Books in Review loves "World's Greatest Email"

Books in Review
by Adrienne Petterson © 2007 About Me

The World's Greatest Email
by Sue Shifrin-Cassidy
Author House
ISBN 1-4343-2392-7
Published July 2007 - Paperback - 244 pages - $17.95

If you have anything like my email inbox, you no doubt have received any number of unsolicited humorous emails. From the bizarre to the cute, the funny and absurd, the downright dumb and obnoxious, I've seen them all. Or so I thought. Ever wonder who dreams these things up? It seems songwriter-turned-author Sue Shifrin-Cassidy has been collecting such emails (most of which I've not seen - there must be literally hundreds of thousands out there), and presents the following categories in this book: Fun-E's; Smart People/Stupid People; Thought Provoking; Men, Women, and Sex; Interesting Stuff/Educational; Kids; Political/Politically Incorrect; Scams, Spam, and Urban Legends; Life-Saving/Medical, and Inspirational. I haven't laughed so much in a long time and I had to have a break and put the book down. Some funnies are like great jokes, others are silly Freudian things people have said, others are the weird things people get up to. Some jokes are a little risqué but don't let that put you off. This is the type of book you don't want to end and is a great book to read during down time - save some pages for a treat next time around. It would also make a great Christmas gift.
Sue Shifrin-Cassidy is popstar David Cassidy's wife. Visit the website www.TheWorldsGreatestEmail.com. I loved the computer/car story as did I love so many others.
Conclusion - Hysterically funny. Definitely worth a peek at.

"I wrote the book because I got an email about how to tell the first signs of a stroke and I wanted to be sure I could find it if I was ever in the middle of having one. That led me to printing it out. Then I got another email called "The Physics of Hell" that I thought was so smart, I simply had to have a hard copy. That's when I realized what a great book these modern "letters" would make." Sue Shifrin-Cassidy

Reviewers on "The World's Greatest Email"

Critics on “The World's Greatest Email”:

“I haven't laughed so much in a long time and I had to have a break and put the book down. Some funnies are like great jokes, others are silly Freudian things people have said, others are the weird things people get up to. Some jokes are a little risqué but don't let that put you off. This is the type of book you don't want to end and is a great book to read during down time - save some pages for a treat next time around.”

Books In Review

“Be warned: read this book with an open mind! Shifrin-Cassidy spares nobody and includes jokes about Democrats, liberals, conservatives, homosexuals, men, women, politicians, and the elderly. She pokes fun with a light hand, however, and gives fair warning when something might be especially offensive.

“Shifrin-Cassidy provides a funny, healthy reading alternative. This is a great book to keep on the kitchen counter, in the car, in the diaper bag, or anywhere else easily accessible during a long commute or a lull in the fractious activity of modern life. Not only does it provoke a hearty chuckle, it might just save a life or two.”
Foreword Magazine

The World's Greatest Email is a unique and entertaining compilation of emails from all over the world. Subjects include Fun-E's, inspirational, political and life-saving information.

Sue Shifrin-Cassidy is a noted songwriter, philanthropist, founder of Kids.Charities.org and co-founder of EAT'M (Emerging Artists, Talent and Technology in Music). She is a licensed pilot, enjoys traveling, scuba diving and thoroughbred breeding and racing.

To order The World's Greatest Email, go to www.amazon.com or www.authorhouse.com. To purchase an autographed copy for $15.95, go to www.TheWorldsGreatestEMail.com.

Q & A with Sue Shifrin-Cassidy

Q & A with Sue Shifrin-Cassidy

Q & A with Sue Shifrin-CassidySue Shiffrin-Cassidy, author of a new book called The World's Greatest Email, discusses in this recent interview her compilation of Internet correspondences, ponders "The Physics of Hell" and reveals her famous hubby can't walk and chew gum at the same time.

Q: Sue, you're an accomplished songwriter, philanthropist, founder of KidsCharties.org and co-founder of EAT’M (Emerging Artitsts in Talent and Music), the famous entertainment convention. Now you're an author. How did you come up with the idea of writing The World's Greatest Email?

SSC: My mother passed away from a stroke and when I received an email about how to tell the signs of a stroke, I figured, well, I better have a hard copy of this so that if I am in the middle of having one I will be able to find this life saver instead of having to search through several thousands of emails. Then I got an email called “The Physics of Hell”, which I thought was so incredibly smart that I needed to have a hard copy of it as well. That’s when the idea of a book dawned on me.

Q: Tell me how conducted your research and how long it took you to compile the information?

