Bart King's Blog, page 275

Tolstoy Is Not Amused

Hey, when the Jane Austen re-write titled Pride and Prejudice and Zombies came out, I laughed. But I think this sort of riffing on the classics may have gotten a bit old now that I see there's a forthcoming book called Android Karenina (a take-off on Tolstoy's classic Anna Karenina).
Over here, Jay Parini (author of a novel about Tolstoy titled The Last Station) said the author would have been "horrified by the notion of changing his work in absurd ways for the purposes of amusement."
What's...

Did You Hear the One About the Avar and the Dargin?

According to a story over at the New York Times, there is a magical land of humor where everyone likes to tell jokes. It's the Russian republic of Dagestan, a mountainous area that has more than a dozen different ethnic groups, many with their own customs and languages.

This makes it a "fertile ground for humor" as Dagestanis can tell stories about silly villagers and ethnic jokes all the day long.

So we present for your approval Dagestani jokes!

An Avar is carrying a wounded Dargin off the...

Black Socks: The Most Powerful Force in the Universe

Have you ever put your hand in your pocket and "discovered" money? Me either. But I bet it's a good feeling! And I bet all of us can agree that it would be fun to roll around on a pile of gold coins and chanting, "I'm rich! I'm rich, y'all!"

But actually GETTING a pile of gold coins is not so fun. In fact, treasure hunting can be a real pain in the dubloon. I mean, you've probably seen someone at the beach who's puttering with a metal detector. You know, the older gentleman who's wearing...

Be Sure to Read the Small Print

Going Up?

Copenhagen has an automatic, driverless subway system. When the switch was made to this about eight years ago, some people had safety concerns. So a troublemaker thought that this might make for a good practical joke. (And it was!)

It's Hard to "Look Before You Leap" With a Mob on Your Heels

You've heard of Aesop, right? He's the ancient Greek who wrote classic fables like "The Tortoise and the Hare" and "The Tortoise and the Hare II: Rodent's Revenge."

Aesop may have been the first children's book author. As such, he should have been beloved for his merry ways, warm heart, and helpful morals (like "look before you leap.") Ha! Actually, Aesop was extremely insulting, sarcastic, and was known for embezzling money from rich benefactors.

And so instead of constantly trotting out new...

It's Hard to Look Before You Leap With a Mob on Your Heels

You've heard of Aesop, right? He's the ancient Greek who wrote classic fables like "The Tortoise and the Hare" and "The Tortoise and the Hare II: Rodent's Revenge."

Aesop may have been the first children's book author. As such, he should have been beloved for his merry ways and warm heart. Ha! Actually, Aesop was extremely insulting, sarcastic, and was known for embezzling money from rich benefactors.

And so instead of constantly trotting out new fables to public acclaim, Aesop died sprinting...

I Love It When Great Art and Literature Come Together

The Man Who Had Too Many Books on His Nightstand

Headline Hall of Fame!

The story itself is kind of sad, though. (If you must, it's over here.)