Rating: 
Summary: You don't have to be Jewish......
Review: ......or have a Jewish mom to enjoy this entertaining, clever and laugh-out-loud account of Amy's life as told through the messages on her answering machine! One might wonder what Amy's mom would have done before the days when we HAD answering machines.....no worries for her - she would have INVENTED one!
A real treat for yourself, your sister, mom , girlfriend or anyone in need of a good laugh! (not that you'd laugh so hard you'd hurt yourself or anything......!!)
Rating:
Summary: FUNNY & ENTERTAINING!
Review: After a long day of work, you come home and see that the light on your answering machine is flashing. You feel that little twitch of excitement. Could it be someone calling to offer you your dream job? Could it be the man of your dreams, finally calling to ask you out?Nope. It?s Mom. She?s calling because she?s heard it?s going to be cold overnight, so she wanted to remind you to close your bedroom window -- and maybe put an extra blanket on your bed. And it might be a good idea to wear your flannel pajamas. You never can be too safe, you know. We?ve all gotten the calls -- but only Amy Borkowsky has saved them all. Yes, that?s right. You can buy a CD of all the strange answering machine messages Amy?s gotten from her mom. She?s also compiled them into a book, filled with her mom?s messages, Amy?s commentary, and even the occasional cartoon. I got a good laugh out of Amy?s Answering Machine because I can relate. Every once in a while, I get those messages. But, then again, I think I loved this book even more because my mom?s not nearly as psychotically overprotective as Amy?s mom. I?m quite sure my mom has never called to remind me to empty my bladder before going to the DMV. And she never once tried to set me up with an Italian millionaire bachelor featured on The Maury Povich Show. Amy?s mom, however, has. A small book, Amy?s Answering Machine is a super-quick read. It?s one of those books that you can pick up for a minute while you?re waiting for dinner to come out of the oven -- or on the train. And it?ll remind you that it could be worse. Your mother could call you just to remind you to eat.
Rating:
Summary: Kinda like my mom -- only worse
Review: After a long day of work, you come home and see that the light on your answering machine is flashing. You feel that little twitch of excitement. Could it be someone calling to offer you your dream job? Could it be the man of your dreams, finally calling to ask you out? Nope. It's Mom. She's calling because she's heard it's going to be cold overnight, so she wanted to remind you to close your bedroom window -- and maybe put an extra blanket on your bed. And it might be a good idea to wear your flannel pajamas. You never can be too safe, you know. We've all gotten the calls -- but only Amy Borkowsky has saved them all. Yes, that's right. You can buy a CD of all the strange answering machine messages Amy's gotten from her mom. She's also compiled them into a book, filled with her mom's messages, Amy's commentary, and even the occasional cartoon. I got a good laugh out of Amy's Answering Machine because I can relate. Every once in a while, I get those messages. But, then again, I think I loved this book even more because my mom's not nearly as psychotically overprotective as Amy's mom. I'm quite sure my mom has never called to remind me to empty my bladder before going to the DMV. And she never once tried to set me up with an Italian millionaire bachelor featured on The Maury Povich Show. Amy's mom, however, has. A small book, Amy's Answering Machine is a super-quick read. It's one of those books that you can pick up for a minute while you're waiting for dinner to come out of the oven -- or on the train. And it'll remind you that it could be worse. Your mother could call you just to remind you to eat.
Rating:
Summary: Message from a reader
Review: Amy Borkowsky recently was a guest on NPR Morning Edition, where she discussed the origins of this book and they played excerpts of some of Amy's Mom's wonderful words of wisdom. It was so funny I almost drove off the road because I was laughing so hard! I just had to have this book!
I looked high and low--checked all my local bookstores, but no one had it in stock. Finally, Amazon.com to the rescue, I got my hands on a copy.
It was a great read. Amy's commentary between the messages helps to convince the reader that Amy loves her mom, and adds a nice counterpoint and balance to the book.
This book (supposedly) is also available with an cd so you can actually HEAR the messages for yourself. Now, I wasn't able to find that edition of the book, but trust me, if you can find it, it is worth it! Since I had already heard Amy's mom on NPR, I read the book superimposing her voice in my head as I as I read the messages, which made it WAY funnier. I'm passing this book around to all my friends, it's a lot of fun!
