Bizarreville Campfire Stories — Robert Thomas

Like to be scared? Bizarreville Campfire Stories is an outrageous collection of 36 amusing little fables that, in the rich tradition of the hair-raising tales told around blazing timbers, could terrify even the most hardened taxpaying citizen out of his or her thick skin. This is the lore of Bizarreville, a mystical spot of odd, whacky, whimsical inhabitants who seem strangely familiar. Jump aboard the Warpenator time machine carting Karl Marx to the 21st century to help ignite a new socialism movement. Sympathize with a poor tax-and-spendaholic struggling to deal with his debilitating condition. See what happens when a small country renowned for its production of goat cheese forces industry to take the stink out of cheese, and goes bankrupt. Watch the demise of Customer Service, replaced with an ingenious low-touch marketing concept that hair dryer makers had already perfected. Feel the internal struggles of a poor donkey who thinks he is a gazelle, albeit a husky one. Track the growth of War Inc, as they convince country after country to outsource their war business to seasoned pros, but are unexpectedly ambushed by a war discounter. Meet Fred Ponzi who has finally gotten sick and tired of the scheme jokes besmirching his name, and decides to turn the tables. Imagine when the war on obesity becomes literal, and the ding-dongs start flying. There is so much more. When the campfire burns its last ember and the final story has been read, while you are shivering in your sleeping bag, you will be thankful that you do not live in a place as scary and crazy as Bizarreville. Or do you?