A Chip Off the Old Black

Arthur Black's voice is unmistakable on the radio and on the page. His is the voice of reason, with a generous helping of funny; the voice that scolds us for our universal human quirks, but who says it with the tone and words that make us laugh out loud at ourselves and our neighbours. A Chip Off the Old Black, Black's latest collection of stories, will knock a sense of humour into any reader, boasting nearly a hundred tales featuring everything from yarnbombing to Bambi, from Black's love of the Farmer's Almanac to his loathing of snowmobiles and his . . . problem . . . with David Suzuki. With a talent for ranting, minus the malice, Black sticks up for the chocolate-covered marshmallow confection of New Zealand--the politically-incorrect Eskimo candies. Those inclined to kvetching--a Yiddish word describing the tendency to complain persistently about everything--may just reconsider after reading A Chip Off the Old Black. After all, as Black demonstrates, it's far more enjoyable to take the opportunity to laugh.