The four stories in "Patience" tells us that those we love deserve to be tolerated. "Aunt Ellie" tells the story of a borderline insane woman who does what she wants when she wants in the way that she wants, but still manages to show kindness. "Duke's 25th" is about a painfully funny memory of a dreadful Thanksgiving holiday. Jobhunting is a hilarious take on Keillor's search for his first writing job, and "You're not the Only One" shows that we all go through annoying moments in life and we should be grateful that it is not worse and that we are not alone in our struggles in this world. Four of Keillor's stories with good music in between; an excellent combination.

Keillor outdoes himself with this extra-long show. An artifact, a historical document, and a labor of love.

This is a great book, especially for kids. We've taken it camping, and it is great for singing around a campfire. The witty words and great tunes will keep you stiches!

Clarence Bunsen has bad (i.e. extremely funny) day, involving static, cramped hand and fear of death, ending with his leaping from a tree to frighten some children and restoring his equilibrium. Only GK could combine all those elements in one of the seasonal CDs from LW. "Me and Choir" is also excellent.

In the early-mid '80s, I never missed APHC. There's no denying that Keillor possesses two gifts: a rare sense of humor, and that marvellous voice that was destined for radio.

Unfortunately, with success came change; the same change that overcame Bill Cosby, turning his once-charming sitcom into a politically correct weekly lecture.

Likewise, Keillor apparently decided that with his fame and fortune came the obligation to make the world a better place by spreading the good news of liberalism. Hence his tiresome attacks against Reagan, Bush, et al. The sad thing is that before he was overcome by this sense of his own importance, he WAS making the world a better place - with gentle humor, good music, and good talk. If only he had retained enough modesty to leave it at that.

Garrison Keillor may be the plainest funny man in America, but he's also the funniest man in America.

You can't go wrong with this excellent compilation.

Garrison Keillor is nothing less than I genius. I listen to his stories while I clean my Northwoods cabins and they take me completely away from the fact that I'm making 33 beds and scrubbing kitchens and bathrooms. They whisk me to the lovely place known as Lake Wobegon and make me laugh out loud. I highly recommend this collection.

I love Prarie Home and Garrison, and this is a great collection. However, it is all music and Tales from Lake Wobegon - none of the other sketches or comedy routines I was hoping for. So, no complaints about what's on the four CDs - just complaints about what's not! I will try one of the other anniversary collections!

I like this collection of stories and songs. I like it because it's a great collection to listen to while you're in a car or on a bus, or plane. I highly recommend this to future Garrison Keillor fans.

This series was wonderful, especially when I listened to it during a cross country trip. It was peaceful and gave the trip even more meaning. Radio shows were before my time, this was a Godsend!

I like this book because it's fun to listen to. I also like the story of the Homecoming. It's cool. I highly recommend this to future fans.

The 4 cassettes are titled "Summer", "Fall", "Winter" and "Spring". All have very funny stories on them and are worth the listen many times over. But the absolute best of the 4 tapes, and the biggest reason anyone should buy this collection, is the "Fall" stories. "Fall" (which I also found listed separately, and have left a review there as well) contains the single funniest Lake Wobegon monologue, "Bruno the Fishing Dog." It also contains a funny take on Minnesota Thanksigivings, and a devastating 24-minute epic called The Royal Family, which I found to be well worth the trip.

To me, Keillor-on-paper vs. Keillor-live is apples and oranges - they should be judged separately. If you do want to hear him, buy this collection--and the collection called "Gospel Birds", also a classic--and you'll be set for some time.

This CD compilation 16 of the finest stories in the history of the famed, long-running radio show "A Prarie Home Companion". The stories come under four headings: "Faith", "Hope", "Love", and "Humor". Some of the best stories from this package include "Smokes", a brilliant story of a father's attempt at quitting smoking out of pure guilt. "Let us Pray" tells the story of Pastor Inquvist and the stir up he causes among his congregation. "A Trip to Grand Rapids" is about a weekend getaway gone horribly wrong. "Truckstop" is the painfully hilarious account of the events both before and after Florian Krebsbach accidentally leaves his wife Myrtle at a truckstop. "Homecoming" is the story of Karl Krebsbach and his nightmarish experience on the day of his daughter's High School homecoming. These and many other brilliant stories make an amazing array of the Lake Wobegon experience.

This revised, expanded edition of a Prairie Home Companion joke book gathers jokes from the first five joke shows and adds over 200 more jokes, making Garrison Keillor's Pretty Good Joke Book a fine gathering of puns, one-liners, and timeless classics. A fun guide for any fan of jokes.

