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How To Do Everything:
It may not be great literature — but at least it's handy.
From the mastermind of the hugely successful The Red Green Show comes a book that is going to change your life, or at least make you laugh — a lot — whenever you pick it up. And people are going to be picking it up for many years to come, because — like the long-rerunning TV shows — there's not a topical gag in the book anywhere, so it's going to be funny for the forseeable future. And as its title suggests, this is also a terribly useful book. Among its very many gems of advice, it shows how to cook with acetylene, take revenge on a lawn mower, measure your hat size with a two-by-four, reduce your carbon footprint (it involves moving into a fruit tree located next to a liquor store) and make your own alternative fuel (which involves an empty propane tank and a full septic one).
From the mastermind of the hugely successful The Red Green Show comes a book that is going to change your life, or at least make you laugh — a lot — whenever you pick it up. And people are going to be picking it up for many years to come, because — like the long-rerunning TV shows — there's not a topical gag in the book anywhere, so it's going to be funny for the forseeable future. And as its title suggests, this is also a terribly useful book. Among its very many gems of advice, it shows how to cook with acetylene, take revenge on a lawn mower, measure your hat size with a two-by-four, reduce your carbon footprint (it involves moving into a fruit tree located next to a liquor store) and make your own alternative fuel (which involves an empty propane tank and a full septic one).
- GenresHumorNonfictionCanada
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
19 people are currently reading
139 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 16, 2021
I decided to cut and paste my review for this author's other book. My review holds equally true here too:
Oh, this guy!!!!
I've read a few of his books and watched many of his TV shows in my youth. He usually had me laughing so hard my lungs ached.
The way he repurposed an engine part to make a soup server that poured soup into several bowls at once - I couldn't catch my breath and anguished tears were pouring from my eyes because I simply could not stop laughing at the sight of soup pouring out of those portals!
Check out this other invention: the toilet carburator on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLd61...
If you can still find his books in print, I highly recommend them!
Oh, this guy!!!!
I've read a few of his books and watched many of his TV shows in my youth. He usually had me laughing so hard my lungs ached.
The way he repurposed an engine part to make a soup server that poured soup into several bowls at once - I couldn't catch my breath and anguished tears were pouring from my eyes because I simply could not stop laughing at the sight of soup pouring out of those portals!
Check out this other invention: the toilet carburator on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLd61...
If you can still find his books in print, I highly recommend them!
January 6, 2012
I'm on a humour streak, this is the third in a row and by far the funniest. This whole Red Green thing; the duct tape jokes, the terrible handyman stories, and the 'man' views of life's little moments, are all starting to make sense to me. I can finally relate! It's only taken thirty years. With all this life experience under my belt I can relate, which leads to laugh after laugh. I'd say this book is aimed more towards the middle aged man, but, I'm mature for my age...guess that's why I find the underwear jokes so funny?
The book had no storyline. No plot. No real structure of any kind. It is made up of short stories (some no longer than a paragraph), lists of all kinds (mostly relating to handyman screw ups), and a few highlighted boxes filled with handyman tips. So, perfect for the reader who only has a few minutes to waste, or a two minute attention span. In other words, men. Haha, I've just given away half the punchlines in the book.
Now, when I say this book is funny I mean it. I'll give you a play by play of me reading it. *Turn page. Read. Chuckle. Read. Quietly laugh. Read. Snort. Turn page. Read. Giggle. Get funny look from Jen. Read. Laugh and say, "ain't that the truth". Get told to keep it down. Turn page. Read. Stifle Laugh. Get the look again. Turn page. Have to leave the room to laugh.*
Seriously, this book will bring laughs to you and annoyance to those around you. It's that good!
The book had no storyline. No plot. No real structure of any kind. It is made up of short stories (some no longer than a paragraph), lists of all kinds (mostly relating to handyman screw ups), and a few highlighted boxes filled with handyman tips. So, perfect for the reader who only has a few minutes to waste, or a two minute attention span. In other words, men. Haha, I've just given away half the punchlines in the book.
