Disquiet, Please!: More Humor Writing from The New Yorker | 
| Creators: David Remnick, Henry Finder
Publisher: Random House
Category: Book
List Price: $30.00
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Rating:  1 reviews
Sales Rank: 8344
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 544
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.9
Dimensions (in): 9.4 x 6.4 x 1.5
ISBN: 1400068010
Dewey Decimal Number: 817.508
EAN: 9781400068012
ASIN: 1400068010
Publication Date: November 18, 2008
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Product Description
The New Yorker is, of course, a bastion of superb essays, influential investigative journalism, and insightful arts criticism. But for eighty years, it’s also been a hoot. In fact, when Harold Ross founded the legendary magazine in 1925, he called it “a comic weekly,” and while it has grown into much more, it has also remained true to its original mission. Now an uproarious sampling of its funny writings can be found in a hilarious new collection, one as satirical and witty, misanthropic and menacing, as the first, Fierce Pajamas. From the 1920s onward–but with a special focus on the latest generation–here are the humorists who set the pace and stirred the pot, pulled the leg and pinched the behind of America.
S. J. Perelman unearths the furious letters of a foreign correspondent in India to the laundry he insists on using in Paris (“Who charges six francs to wash a cummerbund?!”). Woody Allen recalls the “Whore of Mensa,” who excites her customers by reading Proust (or, if you want, two girls will explain Noam Chomsky). Steve Martin’s pill bottle warns us of side effects ranging from hair that smells of burning tires to teeth receiving radio broadcasts. Andy Borowitz provides his version of theater-lobby notices (“In Act III, there is full frontal nudity, but not involving the actor you would like to see naked”). David Owen’s rules for dating his ex-wife start out magnanimous and swiftly disintegrate into sarcasm, self-loathing, and rage, and Noah Baumbach unfolds a history of his last relationship in the form of Zagat reviews.
Meanwhile, off in a remote “willage” in Normandy, David Sedaris is drowning a mouse (“This was for the best, whether the mouse realized it or not”).
Plus asides, fancies, rebukes, and musings from Patty Marx, Calvin Trillin, Bruce McCall, Garrison Keillor, Veronica Geng, Ian Frazier, Roy Blount, Jr., and many others.
If laughter is the best medicine, Disquiet, Please is truly a wonder drug.
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| Customer Reviews:
Another very nice collection of humor from "The New Yorker" December 4, 2008
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
"The New Yorker" published Fierce Pajamas: An Anthology of Humor Writing from The New Yorker in 2002. This followup edition is stronger (and funnier) on more recent contributions, but the earlier contributions seem dated and less funny.
Nonetheless, there is real pleasure here, for example "My Dog is Tom Cruise" by Noah Baumbach:
"hahaha! I fetch! Boy, I love to fetch. I am totally fired up when I fetch. And nap. I've got a great dog bed with leopard spots where I can power-nap, man. I've got awesome chew toys, too. I'm passionate about this rubber T-bone with peanut butter hidden in it. Here's the point: do you know there are strays on the street eating out of the Dumpsters behind Chinese restaurants? I'm not making that up. I care about those mutts. But they don't know what the options are"
Or this black comedy piece by Simon Rich:
"FREE-RANGE CHICKENS
"Well, it's another beautiful day in paradise."
"How'd we get so lucky?"
"I don't know and I don't care."
"I think I'll go walk over there for a while. Then I'll walk back over here."
"That sounds like a good time. Maybe I'll do the same."
"Hey, someone refilled the grain bucket!"
"Is it the same stuff as yesterday?"
"I hope so."
"Oh, man, it's the same stuff, all right."
"It's so good."
"I can't stop eating it."
"Hey, you know what would go perfectly with this grain? Water."
"Dude. Look inside the other bucket."
"This . . . is the greatest day of my life."
"Drink up, pal."
"Cheers!"
(Laughs.)
(Laughs.)
"Hey, look, the farmer's coming."
"Huh. Guess it's my turn to go into the thing."
"Cool. See you later, buddy."
"See ya.""
Or his insightful:
DALMATIANS
"Hey, look, the truck's stopping."
"Did they take us to the park this time?"
"No--it's a fire. Another horrible fire."
"What the **** is wrong with these people?"
Noah Baumbach rates his relationships Zagat style:
DESARCINA'S
So what if she thought the movie was "pretentious and contrived" and you felt it was a "masterpiece" and are dying to inform her that "she doesn't know what she's talking about"? Remember, you were looking for a woman who wouldn't "yes" you all the time. And after one bite of chef Leonard Desarcina's "duck manqué" and a sip of the "generous" gin Margaritas you'll start to see that she might have a point.
GORDY'S
Don't be ashamed if you don't know what wine to order with your seared minnow; the "incredibly knowledgeable" waiters will be more than pleased to assist. But if she makes fun of "the way you never make eye contact with people," you might turn "snappish" and end up having your first "serious fight," one where feelings are "hurt."
The Introduction describes other pleasures:
"S. J. Perelman unearths the furious letters of a foreign correspondent in India to the laundry he insists on using in Paris ("Who charges six francs to wash a cummerbund?!"). Woody Allen recalls the "Whore of Mensa," who excites her customers by reading Proust (or, if you want, two girls will explain Noam Chomsky). Steve Martin's pill bottle warns us of side effects ranging from hair that smells of burning tires to teeth receiving radio broadcasts. Andy Borowitz provides his version of theater-lobby notices ("In Act III, there is full frontal nudity, but not involving the actor you would like to see naked"). David Owen's rules for dating his ex-wife start out magnanimous and swiftly disintegrate into sarcasm, self-loathing, and rage."
There was some excellent advice in "Fierce Pajamas" equally applicable to this volume: "You should feel free to dip into this anthology randomly, to read it backward, to give it a home next to the porcelain commode." Or give it to a humor loving friend.
Robert C. Ross 2008
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