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Stop Bloody Bossing Me About: How We Need To Stop Being Told What To Do
by Quentin LettsHands, face, space. Curfews. Don't drink. Bend your knees. Conform, obey, comply - surrender. British life has become infested by bossiness. Boris Johnson won power as one of life's free-wheelers but his first year as PM saw a fever of finger-wagging. The real pandemic? Passive-aggressive ninnying by politicians, scientists and officialdom. From Sage with its graphs to BBC grandees telling us not to sing 'Rule Britannia', the National Trust with its slavery mania, to calorie counts on menus: why won't they leave us alone? Theatre directors beat us over the head with their agitprop. Militant cyclists scream at us from their saddles. Meghan Markle ticks us off for not being more Californian. Bossiness: did it begin when Moses came down from the mountain with his tablets? Cromwell beat Chris Whitty to it by four centuries and banned Christmas. A. Hitler, B. Mussolini and J.V. Stalin: they liked to throw their weight around, but today's self-serving dictators are more subtle. They do it with a caring smile. Tell us it's for our own good. They claim to be liberals! Following his best-selling Fifty People Who Buggered Up Britain and his 2017 Christmas favourite Patronising Bastards, parliamentary sketchwriter Quentin Letts storms back into hard covers with a vituperative howl against the 'bossocracy'. They tell us what to do, what to say, how to think. Letts gives them a prolonged, resonant raspberry. He names the guilty men and women: Dominic Cummings, Prof Neil Ferguson, that strutting self-polisher Nicola Sturgeon, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Cressida Dick, Michael Gove, even the sainted Sir David Attenborough. Bang! They all take a barrel. And then there's publicity-prone plonker Matt Hancock posing for photographs while doing his 'Mr Fit' press-ups. Reasonable people have had enough of being bossed about. And when reasonable people stop respecting the law, society has a problem.
Stop Boring Me!: How to Create Kick-Ass Marketing Content, Products and Ideas Through the Power of Improv
by Kathy Klotz-GuestComing up constantly with a steady stream of marketing content, stories, and ideas that inspire excitement, interest and banish boring can be challenging. Your content-weary audience is saying "Stop Boring Me!" You cannot connect meaningfully with your audience if you bore them. There's just too much content chasing too little mindshare today. And most business marketing stinks because it is transactional, superficial and not human. The good news: it doesn't have to be that way because everyone is creative. Your inner kid is smart because it knows how to play. What if you could create engaging marketing content and storytelling, and generate kick-ass, fun and relevant ideas for stories, articles, branding, social media campaigns, sales presentations, and even new products? Well there is a fun way to do exactly that: by applying key concepts from the world of improvisation. Don't worry - this is not about theatricality, so you don't have to perform. It is about playfulness, however, and unleashing your inner kid. Bringing key concepts from the improvisation stage to your marketing, sales, branding and products page - or business stage, if you like - can help you, your team, your company and your business generate ideas that kick boring to the curb. While this book will help you be more funny, it's focused on fun as a creative catalyst for content idea orgasms: when different things come together in a fresh, human and engaging way that makes you and your audience say "aww yeah!" The first half of the book centers on how to use key improv concepts to craft and tell better stories for sales, social media, articles, presentations, content, and other story-related contexts. The second half of the book is all about innovating massively creative marketing ideas for products, content, campaigns, customer service, sales processes, you name it. While this book was written primarily for marketing people who have to create content, tell stories, make presentations; anyone in the idea-generation business (and who isn't) can use the tips in this book. Whether you are in marketing, sales, HR, product or customer service, these exercises will help you innovate and unleash more creative awesome into your work. Here is to more idea orgasms for you and your audience.
Stop! Bot!
by James YangWinner of the 2020 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for most distinguished American book for beginning readers.In this very young picture book mystery, a little boy out for a walk with his family stops to show a building doorman his new "bot": "I have a bot!" Only he doesn't have it for long, because it floats up out of his hands like an escaped balloon. "Stop! Bot!" Springing to action, the kind doorman runs up to each floor of the building to try and catch it -- along with the help of each floor's resident. But while everything looks normal at first, every floor (and resident) is a little more wacky and unusual than the last! Musicians, baseball players, zoo animals, and finally a very large monkey all play a part -- but will they rescue the Bot before it's too late?! Children will love all the funny details and easy-to-read words in this very playful picture book!
Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like a Skank: A Slightly Tarnished Southern Belle's Words of Wisdom
by Celia RivenbarkCelia Rivenbark's essays about life in today's South are like caramel popcorn---sweet, salty, and utterly irresistibleCelia Rivenbark is a master at summing up the South in all its glorious excesses and contradictions. In this collection of screamingly funny essays, you'll discover:* How to get your kid into a character breakfast at Disneyworld (or run the risk of eating chicken out of a bucket with Sneezy)* Secrets of Celebrity Moms (don't hate them because they're beautiful when there are so many other reasons to hate them)* EBay addiction and why "It ain't worth having if it ain't on eBay" (Whoa! Is that Willie Nelson's face in your grits?)* Why today's children's clothes make six-year-olds look like Vegas showgirls with an abundance of anger issues* And so much more!Rivenbark is an intrepid explorer and acid commentator on the land south of the Mason-Dixon line.
Stop Following Me, Moon!
by Darren FarrellA hungry bear&’s big appetite leads to a lesson about sharing in this silly story perfect for fans of Mo Willems&’ Pigeon books Bear is hungry. So hungry that when he spies a squirrel's berry snack, he can't help taking the whole berry bush. Then, when he wanders past a busy beehive, Bear knows he's hit the jackpot. But someone is on to him—the moon! Or so Bear thinks. Before he knows it, Bear is on the run with his stolen snacks, causing a whole lot of trouble for the other animals in the forest. With big laughs, silly surprises, and a read-aloud-ready refrain, this picture book is perfect for fans of Jon Klassen and Mo Willems.
Stop Getting Dumped!
by Lisa DailyFrom how to spot bad boys and jerks before they break your heart to the secret to getting a man to call you to the five common mistakes women make that push men away, this practical, step-by-step guide to meeting and keeping Mr. Right tells it like it is, and gives advice that is easy to follow and amazingly effective.
Stop in the Name of Pants!
by Louise RennisonTime to gird the loins and pucker up. Blimey O'Reilly's trousers! When Georgia embraced being the girlfriend of a Rock Legend/Luurve God, she thought that was the end of her lovenosity woes. As usual, Georgia is the last to know what she is talking about. Now there's the small matter of a snogging accident involving her matey-type mate Dave the Laugh and some toasted newts in her undercrackers. Can Georgia lock up her red bottom and throw away the key?
Stop Me If You've Heard This: A History and Philosophy of Jokes
by Jim Holt"Finally I understand what it is I've been laughing at all these years."--Jimmy Kimmel From the best-selling author of Why Does the World Exist? comes this outrageous, uproarious compendium of absurdity, filth, racy paradox, and gratuitous offensiveness--just the kind of mature philosophical reflection readers have come to expect from the ever-entertaining Jim Holt. Indeed, Stop Me If You've Heard This is the first book to trace the evolution of the joke all the way from the standup comics of ancient Athens to the comedy-club Seinfelds of today. After exploring humor's history in Part One, Holt delves into philosophy in Part Two: Wall Street jokes; jokes about rednecks and atheists, bulimics and politicians; jokes you missed if you didn't go to a Catholic girls' school; jokes about logic and existence itself . . . all became fodder for the grand theories of Aristotle, Kant, Freud, and Wittgenstein in this heady mix of the high and low, of the ribald and profound, from America's most beloved philosophical pundit.
Stop That Frog! (Here's Hank #3)
by Lin Oliver Henry Winkler Scott GarrettHank's class gets to take care of Principal Love's pet frog while he's away, and Hank is thrilled when he's selected to take it home for the weekend. But when he forgets to put the top back on the tank, Hank's excitement quickly turns to panic--the frog has escaped! The frog hunt is on, but time is running out. Hank needs to find that frog, and fast!
