Essays and Individual Humorists, Psychology & Self Help - Humor, Men, Women & Relationships - Humor
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Overview
Perpetually interested in self-improvement, the author of What the Dogs Have Taught Me is back and funnier than ever. "By reading my book, you can become happier without ever having to leave the comfort and security of your own private hell," she writes. In How to Be Hap-Hap-Happy Like Me, Merrill Markoe has undertaken the arduous task of actually carrying out the best "how to be happy" suggestions from the wisest of all possible sources of advice, the "365 Days to a Happier Life" Desk Calendar. So abandon the pursuit of happiness, sit back, and "extend a social invitation to someone you've always been afraid to approach," and share Merrill's unforgettable dinner with Fabio; "take the time to improve your knowledge of another period of history," while dining with Merrill at the Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament Restaurant franchise ("where the year is 1093 A.D. and you are the guests of the royal castle"); "plan a party and invite the people you care about," in which you watch Merrill answer the door in her pajamas and pretend the party was yesterday; "enroll in a class or lecture that interests you," accompanying Merrill to a session of Dominatrix 101 at the Learning Annex. Where else can you discover the beauty secrets of someone who is not so genetically perfect that her advice is completely useless, or "How to Please a Man Every Time and Have Him Okay Maybe Not Beg for More but at Least Not Demand a Whole Lot Less"? Markoe is that rare soul who will unselfishly share with you these and many other secrets of how to live a not-totally-nightmarish life. And even if you don't learn anything, this book will make you laugh, which is more happiness than you can get from most desk calendars.The hip and hilarious author of What the Dogs Have Taught Me returns with a comic approach to self-help and happiness, heroically undertaking the task of acting out the best "how to be happy" suggestions from the repository of wisdom on the subject, The 365 Days to a Happier Life desk calendar.
Editorials
Publishers Weekly -
In a wonderfully funny ``how-to'' satire on achieving happiness, humorist Markoe (What the Dogs Have Taught Me) skewers everything from clich-ridden self-improvement classes to beauty salons that promise to transform their clients into ``genetically perfect young models.'' In Markoe's view, Disney's fake historical replicas vie with cassette-guided tours of movie stars' homes in a ``sleazy recreational activity sweepstakes.'' Readers will no doubt fall avidly upon their own favorite ``how to be happy'' suggestions, from Markoe's acerbic takeoffs on TV home-shopping programs to her send-ups of Girl Scout cookie drives. Don't miss her remarks on TV dating or her tale of having dinner with the popular romance writer and sexy book-jacket model Fabio. (Oct.)Library Journal
Markoe (What The Dogs Have Taught Me, LJ 4/15/92), has absolutely no qualifications as a mental health expert, but that doesn't stop her from adding her own tome to the already oversaturated self-help market. She promises that her 33 "happiness hints," arranged like a day-by-day calendar, will help depressed readers become happier without leaving "the comfort and security of [their] own private hell." For Happiness Hint #1 ("Take the time to improve your knowledge of another period of history"), Markoe suggests an evening at a Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament Restaurant, complete with beverage wenches and manservant waiters. Happiness Hint #33 ("Extend a social invitation to someone you've always been afraid to approach") means a romantic date with Fabio. While funny in snippets, Markoe's book, read all at once, begins to wear thin like a TV sketch that has gone on too long. For larger humor collections.-Wilda Williams, "Library Journal"Book Details
Published
November 1, 1995
Publisher
Penguin USA (P)
Pages
224
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780140233698