If Mama Don't Laugh, It Ain't Funny [Paperback]

Lucy Adams (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2007

If Mama Don't Laugh, It Ain't Funny, the debut book from syndicated humor columnist Lucy Adams, sits on par with the work of the late Erma Bombeck. In, If Mama Don't Laugh, Adams produces what critics are calling her best work yet, voicing the frustrations and successes of average families everywhere. From using cats to hunt down AWOL hermit crabs, to euthanizing pet watermelons, to sharing a meal of prescription strength crow, you'll tag along on the adventures of the Adams family through awkward family rituals, uncomfortable questions, and the perpetual mysteries of children. You'll laugh until stuff comes out of your nose as Adams humorously dissects and revels in the absurdity and chaos of modern family life. And so will your mama.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Lucy Adams can bring on the belly laughs. And this is good for healing and toning the abs! Her book, If Mama Don't Laugh, It Ain't Funny, is a real mood lifter, and it beats the heck out of going to the gym. -- Susan Reinhardt, best-selling author of Not Tonight Honey, Wait Til I'm a Size 6, and Don't Sleep with a Bubba

Lucy Adams's greatest talent is finding humor in everyday life and shining a bright spotlight on it. The lure of If Mama Don't Laugh is obvious. We've all been in at least one of these situations and laughed out loud about it when the dust has cleared. -- Jason B. Smith, Publisher, The McDuffie Mirror

Minivans, children, and missing pets, OH MY! From "zening" her refrigerator to abstracting peas from #2 child's nose -again, Lucy Adams's debut book, If Mama Don't Laugh, It Ain't Funny, effectively claims your attention, turns your giggle box inside out, and captures your heart. Now about your dinner guest, Mr. Watermelon... -- Georgia Richardson, Queen Jaw Jaw, author of A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Throne

Some have referred to Lucy Adams as Georgia's Erma Bombeck. Lucy is funny and Southern right down to her traditional roots. She has a style that even Lewis Grizzard would envy. I highly recommend If Mama Don't Laugh to anyone who is a mother, has a mother, or knows a mother. -- Jim Callicott, Editor, Tennessee Star Journal

This book should be subtitled: If You Don't Laugh, You Ain't Got a Pulse. There is significant honesty to Adams's portrayals of everyday life, viewed through a slightly cockeyed lens that prismatically extracts a full spectrum of humor. Readers tag along on adventures with action that rarely moves more than a few actual feet, but travels miles in figurative experience as Adams explores, pokes, and deflates awkward family rituals, uncomfortable questions and the perpetual mysteries of children. And...mama always seems to get the last laugh. -- Barry L. Paschal, Publisher, The Columbia County News-Times

From the Publisher

If Mama Don't Laugh, It Ain't Funny, was one of the most enjoyable projects our team has ever undertaken. Down to earth, passionate about her family, and exuding Southern charm, the author, Lucy Adams, was a joy to work with. Lucy's drive to make If Mama a great experience for the reader was infectious and she quickly captured the hearts of our entire team. It was common to hear our editor and proof readers laughing out loud while working on the manuscript. Almost everyone on our team subscribes to her Podcast, reads her blog, and goes online to read her weekly column. And once, we even overheard our normally reserved accountant re-telling one of the stories to her grandmother. She was belly laughing so hard that she could barely breathe (we suspect that stuff might have even been coming out of her nose). We think you'll find the same joy in these pages and on behalf of the entire team here at Palm Tree Press, we are pleased to present, If Mama Don't Laugh, It Ain't Funny, by Lucy Adams.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 180 pages
• Publisher: Palm Tree Press (December 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979441633
• ISBN-13: 978-0979441639
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,006,585 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lucy Adams lives in a small, rural town in Georgia with her husband, four children, one dog, a cat, and five fish. She's an author, freelance writer, syndicated newspaper columnist and public speaker. Inspiration for her creative non-fiction arises from the daily chaos of life. Little treasures waiting to be discovered are tied up in every moment. Lucy's personal motto is, "I'm always happy, but never content."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If Erma Bombeck and Jeff Foxworthy came together....., August 11, 2008

By 

M. Stocks (Smyrna, GA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: If Mama Don't Laugh, It Ain't Funny (Paperback)

...you'd get Lucy Adams. My dear hubby, who usually reads nothing but magazines with "PC" or "Computer" in the title, picked this book up off my nightstand to-read stack. He kept me awake giggling, snorting, guffawing - at one point literally falling off the bed. He laughed so hard the bed shook. He had tears streaming down his face. He was laughing so hard that he couldn't read what was so funny to me...he just handed me the book and I tried to read it while the bed vibrated from his poorly stifled spasms of mirth. I enjoyed it even more when I got a turn to read it. Thank you, Lucy, for adding this gem to the treasure that is Southern Humor.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Freakin hilarious!, November 27, 2007

By 

Emily Lorch "elorch" (Augusta, GA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: If Mama Don't Laugh, It Ain't Funny (Paperback)

This book is hilarious. I found myself laughing outloud at the stories and I am not even a mom!! Congrats on a job well done!!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finding Humor in Everyday Life, September 20, 2009

By 

Phyllis Goldberg "HerMentorCenter.com" (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: If Mama Don't Laugh, It Ain't Funny (Paperback)

With Lucy Adam's honest and engaging writing style, you can't help but relate to the tales she tells. She taps into the insecurities of both the kid and the parent in all of us. And her short vignettes are ever so easy to digest.

Lucy's background in psychology shows whether she's referring to Spiderman, 'The Wheels on the Bus,' birth order or self actualization. She has the uncanny ability to be self-righteous and self-deprecating at the same time. Over and over again, I readily joined with her laughing at herself.

Lucy describes universal family rituals - and the frustrations and successes of average families everywhere. She gives examples that we all know and covers topics that resonate. Family dynamics - Southern or otherwise - have never looked so funny.