This blog is the place where I post reviews of the books I have read. I review audiobooks, regular books and eBooks for authors and publishers as well as any other book or audiobook that catches my eye.
A modern, feminist take on the classic joke book to amuse and empower readers who are tired of being the punchline.
A man walks into a bar. It’s a low one, so he gets a promotion within his first six months on the job.
Four comedy writers transform classic joke setups into sharp commentary about the everyday and structural sexism that pervades all facets of life.
Jokes to Offend Men arms readers with humorous quips to shut down workplace underminers, condescending uncles, and dismissive doctors, or to share with their exhausted friends at the end of a long day.
A cutting, cathartic spin on the old-fashioned joke book, Jokes to Offend Men is a refreshing reclamation of a tired form for anyone who’s ever been told to “lighten up, it’s just a joke!”
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MY REVIEW:
The four women who created this book, “… wrote this book because [they] were tired of watching countless men excuse their bad behavior by insisting that the real problem is [women’s] stunning inability to ‘take a joke’.”
As someone who has spent the last 25 years working in an automotive factory building cars, I have heard hundreds, if not thousands, of sexist jokes that the men I work with (and my area is almost exclusively men) seem to think are hilarious. It is for that reason I requested an ARC (Advance Review Copy) of this audiobook.
The authors grew up in the same era that I did. During that time, the comedy circuit was mostly men and many of the jokes they told relied on “… making people with less power the butt of the joke.”
In the introduction, the comedians state that:
“We believe that comedy should empower rather than cause harm. And that there’s still a lot of ground to cover when it comes to why that chicken crossed the road.”
The book is divided into eleven sections with awesome titles. They are:
1. Jokes to Offend Men at Work Who Don’t Actually Do Their Own Work
2. Jokes To Offend Men Who Won’t Contribute to Housework Because You’re ‘Sooo Much Better at It’
3. Jokes To Offend Men You’re Expected to Spend the Holidays With, Unfortunately:
4. Jokes To Offend Men Who Are Currently Explaining Quentin Tarantino to You
5. Jokes To Offend Men Who Disrespect Mother Nature
6. Jokes To Offend Men You Definitely Didn’t Vote For
7. Jokes To Offend Men Who Think the #MeToo Movement Has Gone Too Far
8. Jokes To Offend Men Who Have A Medical Degree in Dismissing Your Pain
9. Jokes To Offend Men Whose Grandfather Founded This School
10. Jokes To Offend Men Who Refuse to Believe You’re Not Interested in The
11. Jokes To Offend Even More Men: You can keep these in your back pocket (unless it’s purely decorative).
I am in love with this book.
Snarky.
Sarcastic.
Irreverent
You could even say Bitchy, and I’m sure many men will say exactly that.
As far as I am concerned, this joke book is SHEER PERFECTION.
Every woman needs to either read this book, or listen to the audiobook. I am sure readers will be able to recognize some of the men they have had to deal with over the years. I know I definitely did.
I cannot recommend JOKES TO OFFEND MEN any higher than the highest available option.
I literally laughed out loud many times while listening to this audiobook, and I am sure you will too.
I rate this audiobook as 10 out of 10 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
5 out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
*** Thank you to #NetGalley for providing me with a free advance copy of this book. ***
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About the Authors:
Allison Kelley is a Brooklyn-based humor writer and essayist with work featured in The New Yorker, The Washington Post, Slate, McSweeney’s and more. Since childhood, she’s been using comedy to cope with the terror and wonder of being a woman in the world. An alleged grown-up, Allison writes frequently on the topics of ‘90s pop culture, teen angst and growing up in the suburbs.
Danielle Kraese is a writer, editor, and occasional performer based in the spidery suburbs of New York. Her humor writing has been published by The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, Reductress, The Belladonna Comedy, and more. She’s an editor at BDG, where she writes and edits affiliate content across sites like Bustle, Elite Daily, Romper, Mic, and Inverse (she can tell you everything you never wanted to know about socks, sheets, and meat thermometers).