Now, when I say this book is funny I mean it. I'll give you a play by play of me reading it. *Turn page. Read. Chuckle. Read. Quietly laugh. Read. Snort. Turn page. Read. Giggle. Get funny look from Jen. Read. Laugh and say, "ain't that the truth". Get told to keep it down. Turn page. Read. Stifle Laugh. Get the look again. Turn page. Have to leave the room to laugh.*
Seriously, this book will bring laughs to you and annoyance to those around you. It's that good!
February 14, 2011
An enjoyable read, but most of this humor, in my opinion, is better suited for a visual media. But how can you not love chapters like "How to outsmart a raccoon"?
December 16, 2010
If you've never seen "The Red Green Show" (and if you haven't, check your local PBS station now!), this book makes a great companion to the TV series. Red's taken a bunch of funny "Handyman Corner" and "North of Forty" segments, and spread them out among 250 or so pages, with his trademark humor, sarcasm, and wisdom.
So remember, after reading this book, "If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy."
So remember, after reading this book, "If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy."
February 25, 2014
A step-by-step guide at how to do nothing... I mean everything. Packed full of ideas to help you succeed at failure, this book is a laugh from page one. Your marriage and pocket book will be better off for reading How To Do Everything, and if they're not, be thankful it didn't destroy your pocket book. If for no other reason, pick up this book and give it a go to find out how to be a better Renaissance Man by learning from another mans example, and then never make the same mistakes.
October 28, 2010
Loved it. Another definite must read- contains practical life advice accompanied by homemade crafty drawing illustrations. Photo on back cover is priceless. Red Green's essential tool for most life problems: duct tape.
October 14, 2010
For the unfamiliar, The Red Green Show is sort of a Canadian cross between "Hee Haw" and "This Old House." Now it that sounds like something that would appeal to you, you'll like this book.
December 29, 2010
Hilarious as usual.
March 11, 2012
I did not find this book as funny as I was hoping it would be. The main problem I think is that his style of humor is very visual, which just did not translate well too book form.
July 10, 2012
Written as little 1 or 2 page excerpts. Great as a bathroom read, but would be hard pressed to stay interested for longer than 5 mins.
May 4, 2013
Three words: Canadian comic genius!
September 25, 2015
If you are a Red Green Show fan, this is fun stuff. It reads somewhat like Dave Barry with less sarcasm and exaggeration.
April 11, 2016
this is sooo offensive. (to average canadian white men over 40.) HAHA
May 23, 2012
Canadian Comic Genius! So glad I read this before going to see him live on stage.
June 18, 2012
Lots of fun. Good for idle times -- short sections demand no continuing attention.
February 28, 2014
I needed this kind of comic relief. I loves me some Red Green!
September 25, 2014
A really fun book. Reminded me so much of the show. Quite entertaining.
July 30, 2019
A fun read. Steve Smith is a clever guy. It's not often I read a book which makes me guffaw at some of the passages. But this one does. Perhaps it's because I tend to resemble some of the idiots portrayed. And remember, any tool can be the right tool!
March 17, 2021
Hilarious!
This is what I was hoping for with the other books . . . this level of funny!
If you a fan of the show this is a must read. If you are a handyman with a sense of humor you would probably enjoy this as well.
This is what I was hoping for with the other books . . . this level of funny!
If you a fan of the show this is a must read. If you are a handyman with a sense of humor you would probably enjoy this as well.
December 18, 2020
An easy, entertaining read that's easy to put down and pick up at your leisure.
June 23, 2024
Not very engaging. I love the TV show but for some reason it didn't translate well to this book.
July 19, 2021
Overall pretty funny but I got tired of it all being tidbits and not really any coherent flow to it. The show is 1000% better.
May 15, 2024
I actually enjoyed this book.
It was a blind book from the library and this was the book.
It's an easy read.
It was a blind book from the library and this was the book.
It's an easy read.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews