Tarcher’s #FridayReads

Check out all the great books the folks here at Tarcher are personally reading (and get a sneak peek at upcoming books and projects)!

Mitch Horowitz, Editor-in-Chief:
“I’m so immersed in a deadline on my own book (due today!), that I haven’t been reading much this week!”

 

Sara Carder, Executive Editor:
“Drinking With Men by Rosie Schapp (from our own Riverhead). Loving it! I went to college with her in Vermont where I spent my share of time at the local pub so very fun to read. She is a true character and an absolutely wonderful writer . . .”

 

Gabrielle Moss, Associate Editor:
“Due to a surprisingly busy week, I didn’t read much–but something I did read, and would urge anyone else to read, is the Simon Rich “Sell Out” series of articles on NewYorker.com (Read Part 1, Part 2, & Part 3). It is a four part series, the last of which hits the web today! Rich is pretty damned funny, which almost makes me not want to murder him for being 27 and wildly successful. Almost.”

 

Andrew Yackira, Assistant Editor
“I’m still working on Return of the King.  This one is going a bit slowly…”

 

Joanna Ng, Editorial Assistant:
“I’m reading the manuscript for Say This, Not That, by Carl Alasko. Look out for it this coming Winter!”

 

Brianna Yamashita, Director of Publicity & Marketing:
“The Internet is a Playground by the infamous evil genius David Thorne – because I laugh every time I read ‘Missing Missy’ or ‘Dear Neighbor, You Are Not Invited to My Party.’”

 

Kevin Howell, Marketing Manager:
“While most people heading off on a vacation are wondering, “What will I pack?” or “When is my flight?,” I’m more concerned with “What will I read?” I’ve calculated that a flight to Florida and then a cruise to Puerto Rico and some Caribbean islands equals three books. So, I’ll be packing two Perry Mason mysteries (The Case of the Lucky Legs and The Case of the Howling Dog—both written in 1934) and Valerie Harper’s autobiography I, Rhoda.  I bought the books weeks ago, whereas everything else I need to pack will be tossed into a suitcase minutes before we leave.”

**Editor’s note: We want a vacation, too. Thus, we are very jealous of Kevin at this moment.

 

Gina Rizzo, Publicist:
“I’m finishing Everyday Oracles by Ann Bolinger-McQuade (out July 11) before tearing into The Philosopher’s Table by Marietta McCarty (out August 29). I fear being really hungry while reading this book!”

 

Lauren Jackson, Publicity Assistant:
“I’m finally delving into Tarcher’s upcoming book, The Philosopher’s Table by Marietta McCarty (out August 29)—it blends world cuisine with world philosophy and provides insightful tips into hosting a dinner party that leaves your mind and stomach filled with exciting new things!”

 

Tarcher Holidays: Gift Guides for the Quirky

 Any title marked with an asterisk (*) will be awarded as a prize for our #TarcherTuesday Giveaway—follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter for more details!

 

Gross America: Your Coast-to-Coast Guide to All Things Gross by Richard Faulk
Oh the family road trip: that shining opportunity for the nuclear unit to scout out the rest of what America has to offer beyond their neighborhood’s borders. If there’s a road map that can spice up this family ordeal a few notches above the obligatory visit to the mountains, the beaches and the historical monuments that constitute road trip tradition, Gross America is the ticket. This fun and informative read is ideal for a source of America’s quirkiest facts, features and potential travel destinations!

 

Gross America is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound

 

 

The Internet is a Playground: Irreverent Correspondences of an Online Evil Genius by David Thorne
Internet entities usually have a penchant for establishing some of the most unique and appealing personalities in popular culture. But few among these Internet celebrities assume a more sinister personality. Internet sensation David Thorne spills the dirt on the makings of an Online Evil Genius in The Internet is a Playground. With behind-the-scenes access to this quirky character’s life, this book is an enjoyable read for that sassy friend we all have in our lives who enjoy a little bit of mischief and mayhem.

 

Internet is a Playground is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound

 

 

Wonders in the Sky: Unexplained Aerial Objects from Antiquity to Modern Times by Jacques Vallee and Chris Aubeck
The prospect of aliens can be frightening. To admit that an extraterrestrial entity exists somewhere in the stretches of outer space can be a hard truth to swallow. The only thing spookier than thinking about aliens would be an actual encounter with one! In Wonders in the Sky, Jacques Vallee and Chris Aubeck follow the stories of real-life encounters with alien life and weave together connections that can send shivers down the spines of die-hard alien fans.

