by David Thorne
Tarcher / Penguin, $14.95, 353 pages
If you forward funny emails to friends, you’ve most likely included material written by David Thorne, humorist, satirist, author, and evil online genius. The Internet is a Playground is a collection of correspondences and essays from Thorne’s website – www.27bslash6.com. With over four million visitors each month, Thorne’s material is easily dispersed in an age where digital media is quickly consumed. His humor is sarcastic, irreverent, clever, and entertaining. Throne used to post his musings on message boards to provoke comical responses. He was banned from a majority of the sites. Through his own site he is free to create without moderation, and people respond directly to him…which leads to pure comedic gold.
In one scenario, Thorne attempts to pay an overdue chiropractor’s bill by emailing a drawing of a 7-legged spider valued at $233.95, the same total as the bill. Read a series of 14 hilarious emails between Thorne and the office as he tries to convince the doctor to accept payment. At one point he asks if adding an 8th leg would help ‘up’ the value. Most of the book’s entries are harmless, though some contain mature language and ideas. The email exchanges are the best material in the book. You will laugh out loud, guaranteed.
Elizabeth Franklin