Bellingham by the Bay: Bits, Bites, Adventures in Radio and Real Life

By Bruce Bellingham

A prolific contributor to Herb Caen's San Francisco Chronicle column, Bruce Bellingham has collected his witcisms to present his first book of topical humor.San Francisco's favorite commentator and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1571780734
• ISBN13: 9781571780737
• Release Date: January 1998
• Publisher: Council Oaks Distribution
• Length: 379 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.3" x 1.3" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

Total pleasure

Small heafty book feels good in your hand and is a total pleasure to read. I kept reading "jokes" and "wisdoms" from the book to my husband and couldn't wait to read the next little chapter. I hated the book to end. What a wit Bruce Bellingham is!

great book for gift-giving or for yourself

WARNING: DO NOT BUY ONE COPY OF THIS BOOK! You will need at least two copies whether you buy it for yourself or for a gift. Don't think you can pick this up as a gift, browse through it to pick up the highlights and then pass it along, no, you're going to want your own copy. And if you do pick it up for yourself, you will undoubtedly add it to your Christmas gift list. It's a great book for anyone; they just have to have a sense of humor. What makes it a keepr, though, is Bellingham's jabs are as insightful as they are funny, his one-liners are as timeless as they are topical. His slice of life encounters with various celebrities give the reader a fun account of the media scene in everybody's favorite city by the Bay. I practically read this book in one sitting because I kept saying, "just one more chapter" (they're short). It's that kind of book, a pick up and read anywhere book, a great "airplane book", if you will. Check it out for chuckles.

It's a book that makes me laugh out loud.

"Bellingham by the Bay" is relaxing reading -- and entertaining. It's something I keep by the bed. I'm a retired English Lit teacher and when the world grows too serious, I keep returning to "Bellingham" for its good writing and witty, irreverent insights. At my age, laughter is a great elixir. Try it!

"Bellingham by the Bay" is staggeringly good.

I was overwhelmed by how engaging this book is. It is, indeed, staggeringly good -- the writing is casual and accessible but Bellingham maintains an endearing respect for both his subjects and his readers. I question why it is simply categorized "Humor." Though it drips with insurrmountable wit, it goes beyond being funny. It's a riveting memoir and passages, such as Bellingham's experience in the Bay Area earthquake of 1989 is downright excellent reporting. With all of the romance and literary history that come off the pages, I think a visit to San Francisco is in order this summer. I've bought several copies to donate to my high school library (Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest, New Jersey, where I teach English, Journalism and Film) as well as a number of branches of the local public library.

Clever and delightful

If there is ever going to be a successor to Herb Caen then it has to be Bruce Bellingham. With his own style he still managed to amuse and delight with life's foibles, word play, the wonderful eccentricity of San Francisco. I picked the book up out of pure speculation and am hooked! Highly recommended.