From holiday hazards to riffs on road trips and the decline in our nation's GNP ("Gross Needless Products"), humorist Diana Estill sets loose her alter ego Deedee to share outrageous advice. Deedee explains why women won't read maps, Bubbas build the best burgers, and wise men should never use the B-word, "budget."     In this collection of essays such as "Family that doesn't kill you makes you stronger," "7 habits of highly self-absorbed people," and "Silent night (hammer sold separately)," author Diana Estill (aka/Deedee) shares amusing advise for trying times. Susan Reinhardt, author of Dishing with the Kitchen Virgin, says "Reading Deedee Divine's Totally Skewed Guide to Life is like spending an afternoon with your craziest girlfriend, only the laughs are harder and the credit card damages are gentler." Deedee Divine's Totally Skewed Guide to Life is a ForeWord Magazine 2008 Book of the Year Finalist.             Excerpt From "Deedee's Rules for Marital Bliss" - If you or your other half must ride in the same vehicle, consider blindfolding the non-driving partner to reduce conflict. Spouses who bark orders at their motoring mates cause hypertension, accidents, and sudden dissapearances. - Give each other at least one compliment each day. My husband likes to tell me, "You spend more money than anyone I know," and I enjoy pointing out, "You're the most unobservant man I've ever met." - Accept flatulence as a sign of relationship comfort. No longer concerned with putting on airs, contented spouses are prone to expel some now and again. - Spend equal time visiting with each partner's family--unless one set of parents is particularly rich and generous, in which case you will want them to accompany you on all your vacations. - Refrain from using certain phrases that can trigger arguments. To be safe, consider eliminating from your vocabularly the word "savings."

Professional Reviews
Midwest Book Reviews
Life is not a logical matter, why do so many treat it like it is? With gut busting humor, Diana Estill brings readers [Deedee Divine's]"Totally Skewed Guide to Life", a collection of humorous essays about the inherent humor that's abound in daily life, and offers pognant wisdom on many subjects, hidden behind the facade and farce of life. A must read for those who want to truly understand the irrationality of the world, "Totally Skewed Guide to Life" is utterly entertaining reading.

Armchair Interviews
Humor that is big, bold and bodacious just like her home state of Texas, Deedee Divine's Totally Skewed Guide to Life takes you along on a romp through life with her family and friends. The author, Diana Estill, has contributed many guest columns for The Dallas Morning News and is the author of Driving on the Wrong Side of the Road: Humorous Views on Love, Lust, & Lawn Care.

This current book addresses some of those questions and ridiculous situations that we all need help with at some time or another. And her tilted takes on some of the important aspects of daily living such as marriage, holidays and cluttered garage, are given in Ms. Divine's own unique and quirky style. In short, written "snap shots" she doles out her comical advice and guidance that one should follow at their own risk--you would not expect that making a holiday wreath would be hazardous, but in the hands of Deedee Divine, it is enough to put the local fire department on alert.

Ms. Divine does her research and occasionally refers to scientific journals and studies that are relevant to her subject--in a way much different than originally intended by those scientific authors. For example, Harvard, using nurses as test subjects, found drinking wine possibly reduced occurrence of kidney stones. Ms. Divine found, instead, a possible explanation for the nursing staffing shortage.

In one of her funniest essays, and my favorite, with her talent of finding the absurd in the mundane, Deedee shares one of her days at the post office in "Letter House of Horrors." This is one we can all empathize with and understand if you have ever spent a long time in a post office line.

While not all the anecdotes are knee-slapping funny, they all are fun and amusing. A good book to take along if you expect a long wait such as airports or waiting rooms. The author's humorous take on life's moments will help to pass the time while putting a smile on your face. Guidance is skewed and the humor is ... wait for it ... divine!

Armchair Interviews says: Humor edged with the absurd will be sure to make you laugh.

Reader Reviews for "Deedee Divine's Totally Skewed Guide to Life"

Reviewed by Linda Law	11/13/2008
sounds like it's going to be a hoot to read.... congratulations...lindalaw

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