Kate Herzlin is a New York-based screenwriter, playwright, and humor writer who overuses the rule of three. Her humor writing has been featured in McSweeney’s, Points in Case, The Belladonna Comedy, and more. Kate is a writer for the BoogieManja Sketch Comedy team, Evil Twin—though she promises she isn’t one. As a childhood cancer survivor, she learned to use comedy to cope; now that she’s all grown up, she hopes her jokes might help other people do the same.
Ysabel Yates is a comedy writer and freelance copywriter in New York City. You can find her work in publications including the New Yorker, the New York Times, McSweeney’s, and Reductress.
“The scars we show become lighthouses for those about to hit the same rock.” – ANONYMOUS.
The above is a quote from the screenplay written by Katelyn Wells, adapted from the book ONE FOOT OVER THE EDGE.
A true story of a young Canadian Soldier returning home from a war-torn Rwanda, after witnessing the most horrific genocide since WWII.
Corporal Shane Mutlow was held at gunpoint for two days by local forces, not knowing whether or not he would live to see another day. Labelled “whereabouts unknown” twice and held against his will while on a major operation by Rwandan government officials, Corporal Mutlow was sent off-road every day into unknown territories deep within the Rwandan jungle.
The genocide in Rwanda left Canadian troops completely unprepared for the tragedies they would be subjected to, from the suicide of a brother-in-arms on Christmas Day to returning home from his deployment to a wife and children who would never know the horrors he had endured.
Just six months spent in the midst of the Rwanda genocide would change this young soldier’s life forever.
Shane Mutlow bore witness to what the world wanted to ignore.
This is his story.
Portions of each sale of this book will be donated to Fortitude Farms, a facility which provides equine therapy for those who suffer with mental illness.
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MY REVIEW:
With the Russian invasion into the Ukraine, people are talking about war for the first time in a long time.
As such, it is perhaps the perfect time for people to read Shane Mutlow’s memoir titled; “ONE FOOT OVER THE EDGE – A CANADIAN SOLDIER’S PERSONAL ACCOUNT OF THE RWANDAN GENOCIDE.”
I believe that most Canadians take our military for granted or are unaware of the extent of their involvement in armed conflicts around the world.
One of the worst atrocities in world history was the Genocide in Rwanda.
Canadian soldiers were sent to assist the United Nations Assistance Mission In Rwanda (UNAMIR), author Shane Mutlow was one of those soldiers.
While most of the Canadian soldiers who were sent to Rwanda spent their time in a single area of the capital city and saw little action, this was not the case for Shane Mutlow.
Unfortunately, Shane saw first hand the brutality and horror that has come to be synonymous with the Rwandan “Civil War.”
Written by a member of the military, this book offers civilians a glimpse into the fact that Canadian soldiers put not only their physical well-being on the line, they put their mental health on the line as well.
Historically, members of the military who admit weakness of any kind have been viewed as weak. This type of thinking needs to change.
It is much easier to pretend that their experiences had little or no effect than to admit to needing help. It is for this reason that it is essential that veterans write and speak honestly about their experiences. ONE FOOT OVER THE EDGE does exactly that.
The author has included several photographs which allow the reader to feel more connected to his story.
As a self-published book, it would benefit from a professional editor and proofreader, but these flaws do not take away from the impact of the story. Normally these typographical errors would be enough to drop a couple stars off of the rating I give to a book, but in this case they just add to its authenticity. It is for this reason that I chose to rate “ONE FOOT OVER THE EDGE” as 4 out of 5 Stars. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
**** Thank you to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy or book. ****
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Shane Mutlow is a veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, where he spent time at 1 CDHSR as a radio operator, and at 3 RCR, where he served with a parachute company.
Shane has been to many different countries while serving in the military.
He was deployed on an UN tour, UNAMIR, in Rwanda, Africa, from 1994–1995, and witnessed the aftermath of the genocide caused by the civil war between the Hutu and Tutsi clans.
He has had a successful career working at an engineering firm prior to his retirement in 2014.