Stop Tweeting Boring Sh*t: The New Rules of Work
by Division Of LaborThe new generation of workers needs a new workplace manual designed to explain the particular norms, boundaries, and expectations of the contemporary office environment and help them navigate the cutthroat reality of a cubicled 9 to 5. Enter Stop Tweeting Boring Sh*t, a handbook of vintage-style public service announcements addressing modern office issues, including such gems as: "If you don't have something nice to say, e-mail it," "If it doesn't have a meeting invite, it didn't happen," and "Nothing good comes from hitting 'reply all.'" With plenty of revealing (and real) workplace statistics peppered throughout, plus a full-size Stop Tweeting Boring Sh*t pull-out poster to hang in the cubicle, this colorful guide offers just the motivation young people need to hunker down and get to work.
Stopgap
by Liam CardA recently deceased grieving spirit decides to rid the world of violent crime, and becomes the most notorious killer in history. For Luke Stevenson, an otherwise simple afterlife has become catastrophic. He’s been paired to mentor Safia, an angry teenage girl who recently died a violent death. Safia can not only affect the living — unheard of among ghosts like them — but can actually end human lives. With the best intentions, Luke becomes ensnared in her operation to rid the world of all violent crime. With Luke’s help, Safia prevents acts of violence before they occur, leaving the world in a state of joy, shock, panic, and looking for answers as the body count rises. Perhaps Safia has made the world a safer place. However, when her plan begins a terrifying evolution, Luke must find a way to derail it, as billions of lives hang in the balance.
Stopping for a Spell
by Diana Wynne JonesIn three wild and wacky tales, find out what can happen when... ...An old armchair that you've finally decided to get rid of comes to life -- and has a definite attitude. It thinks it can rule the entire household! ...Not one, but four grannies come to take care of you and your stepsister. You manage to work some magic, and are granted three wishes -- but soon fear you may get what you wished for! ...The rudest uninvited house guest comes to visit -- and won't leave! He insults every person who comes his way. But when he starts in on the furniture, that's the last straw. Even the furniture thinks so! The bestselling illustrator of "Harvey Potter's Balloon Farm" teams up with a Nobel laureate in this buoyant fantasy of a boy who brings home a wave. Stunning oil paintings shimmer with light and laughter in this unexpected, unforgettable tour de force.
Storie Di Savvy
by Dan Alatorre Valeria BeottiUno sguardo buffo ai molti magici momenti perduti dell'infanzia, visti attraverso il cuore di un padre.I genitori lo sanno. Ogni bimbo fa cose buffe, che sia un bambino che vuole vedere quanti giocattoli galleggeranno nella ciotola dell'acqua del cane, un altro che cerca di giocare a campana sul marciapiede di fronte al supermercato mentre tu stai cercando di andare di corsa in un negozio, o un ragazzino di tre anni che fa innocenti domande fuori luogo agli sconosciuti ("Questo e' il suo sedere?").Ci siamo passati tutti. Essere genitori e' un duro lavoro, ma la ricompensa e' grande.Questi sono i piccoli istanti buffi che viviamo io e mia figlia - o voi e i vostri figli - migliaia di volte al giorno.Ci ridiamo e continuiamo con la nostra vita, perche' siamo troppo occupati per prenderne veramente nota, e gli istanti sono troppo brevi per ricordarli dopo.Ma se potessimo segnarcene anche soltanto qualcuno, che magnifico piccolo cesto di ricordi avremmo.
