tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8259287215157767825.post-10750435152113454732008-03-28T14:32:00.000-07:002008-04-10T13:56:53.017-07:00<a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_4OC5nLV3axk/R-1lk9W-JdI/AAAAAAAAAI8/tvgasaY82mA/s1600-h/ironicalbks.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182910431793915346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_4OC5nLV3axk/R-1lk9W-JdI/AAAAAAAAAI8/tvgasaY82mA/s320/ironicalbks.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.twosmartdogs.com/">Two Smart Dogs</a>, an excellent education database for classes from clay therapy to improv, asked me for a <a href="http://www.twosmartdogs.com/emag/128/top-five-autobiographies-for-your-ironical-bookshelf/">"Top Five"</a> submission to their new eMag. Rather than something totally subjective like "Five Books That Will Change Your Life," I went with the universally beloved genres of celebrity tell-all and self help—blended together like a daiquiri at one of Bob Seeger's infamous after-parties: <div></div><div><blockquote>"I’m a big fan of ironical bookshelves. Guests will either think you are hilarious or idiotic when they see it. An added bonus - cheesy autobiographies are chock-full of hysterical anecdotes to entertain your friends at parties.<br /><br />1. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Yes-Can-Story-Sammy-Davis/dp/0374522685/" target="_blank">Yes I Can: The Story of Sammy Davis, Jr. </a><br />The gold standard<br /><br />2. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Still-Hungry-After-These-Years/dp/1577193563" target="_blank">Still Hungry After All These Years: My Story</a> by Richard Simmons<br />Richard gushes over beignets and alternate uses for Pam cooking spray.<br /><br />3. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/My-Lucky-Stars-Hollywood-Memoir/dp/0553572334/" target="_blank">My Lucky Stars: A Hollywood Memoir</a> by Shirley Maclaine<br />Pricelessly idiotic<br /><br />4. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/FOOTNOTES-What-Stand-More-Important/dp/B000H2M7SE/" target="_blank">FOOTNOTES: What You Stand For Is More Important Than What You Stand In</a> by Tommy Tune<br />A mix of the quaint and the pornographic; the Broadway icon fastidiously warns readers before launching into his escapades with Japanese businessmen, etc.<br /><br />5. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Solipsist-Rollins-Henry/dp/1880985594/" target="_blank">Solipsist</a> by Henry Rollins<br />Spooky"<br /><br /></blockquote></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Read the full post and "Top Fives" by other contributers at <a href="http://www.twosmartdogs.com/emag/category/columns/top_five/">Two Smart Dogs</a>.</div>Annanoreply@blogger.com