Book Review and Giveaway: You Got to Be Kidding Me by Joe Wenke

Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this product, free of charge, from Media Muscle PR, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it.


you've got to be kidding cover

Last year I shared with you about a new book that was hilarious, irreverent, and a really great read, You've Got to be Kidding Me by Joe Wenke. I'm glad to be part of the paperback tour this year and share it with you again!


MOVE OVER BOOK OF MORMON,
HERE COMES THE BOOK OF JOE

Synopsis: When it comes to the Bible, author, satirist and cultural arsonist Dr. Joe Wenke has a lot of questions:
- Why did God turn Lot’s wife into a pillar of salt? 
- Were there no other seasonings available? 
- How come no one noticed that Samson’s hair grew back and he was super strong again? 
- Who lost Jesus’s baby book? 
- The story of the Devil tempting Jesus—did the Devil or Jesus report it? 
- And why does the Holy Spirit like to show up as a bird?

This book is his engaging, provocative and often hilarious investigation into the bestselling book of all time, the Bible. Written to “cause trouble” and provoke deeper thought during a time when religious fundamentalism is gaining strength around the world, Wenke, a marketing executive, former corporate speechwriter and keen observer of human gullibility, lures readers out of their mental closets and tempts them to more closely examine the stories they think they know about the Bible.

Using incendiary and cerebral humor Wenke follows a trail of talking angels, fratricidal siblings, divinely sanctioned massacres and surprised lepers from the Old to the New Testament pointing out the impossible, the illogical and the unrealistic. Among the stories laid bare, are:
  • Noah’s Ark: How big was that boat—and who cleaned up after the animals?
  • Jonah and the Whale: Just how does one survive being digested for three days?
  • The Three Wise Men: If they were so wise, why did they get lost?
  • Jesus, Miracle Worker: Where did Jesus learn how to perform miracles—at Hogwarts?

YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING! is a call for humor to restore our sanity and our ability to think for ourselves. Just as it was written in the Bible—or was it?

My earlier review:  You have to admit it- You've wondered about those questions above before, haven't you? Well, I think you should have-not all the books available were placed into the bible (hence, why the Jewish Torah is longer than the King Jame's bible), so we KNOW there is stuff that is just blank. Like Jesus' childhood. Was it boring? Common place? Did he get into so much trouble (oops, smote an ant hill again!), nobody wants to discuss his juvie record? See THAT type of thinking isn't so bad, right?

And how many of you as kids questioned why all the ANIMALS had to be killed in the great flood- what did THEY do to make God mad? We know what the people did! And wouldn't it make sense that the flying insects all survived by merely landing on the roof of the ark? There is a lot to be said for the questions that Wenke brings up.


Admittedly sometimes Wenke goes WAAAYY out there (and the language goes with it), but generally, you will be laughing yourself silly while reading this book! In fact, you may find yourself bookmarking a bunch of pages to discuss with your pastor, and friends, later!. I also don't recommend reading it all at one time- it can get a little heady at time with so many names and places! It's best read in chapters, thought about and discussed and then come back for more! And yes, some people would say it's the perfect 'bathroom book'!
So if you know somebody who can laugh at obvious questions, aka George Carlin, and isn't offended with humor aimed at the bible, you may have found THE book to give them this year!

About the Author: Dr. Joe Wenke was born the oldest of 11 children in a strict Catholic family in South Philadelphia and attended a long line of Catholic schools (AHA- he does know where of he speaks!), including the University of Notre Dame, where he received a B.A. in English. He received an M.A. in English from Penn State and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Connecticut. His next book will be PAPAL BULL: An Ex-Catholic Calls Out the Catholic Church.

Wenke began his career as an editor at the Foundation Center in New York City.  He was a speechwriter at Avnet for Tony Hamilton, the founder of the global electronics distribution industry, and wrote speeches for George Conrades, the head of IBM US. As a senior vice president at Caribiner International he served as the company’s lead communications strategist and head of global accounts. Wenke received a B.A. in English from the University of Notre Dame, an M.A. in English from Penn State and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Connecticut.  

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