Tag Archives: Humor

Audiobook, Audiobooks, book review, History, Humor, Humor, Non-Fiction, paranormal, Supernatural, Travel & Adventure, True Crime

A HAUNTED ROAD ATLAS – REVIEW

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LITERCURIOUS BOOK REIVEW

A Haunted Road Atlas by Christine Schiefer & Em Schultz
A Haunted Road Atlas – Christine Schiefer & Em Schultz
TitleA Haunted Road Atlas: Sinister Stops, Dangerous Destinations, and True Crime Tales
AuthorChristine Schiefer & Em Schultz
PublisherAndrews McMeel Publishing (May 31, 2022)
FormatKindle, Paperback, Audiobook
GenreHistory Humor, Supernaturalism, Internet
Social Media Humor
Pages / Runtime304 / 6 hours and 45 minutes / 473 KB
LanguageEnglish
ISBN / ASINBook 978-1524872106
Kindle B09TVHJLLC
Audiobook B09VYDGBWQ

AUTHORS

Taken from the A Haunted Road Atlas

SYNOPSIS

A Haunted Road Atlas is written and performed by Christine Schiefer and her co-author Em Schultz. There is one word that sums up this insanity; cleverly wrapped up in either the written work or the unabridged audiobook, and that word is – fun. Schiefer and Schultz have created a powerful diversion from everyday irrelevant concerns with their fantabulous journey across the entire Continental United States!

Now back to the review. The book is subdivided into individual geographic locations. The reader joins the trip mentally with Christine and Em, visiting haunted hotels, paranormal tours and strange and weird places. That’s not all; oh no! A Haunted Road Atlas also covers: notorious criminals, murders, mayhem, massacres, and con-men. All these are accompanied by fun facts and opinions. I both read and listened to their productions, and I highly recommend the audiobook version. The narrative is rapid delivered and the staccato humor just blew my socks off.

CONCLUSION

Imagine for a moment the most unhinged but fun person that you know or can imagine. Now add in a touch of Zac Bagin’s of Ghost Adventures fame. Sprinkle in some spooky places with two uproarious, loud and gregarious story tellers, and you have a simple idea of just how deep the rabbit hole goes.

It confounds me just how they managed to cram so much humor into this book. If you enjoy alternative humor, delivered by consummate entertainers look no further.

I sincerely hope that they manage to get to visit Alaska and Hawaii just so that there will be another magical creation.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank Christine Schiefer & Em Schultz, Andrews McMeel Publishing, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to review A Haunted Road Atlas: Sinister Stops, Dangerous Destinations, and True Crime Tales.

Thank you for visiting Litercurious.com.

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A Hunted Road Atlas by Christine Schiefer and Em Schultz
A Hunted Road Atlas by Christine Schiefer and Em Schultz

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London A-Z – REVIEW

Be it the times of Pax Romanaus or Pax Britainica always have your trusty and reliable cartographic entertainment on your person, because you never know when you’ll need the London A-Z.

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by Nemo

Norman 2 – REVIEW

Norman 2 is the sequel to Norman: The Doll That Needed to Be Locked Away. An ominous comment from the store owner peaked Lancaster’s interest, and he bought the doll and took it…

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by Nemo

DEAD SILENCE – REVIEW

The crew, alerted to an emergency transmission, reluctantly answers the call and discovers horrors, mysteries, phantoms, and challenges beyond their imagination. Claire Kovalik must conquer her conflicted self, the crew, and the company…

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by Nemo
Animal & Pet Care, book review, Educational, Humor, Nature, Non-Fiction, Science, Zoology

THE TRUTH ABOUT ANIMALS – Review

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A LITERCURIOUS BOOK REVIEW

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Title The Truth About Animals
Author Lucy Cooke
Publisher Basic Books; I Edition (April 17, 2018)
Format Paperback
Pages 352
Language English
ISBN # 1541674081 (ISBN-13: 978-1541674080)

AUTHOR

Lucy Cooke has a Master’s in Zoology from British New Collage, Oxford. She specializes in animal behavior and evolution. Among Lucy’s professors at Oxford was Richard Dawkins, who is a world-renowned Zoologist and author. Lucy is passionate about conservation as well as her love of all sloth kind. She is referred to as the next David Attenborough in some circles.

