Laugh It Off

Rating:
Summary: Poking fun at life
Review: A collection of columns from the "York Independent," Fabiano's first book takes a humorous look at life in York, Maine, in all its seasonal aspects, from the first (and last) jog of the season to wienie roasts at the beach and his wife's coveted summer pesto.

Fabiano examines the perils of the "kid zone" at the beach and the plight of tourists in rule-bound trailer camps, but mostly the butt of the joke is himself - sneaking swigs of A-1 steak sauce or spoonfuls of relish as snacks, trying to fulfill his destiny as barbecue king, enduring visits to the dentist, holding onto holey favorite shirts, taking four women to an Andrea Boccelli concert.

A number of columns address the perils of turning 50. One of the funniest - really - is a description of the author's first colonoscopy. Fabiano's wife plays the straight man in many of these pieces and comes off as a very good sport. Funny, curmudgeonly, and self-deprecating, Fabiano should win new fans.

Rating:
Summary: If you want to laugh this book is a necessity!!!!!!!!
Review: Hillarious!!!!!!! Hard to believe that one man could get himself into so many predicaments!! This book is one of the most humorous pieces of writing I have ever read! It kept me laughing from cover to cover! Good luck to family and friends, or even a stranger on the street. You never will know if he is watching and you will be a character in his next story! This book was fantastic!

Rating:
Summary: Rare
Review: It is very rare that you read a book that makes you laugh until you cry. At least in my experience. Everyone can relate to this book. A must in my library.

Rating:
Summary: Required Reading...
Review: Jim's book is a recount of lifes daily events that we all can relate to but Jim's honesty and retention of detail makes any reader envious of his delivery. I mow my lawn and have dinner partys, embarrass my family and find myself in similar situations as written in his book but Jim's presentation makes even the smallest household chore absolutely hilarious.
I advise everyone to read "Laugh It Off". Hopefully, he'll write a second edition. Jim's book and weekly newspaper column will bring laughter to anyone.
Sincerely, Jim Schaffer

Rating:
Summary: Laugh it Off
Review: The book consists of 30 essays, each a story in and of itself, taken from among several years worth of columns in the York Independent, each with a definite New England flavor.

In The Toxic Avenger, we find him trying to rid his yard of Japanese beetles.

"When I got home I topped up the spray gun cylinder with the beetle juice. The label warned that I should dilute the solution to one part in twenty. The hell with that, I thought. I didn't want to injure them, I wanted them dead. I wanted my property littered with corpses."

"I filled the container to the top, full strength, then strapped on the lethal apparatus, opened the garage doors and strode purposefully out into the driveway."

"I think every beetle in the neighborhood stopped chomping to take a good look at me. Up and down the street my neighbors stopped whatever they were doing, hurried their children and pets indoors and shut their doors and windows."

In The Secret, he is expected, but fails to keep secret his daughter's upcoming marriage.

"He then told me he wanted to ask if it was alright for him to marry my daughter. For a minute I had no idea how to respond. So, I asked him if he preferred a cow over a pig for a dowry? I have absolutely no idea why I said that but the immediate effect was for my wife to smack me over the back of my head."

"As my wife continued the conversation, this time with my daughter, I started to feel guilty. I knew that I should have shown some enthusiasm. I decided to make it up to them by going to my office upstairs to e-mail everybody in my address book that my daughter was now engaged."

"As my wife saw me coming back downstairs she looked up from the phone again and told me not to tell anybody about the engagement because it was still a secret."

"I knew I had a limited number of options as I stood there on the stairs with my mouth open ..."

In other essays, you'll find him trying to locate his septic tank, barbecuing, and inadvertently taking his family to a nude beach, each funnier than the last.

In The Pothole, the author talks about the coming of spring.

"The other day I saw my first robin," he writes. "Of course it was frozen to the driveway and stone dead but it was still there."

"By far the most important sign of the time when winter starts to give way to spring is the discovery of the first major pothole as you unsuspectingly drive down a back road in order to get to your home. I hit one the other day and it hurt - not just the car but me. It had to be at least a foot deep and it made a trench across the entire width of the road. If I had a choice I would rather have hit a tree trying to get around it and probably would have done less damage to the car."

The back cover of the book describes Jim Fabiano as a cross between Dave Barry, Hunter S. Thompson, and Chevy Chase, and I think that's a fair assessment.

It's a good read.

Rating:
Summary: Terrific!!
Review: The title, "Laughing It Off", describes both the refreshing attitude of the author as well as the actions of the reader while perusing the book. This book is a terrific collection of stories that make the ordinary seem much more extraordinary. Life seems to throw adventures at us whether we like it or not and Jim helps us find something to laugh at even in the worst situations. From cooking to septic tanks, this book covers every misadventure someone could have. From columns to comedy, Jim has made a splash into the oceans of unlimited everyday humor. This book truly shows how the average person can find something positive in the daily mundane.

Rating:
Summary: Terrific!!
Review: The title, "Laughing It Off", describes both the refreshing attitude of the author as well as the actions of the reader while perusing the book. This book is a terrific collection of stories that make the ordinary seem much more extraordinary. Life seems to throw adventures at us whether we like it or not and Jim helps us find something to laugh at even in the worst situations. From cooking to septic tanks, this book covers every misadventure someone could have. From columns to comedy, Jim has made a splash into the oceans of unlimited everyday humor. This book truly shows how the average person can find something positive in the daily mundane.