the funny thing is ...    by Ellen Degeneres Order:  USA  Can Simon & Schuster, 2004 (2004) Hardcover, Paperback, Audio, CD, e-Book Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Suffering New Year doldrums? Humor is the best medicine and I recommend a dose of Ellen Degeneres' comic essays in the funny thing is .... In between flossing, she tells us that she'd rather write a book than read one - 'It's like reading, only you get paid for it.' Ellen gives us her take on the meaning of life ('Floss, every day floss'); why prison wouldn't be so bad (no decisions to make, free food, time to read, pen pals); solutions to embarrassing moments (I noted the one on 'forgetting the name' and laughed over 'accidentally flipping off John Travolta'); a meeting with God over fondue and Chablis; gift exchange and the art of lying; how to make your life count (first 'buy an atlas'); how moving elevators, power bars, and CD packaging are destroying our quality of life; what to do about dieting advice from your personal trainer; meaningless phrases; fashion revivals; the tv channel 'crawl'; and a 'humble home' tour. There's a very short 'serious chapter' an even shorter 'controversial chapter', and a free 'bonus chapter' that explains world mysteries. And how about this definition of gratitude - 'appreciating the things we can't have, like a talking dog.' Degeneres gives us a wry, outside the box, perspective on all the things we take much too seriously in our lives - oh, and she's very funny too. Dose your blues with the funny thing is ..., a great pick-me-up at any time of year. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews