Ocean State Libraries

"The compelling, inspiring, and comically sublime story of one mans coming-of-age, set during the twilight of apartheid and the tumultuous days of freedom that followed,"--Amazon.com.

The actress best known for her work on "Parks and Recreation" and "Saturday Night Live" reveals personal stories and offers her humorous take on such topics as love, friendship, parenthood, and her relationship with Tina Fey.

Resolving to become the world's greatest stand-up comedian despite less-than-funny challenges in his life, wheelchair-bound middle school student Jamie Grimm endures bullying from his mean-spirited cousin and hopes he will be fairly judged when he enters a local comedy contest.

DeGeneres-- stand-up comedian, television host, best-selling author and actress-- candidly discusses her personal life, her professional career and describes what it was like to become a judge on American Idol.

"From "weird, scary, ingenious" (The New York Times) stand-up comedian Maria Bamford, a brutally honest and hilariously frenetic memoir about show business, mental health, and the comfort of rigid belief systems-from Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends andInfluence People, to Suzuki violin training, to Richard Simmons, to 12-step programs. Maria Bamford is a comedian's comedian (an outsider among outsiders) and has forever fought to find a place to...

Illuminating. Captivating. Stunning. When the fireworks cascade over Edinburgh castle on the Festival's final night, the magic begins... Every summer, the Edinburgh International Festival attracts celebrated artists, musicians, comedians, and actors to the beloved Scottish city. Hundreds of thousands of people descend on the town to join in the magnificent celebration. This year, the annual Edinburgh festival draws six unique and vibrant individuals,...

In swinging 60s England, the nation is mesmerized by unlikely comedy star Sophie Straw, the former Blackpool beauty queen who just wants to make people laugh, like her heroine Lucille Ball. Behind the scenes, the cast and crew are having the time of their lives. But when the script begins to get a bit too close to home, and life starts imitating art, they all face a choice. The show's writers, Tony and Bill, comedy obsessives, each harbour a secret....

"A candid, hilarious, and heartbreaking memoir of resilience and redemption by comedic genius Molly Shannon. At age four, Molly Shannon's world was shattered when she lost her mother, baby sister, and cousin in a car accident with her father at the wheel. Held together by her tender and complicated relationship with her grieving father, Molly was raised in a permissive household where her gift for improvising and role-playing blossomed alongside the...

"While on a mission to win the Planet's Funniest Kid Comic regional competition, New York middle schooler Jamie Grimm copes with rival comics and bullies, a buddy in trouble, and a sudden family emergency, all with a sense of humor and a loyal group of friends"--Provided by publisher.

"From New York Times culture reporter Dave Itzkoff, the definitive biography of Robin Williams - a compelling portrait of one of America's most beloved and misunderstood entertainers. From his rapidfire stand up comedy riffs to his breakout role in Mork & Mindy and his Academy Award-winning performance in Good Will Hunting, Robin Williams was a singularly innovative and beloved entertainer. He often came across as a man possessed, holding forth on...