A Second Time Around For A Humor Classic (NAPSA)—A book that was described as “wickedly funny— clever and iconoclastic” by Publisher’s Weekly when it wasfirst released in 1979 is being brought back to life. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Shel Silverstein’s groundbreaking adult humorcollection, HarperCollins Publishers and the Shel Silverstein Estate are releasing a gift-size edition of “Different Dances,” (October 2004; $29.95). Long out of print, the book takes readers on what’s described as a provocative, witty journey into the human condition. The stories in the collection focus on the absurdities of private obsessions, insecurities and neu- roses with the dark and edgy mature humorthat first launched Silverstein’s career as a popular cartoonist for Playboy magazine in 1956. Said Mark Bryant, Executive Editor, HarperCollins Publishers,“We hope his 21st century fans will read this volume and identify with the themes that still ring true 25 years after the book’sfirst publication.” In addition to Silverstein’s work as a cartoonist, he was a Grammy-winning/Oscar-nominated songwriter and playwright. He began his career as a draftee on the staff of Pacific Stars and Stripes in the 1950s, and from there, created work for Hugh Hefner at Playboy from the 1950s through the 1990s, and some original material was even published after his death in 1999. A collection of stories by song- writer, playwright, musician, poet and performer Shel Silverstein has been rereleased. He went on to write hundreds of songs, many covered by celebrated musicians, including Johnny Cash (“A Boy Named Sue”) and Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show (“Cover of the Rolling Stone”); recorded numerous albums, and in 2002, was elected to the Coun- try Music Songwriters Hall of Fame. He also wrote plays—more than 15 of which were produced— and with David Mamet, wrote the screenplay for the 1988 film “Things Change.” HarperCollins is considered one of the leading English-language publishers in the world and is a subsidiary of News Corporation. To learn more, visit the Web site at www.harpercollins.com.