 

Wonders in the Sky is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound.

 

 

*Cat Daddy: What the World’s Most Incorrigible Cat Taught Me about Life, Love, and Coming Clean by Jackson Galaxy
At first glance, Jackson Galaxy wouldn’t strike anyone as your average cat-whispering hero. He’s rough and he’s tough, but gentle? Not a chance. It’s a good thing we all know that appearances can be quite deceptive! In Cat Daddy: What the World’s Most Incorrigible Cat Taught Me about Life, Love and Coming Clean, the tattooed rock star tells us how caring for an injured cat pulled him out of the lowest moments of his life. As entertaining as it is heartwarming, Galaxy’s journey through rehabilitation can teach us much about second chances.

 

Cat Daddy is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound.

 

 

Real Wolfmen: True Encounters in Modern America by Linda S. Godfrey
For those of us who take our investigations of the supernatural world seriously, books that satiate our hunt for real information are few and hard to come by. Luckily, dedicated fans of werewolves can find just the kind of flavor their looking for in Linda S. Godfrey’s book Real Wolfmen: True Encounters in Modern America. Packed with riveting accounts with these midnight creatures, this book is a great read for anyone who can’t help but let their imaginations run wild.

 

Real Wolfmen is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound.

 

Don’t forget to stay in the loop with Tarcher Tuesday giveaways on our Facebook and/or Twitter pages!

Tarcher’s Father’s Day Gift Guide!

You’ve already done the World’s Best Dad coffee mugs, the neckties, the cufflinks, and the breakfasts in bed. What else is there to give your dad to make this Father’s Day a day to remember? If your dad loves to read, then Tarcher/Penguin has you covered. Check out our list of suggestions below, and have a happy Father’s Day!

 

(Of course, it’s not just dads who would love these books—they’re great gifts for any parent or loved one!)

 

Cat Daddy: What the World’s Most Incorrigible Cat Taught Me About Life, Love, and Coming Clean by Jackson Galaxy – No matter if you’re a cat person or a dog person—or even if you’re not an animal person at all—this unconventional memoir is sure to inspire you. In Cat Daddy, Jackson Galaxy (star of Animal Planet’s My Cat from Hell) tells the gripping story of how the original cat from hell helped him get his life back on track.

Purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound

 

The Internet Is a Playground: Irreverent Correspondences of an Evil Online Genius by David Thorne – For the dad who likes comedy—on or off the Internet—this volume is a must-have. Australian satirist David Thorne’s New York Times-bestselling book The Internet Is a Playground is the complete collection of viral e-mails and articles (including his best-known, “Missing Missy”) from Thorne’s infamous, hilarious website, 27bslash6.

Purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound

 

Grow the Tree You Got: & 99 Other Ideas for Raising Amazing Adolescents and Teenagers by Tom Sturges – Even the best dad in the world can use a little help at times. In Grow the Tree You Got, Tom Sturges collects 100 tested- and-true tips for parenting children through their adolescent and teen years to guide them to become exemplary adults.

Purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound

For the Procrastinator: Last-Minute Gift Ideas!

It happens every year: frazzled trips to the mall the day before your family’s holiday get-together. Not to worry! This year, Tarcher is here to help. Below are four great gift ideas for every special person in your life.

THE INTERNET IS A PLAYGROUND: Irreverent Correspondences of an Evil Online Genius is a collection of mischievous and wickedly funny essays and correspondences from the website and e-mail inbox of Australian humorist, David Thorne. An all-out wicked read that will help you be idle at work for hours.

Purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

THE CHRISTMAS CHRONICLES is a deluxe gift compilation of author and Christmas historian Jeff Guinn’s three bestselling novels about the man known as Santa Claus. Featuring the bestselling 1994 classic, The Autobiography of Santa Claus, the acclaimed How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas, and the popular The Great Santa Search, this elegant hardcover is the perfect gift for fans of the series and new readers alike.

Purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

 

WHY DOGS EAT POOP and Other Useless or Gross Information About the Animal Kingdom puts the entire animal kingdom under the microscope, exposing everything from the cruel parenting practices of ants, to snail suicides, to the reason behind your cat’s curious hatred of water. Fun, quirky, and educational, this book is certain to entertain every member of the family—from the trivia buff and the curious teen to the comedian and animal lover.

Purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

As founder and executive director of The Good Dog Foundation, the largest animal-assisted therapy organization on the East Coast, Rachel McPherson has heard and witnessed these extraordinary stories and more. Now, in EVERY DOG HAS A GIFT, she puts them to paper, chronicling the quietly heroic deeds of a variety of dogs—from service and therapy dogs to the lovable household dogs that bring us happiness every day.

Purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

Hair tour a hit at the Ivy Bookshop

While popular authors frequently cause a commotion amongst readers while on tour, it’s rare that an author’s hair raises it’s own ruckus.  Yet, David Thorne‘s hair has been doing just that as it tours the country, visiting 12 bookstores in conjunction with the release of his new book, The Internet is a Playground. The book collects numerous viral correspondences and humorous essays from Thorne’s popular website, 27bslash6, including several that are unavailable elsewhere.

Most recently, the hair delighted readers at Ivy Bookshop in Baltimore, MD, where it resided from May4th – May6th. Greg Szceszek, author event coordinator at Ivy, noted,“We had a great Hair Tour here at the Ivy in Baltimore, MD. Many people came in to the store and said ‘What!?’  It was fun. We even had a class from a local middle school come in to see it!” The hair is now on it’s way to St. Louis.

Check the hair’s tour schedule to see if it’s coming to a city near you.

WATCH THE AUTHOR ON HIS EPISODE OF TARCHER TALKS, WRITING IN A SHARK CAGE

Tarcher sends an author’s hair on tour

Did you know that a lock of Justin Bieber’s hair is currently on tour – with a bodyguard no less? Frenzied fans are lining up across the nation to get their picture taken with Bieber’s hair for one dollar. (The money goes to the tsunami relief).

Though Bieber’s hair may not be stopping at bookstores, author David Thorne’s hair will. On April 28, Tarcher launched the 10-city David Thorne Hair Tour to promote his bitingly funny new book, The Internet is a Playground: Irreverent Correspondences of an Evil Online Genius ($14.95, paperback, on sale April 28).

A lock of Thorne’s hair will spend three days at each participating store (full list below), and for every store on the tour route, Tarcher will donate $200 to the National Children’s Cancer Society. The $1 fee customers pay to have their picture taken with the hallowed lock will also be donated to this cause.

According to Thorne’s editor, Michael Solana: “Thorne declared war on Justin Bieber last month with his site HelpMeSellMoreBooksThanJustinBieber.com. A 10-city tour of his hair was kind of inevitable.” For his part, Thorne is ecstatic. “I think it’s wonderful that they’re touring my hair. It is a huge vote of confidence in me and my personal skills and flattering that they would think my hair could attract as many adoring fans as Bieber’s.”

Thorne’s hair can be admired at the following participating locations:
NEW YORK, NY: The Corner Bookstore, April 28 – May 1
BALTIMORE, MD: Ivy Bookshop, May 4 – May 6
ST. LOUIS, MO: Left Bank Books, May 9 – May 11
Puddinhead Books, May 12 – May 14
Subterranean Books, May 15 – May 17
OKIMOS, MI: Schuler Books, May 20 – May 22
ANN ARBOR, MI: Crazy Wisdom, May 25 – May 29
MINNEAPOLIS, MN: Magers & Quinn, June 1 – June 5
PHOENIX, AZ: Changing Hands, June 8 – June 12
SAN DIEGO, CA: Warick’s (La Jolla) June 15 – June 19
SAN FRANCISCO, CA: Books, Inc. June 22 – June 2 (San Francisco store)
Books, Inc. (Berkeley store) June 29 – July 3
BOULDER, CO: Boulder Book Store: July 6 – July 10
ABOUT THE BOOK:

“There is usually a fine line between genius and insanity, but in this case it has become very blurred. Some of the funniest and most clever writing I have read in years.” —Wired

“David Thorne’s The Internet is a Playground (Tarcher) is the funniest book I’ve read in years. I had to stop reading it repeatedly because I was laughing so hard.”
—Geoffrey B. Jennings, Rainy Day Books (for Publishers Weekly)

The Internet Is a Playground collects numerous correspondences and essays from Thorne’s website, www.27bslash6.com, including several that are unavailable elsewhere. From the wildly popular “Missing Missy,” in which Thorne helped/tormented a secretary who asked him to make a missing poster for her cat Missy, to the recent sensation, “It is obviously that your a foggot,” Thorne’s book is a wicked read—the kind that will help you be idle at work for hours.

WATCH THE AUTHOR ON HIS EPISODE OF TARCHER TALKS, WRITING IN A SHARK CAGE

Starred PW review for THE INTERNET IS A PLAYGROUND

From Publishers Weekly, Reviewed on: 05/02/2011

The Internet Is a Playground: Irreverent Correspondences of an Evil Online Genius

David Thorne. Tarcher, $14.95 trade paper (368p) ISBN 978-1-58542-881-6

Hailed as a humorist for the digital age, Australian graphic designer Thorne (www.27bslash6.com) became an internet sensation after posting e-mail correspondences in which he attempted to pay his chiropractic bill with a crude drawing of a spider. Thorne’s first book is a laugh-out-loud collection of his e-mail exchanges and satirical essays. As a rule, Thorne says he never initiates an e-mail; he just responds “stupidly” to what he receives. The book includes the biting “Please Design a Logo For Me. With Pie Charts. For Free,” considered one of the most-forwarded e-mails of all time, as well as “Missing Missy,” in which Thorne designs a poster to help a friend find her missing cat; he has great fun–at his friend’s expense. The book reads as if The Onion published Letters From a Nut, but some of Thorn’s antics–such as inviting himself to a neighbor’s housewarming party–will make readers squirm. Others may offend (“Sponsor a Poor Black Boy”), or shock (“Belly Messages,” in which Thorne pretends to be a horny woman on the Internet). Thorne’s electronic voice is pointed, effective, and childishly exuberant, a bracing mix. His sense of humor could be called immature, but some people just want to have fun; Thorne does so at everyone else’s expense. Illus. (Apr.)

———–
Still not convinced you need this book now? Check out Thorne’s infamous “Missing Missy” correspondence.
and order the book….

Watch Thorne’s interview with Oprah.
Get to know David Thorne in our Q&A

Did you win a new iPad2?

*THE WINNER*
Congratulations to lucky reader Allison Murphy, of Columbia, SC, who won our iPad giveaway after pre-ordering The Internet is a Playground by David Thorne. The giveaway, which the author ran in conjunction with his new site, Help Me Sell More Books Than Justin Bieber, entered readers who pre-ordered the book in a drawing for a fabulous new iPad2.

*THE RUNNERS UP*
We’re also excited to reward 8 runners-up with The Internet is a Playground prize packs. These readers are Helen Ayres (Tenterden, Kent, UK), Leonard Butler (Middletown, Maryland), Brendan Soustal (Nudgee, Queeensland, Australia), David Pullen (Bufford, Georgia), Kimberly Tripp  (Redmond, Washington), Crystal Dubé (Lancaster Park, Alberta, Canada), Thijs van den Anker (Dooping Geldersekade, Amsterdam, Netherlands), and Stacey Rinnert (Lawrence, Kansas).

*THE BOOK: The Internet is a Playground,  in stores today *
“Not everyone can do this stuff and be clever, ballsy and funny all at the same time, but Thorne is one.” – Bookgasm
“Brilliantly funny” – Jezebel
“Some of the funniest and most clever writing I have read in years.” – WIRED
In this new book, the internet phenomena Thorne, whose website 27bslash6 attracts more than 4 million visitors a month, shares the crazy correspondences that earned him his reputation as an evil online genius. His schemes include trying to pay his chiropractor with a drawing of a spider and tormenting a secretary who asked him to make a missing poster for her cat in the viral e-mail, “Missing Missy.”

Still not convinced you need this book now? Check out Thorne’s infamous “Missing Missy” correspondence.

and order the book….

Watch Thorne’s interview with Oprah.

Get to know David Thorne in our Q&A

VIDEO: David Thorne, Writing in a Shark Cage

David Thorne, author of The Internet Is A Playground, has described what he does as “writing in a shark cage,” and anyone who has read his hilarious viral email correspondences—such as “Simon’s Pie Charts,” “Missing Missy” or “It Is Obviously That Your a Foggot”—will understand why.

