Episode 108: Humor

 

Introduction

Welcome, everyone, to Books and Beverages! This week we are discussing Humor books!

We are the Central Minnesota Libraries Exchange, and we support all types of libraries. This is our book group podcast, where we discuss different genres of books each week, while we all sit in our comfy chairs and drink our beverages. And you are, of course, an important part of this book group. So if you do not already have a nice beverage please go get one, so you can join the experience.

This week our Guest Host is Kelly Groth, from Great River Public Library System!

This genre is a tough one because it’s hard to know what is funny. What makes me roll on the floor laughing may leave you mildly amused. So when we find books may of us think are funny, it’s worth grabbing onto that book! We have several lists of suggestions on our website; so if you need more suggestions, check them out!

This is another genre that overlaps easily in many other areas. You can find humor books in graphic novels. Humor can be fiction or non-fiction; and a lot of books labeled as humor are biographies of funny people. It can be scifi (think John Scalzi), thrillers, history, romance, and even literary fiction. As long as it makes you laugh, you have a winner on your hands!

 

Beverages

We have guests, we have our genre. We just need our beverages. Fortunately, we all came prepared with something to sip while we talk about our books. Each week we like to connect the theme of our books with our beverages. Each beverage will have a recipe or a link on our episode page, so you can try them yourself!  Obviously, feel free to sip your coffee or any other beverage that puts you in the right frame of mind. Just join us in celebrating books, and discussing books!

Flaming Giraffe recipeFlaming Giraffe

  • 1 oz Vodka
  • 1 oz Butterscotch Schnapps
  • 2 oz Coffee Liqueur

Directions

  • Pour kahlua first into a double shot glass. Add one ounce of butterscotch schnapps. Float 151 proof rum on top and set on fire. Blow out before drinking.

 

Image result for funky monkey cocktail imageFunky Monkey

  • 1 oz. gold rum (we used Cruzan Aged Dark Rum)
  • 1 oz. coconut rum (we used Blue Chair Bay Coconut Rum)
  • .5 oz. Banana Schnapps Liqueur
  • .5 oz. White Chocolate Liqueur
  • 3 oz. coconut milk
  • 1 small, ripe banana
  • 1 c. ice
  • toasted coconut, chocolate drizzle and banana slices for garnish

Add rums, liqueurs, coconut milk and banana to a blender with ice and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into a tall glass and garnish with a drizzle of chocolate, toasted coconut and banana slices.

 

 

A Lonely Island Lost in the Middle of a Foggy Sea - Rum CocktailA Lonely Island Lost In The Middle Of A Foggy Sea

  • 1 1⁄2 oz Rhum J.M Agricole Blanc
  • 1⁄2 oz Cruzan Black Strap Rum
  • 1⁄2 oz Old Port Deluxe Matured Rum
  • 1 oz Pineapple juice
  • 3⁄4 oz lime juice
  • 3⁄4 oz Demerara syrup (1 part demerara sugar, 1 part water)
  • 1⁄4 oz La Colombe Pure Black Cold Press Coffee

Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice.

Shake vigorously for 10 seconds and strain into a tiki mug filled with crushed ice.

Garnish with pineapple leaves and coffee beans.

 

Oreo beer

 

 

Genre Suggestions

This is a tough one because it’s hard to know what is funny. What makes me roll on the floor laughing may leave you mildly amused. So when we find books may of us think are funny, it’s worth grabbing onto that book! We have several lists of suggestions on our website; so if you need more suggestions, check them out!

This is another genre that overlaps easily in many other areas. You can find humor books in graphic novels. Humor can be fiction or non-fiction; and a lot of books labeled as humor are biographies of funny people. It can be scifi (think John Scalzi), thrillers, history, romance, and even literary fiction. As long as it makes you laugh, you have a winner on your hands!

Check out these resources:

 

Books Discussed

  • Someone Could Get Hurt: A Memoir of Twenty-First-Century Parenthood, by Drew Magary
  • Yes Please by Amy Poehler
  • Bossypants, by Tina Fey
  • Girl Walks into a Bar . . .: Comedy Calamities, Dating Disasters, and a Midlife Miracle, by Rachel Dratch
  • A Load of Hooey (Odenkirk Memorial Library), by Bob Odenkirk
  • Holy Cow: A Novel by David Duchovny
  • Go the f**k to sleep, read by Samuel L Jackson
  • Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
  • Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns): Mindy Kaling
  • Let’s Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir by Jenny Lawson (The Blogess)
  • Yes Please – Amy Poehler
  • Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
  • Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh
  • PJ Woodhouse – Bertie Wooster and Jeeves
  • PJ O’Rourke Parliament of Whores: A Lone Humorist Attempts to Explain the Entire U.S. Government, and Holidays in Hell: In Which Our Intrepid Reporter Travels to the World’s Worst Places and Asks, “What’s Funny About This”
  • You Suck (A Love Story, #2), by Christopher Moore
  • Fortunately, the Milk, by Neil Gaiman
  • Maryjanice Davidson (vampire series) (Minnesota author!)
  • Janet Evanovich (numbers)
  • Terry Pratchett (Discworld series)
  • Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog by Lisa Scottoline ; and Meet Me at Emotional Baggage Claim and Best Friends, Occasional Enemies: The Lighter Side of Life as a Mother and Daughter by by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella
  • The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances, by Matthew Inman, The Oatmeal
  • Laurie Notaro The Idiot Girls’ Action-Adventure Club: True Tales from a Magnificent and Clumsy Life, and It Looked Different on the Model: Epic Tales of Impending Shame and Infamy
  • Florida theme: Tim Dorsey (Serge A. Storms), Carl Hiaasen, Dave Barry
  •  

 

Conclusion

Thank you so much for joining us for this discussion! We will be back next Tuesday with another genre, more book group hosts, and all kinds of books to share and discuss. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast so you don’t miss a single episode! And if you want to hear more about the work we do in libraries – which is surprisingly fun! – subscribe to our podcast Linking Our Libraries. Our next episode drops this Thursday.

Bring your book ideas, bring your beverages, and join us back here for more book discussion next Tuesday!

Partnering with libraries for visioning, advocating, and educating