The Thong Also Rises: Further Misadventures from Funny Women on the Road!

Funny Women Write from the Road

by Jennifer L. Leo (Editor), Jill Conner Browne (Contributor), Jennifer Cox (Contributor)

Too many travel guides are dry lists of attractions or portentous histories of a place. This isn't the case with The Thong Also Rises. Hot on the (high) heels of Sand in My Bra and Whose Panties Are These? comes this collection of the best in women’s travel and humor writing. These Ms-adventures take readers around the world and back again — and they’ll be happy to be reading rather than experiencing some of these adventures. Subjects include learning how to go to the bathroom with a pig in Thailand, trying to explain that sex toy to customs while Mother is watching, attending naked wedding ceremonies on Valentine’s Day in Jamaica, conquering that consuming fear of wooden puppets with a visit to Prague, boarding a crusty old Soviet Bomber in Laos, and more. Contributors include such notable writers and comedians as Jill Connor Browne, Wanda Sykes, Laurie Notaro, Wendy Dale, and Ayun Halliday.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Humor, Chick Lit, Short Stories, Adventure, Essays

232 pages, Paperback

First published August 18, 2005

About the author

Jennifer L. Leo is a writer, editor, and fearless adventurer with a flair for humor and misadventure. She edits the best-selling Travelers' Tales women’s humor series and writes for books, magazines, and websites. Her blog, WrittenRoad.com, was named one of Writers Digest’s 101 Best Websites for Writers. Based in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, she covers the poker world as author of Night + Day Las Vegas, columnist for BLUFF and Women Poker Player, and creator of VivaLasVegasBlog.com, blending travel, humor, and gambling in her dynamic lifestyle.

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been out sick for the past week, and the short stories in this collection were the perfect way to pass the time between fevered wakenings and bouts of coughing. I have a number of my own travel stories that I could probably add as well...like the time in India when the goat nibbled on the end of my sari and it began to unwrap as I walked away...

The collection is mixed, but ultimately, I enjoyed it. I think two of my favorites were the one Gory mentioned "Gently You Have to Avoid a Frightening Behavior," and "My Husband is Lost Without Me"-- woman vs GPS. There was one by the gal who wrote Sweet Potato Queen stuff, which made me wonder for a split second if this could qualify for the Hometown Authors BookBox we are putting together here in Charleston. (It took me less than a heartbeat to decide no.)

If one of the other anthologies of this editor come my way, I'd read it, if only for the titles alone. Earlier books edited by Leo include "Sand in My Bra" and "Whose Panties Are These?"

[Fayette · Rating 3 out of 5]

My dear spouse purchased this book series for me knowing I love (1) to travel and (2) to write. He was hoping it would inspire me to write my own stories, and I think it will. It does seem that much of women travel stories revolve around bathrooms and other mishaps with personal hygiene. A quick fun read.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok, so I've read two others in this series (Sand in My Bra and Whose Panties are These) and didn't really enjoy them. But as they were lent to me I felt compelled to keep reading. I really wish I hadn't. This book was just as dismal as the first two. And another note, these are geared towards women, and as such, I just can't understand the cover. It doesn't bother me per say, but it seems like the kind of missed their audience there.

These books are supposed to be short stories from women travelers that range on the funny side. The traveling takes place all over the world, including the USA and to be honest, there were a couple stories that were so mind numbing I didn't even quite catch where they took place in this one. Some of the stories ranged from sharing a bus with a grandma who kept dirty diapers in a suit case, to other stories about buying underwear. Another story mused on the differences between men's and women's vacations. All travel was varied from airplanes, buses, and car travel.

All of these writers are supposed to be humorous, but I really didn't find them so. In fact, I don't think I even cracked a smile with this book. A couple of the stories were interesting at the very most, but that was about it. Some of them were completely boring too, like the woman who gets jealous over her husband's GPS in a story that could have been told in one paragraph instead of a few pages. And once again, with this book, most of the stories could have happened anywhere. I guess I don't see the point of travel if all you focus on is your underwear. I guess I'd just rather enjoy the travel part of travel in a travel book.

Hopefully I'll manage to stay clear of any other books in this series. I gotta say, there's just better things to read out there.

The Thong Also Rises
Copyright 2005
217 pages

Review by M. Reynard 2011

More of my reviews can be found at ifithaswords.blogspot.com

[Tami · Rating 5 out of 5]

We've all had at least one of those vacations that didn't turn out as expected. We've all been confronted by unhygienic bathroom situations when we really had to go. We've all likely done or said something so embarrassing while on vacation that we swore to ourselves that we swear we will never tell anyone as long as we live, only to later find ourselves recounting the tale to anyone that will listen.

The Thong Also Rises: Further Misadventures from Funny Women on the Road! is a hilarious compilation of stories about such vacations that didn't quite turn out as expected. The authors of these accounts share their own stories of events that were just too juicy, hilarious, and utterly embarrassing to keep to themselves. I have to admit I felt much better about my own vacation misadventures once I read about Ellen Sussman's experiences on the nude beach, Deanna Sukkar's little custom's problem, and Ann Lombardi's ironing difficulties.

[Lubna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just the right kind of book to beat the stress. If your annual leave has been fully utilised, the next best thing is to pick up this book. Not readily avaiable in India at bookstores, but you can order via Amazon. Stories from smuggling drugs (medicines) from across the border - Mexico back to the United States, a case of Viagra gone wrong in an alien country - France, to yours truly writing of her experience of hopping on to a non-Volvo, non-AC ST bus instead of a tourist bus, a variety of Miss-Adventures have you grinning from beginning to end.

[Arthur · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology of travel stories by nearly fifty different women is a hilarious hoot to read especially if you are are a well traveled global traveler like myself.
Each story is about five pages long so it makes great reading if one has little time. Having spend the past twenty years traveling mainly in Asia I especially enjoy the stories set in Asia.
The book is light and easy to carry while commuting or traveling.
Just what I need to get me into the mood for my usual winter holidays in Asia next month.

[Chinch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a nice compilation of funny stories. I bought it over a decade ago and read some of the chapters. On a recent visit to my parent's house I rediscovered the book and read it all over again. Funnily enough, I still remembered some of the stories. I've actually been a lone woman traveller at some points in my life so it was possible to relate to the women in this book. What I'm really grateful for is that it veers away from scary predatory stories that a lot of books about women traveling rant on about and instead sticks to the funny incidents.

[Kiki · Rating 4 out of 5]

While exceedingly funny (funny in the sense that it's funny when other people run into glass doors, but not when you do), this book is pretty much chock full of disaster travel stories. I read while on a plane heading to what I hoped would be a fabulous vacay - had to put it down because I thought I might jinx myself. I would recommend reading during a time when you don't have any vacations planned.

[Philosophette · Rating 2 out of 5]

This works well for beach reading or commuting, where you don't have the concentration to devote to a serious novel. I'm curious about the other editions in the series--wondering if the compilations are any stronger. If you're short on time/patience, I thought the 3 best written pieces were:

Ellen Sussman's "Naked Nightmare"
Laurie Notaro's "An American (Drug Smuggling) Girl"
Laurie Frankel's "Mother and Child (and Disco) Reunion"

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this was still a fast-reading collection of Reader's Digest style snippets, I liked it a lot more than the first book in this series. The stories still often felt abruptly abbreviated, but they were more entertaining than the previous ones, and I even cracked a smile a few times. It's the perfect book for those times when you can only spare a moment or two to read. Bite sized morsels of travel stories.

[Bess · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 8th chapter, Princess and the Pee by Julie Eisenberg, brought back fond memories of my Caribbean Windjamming days. Sure, I experienced a big, bad toilet issue on one of my 6 WJ-ing years, but the weather, beauty and adventure far outweighed any temporary personal inconvenience for this former farm girl. P.S. I posed for this cover.

[Leslie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I generally like books of essays, but this book shouldn't be called a book of essays, it should be called a book of two page stories. The entire book is incredibly schizephrenic with two page stories, three paragraph excerpts and a blurb after every story that is basically a sales pitch for the author's book.

[Jeannie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the third one in the series I've read...I think I might be getting tired of travel stories cause this one was just so-so for me. I will keep dreaming of all the travels I hope to do, just not in these types of ways. A good book to while-a-way a hour or a day...nice to just pick it up and choose a story.

[Diana · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this group of stories was poorly edited. The only funny one was the Laurie Notaro piece which I had already read in one of her books. It was a little frustrating that little quotes and short stories were randomly dropped in within other stories. Two thumbs down!

[Valerie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think the concepts are better than the execution in this collection of travel related short stories. I must confess that I did not quite make it halfway through the book before giving up. There just was not enough there to hold my interest, let alone amuse me.

[Chelsea · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok, 6 stories shy of finishing this book...I gave up. BORING. So so sorry. Picked this book up thinking it would be funny and it really just put me to sleep. Don't waste your time!

[Cherie · Rating 2 out of 5]

B- Cheesy stories, some of which are not very good, with a good laugh sometimes

[Kimballa]

I cannot believe I have never seen this-ordering!

[Pam]

06/06/08 rec via pbs

[Lisa Pfeffer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny short stories.

[Mandy Faust · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first few stories in this book were funny. Then, suddenly, they became not-at-all funny. So I got bored and decided not to waste my time finishing the book.

[Anetra]

Loved it. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

[Iris Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really funny! I love reading about all the adventures of these women!

[Kelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a little disappointing. I thought the stories would be more entertaining than what they were. Some made me laugh out loud but not enough.

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book will make women not want to travel, especially alone. And for that reason I am not a fan.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some funny short stories, some more than others. The 910's are my favorite, armchair travel.

[Stacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was OK. I thought it would be funnier, but I did like all the contributing authors.

[Kaitlin Walter]

So funny & inspiring. Gave it to Jordan, a British girl I met in Vietnam.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goofy beach read - great for vacations!

[Liz Clark]

I found this book pretty funny. Not the most hilarious I read, but it was worth my time.