What Are You Reading?

What Are You

Reading?

What Are You Reading? A project sponsored by the Friends of the Macomb Public Library District to encourage reading and book discussion in our community. Would you like to share your favorite books with other readers? Please send your name, occupation or grade level, book author and title, and a brief statement about the book and why you liked it to Kate Joswick, [email protected].

Reviewer’s Name: Babs Lawyer Reviewer’s Occupation: Retired Book Title: In On the Joke Book’s Author: Shawn Levy In searching for a light-hearted read, I found In On the Joke, by Shawn Levy, an entertaining book on the “original queens” of stand-up comedy. The book speaks of Moms Mabley, Jean Carroll, Minnie Pearl, Sophie Tucker, Rusty Warren, Phyllis Diller, Elaine May, Totie Fields and Joan Rivers. The author covers the difficulties for women breaking into the male-only business, but in such a way that praises women and their hard work, without dwelling on the meanness of the male sex who did not want women “who are not funny” to infringe on their appearances. Their respective stories are really interesting, although Joan River’s death was criminal. Levy shows respect for them all so it is a pleasurable book to read.