I've got to agree with the extensive review by 'happines' on this book. The one thing I have to add is that this is a book of balance for one's soul. If too much of anything is bad for you, then sometimes we just need a dose of the opposite: sour for sweet, dark for light, iguanas for puppy dogs.

I have the (mis?)fortune of being a Chicken Soup author, which means that my syrupy prose has been published and made me some money. It also means that my shelves are stickily spread with saccharine story-books. Chicken Poop helps to provide some necessary balance to my life and my bookshelves.

Though the stories do get a bit repetitive and are not always as funny as you'd like, it's still a good read.

Everyone has definitely heard of the famous ‘Chicken Soup for the soul’ series of books. Well if you are in the mood for some hilarious, lighter reading say hello to the parody of that series with this book titled ‘Chicken Poop for the soul’ by David Fischer. Chicken Poop is a collection of stories that spoofs the Chicken soup series of books, right from the title of the stories to the actual senti-content.

You know how it feels when you read emotional stuff like ‘Tuesdays with Morrie’, ‘Chicken soup for the soul’etc. That’s right, you feel very emotionally drained and not to mention completely taxed out. In those circumstances, I would highly recommend reading some laugh-out-loud stuff like this one.

In these stories get ready for:-
· The experiences of a teacher who answers any student’s queries with her polite teacherly answer, “Over my dead body”
· Read the multimillion Governments study undertaken to find the biggest cause of anxiety in Americans was narrowed down to-Government studies.
· A man who takes the road less traveled (so often advised in the self-help books) only to realize that the road is pothole-ridden and there is simply no petrol outlet for miles on that less taken road.
· The persistence and positive thoughts of a lover while stalking the woman of his dreams in ‘The True Meaning of Love’.

This book is filled with all the life experiences that no one will ever tell you about. While chicken soup for the soul had inspiring and uplifting stories, this book is filled with rib tickling stories told in dark humor style, all served sunny side up. Both chicken soup as well as chicken poop will make you cry, the difference being that in the latter book you will be crying tears of laughter.

Most of the stories are extremely funny and start off in the typical sentimental story style. ‘The old house’ will make you ROFL as you read the remembrances of a young man about the house in which he grew up. I totally liked the warped sense of humor in the story as he fondly remembers the skid marks on the floor where the kids pushed old granny on the wheelchair down the staircase, the writings on the wall which were his sister’s letters to the devil and finally the basement of the house where many a pet had died an untimely death.

Another favorite of mine was, ‘My father’ about a boy reminiscing about his father (who was more of a fruitcake and less of a father) that will leave you in tears from laughing off course.
‘I’ll never forget the day of my ninth birthday. Dad was driving and I was next to him in the passenger seat. Suddenly he screamed, ’’Think fast!’’ and leaped right out of the car. I had to learn how to drive right there on the spot. But as long as I live, I’ll never forget that broad, proud smile on his face when I pulled that old car up the driveway. That was my old man.’

The cover of the book can only be so funny in advocating to us the virtues of the stories within the book. The cover warns you to prepare yourself for a collection of stories guaranteed to harden your heart and dampen your spirits. And oh boy, Chicken poop does live up to its promises. It is said that we need to laugh at least 10 times in a day. Going by those standards at the end of the book, I was sure that I did have more than the required laughter dose for the day. :-) ( )