Festivus
The Holiday for the Rest of Us
By Allen Salkin Hachette Audio, (2006)
A Recording on 2 CDs
ISBN: 1-59483-638-8
Genre: Humor
Reviewed by Sheldon Ztvordokov - December 6, 2006
Festivus is a uniquely American holiday. For starters, it was born from a television series, namely Seinfeld. From its humble beginnings as a brief sketch it has become a cultural phenomenon with countless people around the country electing to celebrate Festivus, rather than any of the other holidays that tend to fall within the bounds of December each year. In this unique audiobook, Festivus:
The Holiday for the Rest of Us Allen Salkin takes us on a delightful journey into the homes, and minds, of those who have embraced Festivus, and its associated Aluminum Pole, Feats of Strength, and the Airing of Grievances for what it truly means.
Featuring a foreword read by Jerry Stiller, who played Frank Costanza on Seinfeld. On the show, Costanza was the originator of the holiday, so it is fitting that Stiller is the opening act for this amusing audiobook. This book provides some background information on the holiday's first appearance on Seinfeld. However, this is a book about the holiday and the people that celebrate it, not a book about the televison show.
Within the Festivus audiobook, Salkin explains the history behind Festivus, how it is celebrated, and how you can join in the fun by having a Festivus party. To help get you started, you'll find a PDF file on the second CD that contains a handful of Festivus recipes, namely:
Shrimp Impaled on Mini Festivus Poles
Feats of Strength Fondue with
Festivus Beer
Ham with Junior Mint and Snapple Glaze
Festivus Pole Stuffed with Chocolate
Salami and Bitter Nibs
Coctails
Don't Make Me Punch You Punch
Festivus Shooters
Festivus: The Holiday for the Rest of Us is an interesting and droll book about the holiday that may one day become a national holiday. I found it interesting to discover that people have taken a television skit and turned it into a real holiday. Even more intriguing was the information that Salkin provided on the various ways that people celebrate Festivus. Basically, it appears that the only requirements attached to Festivus is the presence of the Aluminum pole, the requisite Feats of Strength, and the Airing of Grievances. Other than these three items, Festivus is whatever you make of it, so go out and have some fun at your next Festivus party. Happy Festivus to you and yours!
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Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies, by June Casagrande.
Casagrande offers listeners an irreverant and often sarcastic tour through the realm of grammar, and those who claim the right to dicticate what is right and what is wrong when it comes to word usage, puncution, and sentence structure.
