August 16th is National Tell a Joke Day. I’m always trying to find the world’s funniest joke, so there are more than a few joke books in the library. Several of these books are in my collection of Peter Pauper Press books. I am quite proud of this collection. Peter Pauper Press books were printed by Peter Beilenson from 1928 to 1962, Then his wife took over, and then their children. The family business still prints books. I have an entire bookcase full of Peter Pauper Press books. There are still more for me to find.
Here are a few joke books they printed: “The Little Pun Book” assembled by Robert Margolin, 1960; “Peter Pauper’s Book of Fun”1963; “The Little Joke Book” 1959; “Love is a Laugh” edited by Margaret Greenman 1967; “Offbeat Humor” by Paul B. Lowney, 1962; “Smiles, Chuckles and Chortles” compiled by Elisabeth Deane, 1971.
In my childrens section of the library, I have more joke books. First is “The Lip-Smackin’ Joke-Crackin’ Cookbook For Kids”, by Wicke Chambers and Spring Asher, published by Western Publishing Company, Racine, Wisconson 1974. The next is “1001 Cool School Yard Jokes” with Glen Singleton, 2005.
All joking aside, there is another special day today, one that Captain Jack Sparrow and I hold most dear:
August 16th is International Rum Day. I have a few books on how to make rum drinks. First is “The Calvert Party Encyclopedia-Your Complete Guide to Home Entertaining” by the Calvert Distillers Company, 1960. This book gives many tips on hosting unusual and memorable parties. It is wonderful old book. It also has some unusual rum drinks. A few names would be: Airmail Cocktail, Bee’s Kiss, Between the Sheets, Florida Special, Flying Saucer, Jamaca Ginger, Kingston Cocktail, Naked Lady, Pirate’s Prize, Parisian Blond, and the White Lion. Great rum drinks with great names from over sixty years ago.
I also have “500 Cocktails” by Wendy Sweetser, 2008. It is a great book if you only had room for one drink book in your house (though why would anyone have only one book on alcoholic drinks in their house?) As well as unusual drinks, there are the Rum Standards: the Rum and Coke, The Mai Tai, the Daiquiri, the Mojito, and the Mint Julep.
And then there is the book “Fika” by Anna Brones And Johanna Kindvall, 2015. The subtitle is “The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break, with recipes for pastries, breads, and other treats”. The key in this fantastic Swedish book is “and Other Treats”. For deep in the center of this book, along with in the center of every Swedish heart, is the recipe for Glögg-Swedish Mulled Wine (with rum!).
It is a Swedish Christmas staple; and a football season home standard at University of Illinois-my Mother and Father could attest to that, and even my brother years later, all alumni of U of I. I was invited to a football game of Illinois against Minnesota back in the day, and was lead to a party with Glögg first.
The funniest rum joke?
A polar bear walks into a bar, and says to the bartender, “I’ll have a rum…………and Coke.”
The bartender asks, “What’s with the big pause?”
The bear shrugs, “I was born with them.”
A few months later, a polar bear walks into a bar. The bartender asks “What’ll you have?”
The bear says “I’ll have a rum and Coke.”
The bartender gives the bear a strange look and says, “Wait, I remember you from a previous joke. What happened to the big pause?”
The bear said, “I lost one in a trap.”
“A life without rum is no life at all” – Captain Jack Sparrow.
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