The Lighter Side of Yellow


Non-Fiction - Humor/Comedy
134 Pages
Reviewed on 08/30/2013
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Author Biography

Originally from the Boston, MA area, Bobby Bazoo has many years of experience working in the field of safety and security.

His public speaking is enjoyed on the corporate circuit by retailers, industry, and educational institutions. He gives humorous presentations on topics such as: safety/security in the workplace, nighttime driving, and transportation security.

When he's not writing about his adventures as a cab driver, Bobby investigates corporate fraud and spends some of his spare time enjoying classic cars and motorcycles.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Jean Hall for Readers' Favorite

Passengers in a yellow taxi can be a trip. Bobby Bazoo, in The Lighter Side Of Yellow, explores the dark and silly world of nighttime cab driving. The book has 27 chapters with short, pithy titles which highlight his experiences. He plays the radio as a soundtrack to the city landscape of skinny meth addicts and big-nosed cocaine snorters.

His cabbie passengers include the screaming shrew, the crying waitress, the cranky Kris Kringle, and the binging burger queen. There is also the flimsy, whimsy man on Halloween who believes he is Ginger Grant from television's Gilligan's Island. Bobby tries to guess who the man is with the long, sparkling gown. When Bobby's taxi pulls up for his next fare, time inevitably passes with the tick-tock tick-tock of the running meter. The book's title may refer to the 1960s anthem song "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" by Procol Harum. The song lyrics can mean that things are going to get weird, or that the drugs are kicking in. There are other '60s references with the quoted lyrics from The Doors song, "People Are Strange."

Things are bound to get strange in Bobby Bazoo's The Lighter Side Of Yellow. Freaky people may come out at night but Bobby does his best to treat them with friendliness and respect. The author is writing about his own life making ends meet by driving a cab. He thanks his family for encouraging him in his journey. The cab driver's life at night can be risky but it is definitely entertaining.

Greg I.

A fun, freaky, and utterly interesting ride!

Let me start my review by being brutally honest. I only read this because the name of the author was so different, I couldn't help but stop and take a look. Bobby Bazoo? How'd this poor guy ever make it through grade school with a name like that?!

All kidding aside, Mr. Bazoo is a heck of a storyteller and his fabulous little book kept me glued to my seat from page one. I have worked in a number of industries in the service sector, including the moving and storage business, and I know full well that the people you can and do meet on a regular basis, run the gamut from quiet and timid to raucous and rowdy and everything in between.

Those people are all on display in The Lighter Side of Yellow and they paint a picture of urban life that's at once terrifying, chuckle inducing, and poignant. I had no idea how dangerous it actually can be to be a taxi driver and, while the author tends to stick to kind, upbeat stories in his book, there is definitely an edge to it that lets the reader know that it's not all fun and games.

If you travel a lot and happen to take taxis on a regular basis, this book should definitely be required reading. I will readily admit that I've always been a little wary of taxi drivers, especially after living for five years in Peru and taking taxis on a regular basis. Down there, however, the situation was reversed as I was usually the sane, calm person while the taxi drivers were, without being too harsh,.....freaking nuts!

They are, however, just like me and you and definitely deserve respect, especially for having to deal with the kind of people they deal with on a regular basis. In any case, The Lighter Side of Yellow is an immensely fun read and I enjoyed it from start to finish. Highly recommended !!

NY Book Pundit

Bobby Bazoo’s ‘The Lighter Side of Yellow’ reminds me a lot of the best essays of David Sedaris. Bazoo’s book, however, has more. It is grittier, funnier, and you can completely relate with the stories—after all, who hasn’t experienced riding a taxicab?

‘The Lighter Side of Yellow’ puts you in the passenger seat of Bazoo’s taxi. Yes, like certain writers who “mined” their jobs for interesting stories to tell, Bazoo is actually a cab driver—a highly talented cab driver with a literary gift. While working the night shift, Bazoo took copious notes of the personalities he had the good fortune (or misfortune, depending on how you look at it) to ferry to their respective destinations.

Braving the risk of crime—often fatal, according to meticulously cited statistics—Bazoo plied the streets at night for years, and gathered a treasure trove of interesting stories to tell. Not all of his passengers are strange or weird; the other half are.

It’s fortunate that Bazoo can also write—and write so well. He has that intelligent kind of humor that is an utter pleasure to consume. His play on words is wry and hilarious, describing a passenger in her seventies as “spirited,” for example. Bazoo goes on to explain that by “spirited” he means “like a banshee or poltergeist.”

I chuckled at the humor the first time; I was laughing out loud after that.

Incidentally, you also pick up a morsel of wisdom here and there—Bazoo’s vignettes are actually lessons in customer service served in enjoyable form. You realize that often, improving customer relations could be achieved by the simplest of gestures: giving a piece of candy, perhaps, or a kind word, and the effect would be tremendously transformative.

I can’t recommend ‘The Lighter Side of Yellow’ enough. It is a highly entertaining read that brims with wisdom, cracks with humor, and delightfully enlightening. Five stars, no less !!

Samuel

A tremendously entertaining book, I must say. The thing is, really, none of us have no clue as to what these taxi drivers go through - especially the nighttime cabbies. Well, this book has delivered it all on a silver platter for us, with tons of humor. And for me, what makes it even more interesting and amusing is the fact that it is nonfiction, so I found myself picturing it all as if I were actually there in many of the incidents.

Great work by the author for delivering it in this most captivating way. Certainly a fun read.

Lance Beckford

This book is certainly one I had to tell my friends about. It's brilliant.