SSC: It took me two years to cull the contents of this book from literally thousands of emails that I received over many years. I worked every single day until I had narrowed it down to the final emails that appear in The World’s Greatest Email.

Q: One of the refreshing qualities of The World's Greatest Email is that it's not always politically correct. Was that a conscious decision on your part, and if so, why?

SSC: We are very tongue in cheek in our family about politics. We get into it all the time. I had received so many political emails, and with the 2008 election looming, I thought it would be neat to have this section where fun could be made of both parties.

Q: How did you decide on the categories for the book?

SSC: I wanted The World’s Greatest Email to be a mixed bag, so I really deliberated on how to categorize the emails I used. They just seemed to naturally break down into areas like “Men, Women and Sex”, “Thought Provoking”, “Smart People/Stupid People” and “Politically Incorrect”. The chapters kind of named themselves.Q: Do you have a favorite email?SSC: My favorite is still “The Physics of Hell”. I also think “Cheese Scones” is pretty funny and some of the more risqué ones like “F#@* Austria are a hoot.

Q: What do you like best about your book?SSC: That I finished it! Actually, I love that it is a book filled with all kinds of information, even some inspirational emails. It makes you laugh and it makes you think and it teaches you things you never knew. The chapter called “Scams, Spam and Urban Legends” is particularly informative. You would not believe how many things are circulating on the Internet that could kill you if you followed the advice. I debunk these myths and I feel that I am doing people an important service by doing so.

Q: Okay, allow me one David Cassidy question... what's a goofy thing he does that he probably wouldn't want his fans to know?SSC: Actually, David has a hard time walking and chewing gum at the same time. If the phone rings and the doorbell goes at the same time, it is really funny to watch him go into minor shock!

Q: How can people order The World's Greatest Email?

SSC: The World’s Greatest Email is available at www.Amazon.com and at www.authorhouse.com. But if they go to my Web site at www.TheWorldsGreatestEmail.com, they can get an autographed copy for $15.95.

Foreword hails "The World's Greatest Email"

Foreword magazine says "The World's Greatest Email" doses readers with laughter

The World's Greatest Emailby: Sue Shifrin-Cassidy

Category: Humor Publisher: AuthorHouse Softcover, 240 pages, $15.95 ISBN: 9781434323927
Laughter has long been considered a cheap and effective medicine for the masses. Studies have shown that laughter can help prevent heart disease, boost the immune system, and clear the lungs. We all need to laugh more—at the world, our jobs, our partners, our children, and ourselves.

Thank goodness for the internet. People with email accounts will likely receive at least one joke a day, passed along by family, friends, co-workers, and perfect strangers. But free entertainment comes with a price: unwanted advertisements, chain letters, or pornographic cartoons. Sue Shifrin-Cassidy has done the world a favor by sorting through the spam and plucking out the gems to share in her aptly named book, The World’s Greatest Email.

Shifrin-Cassidy shuffles her emails into ten different categories, such as Smart People / Stupid People, Men, Women, and Sex, and Political / Politically Incorrect. The jokes range from raunchy to religious, lengthy to pithy. In addition to funny anecdotes and one liners, Shifrin-Cassidy also shares emails such as STATE TRIVIA which lists an interesting fact about each individual state, and WORDS OF INSPIRATION, quotes from Mother Teresa about living life in service of God. She devotes one section to those life-saving emails that teach people to recognize a stroke or avoid being abducted. She has done her research, however, and avoids blindly spreading erroneous information by including a disclaimer on those emails that have been debunked by website watchdogs. By including a mixture of emails, Shifrin-Cassidy makes sure she has something for everyone.

Each page is laid out in email format with the sender, recipient, and subject at the top. This design is fairly easy to follow after the first few entries. Shifrin-Cassidy addresses the reader in bold print at the top of most of the emails. She also seems to occasionally interject within the email body as well, which can be confusing, but doesn’t detract from the enjoyment of the joke. A few of the entries are repeats; another read through the book by an editor would have been beneficial.

Be warned: read this book with an open mind! Shifrin-Cassidy spares nobody and includes jokes about Democrats, liberals, conservatives, homosexuals, men, women, politicians, and the elderly. She pokes fun with a light hand, however, and gives fair warning when something might be especially offensive.

Shifrin-Cassidy provides a funny, healthy reading alternative. This is a great book to keep on the kitchen counter, in the car, in the diaper bag, or anywhere else easily accessible during a long commute or a lull in the fractious activity of modern life. Not only does it provoke a hearty chuckle, it might just save a life or two.

Go to www.TheWorldsGreatestEmail.com or www.amazon.com to order a copy of the book.

Review by: Andi Diehn