The Dog of the Marriage by Amy Hempel

Amy Hempel writes sentences and short paragraphs that tell entire stories better than most authors can do in 400 pages. For example, in her story " The Uninvited", she raises the stakes early:
"I was fifty years old, and ten days late. If menopausal, go on estrogen; if pregnant, go on welfare."
In "Memoir", Hempel tells an amazing story in ONE SENTENCE! And it's a short one, too! As an author, reading her work is a bit like taking a shooting clinic from Michael Jordan. You watch the master work. Then, you pick up the ball and stare at it, unable to comprehend how to make it bounce, or even what exactly the spherical thing in your hands is. You simply cannot fathom how someone can make it work so amazingly well. Within each of her 9 stories, Hempel can move you from laughter to tears, from light musing to deep thought. She is a force of nature.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

Ken Kesey's masterpiece is as relevant and fresh today as when I first read it in 1962. Actually, I wasn't alive to read it back then. This was my first read of the book, and apart from a few iconic moments, I haven't seen the movie. Consequently, my RP McMurphy looked nothing like Jack Nicholson, but I can appreciate why he was cast.

The story, told through the eyes of the pseudo-mute Chief Bromden, takes place in a mental facility that ostensibly advertises itself as a progressive new facility that allows the inmates to help shape the course of their rehabilitation. In reality, the men are all broken, helpless pawns of the sinister Nurse Ratched. They're unable to think on their own, instead living to make the Nurse happy to keep themselves safe. This changes with the appearance of one Randall P. McMurphy, a roaring loudmouth who's only in the mental ward to get off work duty at prison. McMurphy quickly makes himself a thorn in the nurse's side and teaches the men how to think for themselves.

McMurphy ultimately helps Chief Bromden come to terms with his inner demons, helping him realize that while the world is a truly frightening place, the rewards that come from taking action are truly worth the pain.

The Pirates! in an adventure with Ahab by Gideon DeFoe

Ahoy! There be another book in the waters from Gideon DeFoe, full of Pirates and anachronisms! YAAARRR!

That really sums the book up. Yaaarrrr.

Defoe is back with more of his trademark wit, putting his pirate crew in impossible situations (sailing to Las Vegas) and watching the hijinks unfurl. It sounds like a bad sitcom: The Pirate Captain's boat is falling apart, and he must buy a new boat. His manly pride overcomes his lack of funding, and he goes in hock for a huge new ship called The Lovely Emma. Unfortunately, he's bought from Cutlass Liz, the roughest used ship dealer on the seas. If he fails to pay her back in time, it's curtains for the Pirate Captain and his crew. And speaking of curtains...
The Pirate Captain attempts many feats to raiser the money for the boat, not the least of which includes putting on a stage spectacular for the gamblers in Vegas. This failed venture leads him into a pact with the notorious Captain Ahab in a desperate last ditch effort to save his ship, his crew, and his hide.

DeFoe is a master at quippy humor, and luckily, also knows that such humor is best served in small doses. The book clocks in at 152 pages, 5 of which are dedicated to the listing of other Adventures with Pirates. His footnotes are ever-accurate and meticulously researched (know what a Brass Monkey is? You will when you finish this book!) and his humor is bound to offend (albinos, at the very least). You'll learn about Stentorian noses! You'll learn about the birds and the bees through the use of some very odd visual aids. You will believe a man can take a prized ham into combat! With the brief mention of a Pirate King, there's sure to be another chapter in these journeys. Get on board now!

Did I mention... YAARRRR! (?)