In this video, Tarcher editor Michael Solana speaks with Thorne about everything from the inspiration behind some of his most viral correspondences, to the online prank that got him arrested for three days, to the time he spent frequenting knitting forums as “Edna.”

Start reading now…

Getting to know an evil online genius

David Thorne‘s hilarious e-mail correspondences have been forwarded, printed, and passed on by millions. THE INTERNET IS A PLAYGROUND: Irreverent Correspondences of an Evil Online Genius (Tarcher/ Penguin paperback, April 28) collects numerous correspondences and essays from Thorne’s wildly popular site, 27bslash6,  and several that are unavailable elsewhere.  From the wildly popular “Missing Missy,” in which Thorne helped/tormented a secretary who asked him to make a missing poster for her cat Missy, to the recent sensation, “It is obviously that your a foggot”, THE INTERNET IS A PLAYGROUND is a wicked read.

But who is behind all the wickedness? We tried to discover in our Q&A with David Thorne….

What motivated you to start posting your e-mail correspondences and other musings online? A need for a distraction from working in the design industry. While many would assume that the design industry allows an outlet for creativity, sitting in an office the size of a wardrobe making poor products look appealing to trick people into buying them is quite the opposite. Constantly finding myself in different cities but identical hotel rooms, while travelling for client meetings, I  started writing stupid stories, mainly to annoy people, on social networking sites. Joining knitting forums, under the guise of a seventy eight year old woman with fourteen grandchildren, making friends and exchanging handy tips before declaring “I can hear someone breaking in downstairs” then logging off forever (giving them something more interesting to discuss than fractional stitches and menopause) is far more entertaining than preparing powerpoint presentations. Facebook, Digg, Reddit and the likes were regular haunts. As I was continually banned from these places, the 27b/6 website was created as a site that could not be touched by moderators.

How did your site, www.27bslash6.com, become so hugely popular? Everybody that visits the site gets a free puppy. Originally created a couple of years ago to simply make friends laugh, and occasionally annoy them, the site in those days took only a few hundred hits per week. After posting an article concerning paying for an outstanding chiropractors bill with a bad drawing of a spider, the website effectively went viral overnight thanks to other people’s need for distractions; when you are selling your soul nine to five in an office for less than a teacher’s salary and you receive an email that amuses you, there is the tendency to welcome the distraction and want to share with friends and co-workers. As such, I credit the popularity of the site to people’s propensity to waste time at work. Which is the employers’ fault really for failing to provide an entertaining and richly fulfilling work environment, so I should probably credit them instead. I spend most of my working day watching youtube videos of cats. Have you seen the one where the two cats play paddy-cake? I could watch that a thousand times.

Is it hard work being an “Evil Online Genius,” as we’ve dubbed you? No, it is not hard work. If it was hard work I wouldn’t do it as I am extremely lazy. Sometimes I can’t even be bothered blinking and once went several days without breathing. I do try to answer all emails though and, surprisingly, most are nice. I have met a few good friends through the process. As a general rule I never initiate correspondence, just respond stupidly. It would be easy to simply send out hundreds of emails with the hope of initiating a humorous chain but this would hardly be unique and there are others who do this. Emails from individuals or businesses that are obliged to respond are usually the most entertaining to me. Most importantly, there is no way to know if the correspondence will continue, and even if it does, whether it will be well received by later readers, so you have to enjoy writing and do so to entertain yourself foremost. If others enjoy the result afterwards, then that is a bonus.

It is not all fun and games though, I do get the odd threat and have answered the door to police on more than one occasion. Most recently, after posting a fake internal memo from McDonald’s outlining the implementation of short-changing customers as a procedure, I was arrested, questioned and had my laptop taken for evidence under e-crime legislation.

Would you consider yourself a writer, humorist, smart-ass or a very successful troll? A kind of… mega troll, if you will? I was labeled “an idiot with an occasional vague point” once which I quite liked. The term troll is thrown around a lot but is technically someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages with the primary intent of provoking other users into a desired emotional response. Which I will admit to, but like to think my efforts are without ill intent and constructed to amuse rather than disrupt. Providing content that encourages argument, discussion and factions based around humour, rather than simply offending, has always been my goal.

Order the book

Watch Thorne’s commercials for the book.

WATCH THE AUTHOR ON HIS EPISODE OF TARCHER TALKS, WRITING IN A SHARK CAGE

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