Search Results: Humor from Blue & Grey Book Shoppe

This book lives up to it's title. It is full of very short stories - many of them with some humor. Here's a sample: "A young man was one day talking with a lady about some of the ironies of married life. 'I can't imagine anything more dreadful,' said he, 'than for a woman after mending her husband's coat, to find in one of his pockets an old love letter from a former sweetheart.' 'Fortunately that would never happen,' said the lady. 'The woman would find the letter first, and she would not mend the coat.""Fair condition. Green cloth cover originally had a swirl border design with the title and author's name in gold gilt, but most of the gilt has worn off. There is some soiling and much wear to the edges, corners, and spine. There are stains/spots on the closed book page edges. Inside the pages, some of the stain has seeped in a bit at the edge, but there is no writing in the book. I noted one large folded top corner on page 229. The binding is good, but the front and back end papers are cracked at… Read More

From the hard cover dust jacket that is on a different listing: "In 1939, Vaughan came to work for the Kansas City Star, where he remained for thirty-seven years, except for three years spent in the Army Air Force in World War II. Shortly after his return from Europe, Vaughan was given "Starbeams," thought to be the oldest continuously published column in the country (it originated in 1880).Bill Vaughan died in February 1977, but his humor, compassion, and understanding of the human condition have made his work immortal."
Book - Fine condition. Blue cloth over boards w gold gilt text and image on front and text on spine. Very minimal edge/corner wear. Clean and tight.
Note: this copy has a gold gilt wreath seal impressed on the cover. It says, "Happy Holidays from your friends in the Bond Department of United Missouri Bank of Kansas City, N.A." (United Missouri Bank changed it's name to UMB Bank, N.A. in 1994 to reflect it's expansion outside of Missouri.)
Dust Jacket - Good+ condition. There are… Read More

From the hard cover dust jacket that is on a different listing: "In 1939, Vaughan came to work for the Kansas City Star, where he remained for thirty-seven years, except for three years spent in the Army Air Force in World War II. Shortly after his return from Europe, Vaughan was given "Starbeams," thought to be the oldest continuously published column in the country (it originated in 1880).Bill Vaughan died in February 1977, but his humor, compassion, and understanding of the human condition have made his work immortal."Book - Good condition. Front cover has closed tear that is approx. 1" long. Both covers and spine have soiling. Spine shows creases; however, the pages are tight. There is light soiling to closed book page edges. There may be other soiling not noted. Text is free of marks. A good readable copy. Please use photos as part of the description. 235 pages.

Review: "A remarkable, laugh-out-loud book." - The New York Times.From back cover: "When George Hodgman leaves Manhattan for his hometown of Paris, Missouri, he finds himself - an unlikely caretaker and near-lethal cook in a head-on collusion with his aging mother, Betty, a woman of wit and will." George can't bring himself to force her from the home both treasure. Betty speaks her mind, but can't quite reveal her heart, and has never really accepted the fact that her son is gay."Hodgman reveals the challenges of Betty's life and his own struggle for self-respect... The result is both an indelible portrait of a family and an exquisitely told tale of a prodigal son's return."Good Condition. Spine is uncreased. Some edge and corner wear, light stains on top and page edges. Text is clean. Cover is not "slick". A good readable copy. Please see photos.278 pages including Acknowledgments.

From the dust jacket, back flap: "In 1939, Vaughan came to work for the Kansas City Star, where he remained for thirty-seven years, except for three years spent in the Army Air Force in World War II. Shortly after his return from Europe, Vaughan was given "Starbeams," thought to be the oldest continuously published column in the country (it originated in 1880).Bill Vaughan died in February 1977, but his humor, compassion, and understanding of the human condition have made his work immortal."Book - Very Good condition. Black leather over boards with gold gilt lettering and illustration on front and spine. There is a seal type impression on the front end paper that says: Library of D.A. Blankenship. Pages are clean and binding is tight.Dust Jacket - Very Good- condition. There is a small chip near the spine on the front and a discoloration where a sticker used to be, and there is a chip at the top back edge. Otherwise edges show minimal wear.Please use photos as part of the description.148 pages.

