But for us, very funny: Alexander the Great and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day. The opening paragraphs:
I left the battle with blood in my helmet and now there’s blood in my hair and when I got out of my armor this afternoon I tripped on a dead solder and by mistake I dropped my sword in the catapult while the thing was launching and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good very bad day.At dinner Aristotle found a fat juicy rabbit in the tall overgrown grass and Demetrius found a striking young buck in the tall overgrown grass but in my tall overgrown grass all I found was tall overgrown grass.
I think I’ll move to Carthage.
Categories: Uncategorized
A. Zarkov says:
I read that book a zillion times to my daughter; it’s one of my favorites. Everybody has a day like that.
I developed a real fondness for children’s books from all those book I read to her. I especially like the George and Martha series. Fish is fish is another book that has stuck with me. I cried after reading the story because it’s profoundly disturbing if one realizes the real message of the story. Fortunately that’s way beyond a small child’s comprehension.
Quote
November 2, 2009, 1:34 pmxon says:
That is seven different kinds of awesome!
Quote
November 2, 2009, 1:35 pmCato The Elder says:
One of my favorite childrens’ books. I lifted from the title once here on the VC when referring to Jeffrey Rosen’s extirpation of his unclean thoughts on Sotomayor’s nomination some whiles ago.
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.
Quote
November 2, 2009, 1:43 pmCarl The EconGuy says:
Thanks for that link. Whenever I have a terrible, horrible, etc.etc., day I’ll always remember Alexander the Great. Although from reading my history, I think he must have had some pretty good days too, possibly better than even my best days.
Quote
November 2, 2009, 2:35 pmCarl The EconGuy says:
To Cato The Elder.
Don’t move to Carthage. George Patton already followed your advice.
Quote
November 2, 2009, 2:38 pmChrisTS says:
I would expect Aristotle to share the rabbit with his pupil.
Quote
November 2, 2009, 3:16 pmRT says:
All of this is reminding me to dig out my old Astrisk the Gaul books to read to my new son.
Quote
November 2, 2009, 3:19 pmJeanne Edna Thelwell says:
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible . . .” is one of my favorite books, discovered when I begin a teaching fellow in NYC. The Alexander the Great riff is brilliant.
Quote
November 2, 2009, 3:40 pmJackOfClubs says:
Cute, but appallingly anachronistic, beginning with the very next sentence. I know that isn’t the point, but it would have been a lot funnier if the names were actually contemporary with Alexander rather than vaguely classical.
Quote
November 2, 2009, 4:30 pmAeon J. Skoble says:
Excellent. I LOL’d.
Quote
November 2, 2009, 4:37 pmKarl Lembke says:
Just don’t hit the “delenda” key by accident.
Quote
November 2, 2009, 4:40 pmDotar Sojat says:
OK, then, Alexander Calder and the Terrible, Horrible...................
Quote
November 2, 2009, 5:01 pmVader says:
There are definite benefits to having children.
Quote
November 2, 2009, 5:22 pmTweets that mention The Volokh Conspiracy » Blog Archive » Funny Only to People Who Have Read a Certain Children’s Book -- Topsy.com says:
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Moshe Glickman, DiaBOTical. DiaBOTical said: The Volokh Conspiracy » Blog Archive » Funny Only to People Who ... http://bit.ly/7NJ2e [...]
ChrisTS says:
YES! I really miss (a) shopping for toys without looking like a weirdo and (b) reading those books without being mocked by my now-grown kids.
Quote
November 2, 2009, 6:43 pmChrisTS says:
Zarkov:
So, further proof that politics need not divide us as humans. I love George and Martha.
Did you ever discover Max and his sister Rose?
Quote
November 2, 2009, 6:45 pmCareless says:
I had completely forgotten about that book until this.
Quote
November 3, 2009, 8:14 pm