Category Archives: Books

David Bruce: John Lyly’s MIDAS: A Retelling (FREE PDF)

*** SOME BOOKS BY DAVID BRUCE (Lots of FREE eBooks) RETELLINGS OF A CLASSIC WORK OF LITERATURE Do you know a language other than English? If you do, I give you permission to translate any or all of my retellings, … Continue reading

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John Lyly’s CAMPASPE: A Retelling (FREE PDF)

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David Bruce: The Funniest People in Families, Volume 3 — Weddings, Work

Weddings • Some early preachers knew exactly how to get paid well for officiating at a wedding. When the groom asked how much the officiating cost, the preacher would say, “I don’t make a charge, but I allow the groom to … Continue reading

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David Bruce: Create, Then Take a Break — Children

Children • In a 1967 interview with Mary Harrington Hall, Charles Schulz said that his children had given him a total of three lines that he had used in Peanuts, his comic strip. At dinner, Amy, his daughter, was talking quite … Continue reading

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David Bruce: CREATE, THEN TAKE A BREAK — Art and Artists, Audiences, Authors

Art and Artists • Peter Bruegel had two sons who also painted, and who acquired the nicknames Hell and Velvet. Peter the Younger painted a lot of devils, so he became known as Hell Bruegel, while Jan painted a lot of … Continue reading

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David Bruce: CREATE, THEN TAKE A BREAK — Alcohol, Animals, Art and Artists

Alcohol • In Austria, operatic tenor Leo Slezak sometimes heard musical societies play at dances for summer visitors. Often, as the night wore on and the band members became drunker and drunker, the music declined in quality. Once, he saw a … Continue reading

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David Bruce: Create, Then Take a Break — Actors and Acting, Alcohol

Actors and Acting • As a young actor, John Gielgud discussed his plans with Lilian Baylis, founder of the Old Vic. Anxious to impress, Mr. Gielgud, who had had a successful season at the Old Vic, told Ms. Baylis that he … Continue reading

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David Bruce: The Coolest People in Comedy — Wit, Work

From Bruce Anecdotes Wit • Groucho Marx, master of insults, once toasted a socialite in this way: “I drink to your charm, your beauty, and your brains — which will give you a rough idea of how hard up I am … Continue reading

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David Bruce: The Coolest People in Comedy — Travel

Travel • Americans can be incredibly ignorant about other countries. When he was a young man, comedian Lewis Black traveled throughout Europe, and unfortunately in France he was able to speak very little French. He asked about the location of a … Continue reading

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David Bruce: The Coolest People in Comedy — Television

Television • Ray Romano was happy when his TV sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond premiered. His wife, Anna, was in New York, and Ray was in Los Angeles. Ray decided to celebrate with a friend named Kevin James in Las Vegas, and … Continue reading

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