Rating:
Summary: Calling all Moms (or Moms calling us)
Review: Amy Borkowsky recently was a guest on NPR Morning Edition, where she discussed the origins of this book and they played excerpts of some of Amy's Mom's wonderful words of wisdom. It was so funny I almost drove off the road because I was laughing so hard! I just had to have this book!
I looked high and low--checked all my local bookstores, but no one had it in stock. Finally, Amazon.com to the rescue, I got my hands on a copy.
It was a great read. Amy's commentary between the messages helps to convince the reader that Amy loves her mom, and adds a nice counterpoint and balance to the book.
This book (supposedly) is also available with an cd so you can actually HEAR the messages for yourself. Now, I wasn't able to find that edition of the book, but trust me, if you can find it, it is worth it! Since I had already heard Amy's mom on NPR, I read the book superimposing her voice in my head as I as I read the messages, which made it WAY funnier. I'm passing this book around to all my friends, it's a lot of fun!
Rating: 
Summary: The book is good, the CD is better
Review: Anyone who has heard Amy Borowsky talk about her mother and her messages knows how funny those messages are. This is a very funny book, but something is lost in the transition to the written word. This book contains some of the funniest messages Amy's mom has left...but anyone who has heard the CD, or even snippets of the CD may be disappointed. The missing ingredient is her mother's voice, the tone and phrasing and concern in each message, the sincere and unselfconscious way Amy's mom imparts her advice and care.You can laugh yourself silly listening to that CD. The book is funny, the messages about the red bathrobe, the single Jewish guy in Alaska, underwire bras and metal detector at the airport, and the Jewish rye with suspicious origins. You can't help but laugh. There is a very witty dialogue in the book as Amy moves from catagory to catagory, "Why a mother is better than a guy", "If I still lived with my mother she would dress me", and "What's wrong with this bachelor?". It is funny and tender and insightful. A good book to give to a friend dealing with a mother giving regular ovary alerts. Better yet, buy the CD and give them both. (Amy's mom, I'm sorry I didn't give it five stars. Please don't call).
Rating:
Summary: Hilarious!
Review: For every woman and her mother, or anyone that knows anyone that has a mother! This is a hilarious, real-life account of a loving, over-protective, unintentionally hilarious Jewish mom and her lengthy, insightful and sometimes bizarre answering machine messages that she leaves for her daughter. Most people couldn't invent anecdotes this entertaining. Laugh out-loud funny, this is a wonderful gift for almost anyone. My sister, my mom and my grandmother and have lent it to almost everyone I know. It's a smash favorite!
Rating:
Summary: FUNNY & ENTERTAINING!
Review: I picked up this book and was pleasantly surprised. After finally tracking down both CDs on the sendamy.com site, I was expecting that the book would just be transcripts (which could be funny enough, trust me), but it had lots of added material. I think I counted thirteen messages that I didn't remember
hearing on either of the discs. The book does have most of the messages from the first album, but in addition to the extra messages, it has some very entertaining text, such as Amy's take on her mother's ultra-extreme messages and some
cartoons with captions that are good for yet another laugh. The book also has side columns with some funny/witty/ironic observations about the various ways
your mother can drive you crazy, all of which will have you nodding in recognition between the genuine belly laughs, if your mom is anything like Amy's in terms of the compulsive worrying, calling, advising, etc. The book did feel like a really quick read, maybe a little too quick (not a thick book and there are pictures) but it could be partly because it was so much fun, and you know what they say about time flying. I still think that whether you've heard the CDs or not, the book is good for lots of laughs and some sharp, hilarious insights about the person who carried you for nine months and then spends several more decades simultaneously loving and annoying you.
Rating: 
Summary: I need to get the CD...
Review: I thought this book was just OK. It really wasn't the 'laugh-out-loud' book I was expecting. I definitely think the CD would be a million times better. I just didn't think her little comments after each message were very funny. Maybe for a stand-up act...but not when your reading it. I think Amy's Answering Machine is something that needs to be heard...not read.
Rating:
Summary: For some strange reason... I loved it!
Review: I'm not Jewish, a daughter nor do I have a mother, yet somehow I could relate. The book is a great companion to the CD. Although actually hearing Amy's mother kvetch is the, 'schmere on the bagel!' Oy! Maybe I am Jewish!
|
