Humor

bookcover STORM CLOUDS OVER PARTY SHOES:

Etiquette Problems for the Ill-Bred Woman

sheila norgate

Storm Clouds Over Party Shoes is nostalgia with a twist, offering up a brilliant combination of retro images and the doctrine of etiquette primers from the '30s through the '50s. A hilarious spoof on those lessons in "good breeding!" For those who rebel against "The Rules," this book's for you! A great gift, with 30 full-color illustrations.

press gang publishers $13.95 paper

bookcover HELL'S BELLES:

A Tribute to the Spitfires, Bad Seeds, and Steel Magnolias of the New and Old South

seale ballenger

A funny and loving tribute to the infamous females of Dixie. Breaking the "well-bred" stereotype, 200 "belles" reveal their indomitable strength of character and uniquely Southern take on life. Sections include: Book Belles (Maya Angelou, Dorothy Allison, Margaret Mitchell), Musical Belles (Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn), Silver Screen Belles (Hattie McDaniel, Tullulah Bankhead) and Political Belles (Ann Richards, Lillian Carter).

conari press $14.95 paper

CREME DE LA FEMME:

The Best of Contemporary Women's Humor

developed by anne safran dalin; edited by nancy davis

This hilarious yet thoughtful anthology includes contributions by Molly Ivins, Terry McMillan, Kathy Najimy, Wendy Wasserstein, Anna Quindlen, Mary Kay Blakely, Ruby Dee, Anne Lamott, Gloria Steinem, Jane Wagner and more. Arranged thematically into topics - politics, equal rights, relationships, men, family, aging - Creme de la Femme contains humorous essays, short stories, poetry, songs and cartoons, ranging from the ironic to the sublime.

random house reference $16.95 paper