The Ungettable Joke

SThe Ungettable Joke is told in retrospect by two guys who were drawn into extraordinary circumstances. Individually, they are exposed to supernatural experiences which drive them to hit the road, one to escape, the other to seek the source of the experiences. These experiences seem to confirm a theory about an ungettable Joke developed by Dave, an engineer and NASA contractor. At an apparent chance meeting at a roadside diner, Dave explains his personal theories on humor and the ungettable joke to Bill, a high school math teacher. They wonder whether they have been pushed together by greater forces to discover the ultimate joke, a joke so funny that everyone laughs, but no one knows why. The main characters don "t have long to consider this question. The greater forces at work evidently don "t want them to discover the ungettable joke by sitting around and talking about it. Supernatural events continue to force the characters into action and an adventure they might prefer to avoid. They seek aid from an eccentric college professor, an archeologist who tells the story of an ancient Indian tribe, the Chimchuk, whose culture revered humor above all else. The professor, who seems to have an agenda of his own, is interested in a Chimchuk symbolic inscription Dave and Bill obtained. He is also obsessed with a certain Chimchuk artifact -- an amulet made in three pieces. The professor possesses only one piece, his enemy another, and the third is missing. The professor's enemy is a man who appears to be the leader of a cult that is based on Chimchuk culture. He claims to have special powers, drawn from his piece of the amulet, and convinces his followers that he can channel the spirit of the original crafter of the amulet, the great Chimchuk shaman and head joke-teller, Manash. Underlying the main plot, Dave is engaged to be married very soon, and the FBI has become involved due to suspected illicit drug activity in the Chimchuk cult. The interests of all concerned converge at a small town at the entrance to the Giant Sequoia National Park. There, the amulet, the cult, the FBI, and the pursuit of the ungettable joke come together in a Chimchuk cultural festival. The cult leaders at the festival intend to demonstrate the power of the amulet to the new Chimchuk nation. The wild scene and conclusion that follows reveal the realities behind the events, history, and meaning of all that took place, and points to a link between science and faith, seen and unseen, and what humor has to do with it.

One of Sports Illustrated?s top 100 sports books of all-time The 1908 National League pennant race was without question the most exciting and dramatic battle of all time. Three teams, the Giants, the Cubs, and the Pirates, battled from start to finish, concluding the season with just one game separating them in the standings. The story of this race is like a Hall of Fame sprung to life, including John McGraw, Christy Mathewson, Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance, Mordecai ?Three Finger? Brown, and Honus Wagner. Yet the one name that truly stands out belongs to a young Giant rookie, Fred Merkle. His base-running blunder in a key game between the Giants and the Cubs cost the New Yorkers the pennant through an entirely unforeseeable set of circumstances that set off a near-riot in New York. More than mere history, The Unforgettable Season uses a judicious selection of newspaper stories to recreate the unforgettable season through the eyes and florid language of sportswriters of the day. With no film, TV, or radio accounts of the game to cloud readers' minds with facts, the newspaper writers had free reign to invent and embellish the larger-than-life figures and events of 1908. It is their efforts that make this book often unintentionally hilarious and unforgettable.

The books in this bite-sized new series contain no complicated techniques or tricky materials, making them ideal for the busy, the time-pressured or the merely curious. Made An Unforgettable Speech is a short, simple and to-the-point guide to learning the basic principles of a great speech in a few short steps. Whether for a wedding, a presentation or just a special occasion, in just 96 pages you will discover how to master the essential ideas and deliver a captivating and memorable performance, helping you to make a lasting impression with no effort at all.