His story is twenty years in the making and is one that needs to be told.
This is Shane’s first book, but it will surely give the readers an insight into the horrors and setbacks that our Canadian soldiers and veterans struggle with when they arrive home after being in a theatre of operation.
Shane continues to reside in Pembroke, ON, with his wife Justine and daughter Madison.
His two boys, Nicolas and his daughter Addison, Zachary and his fiancée Avery live out west and frequently come to Pembroke for visits.
To learn more about this author visit the following links:
The year is 1969, and fresh-out-of-college smart-aleck Howard Shane has just landed his first teaching job—at Belchertown State School, a bleak institution where people with disabilities endure endless days of silence, tedium, and neglect.
Howard is stunned by the conditions at Belchertown and the challenges of his new job, but as he gets to know his diverse, endearing, and intelligent students, he becomes consumed with a mission: to unlock their communication skills and help them reach their full potential. Pitting his youthful idealism and passion against the rigidity of a rule-bound administrator, Howard battles his way to small joys and victories with his students—and, along the way, learns just as much as he teaches.
A stirring and spellbinding memoir from internationally renowned AAC expert Howard Shane (Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School), Unsilenced is a candid look at a pivotal era in disability history and a deeply personal account of how all human beings can flourish when we care for each other and fight for change.
“It began in 1969, at a school with a name that’s repellent to modern ears: ‘Belchertown State School for the Feeble-Minded.’ Located in the sleepy town of Belchertown, Massachusetts, it was a grim institution where children with a wide range of disabilities were warehoused for nearly a century. At that time, parents of children with disabilities had few alternatives when it came to raising and educating their children.”
This fantastic memoir is an important addition to the history of people with disabilities. This is a story that MUST be told.
A scan of a 35mm slide taken of one of the dorms at BSS likely in the late 1970s.
Howard Shane was only 22 when he took a teaching position at the Belchertown State School. Much has been written about the institutions where “disabled” people were warehoused in the past. However, this book is completely unlike any other.
Ruth Sienkewicz-Mercer – Born in Northampton, MA, Ruth suffered a severe bout of encephalitis at five weeks old and at 13 months was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Ruth was admitted to Belchertown as a teen and spent the next 8 years in a bed on a ward for schizophrenics. In 1969, Ruth was introduced to a new teacher, Howard Shane, who, with the help of the physical therapist, created the first alternative communication device that allowed Ruth to communicate more widely. By then, the nurses on the ward had already figured out that Ruth communicated using eye movements and facial expressions.
Institutions such as the Belchertown State School were not places of learning as one would expect from the name. It’s full name says much about the commonly held attitudes of the time: The Belchertown State School for the Feeble-Minded. These were NOT places where hope or inspiration could be found. Instead, the residents were taught either only the basics of self-care, or were taught nothing at all.
Residents (patients) were often left with little or no access to external stimuli and had little access to educational materials.
When Howard Shane arrived to begin his teaching position, he had no idea that it would shape his entire future.
With A and K Building demolished, the worst conditions could be found in the other two large scale residential buildings: G Building and the Infirmary shown here where residents far outnumbered staff and there was little day to day activity on the wards to enrich the residents’ time there. The residents of the infirmary rarely left their beds unless it was to spend time on mats that were spread out on the floor. From Instagram.
Determined to actually educate his students, who were the most severely physically disabled residents of the “school,” Howard devised a way for the non-verbal students to actually communicate. This invention changed the lives of his students in untold ways.
In the early 1940s the residents attended the Belchertown fair and enjoyed riding the carousel so much that the administration decided to purchase one for the school. In 1948 they purchased a c. 1912 Stein & Goldstein Carousel from Forest Lake Park in Palmer. Obtained from the Belchertown State School Friends on Instagram
His dedication to actually educating his students caused him to butt heads with the administration continuously. His views were seen as radical and his goals for his students were seen as unrealistic and a waste of time.
