh out loud several times while reading it, causing a few strangers to nervously edge closer to the laundromat's exit, and more than one co-worker to peek into my work area, checking to see if I'd finally gone completely daffy. No, I was just reading an excellent book that entertained me greatly.

The book is a series of short essays on various, fairly every-day topics. However, the way that Valerie writes about them in such an entertaining way, that you really can't help but laugh like crazy. The section that probably made me laugh out loud the most was a section about stupid laws in various states around the country. I really wish that I had known that it was illegal in NJ to get drunk and annoy others in your home, because if I'd known that a few years ago, I can tell you that there a couple of exes of mine that would now have disturbingly long arrest records. Of course, I probably would too, so perhaps it's just as well.

The essays in this book are all fairly short, so if you have the attention span of a goldfish, you'll still get plenty of enjoyment out of this book. Of course, I also found that because of that, it was extremely tempting to polish this book off in one sitting like a box of Thin Mints, but even if you do sucumb to that temptation, Life is Ridiculous is far less fattening. But it is still great with a cold glass of milk.

Other reviewers have compared Valerie Fausone to Dave Barry, Erma Bombeck, and Sarah Vowell, and deservedly so. However, she's got a voice of her own that is just as entertaining and fun to read. Plus, she's tried to get her kids into listening to Led Zepplin, and anyone that does that is cool in my book.

So order this book, put down that beverage, read and enjoy. You won't be sorry that you did. The only problem is that after reading it, you'll be impatient for the next installment of Life is Ridiculous. I know I am. However, at the same time, my nostrils are greatful that she hasn't finished the second installment yet, because that means that it will be a little while before they have to have Cherry Coke shooting through them at high velocity.

I told you this book should come with a warning.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LIfe may be ridiculous, but this book is ridiculously FUNNY., March 17, 2007

By 

Dutch Kramer "Dutch" (St. Louis, Missouri) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Life is Ridiculous (Paperback)

Valerie Fausone is a hard-working, often-published author, but she isn't a household name, at least not yet. But this book puts her well on the way to fame. The slightly twisted sense of humor she brings to this book of hilarious writing compares to the likes of Dave Barry, Sarah Vowell, and David Sedaris, but the power-packed prose is completely her own free-wheeling style. There really isn't anyone like her.

She's an admitted specialist in writing brief essays, perfect for those with short attention spans. Although it's tempting to read it all in one sitting, the scores of short essays make this perfect reading for the morning train, airport waiting lounges, and (dare I admit it) the little library on top of the toilet tank. The juicy words seemingly just pour out of Valerie, forming loopy sentences that pull the reader into her very silly world. There's a manic sensibility to it... it makes perfect sense, if you squint really hard.

And Valerie takes no prisoners. Whether she's frightening the other moms at a baby shower by informing them that she's buying a handgun; vengefully throwing ice water on her unsuspecting husband; or trying to turn her kids on to Led Zeppellin, Valerie turns every odd little thing she does into a blast.

Don't miss out on this massively entertaining book. It left me waiting impatiently for the next installment of "Life is Ridiculous".

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AWESOME!!!, March 14, 2007

By 

Amanda Scarborough (Grain Valley, MO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Life is Ridiculous (Paperback)

This book cracked me up!! When I started reading it I wondered what it would be like - would it just be gobs of humor thrown into the book or would it be randomly placed here and there? It was great! Beyond what I expected.

I found myself laughing outloud while reading this and also thinking "hey I'm not alone in my wacky thinking".

Thank you Valerie - I look forward to more books from you!!