From the #1 travel magazine in the country, a collection of travel tales from some of today's finest writers Travel writing maintains its seemingly endless popularity, and this volume offers a particularly transporting body of work, pairing exotic locales with writers of the highest caliber: Russell Banks writes on the Everglades, Francine Prose explores the secrets of Prague, Robert Hughes takes us on a tour of Italy, and more. From the most beautiful gardens to visit in Japan to the best free things to do in Provence, this book is as enlightening as it is entertaining. Whether off to the other side of the globe or to their favorite reading chair, wanderers of every sort will find this book truly indispensable. Other featured writers and places include: Nik Cohn on Savannah Philip Gourevitch on Tanzania Shirley Hazzard on Capri Pico Iyer on Iceland and Ethiopia Nicole Krauss on Japan Suketu Mehta on the Himalayas Edna O'Brien on Bath Patricia Storace on Provence and Athens James Truman on Iran Gregor Von Rezzori on Romania Edmund White on Jordan Simon Winchester on Mount Pinatubo William Dalrymple on his pilgrimage to Santiago John Julius Norwich on the Vatican Jan Morris on Hawaii

In the last book of The Unforgettable Series, Bailey and Damon finally have a chance at settling down and starting the family theyve always wanted. But as quickly as paradise starts, its taken away from them when a new, or rather old, enemy comes knocking on their door. Once again theyre thrown back into the world of the supernatural, this time fighting family. A war is coming, one where the dead rise and blood is spilled. Will Damon and Bailey be able to fight their enemies, and themselves, once again and keep their family safe? Or will the universe finally win and take one of them away?

If it's green and hairy or grey and slimy, if it stings or smells or scratches, then it will be mentioned in this book of creepy crawly jokes.

In "Jokes from Above: The Last Heaven Guard's Comical Chronicles," prepare to embark on a side-splitting journey into the celestial realm of laughter. Meet the Last Heaven Guard, a heavenly being tasked with maintaining the cosmic balance of humor. But there's a catch - this angelic guardian has a knack for finding himself in hilariously absurd situations. As the Last Heaven Guard is introduced, readers are whisked away to the whimsical world of heavenly hilarity. From the uproarious training camp, where angelic antics are taught with precision, to the high-flying escapades that take place in Cloud City, the comedic chaos is unrelenting. When mischievous prankster pixies wreak havoc on the heavenly realm, the Last Heaven Guard must embark on a side-splitting quest to restore order. Along the way, readers are treated to a comedy showdown like no other as the Last Heaven Guard faces off against the mischievous pixies in an uproarious battle of wits. The laughter continues to soar as the Last Heaven Guard finds himself in the midst of a riotous rebellion during the heavenly stand-up comedy competition. With a parade of cosmic comedians, outrageous punchlines, and a touch of divine wit, this uproarious event becomes an unforgettable highlight of the celestial realm. But the comedic calamities don't end there. From a cloud caper catastrophe to the laughter-filled celestial council, the Last Heaven Guard's journey is filled with hilarious encounters and unexpected twists. With each chapter, the comedy escalates, culminating in the ultimate comedy show, where the Last Heaven Guard must deliver the performance of a lifetime to save the very essence of humor itself. "Jokes from Above: The Last Heaven Guard's Comical Chronicles" is a rib-tickling adventure that guarantees an out-of-this-world laughter experience. Packed with puns, slapstick humor, and witty banter, this comedic novel promises to leave readers rolling on the floor, reaching for tissues to wipe away tears of laughter. Prepare for a hilarious romp through the heavens and beyond, where even angels can't help but crack up.

"I'm getting a life's lesson about grace from my mother in the ICU. We never stop learning from our mothers, do we?" UNFORGETTABLE is a son's spirited, affecting, and inspiring tribute to his remarkable mother and the love between parent and child. When NPR's Scott Simon began tweeting from his mother's hospital room in July 2013, he didn't know that his missives would soon spread well beyond his 1.2 million Twitter followers. Squeezing the magnitude of his final days with her into 140-character updates, Simon's evocative and moving meditations spread virally. Over the course of a few days, Simon chronicled his mother's death and reminisced about her life, revealing her humor and strength, and celebrating familial love. UNFORGETTABLE, expands on those famous tweets to create a memoir that is rich, deeply affecting, heart-wrenching, and exhilarating. His mother was a glamorous woman of the Mad Men–era; she worked in nightclubs, modeled, dated mobsters and movie stars, and was a brave single parent to young Scott Simon. Spending their last days together in a hospital ICU, mother and son reflect on their lifetime's worth of memories, recounting stories laced with humor and exemplifying resilience. UNFORGETTABLE is not only one man's rich and moving tribute to his mother's colorful life and graceful death, it is also a powerful portrayal of the universal bond between mother and child.