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry
by Gabrielle ZevinThis internationally bestselling sensation is a 'funny, tender, and moving' (Library Journal, starred review) tale about community, books and second chances set in a world you won't want to leaveA.J. Fikry, the grumpy owner of Island Books, is going through a hard time: his bookshop is failing, he has lost his beloved wife, and his prized possession-a rare first edition book has been stolen. Over time, he has given up on people, and even the books in his store, instead of offering solace, are yet another reminder of a world that is changing too rapidly.But one day A.J. finds two-year-old Maya sitting on the bookshop floor, with a note attached to her asking the owner to look after her. His life - and Maya's - is changed forever.Gabrielle Zevin's enchanting novel is a love letter to the world of books--an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love.Originally published as The Collected Works of A. J. Fikry.'Readers who delighted in Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows's The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Rachel Joyce's The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, and Jessica Brockmole's Letters from Skye will be equally captivated by this adult novel by a popular YA author about a life of books, redemption, and second chances. Funny, tender, and moving' Library Journal, starred review'This novel has humor, romance, a touch of suspense, but most of all love--love of books and bookish people and, really, all of humanity in its imperfect glory' Eowyn Ivey, author of The Snow Child
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry
by Gabrielle ZevinBY THE AUTHOR OF THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW 'Marvelously optimistic about the future of books and bookstores and the people who love both' Washington Post A.J. Fikry, the grumpy owner of Island Books, is going through a hard time: his bookshop is failing, he has lost his beloved wife, and his prized possession - a rare first edition book has been stolen. Over time, he has given up on people, and even the books in his store, instead of offering solace, are yet another reminder of a world that is changing too rapidly. But one day A.J. finds two-year-old Maya sitting on the bookshop floor, with a note attached to her asking the owner to look after her. His life - and Maya's - is changed forever. Gabrielle Zevin's enchanting novel is a love letter to the world of books - an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love. Readers say: 'A lovely uplifting book' five star reader review 'Devoured in a day. So much heart and control. Love it' five star reader review 'the writing style and characters made this novel a firm five stars' five star reader review 'This book has become my absolute favourite and not just best of the year but ever. I had to make a new shelf for it on GoodReads. I was completely blown away by it' five star reader review
The Stories
by Jane GardamThroughout her career, prize-winning novelist Jane Gardam has been writing glorious short stories, each one hallmarked with all the originality, poignancy, wry comedy and narrative brilliance of her longer fiction. Passion and longing, metamorphosis and enchantment are Gardam's themes, and like a magician she plucks them from the quietest of corners: from Wimbledon gardens and cold churches, from London buses and industrial backstreets. A mother watching her children on the beach dreams of a long-lost lover, an abandoned army wife sees a ghost at a moorland gate, a translator adrift in Geneva is haunted by the unspeakable manifestation of her own fears, and a colonial servant wreaks a delicious revenge on her monstrous masters. Gardam's cast is wide and wonderful, saints and mystics, trollops and curmudgeons, yearning mothers and lost children, beloved figures such as Old Filth and less familiar - but equally unforgettable - characters like Signor Settimo, the sad-eyed provincial photographer marooned in Shipley or Florrie Ironside, the ferocious matron he seduces. With a mischievous ear for dialogue, a glittering eye for detail and a capacious understanding of the vagaries of the human heart, Jane Gardam's stories will captivate, sadden and delight.
The Stories
by Jane GardamThroughout her career, prize-winning novelist Jane Gardam has been writing glorious short stories, each one hallmarked with all the originality, poignancy, wry comedy and narrative brilliance of her longer fiction. Passion and longing, metamorphosis and enchantment are Gardam's themes, and like a magician she plucks them from the quietest of corners: from Wimbledon gardens and cold churches, from London buses and industrial backstreets. A mother watching her children on the beach dreams of a long-lost lover, an abandoned army wife sees a ghost at a moorland gate, a translator adrift in Geneva is haunted by the unspeakable manifestation of her own fears, and a colonial servant wreaks a delicious revenge on her monstrous masters. Gardam's cast is wide and wonderful, saints and mystics, trollops and curmudgeons, yearning mothers and lost children, beloved figures such as Old Filth and less familiar - but equally unforgettable - characters like Signor Settimo, the sad-eyed provincial photographer marooned in Shipley or Florrie Ironside, the ferocious matron he seduces. With a mischievous ear for dialogue, a glittering eye for detail and a capacious understanding of the vagaries of the human heart, Jane Gardam's stories will captivate, sadden and delight.
The Stories
by Jane GardamThroughout her career, prize-winning novelist Jane Gardam has been writing glorious short stories, each one hallmarked with all the originality, poignancy, wry comedy and narrative brilliance of her longer fiction. Passion and longing, metamorphosis and enchantment are Gardam's themes, and like a magician she plucks them from the quietest of corners: from Wimbledon gardens and cold churches, from London buses and industrial backstreets. A mother watching her children on the beach dreams of a long-lost lover, an abandoned army wife sees a ghost at a moorland gate, a translator adrift in Geneva is haunted by the unspeakable manifestation of her own fears, and a colonial servant wreaks a delicious revenge on her monstrous masters. Gardam's cast is wide and wonderful, saints and mystics, trollops and curmudgeons, yearning mothers and lost children, beloved figures such as Old Filth and less familiar - but equally unforgettable - characters like Signor Settimo, the sad-eyed provincial photographer marooned in Shipley or Florrie Ironside, the ferocious matron he seduces. With a mischievous ear for dialogue, a glittering eye for detail and a capacious understanding of the vagaries of the human heart, Jane Gardam's stories will captivate, sadden and delight.
Stories for Bedtime (Bumper Short Story Collections #68)
by Enid BlytonA dreamy collection of tales by the world's best-loved storyteller. Perfect for children aged 5 and up! From adventures with sleepy giants to bedtime stories about how Bobs the dog got a cold nose, drift into dreamland with these short stories by Enid Blyton. Look out for midnight parties and falling stars! These traditional tales are ideal for younger children being read to and for newly confident readers to read alone. Each story stands alone and is the perfect length for reading at bedtime or in the classroom. Enid Blyton remains one of Britain's favourite children's authors and her bumper short story collections are perfect for introducing her to the latest generation of readers. Read all of Enid Blyton's bumper short story collections. New in 2022: Stories for BedtimeStories of Mischief MakersMagical StoriesChristmas Treats *** Enid Blyton® and Enid Blyton's signature are registered trade marks of Hodder & Stoughton Limited. No trade mark or copyrighted material may be reproduced without the express written permission of the trade mark and copyright owner.
Stories for Bedtime (Bumper Short Story Collections #68)
by Enid BlytonA dreamy collection of tales by the world's best-loved storyteller. Perfect for children aged 5 and up! From adventures with sleepy giants to bedtime stories about how Bobs the dog got a cold nose, drift into dreamland with these short stories by Enid Blyton. Look out for midnight parties and falling stars! These traditional tales are ideal for younger children being read to and for newly confident readers to read alone. Each story stands alone and is the perfect length for reading at bedtime or in the classroom. Enid Blyton remains one of Britain's favourite children's authors and her bumper short story collections are perfect for introducing her to the latest generation of readers. Read all of Enid Blyton's bumper short story collections. New in 2022: Stories for BedtimeStories of Mischief MakersMagical StoriesChristmas Treats *** Enid Blyton® and Enid Blyton's signature are registered trade marks of Hodder & Stoughton Limited. No trade mark or copyrighted material may be reproduced without the express written permission of the trade mark and copyright owner.
Stories for Bedtime (Bumper Short Story Collections #68)
by Enid BlytonA dreamy collection of tales by the world's best-loved storyteller. Perfect for children aged 5 and up! From adventures with sleepy giants to bedtime stories about how Bobs the dog got a cold nose, drift into dreamland with these short stories by Enid Blyton. Look out for midnight parties and falling stars! These traditional tales are ideal for younger children listening along with parents or for those listening independently. Each story stands alone and is the perfect length for listening to at bedtime or in the classroom. Enid Blyton remains one of Britain's favourite children's authors and her bumper short story collections are perfect for introducing her to the latest generation of audiobook listeners. Listen to all of Enid Blyton's bumper short story collections. New in 2022: Stories for BedtimeStories of Mischief MakersMagical StoriesChristmas Treats *** Enid Blyton® and Enid Blyton's signature are registered trade marks of Hodder & Stoughton Limited. No trade mark or copyrighted material may be reproduced without the express written permission of the trade mark and copyright owner.(P) 2022 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
Stories from a Moron: Real Stories Rejected by Real Magazines
by Ed BrothA nutty and hilarious book of magazine submissions and letters to and from the editors by the comedian, former Seinfeld writer, and Bee Movie cowriter.Foreword by Jerry SeinfeldEd writes short stories. He’s prolific. And desperate to get published. But he sends his stories to the wrong magazines. As for the magazines? Well, they don’t mind telling him so:“As a word of advice, it always helps for writers to be familiar with the publications they submit material to.” —Fencers Quarterly Magazine“Dear Ed: Thank you for your recent submission to Steamboat Magazine; it was wonderful to hear how much our magazine has touched you . . .”“Dear Mr. Broth: Thank you for the opportunity to review your article, ‘My Car Ride with Daddy,’ for possible publication in Mushing . . .”With this book, Ed Broth finally sees his work published. His “Stories of Hope & Inspiration” and his “Stories of Meaning & Sacrament” plus his passionate pitches to place his writing in our nation’s premier publications—from Pest Control Magazine to Arthritis Today—are all to be found in the book you hold in your hands.Some might have advised Ed not to send his story “I Love Dogs” to I Love Cats Magazine or to stop submitting revised stories to editors who have already turned them down. But, well, that’s just not the way Ed’s mind works. Studded like a rich cranberry strudel with nuggets of genius—from cartoons and advertisements to Ed’s newspaper articles from across the country—Stories from a Moron is an addictive journey into the mind of a great talent.
Stories from Home
by Jerry ClowerBrimming with his rich humor, Jerry Clower's book manifests the unsurpassed southern art of yarn spinning. It also shows the nature of the man for whom good storytelling is more than just show business. Nashville's funniest man had a serious side. Deep in the merry heart of this comic entertainer were the codes and values that made him an esteemed humanitarian. He was named America's best country comic for nine years in a row and was called “the funniest American storyteller since Will Rogers” and “the Mouth of the Mighty Mississippi.” This boisterous, downhome man's loving, extroverted manner and his forthright display of positive feelings for others arose from the substance of sober, rock-solid regional values he gained from maturing in the rural South. Stories from Home embraces both sides of Jerry Clower, the funny man and the serious man, and shows his anecdotal humor in the mainstream of the South's great oral tradition of folktales and narratives. Jerry Clower’s hilarious stories about possum hunting, coon dogs, and the rambunctious Ledbetter clan were standards in his stage routines, videos, and albums. In Stories from Home many of his fans' favorite Clower tales are included. Here, too, is a long interview in which he explored his beliefs and tells how he gained firm convictions about race, religion, education, and family as well as an intolerance of negativism.
Stories from New York #3
by Cathi Mingus Elizabeth Cody KimmelThey wanted to give every girl a voice. They had no idea they'd make so much noise. Paulina, Miko, Tally, and Ivy are headed to the Big Apple! The four girls will shadow real reporters at City Nation magazine over their Thanksgiving break, and report on all their events for the next issue of 4Girls. There's excitement, glamour, and plenty to see in New York in just three days.
Stories Grandparents Tell About Their Grandchildren
by Bill AdlerStories Grandparents Tell About Their Grandchildren is a touching and humorous collection of anecdotes and memories from grandparents about their grandchildren. From the pranks and charm of small tots to the adventures and achievements of older grandchildren, these stories are sure to strike a familiar chord in anyone who is -- or has -- a grandparent. Both personal and universal, this collection is about real life and the challenges and wonders of the world we live in. Most of all, there are no unhappy endings: grandparents know all about persevering and overcorming, and the common thread throughout their stories is their affirmation of life. Stories Grandparents Tell About Their Grandchildren is a perfect read for every matriarch and patriarch in your family, and for the people who love them.