This book will grab your attention and is 100% unputdownable. Readers will find themselves rooting, not only for Howard Shane, but also for the students in his unconventional classroom.
This book is important. We need to remember the past and how people with disabilities were viewed and treated. This knowledge is essential so that society is never allowed to slip back into believing the uneducated views of the past.
I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone who believes that every person, despite their physical and mental disabilities, are important and deserve the chance to be happy and to live a fulfilling life.
I am very much hoping that Dr. Howard Shane decides to write a follow up to this memoir. I would be extremely interested in hearing more about his career and the devices he helped to create. In my view, Howard C. Shane is an exceptional human being and his life and work need to be celebrated.
I rate this book as 5+ OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and I will be eagerly awaiting the next volume of his memoirs. . *** Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book. ***
* Hear an Excerpt Read by Howard Shane, Ph.D. here:
Howard Shane, Ph.D.,is an associate professor of otolaryngology at Harvard Medical School and the director of the Center for Communication Enhancement and the Autism Language Program at Boston Children’s Hospital.
He has designed more than a dozen computer applications used widely by persons with disabilities and holds two U.S. patents.
Dr. Shane has received Honors of the Association Distinction and is a fellow of the American Speech and Hearing Association.
He is the recipient of the Goldenson Award for Innovations in Technology from the United Cerebral Palsy Association and has authored numerous papers and chapters on severe speech impairment, lectured throughout the world on the topic, and produced numerous computer innovations enjoyed by persons with complex communication disorders.
BROOKES is the premier publisher of practical, research-based resources that support children’s healthy development and boost the learning and success of all people, with and without disabilities. We partner with pioneers and fresh voices to inspire readers and provide them with the tools needed to help all learners achieve academic success and work toward a bright future.
To learn more about this Publisher visit the following links:
This photo shows dinner being served in one of the women’s buildings at the Belchertown State School in the late 1920s or early 1930s. Food was prepared for residents at a central kitchen and delivered to the various dormitories. Note the Buster Brown haircuts on most of the women–the preferred style because it was said to be easier for the staff to do than anything else. (Photo courtesy of the Clapp Memorial Library)
In this 1972 photo, empty beds at the Belchertown State School are pictured. James Shanks reported in his 1970 expose on the conditions at Belchertown State School where men slept in large barracks, beds touching head to foot, with only a narrow twelve-inch aisle separating rows. Sometimes residents had to climb over one another to get to and from their beds. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Albertson/CORBIS)
The Following Photos and Links have nothing to do with Dr. Howard Shane’s memoir. They are included here as additional content I found interesting:
INFORMATION ON THE BELCHERTOWN STATE SCHOOL
From: The ATLAS OBSCURA WEBSITE
THE BELCHERTOWN STATE SCHOOL FOR THE FEEBLE-MINDED was founded in 1922.
The 845 acre campus comprising some 57 buildings must be called scenic, if nothing else—the Holyoke Range is visible from the campus, and many of the original structures were old farmhouse cottages (five farms were purchased to build the school).
After its establishment, the school became the only institution for developmentally disabled children in Western Massachusetts. Conditions deteriorated over the next few decades. Wards were overcrowded and attendants overworked. As a result, patients were often left to soak for hours in their own excrement. Sometimes, handicapped patients had their teeth removed to facilitate feeding.
In 1992, the school was finally closed after decades of reported human rights violations. In 1994, the campus was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Today, the buildings are all boarded up. Graffiti and vandalism are rampant. Many of the ward rooms have been destroyed. Weather has also done its fair share of damage. The buildings have asbestos and, while possible to walk in, aren’t structurally sound.
However relics remain of the old school. One room in a large dormitory building still has plastic mats nailed to the walls—a padded cell. Large recreational rooms on either side of the dormitory halls get the most sun. The light is fractured by old-fashioned wheelchairs. In the basement of one building, a piano is lying on its back like a sleeping horse.
And, while the town of Belchertown may have forgotten this nasty piece of its history in the few decades since the state school was closed, it is possible the former residents still remember. In an upper floor, a note was scrawled on the floor, on top of which were human feces. “We were here. Now we’re gone,” it read. “Clean this place up. It’s a mess!”
