Good Days and Mad: A Hysterical Tour Behind the Scenes at Mad Magazine

From Publishers Weekly

DeBartolo, a longtime MAD contributor, has written not a history but a collection of often amusing anecdotes that are mostly of the sophisticated/juvenile bent that characterizes one of America's most admirable humor institutions. Magazine founder William Gaines (who died in 1992) emerges as the superstar: he calculated contracts in odd percentages, replied to letters with comments in the margins, organized a staff trip to Haiti to beg MAD's sole Haitian subscriber to renew, got stuck near the top of a climb up the torch of the Statue of Liberty and ordered enormous quantities of food at restaurants "for the table." DeBartolo also tells of his own efforts and exploits during his 30 MAD years. Interspersed throughout are numerous "forewords" from MAD contributors-Annie Gaines, Michael Gelman, Al Jaffee et al.

shanghaied into this project by the promise of front billing. Utter MADness. Illustrations.

Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --

From School Library Journal

YA?DeBartolo worked, played, and dined around the world with William Gaines, founder and publisher of Mad magazine. In 1961 when he received his first paycheck (attached to an acceptance letter written on cardboard for a satire he submitted to the magazine), he began his zany relationship with surely one of the cleverest men in publishing. The author entertains by sharing his and other peoples' fond memories and humorous insights into Gaines. Numerous photos and Mad illustrations accent the lively text, making this memoir hard to put down. This is a book that should appeal to anyone who enjoys the funny and Mad side of life.?Linda Diane Townsend, West Potomac High School, Fairfax County, VA

Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --

[from amazon.com]