Every time I review a funny book here at BEB, I worry that I’ve gone too far. “That’s it Leslie. You’ve read all the really funny books out there, and nothing will make you laugh out loud at the orthodontist again.” Sigh. It’s sad because I believe it to be true. And yet, I’m still here, reviewing funny books. But this time, I think I’ve truly hit the wall…jumped the shark with Fonzie…whatever. Until I found this – David Thorne’s I’ll Go Home Then; It’s Warm and Has Chairs, the Unpublished Emails.

I read this over lunch in my office at the day job, door closed, practically suffocating myself so no one else would hear me snorting with laughter and become alarmed. I read this in the car to my husband as we drove to a mall – where we both arrived with puffy, red crybaby faces – hiccupping like deranged leprechauns. I don’t know why I don’t learn from these things, really. You’d think I would, right?

This book is…I laughed so much…there’s this thing with cats…oh forget it and bring me another vodka tonic.

See? I can’t even come up with a coherent sentence. Unless it’s about vodka – then I can.

You may be aware of Mr. Thorne – he’s behind some serious meme damage, including Missing Missy and trying to pay his chiropractor with a picture he drew of a seven-legged spider. But I’m a bit slow at these things so I’m just learning about him now. And thank god, because I was pretty sure I’d have to review Jonathan Franzen next. (Insert shudder here).

Anyway, Thorne is the guy who does and says the things you wish you could do or say, but don’t (largely because you have to go out in public at some point – and bodyguards are pricey).
He takes on the obnoxious, ego-maniacal coworker, the very silly-headed secretary, the police, McDonalds, etc. He even takes on Human Resources when the obnoxious, ego-maniacal coworker and silly-headed secretary file complaints. You want to do things like this, but you can’t. Or maybe you just won’t. Or you have some semblance of common sense.

Thorne does these things for you. That’s right – like a modern-day, smart-alecky (I promised Dani no swearing) cousin of Jesus – he sacrifices himself so that you don’t have to. Isn’t that thoughtful?

This is one of those books you should probably read in paperback – as opposed to e-format. I read it on my kindle just fine, but this is a book you’ll want to open and read often. And then buy his first book, The Internet is a Playground: Irreverent Correspondences of an Evil Online Genius. Read them someplace fairly private (I recommend being the only human on a space station) and enjoy.