Quickies: (Don't You Just Love Quickies)

by Don P. Marquess

Overview

“These short (very short) stories by Don P. Marquess, I would term “Thurberesque” being very reminiscent of James Thurber. I have used Don’s photos on the covers of 5 of my books, now he is entering into competition with me. He writes just as he speaks, and his writings are all true. Each one caused a big fat grin from me, and a few of them a giant belly laugh” - Rich Wolfe, writer of 50+ Sports related books

“When the ordinary isn’t. Just walking through a hotel lobby and passing Henry Mancini, or sitting at a table directly next to Burt Reynolds, or telling stories from Jack Buck (Hall of Fame broadcaster), or the piccolo player from the St. Louis Symphony, Don Marquess captures in a few pages terrific, funny, human and humane stories from his first 80 years. No villains, no politics, just true life experiences that provide us a smile and life philosophies. A delight to read and enjoy." -David I. Berland, MD.

“Don Marquess has a special and very unique eye for seeing humor in everyday life situations. His sense of irony and timing is fully realized with his true life twists and pranks that result in very interesting stories. Don’s memory in these comedic anecdotes is flawless." - Jan Gippo...Master Piccoloist and writer for “Flute Talk”

“I LOVE IT! It is funny and truly captures my father, Jack Buck. It is so sweet. It brought him back for me for the day. Love that”. Joe Buck, Premium Sportscaster, forthcoming host of “Jeopardy”.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781664174955
Publisher:	Xlibris US
Publication date:	05/14/2021
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	1,088,584
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.44(d)

Editorial Reviews

With so much heartache, drama, and horrors filling our world on a day-to-day basis, it is easy to forget sometimes to just take small moments to find the joy and humor in life. Humor can be a great tool, not just in a writing or entertainment profession, but in everyday life as well. Being able to find humor not only fills our hearts with warmth, but allows us to really absorb life's lessons. As Hugh Sidney once said, "A sense of humor…is needed armor. Joy in one's heart and some laughter on one's lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life."

In author Don P. Marquess's Quickies: Don't You Just Love Quickies?, the author uses humor and wit to explore everyday life and memories over the course of his life. From pranks involving old grave stones in his youth to he and his wife's attempt at becoming private investigators, bowling nights gone wrong and even his longtime friendship with legendary sportscaster Jack Buck and the memories they shared together, the author uses his unique charm and humor to bring a lifetime of memories to life.

A truly brilliant read, the author does a great job of infusing truth and realness into the overall humor of the memoir. Each story is short, yet packs a punch as the author manages to make himself relatable and the stories themselves pretty grand. Yet the stories are lined not just with humor, but with real-life memories and lessons that so many of us learn throughout our life's journeys. The first story of Jack Buck in particular includes some of life's more somber moments, from diagnosing many ailments to witnessing a nationwide and worldwide tragedy unfolding, and yet the stories take these moments and showcase how humor and the bonds we form with one another can overcome those darker moments in life.

This is the perfect read for those who enjoy memoirs, especially those which infuse those memories and moments in a memoir with humor, wit, charm, and brilliant storytelling that makes these very real moments feel like a perfect narrative. As a fan of memoirs, it was fascinating to see the author's expertise and skill turn his own life and journey into a vivid memoir, taking on elements of imagery which brought these incredible moments to life.

A funny, charming, and engaging memoir, author Don P. Marquess's Quickies is a must-read book. The remarkable way the author makes the reader feel connected to his life and the people he was fortunate to have in it, from his beloved family to celebrities like Jack Buck and Burt Reynolds, really created a welcoming atmosphere and tone in the narrative, taking readers on a new journey of their own.

Pacific Book Review - Anthony Avina

"She looked down, saw the slices in a pile on the floor, and started laughing so hard that she had to excuse herself to change her dress."

Actor Edmund Gwenn is often credited with the deathbed quotation, "Dying is easy, Comedy is hard." It's even harder to pull off in print when one doesn't have timing, voice, or the perfect facial expression to deliver the punchline. But author Marquess forges ahead anyway in this collection of remembrances. He assures readers that nothing is made up and that nothing is made up and that each "quickie" is distilled from his eighty years on this planet.

For example, there's the story of famous baseball broadcasters Jack Buck and Harry Caray involuntarily cracking up on air over one of Harry's outrageous gaffes. There's a prank involving a stolen headstone and a grave turning up in a neighbor's yard. There is singing in sign language on a train, wrapping a live lobster as a Christmas gift, rolling a bowling ball down a city street and into a busy intersection, and more. Other humorous anecdotes include watching the famous Duck Parade in the lobby of the Peabody Hotel in Memphis with excessively wet pants, paying for three different hotel rooms in one night in Mexico, showering a movie audience with popcorn, making Burt Reynolds laugh, and tricking Henry Mancini into thinking his heartfelt conversation is with an old acquaintance when it's really with a man he's never met in his life.

Marquess' prose is conversational. and his fondness for storytelling is obvious. There's a human quality about his tales reminiscent of the Philadelphia newspaper columns of Pete Dexter or those of Chicago's Mike Royko. Of course, as a diehard St. Louis Cardinals fan, he might not appreciate that latter comparison. But chances are he'd object only in a comical way. Those not averse to having their funny bones tickled will likely enjoy these quirky tales.

US Review of Books - Joe Kilgore