Laugh Out Loud by Allia Zobel Nolan

• Paperback: 282 pages
• Publisher: AlliaWrites (February 15, 2018)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0692076190
• ISBN-13: 978-0692076194

About the Book:

Remember ironing your hair? Rolling it in soda cans to straighten it? Lacquering it with enough spray that it could ward off bullets? Ever slather on cement-colored lipstick so heavy, you looked like a zombie princess? Remember hot pants and platform heels? The danger of patent-leather shoes? Were you a secretary, nurse, or teacher, but only, as our mothers urged us, until you found “Mr. Right?”

In her new book, LAUGH OUT LOUD: 40 WOMEN HUMORISTS CELEBRATE THEN AND NOW…BEFORE WE FORGET, Allia Zobel Nolan and 40 funny ladies from the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop chronicle these blips in time as they look back at life in the past lane. Zobel Nolan and the other dancing queens then fast forward to today and write about what it’s like to blink and wake up to be 50, 60, 70, and beyond

—experiences ranging from cremation ceremonies to marrying younger men, from senior online dating to finding yourself a menopausal maniac in Mexico.

My Thoughts:

I became acquainted with Allia Zobel Nolan through her amazing children's books.  Nolan always collaborated with brilliant and talented illustrators and crafted books I consider treasured keepsakes.

Then I picked up a copy of "Laugh Out Loud", and I've discovered something new about Allia Zobel Nolan: she's REALLY funny!  Her newest book is a collection of essays that were written about pretty much anything and everything.

Part One is filled with memories from the 'good old days', tales from the 50's, 60's and 70's--and those are decades, not ages, by the way!  My favorites were "When We Were Fashionistas", reminiscing about styles and fashion from decades gone by (some from before I was born, but my mom experienced), and "Princess With a Lot to Lose Learns a Lesson", written by Nolan herself.

That one had me laughing so hard I woke up our snoozing pooch on the sofa!

Part Two flashes forward to the decades of today, and deal with topics of aging, death, and what it's like to see so many things change so quickly.  I snorted out loud when I read "What a Way To Go".  We've been having that debate in our home lately: burial vs. cremation.  This story puts a whole new spin on the debate!  "A Breathless Encounter" was one I could totally relate to...and I'll probably have flashbacks in the dressing room after reading this essay on body shapers.  That's modern speak for girdles and corsets...oh, my!

A few of the stories in the book have a little bit of language that some might not care for, and one story discusses a scenario ala Tinder that might raise a few eyebrows.  My hope is that you'll buy a copy of "Laugh Out Loud" and actually find yourself LOL--just skip over what doesn't float your boat, because there's plenty of excellent writing in "Laugh Out Loud".

I'm giving "Laugh Out Loud" four out of five stars, and my thanks to the publisher for my advance copy, with no services promised in return.

Until the next page turns, 

Deena