Her Curriculum Vitae includes a diverse range of skills including: television producer, director, award- winning documentary presenter, and filmmaker. Lucy has lecture at TED talks, was a New York Times best-selling author, and founded the Sloth Appreciation Society.

In May, 2015 at the age of 45, Lucy was diagnosed with breast cancer. She changed her lifestyle as a result of the diagnosis and has an increased appreciation of life and love.

TARGET AUDIENCE

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
book review, Fiction, Humor

SUPER SILLY JOKES FOR KIDS – Review

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Litercurious Book Review

TitleSuper Silly Jokes for Kids
EditorVicki Whiting
PublisherHappy Fox Books; First edition (August 11, 2020)
FormatKindle, Paperback
Pages / File83 / 83425 KB
LanguageEnglish
GenreChildren’s
ASINB08CBH821T

EDITOR

Vicki Whiting was a third-grade teacher and now enjoys reaching children through the Kid Scoop page. 

Jeff Schinkel illustrated Super Silly Jokes for Kids. He attended the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and loves teaching children how to draw.

SYNOPSIS

Super Silly Jokes for Kids is exactly what the title implies. The book is full of silly jokes, puns and riddles. The book covers a wide variety of topics. There are knock-knock jokes, jokes about animals, food jokes, school jokes and riddles.

CONCLUSION

Super Silly Jokes for Kids is a great starter book for anyone looking to learn child friendly jokes. As with most silly joke books, there are some good jokes and there are a few lame jokes. Kid Scoop did a really good job of compiling these jokes and Vicki did a great job of editing.

The layout of the book is perfect for kids. Some jokes are straightforward; joke – answer. Some of the riddles have to be matched with the correct answer. Topics are generally combined together in sections.

The art is fabulous. The design is pleasing and entertaining.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank NetGalley and Happy Fox Books for affording me the opportunity to review Super Silly Jokes for Kids.

LITERCURIOUS CHILD FRIENDLY JOKE

Q. What do you call a camel with no humps?

A. Humphrey (hump-free).

book review, Humor, Litercurious Archives, Medical Science, Medicine, Non-Fiction, Science

THIS IS GOING TO HURT – REVIEW

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Litercurious Book Review

Title This Is Going To Hurt
Author Adam Kay
Publisher Picador (Feb 20, 2020)
Format Kindle, Paperback, Hardcover, and Audiobook     
Page 80     
Language English     
ISBN # 1509858636 ISBN #-13 (9781529034035)     

Author’s Bio

This is Going to Hurt was written by Adam Kay. In this book he shares his personal anecdotes as a doctor working in the British National Health Service (NHS) during early 2000s. His recollections come from a diary he kept, detailing the ups and downs of life on the wards. Kay was inspired to write this book after a senior member of the government had made a claim that junior doctors, expecting to work less than 79 hours per week, were greedy. In This is Going to Hurt, Kay shows us the extremes of being a young doctor in the modern NHS. 

Who is the Target Audience?

This is Going to Hurt is suitable for all those interested professionals or amateurs who find the life of doctors to be scintillating reading. Kay doesn’t spare us the gritty facts of life of a junior doctor and later a Senior Registrar. In this book there are some really funny tales and some truly dreadful stories of life and death. If you enjoy blood and guts descriptions of desperately sad and appalling ends, then you may enjoy the wild ride hanging on the white coat tails of Dr. Kay. If you are British, you may also gain a greater appreciation for the young medics that you interact with during your health visits. 

Synopsis

The most significant part of This is Going to Hurt is dedicated to the abuse and neglect that many doctors are exposed to working within the British NHS. Dr. Kay discloses the scarcity of essential amenities required for proper medical care in the NHS. He explains the long hours of unpaid work forced upon doctors. He describes the lack of sleep and the abandonment of family, friends, and holidays. Worst of all, he describes how the enumeration is woefully inadequate for the myriad of drawbacks. Ultimately, after long periods of neglect by his employers a life altering incident prompts a change in his thinking and eventually leads him on a new path.

Conclusion

Adam gives us a view of the true life of a doctor on the wards of a British NHS hospital. He reminds us that doctors are only human. They are not infallible; they need love, care, and respect as we all do. They have the failings we all share and he prompts us to realize that. Most of all he wants us to understand that neglecting those who care for us is dreadful and that we should value and cherish the sacrifices; social, financial and psychological that doctors working in the NHS endure to provide you with world class health service.

Acknowledgment

My sincere thanks go to: NetGalley, and Picador for affording me the opportunity to review This is Going to Hurt.

book review, History, Humor, Litercurious Archives, Litercurious Archives, Medical Science, Non-Fiction, Reference Works, Science

The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth – REVIEW

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Litercurious Book Review

Title The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth: And Other
Curiosities from the History of Medicine
Author / Narrator Thomas Morris / Ruper Farley
Publisher Penguin Dutton; 1 edition (Nov 20, 2018)
Format Unabridged Audiobook, Kindle, Paperback, Hardcover
Time9 hours and 7 minutes
Language English     
ASIN # B07K1FC2C1  

AUTHOR

Thomas Morris was a successful radio producer for the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) for many years. He is now a freelance writer and medical historian. His first book, The Matter of the Heart: A History of the Heart in Eleven Operations, wonthe Royal Society of Literature and the Jerwood Charitable Foundation award. The award is one of three annual awards, one of £10,000 and two of £5,000, offered to authors on their first works of non-fiction. Mr. Morris now lives in London.

WHO IS THE TARGET AUDIENCE?

This book is for everyone 16 or older. The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth is written for the masses and not just for those who want to learn about historic medicine. The book is full of individual cases hand-picked through time to provide the reader with a glimpse of common medical procedures, some uncommon medical procedures, and allot of very interesting cases.

SYNOPSIS

The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth: And Other Curiosities from the History of Medicine, is a sojourn into some of the most interesting medical cases and the procedures used in those cases. It is told through the eyes of the people who were actually there. This book is a conglomeration of notes, letters, personal views of the doctors, and sometimes the patients. The author does a great job of finding the most interesting cases in history. There are some interesting cases that include various items escaping the bodies from all different places, some not very good places. How about the surgeries where the patient is not anesthetized and is an active participant? There is a chapter of patients who survived extreme injuries, some lived normal lives after their injuries.

CONCLUSION

After reading this book, I listened to the audible version and the narrator added so much more to the enjoyment. He does a great job with the inflection of his voice and the bits that are in French. The little jokes he throws in are awesome. This tome, at times, had me laughing, cringing, crying, and always wondering about the historic doctors and their sometime weird practices. The cases offer a wide variety of injuries and maladies; the causes of some of these will haunt me. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend.

SIMILAR WORKS YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

Dr. Mütter Marvels by Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz #Medicine History & Commentary #History of Medicine #Trivia & Fun Facts

Dr. Mütter’s Marvels was established by Dr. Mütter who sadly died prematurely at the age of 48. He left behind an immense collection of medical oddities that form the basis of Philadelphia’s renowned Mütter Museum. Dr Mütter’s Marvel by Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz is an insight into the dedicated surgeon’s career as well as his life and times. Aptowicz presents her view on Dr. Mütter’s medical practices and the prejudices he witnessed. Aptowicz draws upon Mütter’s speeches and lectures which reveals his humanist based approach.

Mütter Museum Historical Medical Photographs #Medicine History & Commentary #History of Medicine #Trivia & Fun Facts

Mütter Museum: Historical Medical Photographs Is a cornucopia of high quality photographs taken by professional photographers. Between the 1860s and the 1940s, photographers took pictures of these oddities as records for physicians to share among medical colleagues. They also functioned, at the time, to demonstrate various techniques used in medicine such as micrography and X-ray. During the earliest days, they utilized the method of photography known as the daguerreotype. This processing method required the photographer to polish a sheet of copper plate with silver halide coated to a mirror finish, and treat it with fumes that made its surface light sensitive. There is much more to the Mütter Museum however, and it is not for the squeamish.

book review, Humor, Non-Fiction, Reference Works

London A-Z – REVIEW

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Litercurious Book Review

London A-Z
London A-Z
TitleLondon A-Z                           
AuthorGeographer’s A-Z Map Co.      
PublisherHunter Publishing: Geographers A-Z Map Co. Ltd. (6th Ed., October 30, 2006     
FormatPaperback     
Page288     
LanguageLanguage     
ISBN #1843483289 ISBN-13 (978-1843483281)    

Author’s Bio

The Geographer’s A-Z Map is the registered author of this 6th Edition publication; a paperback, dated: 30thOctober 2006.

Who is the target audience?

Those considering studying “The Knowledge” would be the first that would come to mind when considering who would benefit from this paperback. That said anyone wanting to know how to find anything in London would be well advised to get one.

Synopsis

The London A-Z, I know her well. 

I continue to use traditional methods of locating the places I wish to travel. I find looking at a  page of the London A-Z allows me at a glance to find the path I want to take. I avoid the constant directions of an electronic voice dictating the one and only route to a destination. I live for the times I get lost and find strange and interesting locations with intriguing back stories. I am not a technophobe; in fact I am an advanced user, designer, and educator in technology related subjects. I prefer my choice of directions and those happy times where I occasionally meet people or accidentally visit places that would have been missed if I used my GPS. 

Then there is the utility of humor built into reference materials such as the London A-Z. I have been known to flip through to the index of the book and look up the funny or unusual names contained therein. These names vary from crude and lascivious names from the deep and distant past of London. Names that echo from the Saxon roots, Roman street names, and the place names inspired by the work people did at that location in times now past.  The back stories of many of the locations you can find in the index of the London A-Z can be fascinating and add to your lexicon of humorous tales or intriguing myths to discuss with those who find such matters interesting. For example there is a place called Bleeding Heart Yard, you can find it in East Central 1 (EC1). It is in Clerkenwell and is reported to be so named owing to a murder that happened there in the year 1626. It turns out however, that the woman reputed to have been murdered actually died 20 years later and not of natural causes. If you are a reader of Charles Dickens work you may recall the case; he included in his book The Little Dorrit. 

Not far from the Tower of London there is a street named Knightrider Street  (Knyghriderstrete in 1322 language). The street is named after the knights that would traverse this area from the Tower old London to Jousting tournaments in Smithfeilds. Then there is the plethora of funny, licentious, and salacious Public House and place names; for example there is Wardrobe Place in EC4. It was at this location that King Edward 3rd housed his walk-in wardrobe. Sadly, the building was destroyed in the now infamous Great Fire of London 1666. Then there is Cock Lane, EC1, a wonderful erection if I do say so myself. Cock Lane is another, all be it humorous, example of a place name that has relevance to the trade plied there in the past. Cock Lane was the only street in the City (City of London, The square mile, a private corporation) where ladies of the evening were allowed to live and work. Last but not least there is Hanging Sword Alley in EC4. In medieval times most of the country was illiterate and so there was no naming or numbering of houses, they preferred instead to use symbols. In the case of a coffee house there would often be a ladies arm holding a coffee pot. At the house on Hang Sword Lane there was a mansion and they used a hanging sword as their symbol. The area was known for fighting schools and as a rough place to visit which is probably why the Blood Bowl Alley came to be named. Again those of you familiar with Dickens work will find a reference to such places in A Tale of Two Cities in the form of Jerry Cruncher body-snatcher. 

I suggest if you are bored and in search of adventure, turn off your GPS get yourself a London A-Z and go and lose yourself for a few hours in London. Visit the places you never knew existed and perhaps find your other self.  

Always remember that a book can be much more than its cover.

Conclusion

Be it the times of Pax Romanaus or Pax Britainica always have your trusty and reliable cartographic entertainment on your person, because you never know when you’ll need the London A-Z.