Books with author John E. Kenney

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERBased on his wildly popular New Yorker piece, Thurber Prize-winner John Kenney presents a hilarious collection of love poems for, well, married people.Full of brilliant wit, dynamic energy, and a heavy dose of reality, Love Poems for Married People takes the poetic form, turns it upside down and leaves it in the dishwasher to dry. Inspired by one of the most shared New Yorker pieces of all time, this collection captures the reality of life once the spark of a relationship has settled--and hilariously so. With brand new pieces that cover all areas of married life, from parental gripes to dwindling sex lives, Kenney's wry observations and sharp humor remind us exactly what it's like to spend the rest of your life with the person you love.I was almost feeling fondness for you As you gave me a shoulder massage at the sink-- What a small, lovely surprise. And then you grabbed my boobs and made a "wha-wha" noise. In an instant, I felt disgust and sadness and regret.

Entertainment Weekly, New & NotableNew York Post, Best Book of the Week By the author of the New York Times bestseller, Love Poems for Married People, and the Thurber Prize-winner Truth in Advertising comes a wry yet tenderhearted look at how one man's public fall from grace leads him back to his family, and back to the man he used to be.It's a story that Ted Grayson has reported time and time again in his job as a network TV anchor: the public downfall of those at the top. He just never imagined that it would happen to him. After his profanity-laced tirade is caught on camera, his reputation and career are destroyed, leaving him without a script for the first time in years.While American viewers may have loved and trusted Ted for decades, his family certainly didn't: His years of constant travel and his big-screen persona have frayed all of his important relationships. At the time of his meltdown, Ted is estranged from his wife, Claire, and his adult daughter, Franny, a writer for a popular website. Franny views her father's disgrace with curiosity and perhaps a bit of smug satisfaction, but when her boss suggests that she confront Ted in an interview, she has to decide whether to use his loss as her career gain. And for Ted, this may be a chance to take a hard look at what got him to this place, and to try to find his way back before it's too late. Talk to Me is a sharply observed, darkly funny, and ultimately warm story about a man who wakes up too late to the mess he's made of his life... and about our capacity for forgiveness and empathy.

Holy Christmas! Sandi is playing the part of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in the Christmas play, and boy, is she proud of that! You’ll remember that Sandi is sometimes a little self-absorbed, so playing the part of a humble daughter of God is a stretch. Emily Anne is very patient with Sandi’s self-proclaimed stardom, but Emily Anne winds up embracing a project to help a poor, pregnant sixth grader, which steals the spotlight from Sandi. Emily Anne, Mandy and Frieda come to the aid of a girl with a most unusual name, and Sandi forbids their involvement in such a low-life activity. Sandi wants to be the carrier of the amazing message of Christmas through the Christmas Play, but her efforts are outshined by the actions of Emily Anne, Mandy and Frieda. They are actually doing part of the message of Christmas, which is being willing to help others in need, even when you’re too busy with other things. Will Sandi change her tune and become a willing servant for God? I doubt it but read “The Christmas Play” to find out for yourself. Maybe this will become your story. Read on!

With school back in session and entering the fifth-grade, Emily Anne is very excited to be back in school and learning again. One big lesson she learns is to embrace people about whom she was previously unaware. As she learns to reach out to others, she suffers extreme resistance from Sandi, her best friend, causing a big controversy. Sandi doesn’t like Emily Anne’s choice of new friends and gives her an ultimatum, causing Emily Anne to question Sandi’s behav-ior. Experience Emily Anne’s journey through this often-confusing life as she learns how to live life more fully, em-bracing what it means to be a child of God. You’ll identify with her deeper thoughts, laugh with her, cry with her, and discover how to navigate through this life and even enjoy this wonderful world which God has given us, right where we are and on the other side of the tracks. Read this book and change your world! This book is written just for you.

Holy Christmas! Sandi is playing the part of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in the Christmas play, and boy, is she proud of that! You’ll remember that Sandi is sometimes a little self-absorbed, so playing the part of a humble daughter of God is a stretch. Emily Anne is very patient with Sandi’s self-proclaimed stardom, but Emily Anne winds up embracing a project to help a poor, pregnant sixth grader, which steals the spotlight from Sandi. Emily Anne, Mandy and Frieda come to the aid of a girl with a most unusual name, and Sandi forbids their involvement in such a low-life activity. Sandi wants to be the carrier of the amazing message of Christmas through the Christmas Play, but her efforts are outshined by the actions of Emily Anne, Mandy and Frieda. They are actually doing part of the message of Christmas, which is being willing to help others in need, even when you’re too busy with other things. Will Sandi change her tune and become a willing servant for God? I doubt it but read “The Christmas Play” to find out for yourself. Maybe this will become your story. Read on!

Entertainment Weekly, New & NotableNew York Post, Best Book of the Week By the author of the New York Times bestseller, Love Poems for Married People, and the Thurber Prize-winner Truth in Advertising comes a wry yet tenderhearted look at how one man's public fall from grace leads him back to his family, and back to the man he used to be.It's a story that Ted Grayson has reported time and time again in his job as a network TV anchor: the public downfall of those at the top. He just never imagined that it would happen to him. After his profanity-laced tirade is caught on camera, his reputation and career are destroyed, leaving him without a script for the first time in years.While American viewers may have loved and trusted Ted for decades, his family certainly didn't: His years of constant travel and his big-screen persona have frayed all of his important relationships. At the time of his meltdown, Ted is estranged from his wife, Claire, and his adult daughter, Franny, a writer for a popular website. Franny views her father's disgrace with curiosity and perhaps a bit of smug satisfaction, but when her boss suggests that she confront Ted in an interview, she has to decide whether to use his loss as her career gain. And for Ted, this may be a chance to take a hard look at what got him to this place, and to try to find his way back before it's too late. Talk to Me is a sharply observed, darkly funny, and ultimately warm story about a man who wakes up too late to the mess he's made of his life... and about our capacity for forgiveness and empathy.

School is out for the summer. Emmy Baxter is spending her summer at Grammy’s house, as she has for the last five years while her parents travel to France to an archaeological dig. They live in the city, so Emmy looks forward to spending her summer in her Grammy’s little, country town of Littleton. Emmy has become a good friend of Bren in Littleton, who is her age and very active. This story tells of the adventures of Emmy and Bren as they enjoy their summer hiking, fishing, talking and doing some things you might never expect. You’ll enjoy the journey Emmy experiences this summer of her tenth year. You’ll identify with her deeper thoughts, too. Laugh with Emmy, explore the flora and the fauna of the East Mountain, the Bamboo Forest, the blueberry fields and several rain storms as she discovers that rainbows are for real.

Emily Anne and her friends are getting ready to return to school after the Christmas vacation. Christmas is over, the Christmas play is history and Merry Robinson is now taking care of her new baby, Noellele, who was born on Christmas Day. However, the return to school is delayed by a huge blizzard which not only closes the city down, filling the streets with piles of snow, but causes the electricity to go out on the coldest day, plunging the city into darkness and cold. Emily Anne’s family and church pull together to rescue many people from the dangerous cold, giving them a place for shelter and heat. Emily Anne’s dad and some church men drag wood stoves through the driving snow to provide for heat. Emily Anne is disappointed that the restart of school is delayed, but her brother, Scotty, is loving huge snow piles to sled on. For Emily Anne, this is an example of people being willing to help others in need, even at danger to themselves. Read “The Longest Winter” to see what happens in a huge life storm to Emily Anne and her family. Read on!

Sandi is very disappointed in Emily Anne for trying to help the low-class student, Mandy, find the home-less student, Freida. Emily Anne is trying to be friends with the kids Sandi considers to be losers, and that makes Sandi angry! Sandi is always trying to protect Emily Anne’s and her reputation by being seen with the classier students in their school, but Emily Anne just wants to be a help to others, no matter their social status. Mandy needs to find the illusive Freida, the bridge girl, and Emily Anne wants to help her d0 that, but Sandi gets wrapped up in controversy, as always, and Emily Anne tries to help Sandi improve her behavior, leading her to a better way to live. Experience Emily Anne’s journey through this crazy bridge adventure as she learns to live life more honestly, embracing what it means to be a child of God. Identify with her, laugh and cry with her, as she learns to navigate life’s harder issues, trying to help everyone just get along and be happy. That’s just what Emily Anne always does. Read this amazing, life-changing adventure which was written just for you.

After a very long, hard winter, Emily Anne and her friends are really looking forward to spring with warm temperatures, sunny days and lots of flowers and green grass. Due to a Bible lesson taught by Pastor Ed about sheep and goats, Sandi decides to adopt the flower garden of Mrs. Wilson, which she and Emily Anne tend carefully. Well, at least Emily Anne does. Even though Sandi tries to do everything she can to become "a sheep," this story doesn't have a happy ending. In the midst of beautiful spring flowers, and many kindnesses and so much fun, some real darkness enters into Emily Anne's world. How will she deal with that darkness? Read the exciting Volume #8, "Spring Flowers," to see how she overcomes these trials of life. You will be suprised!!

In this book, you get to see and hear Emily Anne, a smart and sensitive tween, experience some of life’s adventures. Yes, life can be a little scary with all those voices clambering for your attention. Someone wants you to be stronger, taller, prettier and someone else pushes you aside because you’re in their way. But wait! You are a child of the Most High God. He is Who you should be trying to please.Emily Anne lives each day, trying to walk like Jesus asks her to, and although she has some disappointments, doubts and set-backs, with the encouragement and help of her family, her church and her friends, most of them, she shows us an effective way to make it through the difficulties and storms of life. You will love her tenacity, her self-examination and her special way of finding some joy and even peace as life rushes at her. Like her, you will find yourself immersed in the planning of the birthday party, filled with laughter in anticipating a party and the beginning of summer vacation. And like her, you may shed a few tears on your way to seeing that life is not always a party, but it can always be a lot of fun, even in the hard times. Enter into Emily Anne’s world and experience some wonder, some joy and life. We double-dog dare you.