Illustrated Guide to Criminal Law

Illustrated Guide to Criminal Law by Nathaniel Burney, 335 pages

The Illustrated Guide to Criminal Law caught my eye for being one of the few graphic novels located in the Business, Government and Law room here at Central.  And since I have to constantly tell people I am NOT a lawyer anyways, I might as well learn more about criminal law. A small side not before I get into my review, while this book was sitting on my desk slowly being read, I had numerous coworkers not only inquire about the book, but also try to steal it away. So it must be a good book right?

The Illustrated Guide to Criminal Law is an illustrated guide to criminal law, there are no tricks or gimmicks. In the simplest of terms, this book will explain why we punish crimes, why there are varying degrees of punishment, and a couple of the common legal defenses. All the while it will have accompanying illustrations that not only help convey the concepts, but to add a little bit of humor as well.

If you are looking for a humorous book on criminal law, one in which you can learn something and have a good laugh, this is your book. If however, you are studying for the LSAT or want a serious examination into criminal law, give this a pass. 

Color of Magic

The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett, 210 pages

The Color of Magic in a lot of ways reminded me of Asimov’s Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy. There were times that I was laughing, rolling my eyes, and times where I just shrugged my shoulders and said why not. The story follows a struggling wizard by the name of Rincewind as he plays tour guide to an insurance salesman from another part of the world named Twoflower. Of course there are also dragons, barbarians, heroes, thieves, assassins, sea monsters, a large turtle, elephants and an unusual trunk that follows them wherever they go. (If you have read the book you know why I included the turtle and elephants in the list.) With that kind of list you can envision the types of adventures Rincewind and Twoflower go on.

The Color of Magic is very fast paced and action packed. It is a quick read that I think most everyone would enjoy.

Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened

Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened, by Allie Brosh, 369 pages

Oh my glob- have you ever read a book where once you were finished, you thought "This author GETS it" ? That's kind of how this was for me.  It was hilarious and heartwarming and just a wonderful escape.

This book is a collection of written/illustrated short pieces by Allie Brosh, most of which were featured on her blog . The topics range from her dogs and their idiosyncrasies, to depression, to her inhuman, childhood need for sugar.  This book is hilarious, but not in a cheap joke sort of way- in a way that you have to go along with her for the ride.  The illustrations may be a turn-off at first for some people, but if you stick with it, you'll realize that they are perfect.

Sort of unrelated, but the humor in here reminded me of Maria Bamford's standup, if you're a fan of either.

When You Are Engulfed in Flames

When You Are Engulfed in Flames written and read by David Sedaris, 323 pages, 9 hours on audio

This is one of Sedaris' many collections of personal essays, and like the others, this one is filled with his wry sense of humor. When You Are Engulfed in Flames covers a variety of topics, but includes a lengthy discussion of Sedaris' journey to quit smoking (done, in large part, because he could no longer stay in the nice hotels when he went on book tours). There are also essays focused on his bizarre obsession with somewhat macabre news stories, stories of the random people he sits next to on airplanes, and a particularly hilarious little tale about the human skeleton he bought his boyfriend for his birthday.

I highly recommend the audiobook of this collection, though I don't recommend listening to it while working out, as I did. (Laughing while running doesn't work so well.) But anywhere else, definitely. For those who have heard Sedaris on NPR will recognize his sarcastic, nasal voice, even if they're just reading the words in the book.

The Days of Anna Madrigal

The Days of Anna Madrigal, Armistad Maupin, 270 pages


         The Days of Anna Madrigal is the ninth and final installment of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City Series, which began in 1978.  Even if you have not read the aforementioned series before, this is still a lively book with a lot to offer the reader.  Maupin initially published Tales of the City in serialized form in The San Fransico Chronicle, one of the first examples of gay characters viewed as equals to their straight counterparts of its kind.
       This is a fast read that is humorous and endearing for the reader.  I would have to say that its target audience is probably for readers over the age of thirty, but still entertaining to say the least.