Sexy Shorts for Christmas

This is the christmas book I chose to read  for our Library's reading challenge. I don't read a lot of short stories so I thought I'd try it out.

While some of the stories are very cute and sexy there is only so much adultery a person can take and by the end of the book I felt like I was staring at a montonous landscape. Maybe, it's because I've turned into the Grinch this festive season but I was left a little bored and uninspired by this book.

There are about 25 short stories with playful plotlines and witty endings. Unfortunately, however, only a handful of the stories really stood out including a murder mystery and a story in which a mother reflects on her daughter's happiness.

I personally wouldn't recommend it but it is good for some very light reading.

Sexy Shorts for Christmas

Simple times : crafts for poor people / Amy Sedaris

I saw this title in one of those catalogues that come at Christmas time with all the new books. It was listed as comedy and I felt like I could do with some fun. But not one laugh. I found the humour a bit mean-spirited. Maybe the target audience is people who live with craft fanatics.

Dianne

Simple times : crafts for poor people / Amy Sedaris

Dodgeball : a true underdog story

Dodgeball is one of those great Ben Stiller comedies that I just never get sick of.

It tells the story of Average Joes, a low-grade gym run by average guy Peter LaFleur (Vince Vaugn). It's main rival is the high tech GloboGym run by the ultimate fitness fanatic White Goodman (hilariously played by Stiller). LaFleur risks losing his gym to Goodman unless he can come up with $50000 - and so he decides to enter a dodgeball competition with his group of loyal yet eccentric gym members including a man who thinks he's a pirate and an awkward teenage boy who wants to be a cheerleader. They start out terribly (even being beaten by a group of girl scouts) but soon improve with the help of former Dodgeball champion Patches O'Houlihan (Rip Torn). Together they work towards the championships where they will face the determined White Goodman and his team of professional fitness fanatics.

You can tell from the storyline that this will be funny and it doesn't disappoint. It has some classic quotes including 'If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball' and 'At GloboGym we're better than you and we know it'. There are some great laugh out loud moments and the best part is, Stiller's character actually reminds me of some of the gym junkies I know - that's also a little sad too. A great movie for a night in.

Dodgeball : a true underdog story

The happiest refugee : a memoir / Anh Do

Anh's name is Do (sounds like dough) but must mean doo because he can do anything. Stand-up comedy, qualify as a lawyer, movie star, TV show host AND write a good book. All of this after surviving a horror journey to Australia as a refugee.
Read Anh's pacy, humorous tale and gain a little insight into the difficulties refugees can face and overcome in Australia.
Dianne

The happiest refugee : a memoir / Anh Do