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:
The grounds are conveniently located right behind the Belchertown Police Department. There are No Trespassing signs, and the local paper reports trespassers being arrested on a weekly basis.
If you are interested in learning more about this topic, you might find the following links interesting:
Book: Crimes Against Humanity: A Historical Perspective. It was written by Benjamin Ricci, who sent his six-year-old son Bobby to live there not knowing what the conditions were like, and who was involved in the initial 1972 lawsuit.
Another book with vivid descriptions of Belchertown is Ruth Sienkiewicz-Mercer’s I Raise My Eyes to Say Yes. She was a resident of the school in the 1960s and 1970s. Ruth was one of Howard Shane’s students.
Infusing cannabis into drinks can be done in a variety of ways. Learn all about it as you craft delicious cocktails, smoothies, lattes, and spirit-free mixed drinks.
Maybe you’re curious about CBD or perhaps you’ve tried a store-bought sparkling cannabis drink already. Either way, you’re here because you’re ready to learn the ins and outs of making deliciously infused drinkables.
This guide, written by Jamie Evans (author of The Ultimate Guide to CBD), will serve as the go-to resource for anyone interested in incorporating phytocannabinoids into a variety of recipes.
Inside, you’ll start your journey with infused mixology. You’ll learn the most essential how-tos and infusion methods, including decarboxylation and heating techniques for those who want to do it all.
Different from other books in this category, this book offers something to both beginners and experts—and crucially, to both those who only want to use CBD and those who want to infuse with THC—presenting many approaches to enhancing drinks.
From adding CBD oils and tinctures to a variety of recipes to crafting more complex cannabis libations behind the bar, you can choose the path that’s right for you.
With an exploration of cannabis terpenes, this book also provides the author’s signature techniques for evaluating cannabis aroma and flavor profiles to curate flavor pairings. As a Wine Enthusiast, 40 Under 40 Tastemaker and Certified Specialist of Wine, Jamie applies the same sensory evaluation techniques she used in the wine world to cannabis, helping readers fine-tune their senses to better understand it as an ingredient—and use it to craft the perfect infused drinks.
Including recipes and tips from leading industry experts, this book has it all.
MY REVIEW:
As a person who suffers from chronic pain due to Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia, Hypothyroidism and Degenerative Disc Disease, I am always on the lookout for pain remedies.
The CBD found in the Cannabis plant has been proven again and again to help reduce pain levels, as well as to offer several other health benefits.
CBD and THC are the two most understood ingredients of cannabis. THC is the ingredient that gets the user “high.” CBD, however, DOES NOT result in the user feeling “high.”
I do not fault anyone who wants to use marijuana in any way. That is a personal decision and, here in Canada, cannabis is legal as long as you are of age.
My interest in CANNABIS DRINKS is in being able to make the recipes that are high in CBD to try to alleviate some of my pain. I have been to several Cannabis stores here in Ontario, Canada – both online and in-person, yet I have found it nearly impossible to find cannabis drinks with high CBD levels and little, or no THC, and the few drinks I did find were horrible tasting.
So, it should come as no surprise that when I discovered this book, I was extremely excited.
RECIPES INCLUDE:
Basic infusions: Infused bitters, shrubs, honey, sour mix, simple syrups, and an alcohol-based tincture
JUICES, SHAKES, ANDSMOOTHIES: Green Goddess Canna-leaf Juice, Garden of Eden Juice, Chocolate Banana Protein Shake, PB&J Shake, Superfood Smoothie, Vitamin CBD Smoothie
SPIRIT-FREE MIXED DRINKS: Raspberry Rickey, Sparkling Rosemary Greyhound, Fuzzy Ginger Fizz, Apple Spice CBD Mule, The Jolly Cranberry, Infused Feisty Mary
I can’t wait to try out this recipe. The photograph makes it look so delicious.
