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How to Be Hap-Hap-Happy Like Me!
The hip and hilarious author of What the Dogs Have Taught Me returns with a comic approach to self-help and happiness, heroically undertaking the task of acting out the best "how to be happy" suggestions from the repository of wisdom on the subject, The 365 Days to a Happier Life desk calendar.
96 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
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About the author
Merrill Markoe
33 books147 followersAn author, a television writer and a sometime standup comedienne.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 4, 2008
This was really funny! I picked it up on the recomendation of a friend on Livejournal and she mentioned that Merrill is the head writer for David Letterman. It's basically a bunch of essays on funny stuff that has happened in her life. Observational humor.
She has set up the book like a mock self help book and gives 33 "happiness hints". Hint #1 "Take the time to improve your knowledge of another period of history", Markoe suggests an evening at a Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament Restaurant. Happiness Hint #33 "Extend a social invitation to someone you've always been afraid to approach" translates to a romantic dinner date with Fabio (Yeah - the one and only).
I think this would be a good book to put next to your bed and read one Happiness Hint a day.
She has set up the book like a mock self help book and gives 33 "happiness hints". Hint #1 "Take the time to improve your knowledge of another period of history", Markoe suggests an evening at a Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament Restaurant. Happiness Hint #33 "Extend a social invitation to someone you've always been afraid to approach" translates to a romantic dinner date with Fabio (Yeah - the one and only).
I think this would be a good book to put next to your bed and read one Happiness Hint a day.
June 23, 2015
I hated this book. If I could give it less than one star I would.
March 13, 2010
“Do you want to learn how to make big money in a safe legal profession that will never leave you bored?” With a sentence like that, is it any wonder I enjoy Merrill Markoe’s (enhanced) description of her life?
Markoe takes scenes from her own life, job hunting, dog walking, dating, sex, interior designers, television, parents, and then enhances them to the outrageous with laughable results. Her insecurity about everyday life is delightful, causing her ridiculous optimism or resulting in her rush to instantly improve her life by embracing the next best thing to come along.
“QUESTION: How many times should you allow a guy to slam your head into the wall behind your bed before your officially declare it “bad sex” and attempt to abort the proceedings? ANSWER: Two. The first time, it is still possible it was only an accident.
Her take on conversations with her dogs should be required reading at any pet training session. Given that this book is a collection of her columns, the writing still felt choppy and out of sequence. I did also feel this book was very dated.
“For example, the other night it began to occur to me that I seem to be the only semi neurotic woman in America who was never an incest victim – or that maybe I really am and the horrifying flashbacks just haven’t come to me yet. At least that's what the 250,000 different incest victims that I’ve seen interviewed on Oprah, Phil, Geraldo, Sally Jessy, “Hard Copy,” “Inside Edition,” “A Current Affair,” “60 Minutes,” “20/20,“ and “MTV’s House of Style” all said. And if it does turn out that I am the only remaining person in America who never had sex with her father, what does that say about me? What am I, chopped liver?"
Easy to read a chapter at a time but not Markoe’s best.
Markoe takes scenes from her own life, job hunting, dog walking, dating, sex, interior designers, television, parents, and then enhances them to the outrageous with laughable results. Her insecurity about everyday life is delightful, causing her ridiculous optimism or resulting in her rush to instantly improve her life by embracing the next best thing to come along.
“QUESTION: How many times should you allow a guy to slam your head into the wall behind your bed before your officially declare it “bad sex” and attempt to abort the proceedings? ANSWER: Two. The first time, it is still possible it was only an accident.
Her take on conversations with her dogs should be required reading at any pet training session. Given that this book is a collection of her columns, the writing still felt choppy and out of sequence. I did also feel this book was very dated.
“For example, the other night it began to occur to me that I seem to be the only semi neurotic woman in America who was never an incest victim – or that maybe I really am and the horrifying flashbacks just haven’t come to me yet. At least that's what the 250,000 different incest victims that I’ve seen interviewed on Oprah, Phil, Geraldo, Sally Jessy, “Hard Copy,” “Inside Edition,” “A Current Affair,” “60 Minutes,” “20/20,“ and “MTV’s House of Style” all said. And if it does turn out that I am the only remaining person in America who never had sex with her father, what does that say about me? What am I, chopped liver?"
Easy to read a chapter at a time but not Markoe’s best.
May 31, 2016
Kind of like watching stand-up from a comedian you don't really know and don't really GET. Not really my taste, but not bad. I finished it [mostly because I wanted to finish a book-book on vacation], but I'm not eager to read another book of hers. Sorry, Merrill! It's not you, it's me.
Also the fact that it's from the mid 90s, a time when I was in early elementary school, means a lot of the references kind of go over my head. So. Take this with a grain of salt.
Also the fact that it's from the mid 90s, a time when I was in early elementary school, means a lot of the references kind of go over my head. So. Take this with a grain of salt.
December 18, 2011
Merrill Markoe is a very funny lady and I can relate to her in many ways. I loved her essays about the futility of being in a Girl Scout troop, her date with Fabio, and her many anecdotes about her beloved dogs.
October 30, 2008
Another laugh til your sides are sore book.
May 28, 2009
Hilarious.
December 31, 2014
Very funny. I still think of things Merrill Markoe wrote in this book, and laugh. And I read this probably almost 20 years ago.
January 15, 2026
Chapter 1 was filled with the F word! Any supposed comic who needs to rely on vulgar langauge to elicit a laugh has a problem with their material. The other chapters were just plain STUPID and not the least bit laugh out loud funny! This book was WAY over-rated and derserved to be burned in a scrap heep!!! Author Merrill Markoe badly needs to find another profession!!
February 25, 2022
Dated and unfunny; disappointing as I like the other things I've ready from Markoe.
July 15, 2016
The start of her comedy book empire. A number of the key aspects of Merrill's humor are here; some full blown while others are just gestating. It was an easy breezy read, and entertaining. The format of the book seems like something imposed by the publisher, in that this bears many of the hallmarks of what a 'funny book by a comedy writer' was supposed to be in the 90s. That is, there is a stilted and narrow formula here that existed in many others books of that time; so unless she invented that, I imagine this book is just the victim of the publishing world in that one respect. I greatly enjoy Merrill's humor and am glad to have read her first book. Now to read, It's My F***ing Birthday!
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May 17, 2019Light reading essays.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews