Growing up in The Bronx in the ’50s, Monica Piper always had questions come Christmastime. “Why don’t we have a tree?” she’d ask her parents. “We’re Jewish,” they replied. “Be happy we have a piano!” Nevertheless, the comedy writer recalls, ﷽by Christmas morning, there’d be a pile of presents . . . under the piano.
Such is the life of someone who considers herself “Not That Jewish,” also the title of Piper’s autobiographical, one-woman show at off-Broadway’s New World Stages. Born May Lee Davis — she renamed herself after the neon sign at California’s Santa Monica Pier, adding a “p” — she’s written for TV shows as vaꦿried as “Roseanne” and “Rugrats.”
Here are four books that help🦂 her embrace that Christmas and Hanukkah spirit:
What’s funnier than a story set in rural Alabama during the Depression? But this actually is fun, a beautiful story of an oddball relationship, like a chil𝄹d’s version of “Harold and Maude.” Buddy and Sook are kindred spirits, and even a marathon session of making fruitcakes together becomes a beautiful adventure.
I saw the movie before I ꦉread the book, and while I enjoyed the film, I wanted to go deeper. I love anything madcap, and De𒈔nnis’ Auntie Mame is one of the great characters in literature. She’s unflappable in her determination to live life to its fullest, even if she has to borrow money to pay the bills. Her optimism feels so American!
I love David Sedaris, and these stories are delicious. One of them, “The Santaland Diaries,” chronicles his time as an elf at Macy’s𒀰, including the hazard♏s of interelf relationships — they can’t date! His work is dark and playful, an irresistible combination.
Steve’s a friend of mine, but even if he wasn’t, I’d have adored this book anyway. It’s basically a memoir of his 30 years on the road as a comic, but it also deals with his unhappy childhood and struggles. I was reading this at Starbucks, and I laughed so hard, I scared the s–t out of the people sitting next to me. If you can laugh at the dark side, you’re gonna be OK.