Letters from a Nut (Hardcover)

by Ted L. Nancy (Author), Jerry Seinfeld (Author) "I wanted to know if you possibly found a Prussian military sword that I think I may have left in your hotel restaurant the night..." (more)
Key Phrases: otter hair, Thousand Oaks, Las Vegas, Vice President (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
What if you wrote to the Baseball Hall of Fame offering to donate a full set of Mickey Mantle's toenail clippings? Why, they'd be glad to have 'em--even if you are "a Level 4 bed-wetter." Cooperstown is only one of many institutions terrorized in Letters from a Nut, a collection of crazed correspondence by Ted L. Nancy. The name is a pseudonym, perhaps for Jerry Seinfeld, who wrote the introduction. Seinfeld never comes clean, but the yocks sure sound like his material. And the letters have his prints all over them--who else would write the L.A. Lakers posing as a rabid fan who wears pants with a see-through back end, "for medical reasons"? Whoever wrote it, the book's a real lark. Where else can you meet "Pip, the Mighty Squeak," a man who gambles in a giant shrimp costume, or a corn that looks like Shelley Fabares? Only inside the fevered brain of Ted L. Nancy--whether he's Jerry Seinfeld or not.

Review
"I look forward to working with you to create a better future for this great nation." -- Vice President Al Gore

"It is not often that we receive such enthusiastic support for the paper bag." -- The Paper Bag Council

"On behalf of Greyhound, there should be no problem traveling while in your butter costume." -- Greyhound Bus Lines

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1 edition (January 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380973545
• ISBN-13: 978-0380973545
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (130 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #199,858 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An absolute scream...but who's the NUT??, September 4, 2001

By	Joel L. Gandelman (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When Jerry Seinfeld introduces Ted L. Nancy's Letters from a Nut you know it's not going to be just another humor book. The premise is simple: Nancy (is it Jerry Seinfeld? Or Jerry's former collaborator Larry David? Or does Nancy exist -- or is he really some very SERIOUS author having fun?) writes seemingly serious, off-the-wall letters to various companies and indivduals. Some of the funniest are to hotels. In a 1996 letter he writes to the Las Vegas Hilton, saying he has saved up a long time for an Elvis concert and wants to make reservations for the croaked King's Sept 1996 show. Sometimes (as in the Hilton's letter)he gets back a form letter ignoring his letter's contents. Or sometimes, such as when he writes a hotel asking if they found his lost tooth, they answer seriously...as does the Disneyland Hotel, when he writes and asks if he could check in with his own ice machine (the hotel says no). This is laugh-out-loud stuff that you won't be able to put down: a letter to Nordstrom asking to buy a mannequin that looks like his deceased best friend; a letter to the University of Alabama praising the CITY of Alabama, etc. In each case, the complete letter is shown plus the often puzzled response. One note: this is modern "ironic" humor which means the humor isn't in just reading a single letter. It lies in reading the letter and THEN the response (or seeing a nonresponse). Nancy writes even nuttier follow up letters. FOOTNOTE: There are several additional books in the "Letters" series and they are all wonderfully, incredibly nutty. I own all three.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Who Is This Guy???, October 22, 2002

By	L. Shirley "Laurie's Boomer Views" (fountain valley, ca United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

This is a very funny book for a one time read. It's best on the coffee table as an ice breaker for people to pick up and take a gander at. Once they do they will start reading these letters and the replys to them out loud.
Ted L. Nancy writes letter's. He writes to EVERYONE! He writes to hotels, with special requests. Requests that are so outrageous, it's funny that he is actually taken seriously by them. He may ask if he can bring some of his own furniture with him, or if he can have special security because he looks "just like Abe Lincoln", and it's so close to President's day that he doesn't want to get mobbed. He writes to Pet food companies telling them he has a 28 year old dog, and has been using their brand,and would they give him advice for senior dogs. He writes to candy bar companies, suggesting new names for candies,baseball card companies saying he has Mickey Mantle's toenail clippings, and so much more.
In some cases the responses are funnier than the letters. Some will brush him off politley, saying there are no reservations for the day he wants to visit, or they maybe interested in his clippings, could he send a polaroid of them, some send coupons for 50 cents off the candy but are not interested in any new names.
You can open up to any page and get a good laugh. But don't read the last letter first!! Save it for the end.
It's not a book that you can read again right away,or from cover to cover, as some of the letters do get a little repetative, but if you know someone who is a little down or laid up and could use a good laugh this is perfect.
There is an introduction by Jerry Seinfeld, talking about how he "found" some of these letters on a freinds coffee table and thought they would make a great book. Do Ya think? Nah. He couldn't be. Could he?
Enjoy.......Laurie

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Letters from Seinfeld, June 11, 2002

By	Jack (Tampa, FL) - See all my reviews

This is one of the funniest books I have read. It contains a collection of hilarious prank letters sent by a Ted L. Nancy (a probable pseudonym for Jerry Seinfeld). Matching the hilarity of the letters, however, are the equally ridiculous responses to them. At the moment, a television show is being developed by Seinfeld (again under the guise of Ted L. Nancy) which will display the marvelous wackiness of Mr. Nancy for a ... tube audience. It is difficult to imagine how this will transfer to the small screen. I recommend reading the Ted L. Nancy books instead.