COCKTAILS: Blood Orange Aperol Spritz, Spicy Melon Margarita, CBD Limelight, Strawberry Lime Shrub Soda, Blackberry Bramble, Pisco Papaya Sour, Laid Back Manhattan, Toasty Toddy AND SEVERAL MORE.
I am extremely excited to try out several of these very yummy looking drinks.
I love that there are photographs of the drinks so that I know what they are supposed to end up looking like. The list of necessary items for each recipe is terrific and very helpful. The ingredients are clearly listed and the instructions are easy to follow.
I rate this Cannabis Cookbook as 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to try either THC, CBD or both in the form of drinks.
*** Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book. ***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jamie Evans is the founder of The Herb Somm, a culinary-meets-cannabis blog and lifestyle brand that’s focused on the gourmet side of the cannabis industry. She is an author, entrepreneur, and writer specializing in cannabis, CBD, food, recipes, wine, and the canna-culinary world.
As a well-known CBD and cannabis personality, Jamie is best known for her literary work and signature canna-culinary events. She’s also a contributor to POPSUGAR, MARY Magazine, and The Clever Root magazine, specializing in lifestyle features for the modern consumer. Jamie is the co-editor of GoldLeaf’s acclaimed cannabis Cooking Journal and the author of the CBD lifestyle book, The Ultimate Guide to CBD: Explore the World of Cannabidiol (Fair Winds Press).
As an industry leader, Jamie was named as one of Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 Tastemakers in 2018 and as a 2018 Innovatorby SevenFifty Daily. She was also recognized as one of Green Market Report’s “Most Important Women in Weed” in 2020.
Alongside her work in the cannabis space, Jamie is a Certified Specialist of Wine with over a decade of wine industry experience. Having represented a wide array of organizations and wineries including Jackson Family Wines, Folio Fine Wine Partners, Napa Valley Grapegrowers, and more, she is well known for producing high-end events and developing top-notch public relations, marketing, and hospitality programs. Jamie has been featured in dozens of different articles and TV segments including Food & Wine, Entrepreneur, Forbes, Cheddar TV, Wine Enthusiast, Robb Report, San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, ABC, and High Times, among many others.
To learn more about this author, visit the following links:
TOVA SHERMAN—a TED Speaker and thought leader with more than 25 years of experience in diversity and inclusion—is the award-winning CEO of reachAbility, an organization which provides supportive and accessible programs dedicated to workplace inclusion for anyone facing barriers.
As the winner of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Canada Law Leadership Award, Tova is a highly sought-after resource on the laws and challenges of inclusion within today’s swiftly changing employment landscape.
Upon noticing a gap in the arts community, Tova co-founded the Bluenose Ability Arts and Film Festival (BAAFF) in 2015. BAAFF is a festival dedicated to providing the disability arts community a clear voice. Her personal challenges associated with living on the ADHD Spectrum inform her empathy and commitment to equalizing the playing field for those with physical, cognitive, sensory, and mental disabilities.
I LOVE the title of this page
MY REVIEW:
Perfection. This should be required reading not only for business people, but also for everyone serving in any elected position whether in government or in any other organization.
Because it is a mere 54 pages in length, there is little excuse not to read this book.
Disability is finally being discussed and addressed. Today’s society is slowly beginning to cast off its outdated and uninformed opinions around the topic of disAbility. This book is a perfect first step for businesses and organizations who want to become more inclusive, but don’t know how to go about creating that change.
Written in a clear and concise manner, this guide offers practical ways to immediately put inclusive practices to use in their business or organization.
Each of the eighteen “Inclusion-isms” have on the opposite page a theme specific work of art by a disabled artist. For example:
This is the book that the Disability community has been hoping for.
A 5 Star Rating is deserved – with a caveat – If you are looking to delve deeply into the subjects of inclusion and Disability, this is not that type of book. This is the perfect starter/primer and is intended to supply businesses with actions they can implement immediately.
*** Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book. ***
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
TOVA SHERMAN
To learn more about this author, visit the following links:
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