The Official
SHELLEY BERMAN Web Site

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Shelley has been writing (and teaching) poetry for many years.
To read some of Shelley's poems (and to hear Shelley recite them),
click on the links below:

           

Shelley is the author of three very popular and humorous books
which have gone into several printings. Below are notes from
the original dust jackets of Shelley's books
(originally published by Price/Stern/Sloan Publishers, Inc.):

CLEANS AND DIRTYS
First published in 1966

In "Cleans and Dirtys", Shelley Berman, one of our most brilliant comedy writers and performers, presents a revolutionary approach to understanding the American language. He has discovered that not only beauty, but semantic interpretations, are CLEANS and DIRTYS in the eye of the beholder and that some very innocent-looking words are not so innocent at all.

For example:

To Have a Party Is A CLEAN
To Have an Affair Is A DIRTY

Little Rock Is A CLEAN
Hot Springs Is A DIRTY

Tarzan Walking With Jane Is A CLEAN
Tarzan Swinging With Jane Is A DIRTY



A HOTEL IS A PLACE...
First published in 1972

If you travel at all, at some time or another you will probably stay in a hotel.

If so, you cannot help coming to the conclusion, as humorist Shelley Berman has, that hotels are curious and bizarre places. They are, in fact, sovereign territories - with their own languages, their own behavior patterns, their own definitions for comfort and service. Since hotels are "hotelish" - in fact, alien - how can an ordinary human describe a hotel in one sentence?

If he really thinks about it he'll simply say: "A hotel is a place..." and stop right there. But if he's Shelley Berman he'll say "A Hotel is a Place..." and sit down and write a hilarious satire.

Read excerpts from this book:  "Room Service"     "Little Soaps"


UP IN THE AIR with SHELLEY BERMAN
First published in 1986

Explore the inconveniences of the airways through the eyes of America's funniest victim! Comedian Shelley Berman reveals tactics to help every airline passenger stay UP IN THE AIR without getting down in the dumps.

Take a quick course in "plane" English as Shelley explains:

·   FABGAB (the fabricated language of airlines)

·   POOP (Perusal Of Other Passengers)

·   TAMs (Toy Airline Meals)

Then place your seatback and tray table in an upright position, extinguish all smoking materials and fasten your seat belt - you're about to take one uproarious ride!