Nervous about an upcoming toast responsibility? This book will give you all the tools you need to pull off your post like a pro. The toasts cover all kinds of life events - from A to Z, from birth to death. There is even a "Do's and Don't" section. The book has a leather look cover over a thin board. It is black with silver lettering on front and spine and the pages are edged in silver. Very Good condition. Slight bumping to silver page edges. Very minimal edge/corner wear. Pages are clean and tight (not sure it was ever used). Note that the back 2 pages have hard and soft corner folds. Front and Back Covers have a slight outward curve. Please see photos. 255 pages including Indexes.

From back cover: "In this splendid 'dictionary' of epigrams, essays, verses and vignettes, you'll find over 1.000 pointed definitions, e.g. Congratulation ("The civility of envy"...)... Anyone who likes to laugh will love The Devil's Dictionary."
Book - Good condition. Covers have light bumping and light edge/corner wear. I noted 1 bottom corner crease and a couple tiny edge closed tears. Text is clean and binding is tight.
Please use photos as part of the description.
139 pages

From back cover: "Every do and every don't in this book is exactly as it was written down a hundred years ago by the Victorian era's leading expert on manners and morals!"
"One of the most useful volumes that was ever laid upon the drawing room table." - Chicago Evening Post
Learn things like:
How to properly criticize your spouse.
How to refuse soup at a formal dinner.
How to avoid appearing ridiculous while traveling.
How to reply to a love letter from a young man who uses tobacco.
What to do with your cane, parasol, bonnet and dot when calling.
Who not to marry.
Near Fine condition. Both front and back corners have a slight flare out, but there is no edge or corner wear. There is a noticeable bump to the front cover that is mostly in the white area. Pages are clean and binding is tight. Lots of illustrations.
127 pages including Index.

From back cover: "...To think of yourself in that way takes daring. Her ideas are a constant challenge to us and to herself to live up to what she claims we can be." - Peter Trumbull, Post Star, Glens Fall, N.Y.
"Her style is a cross between Andy Roney and Erma Bombeck." - Judy Hoff, Book Editor, Niskayuna (NY) Journal
Near Fine condition. Very minimal edge/corner wear. Covers are like new. Clean and tight.
Please use photos as part of the description.
104 pages

From title page: "More than 100 forays, advances, skirmishes, ambushes, victories, cop-outs, standoffs and outflankings in the funny business of living."Fair condition. Good reading copy. Text is free of marks. Cover and spine show wear. Inside cover has bookplate: Robert Uhlmann Medical Library Donor Kansas City Star. Front endpaper has glue residue, stamp, and black marker. Back endpapers have had something removed and left residue. page edges have some black marks, possibly from a stamp on uneven page edges. Top of page edges is black. 258 pages including Index.

Per the front DJ flap: "...where the most amusing tales of office vagaries and personal experiences are told to friends and co-workers. The congeniality and simplicity of the various incidents are told in a clear, near colloquial voice. This gives the feeling that we're listening to an old friend who has a deserved reputation for having a keen eye and ear, and for telling a story expertly.""The fact that these incidents occurred in Kansas City doesn't give them at all a 'country-cousin' tone. They could have happened anywhere in America - anywhere there was a large office and some very picaresque individuals."Book condition - Near Fine. Tan cloth over boards with black lettering on spine - no noticeable wear. Clean and tight.Dust Jacket condition - Very Good. Very slight edge/corner wear, slight rubbing, and a few small spots on back.Please see photos.109 pages.

This book includes the cartoons from Larson's final six months of newspaper syndication, plus 13 new cartoons he drew since he retired. Mingled with these are a few other cartoons that were never published in a Far Side book.Good condition. Small water stain and a bump at the top corner. The water stain shows on most pages. Otherwise clean with tight binding. Please see photos. 107 pages, plus an Afterword (which is definitely worth reading).

This book is by the creator of Peter Pan. It is an earlier work written in first person about his days as a smoker and to his last pipe as he becomes a non-smoker. It includes humorous stories about his companions, habits, and quitting.Good condition. Olive green cloth cover with black text and black & green graphics. Spine edges and corners show some wear, other edges are good. Covers have soiling. I have cleaned them, but some remains. Front end paper has name and date in pencil: Fred Lewis June 1907. There is no date published page. Text is clean. Binding is tight and complete. Please use photos as part of the description. 231 pages.

