Books
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BARACK LIKE ME: The Chocolate Covered Truth
written with David Alan Grier From The Detroit Free Press: "It's interesting. And amusing. And edgy. And kind of profound. Best of all, it's unpredictable... a candid memoir... hilarious... ultimately a story of humor and hope." "The definitive guide to American blackness. A masterwork, Grier triumphs again." -- Jimmy Kimmel "This book will surprise and delight you. It's a splendid read." -- Lewis Black "David's humor, wit and intelligence are as big as his penis... Huge! He is single-handedly keeping the black comedy myth alive." -- Chelsea Handler "Barack Like Me is the most important book since Alex Haley's third book, Boots. With Barack Like Me, David Alan Grier has created a world of wizards and goblins that will surely become a great TV movie someday." -- Chris Rock "Hilarious! Pure DAG, Barack Like Me is a magical romp through one man's history that offers Americans a chance to examine its own. Full of surprises and profound insights, DAG takes readers on a modern journey through the looking-glass of his life." -- Dr. Drew Pinsky "This book is funny and thought-provoking. DAG may be the greatest Black American since Dr. Julius Washington Irving Carver!" -- Adam Carolla "Sketch genius David Alan Grier plays the race card. Shamelessly, perceptively, and hilariously." -- The Hollywood Reporter "A comic of undeniable charm and supple skills." -- The Washington Post Watch David Alan Grier talk about BARACK LIKE ME. |
CANCER ON $5 A DAY* *chemo not included written with Robert Schimmel
From Jamie Reno, Newsweek: "Funny and touching and enlightening. I think it's perfect." From Nancy Yanes Hoffman, The Writing Doctor: "A brave new book...a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit. Robert Schimmel's courage is inspiring." From Barbara Bamberger Scott, Curled Up With A Good Book: "...Schimmel steps outside the bounds of his own suffering to make others laugh. To make me laugh. And you." From Publisher'sWeekly.com: "Schimmel's conversational account is particularly ribald, emphasizing the importance a sense of humor can play in coping, learning and healing. From Punchline Magazine: "CANCER ON $5 A DAY is thoughtful as it is raw and it's consistently funny throughout." From HotReports.com: "...a fabulously written book on Schimmel's battle with cancer. He is edgy and hilarious throughout this book. CANCER ON $5 A DAY is a laugh out loud and profound account of one man facing a deadly disease and how he was better to understand himself." From The Cleveland Plain Dealer: "...remarkable and riveting...this could be the most profanely adult book of inspiration you'll find. But inspiring it is, and moving, without being mawkish or phony. Schimmel is simply too laugh-out-loud funny, and his storytelling too compelling." From The San Diego Union-Tribune: "It's engrossing and dark, with touches you'd expect from the rough-edged, ribald comic." |
THE KINDERGARTEN WARS:
The Battle to Get Into America's Best Private Schools From The Atlantic Monthly: "Excellent... A+." From Nancy Lieberman, author of Admissions: "Put on your flap jacket for Eisenstock's revealing exposé of the front lines, the rear flanks, and the battle strategies that go into winning THE KINDERGARTEN WARS." Watch CBS Early Show Interview: Real "Kindergarten Wars" |
JUST A GUY: Notes from a Blue Collar Life written with Bill Engvall
From Blogcritics: "Bottom line: if you like Blue Collar TV or are just looking for some good comedy, this is a great book to pick up.” |
THE HOLY THIEF: A Con Man's Journey from Darkness to Light
From Publishers Weekly (starred review): "Heart-wrenching but hilarious, raw but refreshing, this everyman tale reminds us that even nice Jewish boys can go bad, but they can also be redeemed." From The Washington Post: "This warts-and-all memoir charts Borovitz's journey from shul-goer to shyster to prison inmate and back... compelling secondary characters and a spine-tingling spiritual awakening." From Nextbook: "A blustering and grandiose book. Perfectly conveys the hustler, the tough Jew who turns his talent for persuasion to better ends. Not just likeable but important." From The Jewish Journal of Los Angeles: "A colorful tale for a colorful character who has turned his life around. An amazing and highly unusual journey." From Booklist: "Reading like fiction, it's nevertheless a true story." From The Jewish Press: "Very intriguing. A can't-put-it down book." From JTA News: "In the world of unusual life stories, Rabbi Mark Borovitz's ranks near the top... a thoroughly unique blend of soulful insight mixed with a dose of street-smart profanity." From New Jersey Jewish News: "... a most unusual autobiography... both the book and the life it describes so well are truly inspirational." From The Jewish Week: "THE HOLY THIEF is told with candor and insight... inspiring reading." |
TEN ON SUNDAY: The Secret Life of Men
From Booklist: "Boys will be boys, middle-aged professionals not excepted, as Eisenstock's re-creation of the male milieu of weekend warriors -- the sweating, the swearing, the bonding -- attests. While all hell broke loose around them -- earthquakes, O.J., divorces, blown-out knees -- the game was the constant they could count on. "Men," writes Eisenstock, "can achieve closeness without intimacy; while women can achieve intimacy without closeness." His breezy memoir effectively captures that closeness." From Publisher's Weekly: "The premise of this book -- a group of men have a weekly basketball game that anchors their lives -- is so wholesome and therapeutic ... Eisenstock has an ear for fast, punchy dialogue and quickly capturing a mood... when the game finally comes to a close, there's no doubt the players will miss their weekly ritual." From People Magazine (June 16, 2003, Father's Day Gift Guide): "Eisenstock tells how he and his buddies bonded over a weekly driveway hoops game in Santa Monica. Their gripes and jokes make for an insightful look at what makes male friendships work." From Los Angeles Times (July 23, 2003): "Although TEN ON SUNDAY appears to be geared for middle-aged males, everyone should find some sentiment throughout its 278 pages. Whether it's in Eisenstock's engaging writing, or his impassioned view of the games, which he describes as "a fascinating look at relationships between men and the unique ways in which they express themselves to each other." The book concludes with a surprising twist, one that drills home what Eisenstock feels the weekly games are really about. Here's a hint: They're not about basketball. |
SPORTS TALK: A Journey Inside the World of Sports Talk Radio
Alan Eisenstock takes the first no-holds-barred, behind-the-scenes, full-access look at the world of sports talk radio and reveals what makes it tick: the rousing shows, the obsessive fans, and above all, the larger-than-life personalities. From the Barnes & Noble Review: "SPORTS TALK offers a vicarious thrill. Eisenstock not only brings us into the lives of his heroes, but he also makes them our heroes. We see that beneath the heated opinions and sometimes cantankerous personalities, there is a calm that ties all the hosts together. And it makes us want to buy them a beer and talk sports." From Publisher's Weekly: "Breezy... a smoothly written road trip..." From the Los Angeles Times: "Alan Eisenstock, author of the entertaining new book Sports Talk, says he was drawn to the world of jock radio in the 1970s when he heard Ed "Superfan" Bieler of KABC-AM (790)... recalls that Bieler's voice was a guttural celebration of phlegm..." |
INSIDE THE MEAT GRINDER: An NFL Official's Life in the Trenches
In the insider tradition of "Ball Four" and "You're Out and You're Ugly Too" comes a behind-the-scenes look at the NFL from Chad Brown, one of the league's top officials. From Library Journal: "This entertaining view from inside a much-maligned profession belongs in most sports collections." From Kirkus Reviews: "Interesting perspectives on Lions, Panthers, Rams, Colts, and other pro football creatures from the zebra's view." From Red Cashion, retired NFL referee: "Chad Brown will end up being one of the real great umpires in the National Football League. I guarantee it." |