Wonderful humor -- hundreds of good old jokes, the kind folks used to tell at bars and around office water coolers . . . a great part of the folk heritage of America, and just plain funny .... well told by Garrison Keillor & guests such as Paula Poundstone, Roy Blount, etc. . . . I bought the CD version which I'd recommend, since it's a more stable medium than cassette and this is a "keeper"

These jokes are hilarious and will keep you rolling for the length of the 2 CDs - and you *will* want to listen to them over and over again. You'll feel compelled to share the jokes with friends and co-workers - but you'll request they hear them from the source - as your joke-telling skills just won't match those of the master joke-tellers.

Nevermind the NPR Public Laughter Tapes - they are OK, but for real laughs, get the Pretty Good Jokes. You won't be disappointed!

Yes, the title speaks for itself. Collected here are good poems. Good, bland, middle-of-the-road conservative poems for people who like their poetry straighforward and unchallenging. I ordered this collection with great anticipation. I was sorely disappointed. Maybe it was the monotone droning of Keillor's readings (I bought the audio CD) punctuated by one female author's breathy renditions. Maybe it was all the God-themed poems included for good measure. If I'd done my homework on Keillor's radio show I might have known better. I want poetry to rock me and give me goosebumps, especially when it's spoken word. I never thought Bukowski, Moore, Bishop, Thomas, and their like would have their unique voices so efficiently muted. I gave this work three stars because, after all, it is full of good poems. If "good" is good enough for you, enjoy.

These kinds of major-press anthologies (especially when put together by a celebrity) tend to be worthless: either heartwarming sop (i.e. "Poems that have Inspired Me") or the same English-class warhorses trotted out again. So I thumbed through "Good Poems" and was surprised to find...good poems; a mix of the standards (Frost, Dickinson, Shakespeare), modern academics (Oliver, Simic), and poets who seldom appear in these kinds of anthologies (Carver, Ferlinghetti, Bukowski.) Well-selected, thoughtfully placed, and (thank God) fun to read, this collection is a real jewel; a perfect gift for someone who thinks they could never like poetry.

Even if the poetry was less than stellar, this book would be worth buying just for Keillor's introduction. Instead of gushing empty platitudes, he takes a hard look at what makes a poem good (as opposed to just technically proficient.) Anyone interested in writing poetry should do themselves a favor and read it (Personally, I'm thrilled that someone else thinks Elizabeth Bishop, Sylvia Plath, and Allen Ginsberg are overrated, though I have to admit T.S. Eliot is growing on me...)

this is a wonderful read of well-organized poetic gems. there's a poem to suit your every thought or mood, and it makes a great introduction to those poets with whom you may not be familiar. a great value, edited by one of the greatest storytellers of our time.

"WLT" offers an entertaining blend of humor and pathos, with a memorable cast of characters. The story chronicles the life of a Midwestern radio station from the early days of radio to the advent of television, which brought about radio's downfall. "WLT" is a marvelous period piece which transports the reader back to radio's golden age which, in many respects, was also America's golden age. I would highly recommend this book to any reader, as it undoubtedly ranks among Keillor's best.

I wish I could find more novels about the early days of radio. I just re-read WLT, actually read it aloud to my ten year old son. As good as the book is on the page, the prose sounds even better when read aloud. Keillor, like Charles Dickens, is really meant to be read out loud. The sentences flow very smoothly and each character has his own unique voice. It is also a fascinating look at the early days of broadcasting, a topic that does not seem to be covered very much in fiction.

Garrison Keillor is better known for his Lake Wobegon stories, adapted from his radio monologues. These are charming enough, but I've always preferred his stories about radio, such as those found in "Happy to Be Here" (e.g., "WLT, the Edgar Era," "The Tip-Top Club," etc.).

In "WLT: a Radio Romance," Keillor reworks some of these stories into a novel telling the story of two Minneapolis restaurant owners who start a radio station to promote their struggling business, and see it through from the mid-1920's to the dawn of television - the Golden Age of Radio. Alongside this are tales of others, including a boy from rural North Dakota whose fascination with radio draws him, without his even knowing it, toward a career in broadcasting.

By Keillor's standards, this is a somewhat raunchy book. There is lots of strong language (more than enough to make a Minnesota mom blush), and planty of sexual shenanigans. But there is still a sweetness and an innocence that you might expect from Keillor. And the book is so well written, it really pulls you in. Of all Keillor's books, this one is easily my favorite.