From the Editor's Preface: "...you will find Herbert Hoover writing not as a former President, but as a former Boy. It is a role which suits him well. He has always loved the memory of his own boyhood, with a grave, affectionate, and wisely humorous regard for all boys and girls who are engaged in the serious business of growing up."
In his career, he labored to feed hundreds of millions of hungry children after two World Wars, he called the famous White House Conference on Child Health and Protection in 1930, and was involved in the Boys' Clubs of America.
Good condition. Black cloth over boards with faded gold gilt signature on front and text on spine. Covers have rubbing and some wear on bottom (some fraying. There is wear on top, but not as bad. Exlib. End papers are blue with letter samples. Front also has area remaining from where a pocket? used to be. There is also a previous owner's name in ink. Hope Day School stamps. The pages have a stain at the bottom corner throughout most of the book.… Read More

From back cover: "Paul F. Boller, Jr., opens the White House doors and introduces us to thirty-nine men with little more in common than their address - a temporary one, at that. From George Washington to Ronald Regan, here are the Presidents of the United States in their unguarded moments, revealing their frustrations, their flights of fantasy, and, most of all, their often hilarious, sometimes moving, humanity."

Very Good- condition. Front and back covers have a little bit of bumping, but its not really noticeable. However, you do notice the discoloration on the edges and about 1 inch of the top. Spine is not cracked. Previous owner's name in ink on back of front cover. Pages are lightly tanned, but clean and the binding is good.
Please use photos as part of the description.

410 pages including Notes and Index.

Quote from first page: "Beyond our maddest hopes...Everyone will pick his own favorites from a rollicking ring-tailed procession - and from about 90 of the most amazing animal photographs ever assembled." - Chicago Tribune. Good condition. A little, but not much edge/corner wear. Spine is creased. Book has a curve. Text is clean and binding is VERY tight. Black & white photos. Closed book page edges have a red tint that is good, but not perfect. Please use photos as part of the description. 192 pages.

From "Of Course I Believe in Ghosts" by Red Skelton:
"DOESN'T EVERYBODY?
Sometimes, just before I go on stage, the ghost of the greatest pantomimist of all whispers in my ear. His name was Grimaldi and even though he lived a couple of centuries ago, he tells me funny things to try and do."
This is a collection of ghost stories from various authors such as: John West, Lord Dunsany, Washington Irving, Lafcadio Hearn, Oscar Wilde and more. The book is printed on a heavier than most buff colored paper and each story has a blue and black illustration.
Good+ condition. Blue cloth over boards w red and white text on cover, plus graphic of Red Skelton, and yellow title on spine. There is edge and corner wear and a .5" tear at top of spine. Gift inscription (part pencil, part ink) on front red end paper. Closed book page edges have light soiling/stains. I did note a whif every once in a while of an "old book" smell - nothing nasty. Text is clean. Binding is tight. Really a nice book to add a ghost stories or… Read More

A book of science-related cartoons from The Cartoon bAnk, a Division of the New Yorker Magazine Company.
Book - Very Good+ condition. Very minimal wear, but corners do have an outward curve.
Please use photos as part of the description.
86 pages, plus Index of Artists

From the dust jacket front flap: Hugh was a native of Kansas City, MO and a veteran of World War II, He entered the Police Academy in the early 1950's and became one of Kansas City's finest. His active duty came to a halt after an on duty accident. After many months he returned to the department as their librarian and historian. He developed a great interest in the early history of the deaprtment and its connection to the city of Kansas City. His research resulted in many short stories, some humorous and some serious, but all factual. His son, Michael, put the stories in order to have them published.Book - As new condition. Red cover with silver gilt on front and spine. No wear. Clean and tight.Dust Jacket - Near fine condition. There is a tiny closed tear on top back and the front has a couple bumps, but they are only obvious if you hold the book just right to catch it in the light.320 pages. Includes Bibliography

From back cover: "Words of wisdom from the sons and daughters of Ireland...an inspired celebration of Irish humor and hope."
Very Good condition. I would have called this "Fine" but is has a "splattered" stain on the top of the closed book pages. The light tan stain does not extend into the book - it is only on top. The text is clean and binding is tight.
Please use photos as part of the description.
158 pages including Sources.