At one point, I started envying Bobby Bazoo for his life as a night-time cabbie. These hilarious stories had me cracking up on every page, and I couldn't wait to see what came next.

The book is plain fun to read and I know I am going to give it a second look. The author has otherwise put it together perfectly so the stories stood out, I loved it.

I recommend this book to everyone looking for a good hilarious book.

Paula Gripp

Fun, fun, fun! This book gave me plenty of smiles and laughs. The author, Bobby Bazoo is an excellent story teller and the book is very cleverly written.

Don't let the chapter titles fool you. Bazoo put time and effort into them and it shows. I especially loved the chapter about the passenger who reminded him of a Whack A Mole arcade game. The author's clever use of words and wit put you right in the middle of all the action.

I take the train to and from work and it only took me several days to read this little gem of a book. It helped me to pass the time and in the most enjoyable way!

I am sure I'll read it again, but I can only hope this is one in a series? Please, Bobby - I want more!

It is a fun, entertaining book from start to finish. I recommend to all.

If you don't like intelligent wit or humor, then don't read this book.

Deanna Ortiz

What a fun book! This is the kind of book you can read going to or from work and pass the time. But only in the best way!

The chapters had intelligent titles and I loved the way the author interacted with his passengers. Most cab drivers don't seem to be very social and Bobby seemed to make the effort to make someone's day a little better.

I will probably read it again and refer back to the funniest chapters. I still can't decide which one!

James Scarpini

This book was a LOT of fun! I couldn't put it down and stayed up late one night and read the entire book in one sitting!

The book has very pithy chapter titles. They relate to the story lines, but often you don't know how until the very end of the chapter, which I thought was extremely clever.

The author is a humorist and it shows. The book is very well written and his humor is very subtle and cerebral, like a true humorist would be.

Each chapter is a different experience with different passengers, and the interaction between Bobby Bazoo and his customers is not only enlightening, but often hilarious!

Overall, it is light, easy, and FUN reading. As the author points out in the introduction, it is a great book to read on your way to work. For example, sitting on a train, bus, or even while traveling on a plane, I am sure. It would be a great way to pass the time.

I will definitely read through it again, as it was always provided me with either laughs and smiles, which is what the author wanted to do.

I give the book 5 stars and recommend it to anyone! Suitable for all ages! Loved it!

Laurie Russell

I bought Bobby Bazoo's book after hearing my daughter talk about it. I have to say, I thoroughly ENJOYED it!

Bazoo's humor is subtle, sometimes off-beat, creative, but often cerebral. You will find that he is very patient with the vast number of quirks and oddities that he had to deal with. I never had any idea what cabbies put up with.

In short, the book is cleverly written, and often times embarrassingly funny. I read some of it in public and got strange looks from people, wondering what the heck I was reading. The only regret I have is that I'm running out of pages as I am approaching the end of the book!

Laughing-out-loud FUN !! Please, Bobby Bazoo, give us MORE!

Christine Pierce

I loved this book!

It was witty, light, cheerful and absolutely adorable! It's a pretty
quick read and easy on the eyes. Even if you've never ridden in a taxi, it would still be enjoyable. I also liked the way he (the author) didn't use any foul language, but still managed to keep it light and funny. The author seems to be very down-to-earth and surprisingly easy to relate to.

I think this book would make an excellent gift and plan on buying it for my sister.

rick p.

This book was a LOT of fun! I couldn't put it down and stayed up late one night and read the entire book in one sitting!

The book has very smart chapter titles. They relate to the story lines, but often you don't know how until the very end of the chapter, which I thought was extremely clever.

The author is a humorist and it shows. The book is very well written and his humor is very subtle and cerebral, like a true humorist would be.

Each chapter is a different experience with different passengers, and the interaction between Bobby Bazoo and his customers is not only enlightening, but often hilarious!

Overall, it is light, easy, and FUN reading. As the author points out in the introduction, it is a great book to read on your way to work. For example, sitting on a train, bus, or even while traveling on a plane, I am sure. It would be a great way to pass the time.

I will definitely read through it again, as it was always provided me with either laughs and smiles, which is what the author wanted to do.

I give the book 5 stars and recommend it to anyone! Suitable for all ages! Loved it!

Laurie Russell

I bought Bobby Bazoo's book after hearing my daughter talk about it. I have to say, I thoroughly ENJOYED it!

Bazoo's humor is subtle, sometimes off-beat, creative, but often cerebral. You will find that he is very patient with the vast number of quirks and oddities that he had to deal with. I never had any idea what cabbies put up with.

In short, the book is cleverly written, and often times embarrassingly funny. I read some of it in public and got strange looks from people, wondering what the heck I was reading. The only regret I have is that I'm running out of pages as I am approaching the end of the book!

Laughing-out-loud FUN !! Please, Bobby Bazoo, give us MORE!

Stephen W

I feel like I need to mention the witty and insightful writing, because the author Bobby Bazoo nearly killed me with some of the humor in this book. And, he managed to keep me engaged until the last chapter. I felt like I was sitting in the passenger seat during each adventure. Oh, my stars! All five of them.

christine pierce

I loved this book!

It was witty, light, cheerful and absolutely adorable! It's a pretty quick read and easy on the eyes. Even if you've never ridden in a taxi, it would still be enjoyable. I also liked the way he (the author) didn't use any foul language, but still managed to keep it light and funny. The author seems to be very down-to-earth and surprisingly easy to relate to.

I think this book would make an excellent gift and plan on buying it for my sister.

Allison S

This book is both fun and funny. I bought it online and randomly started skimming through it. I ended up reading passages out loud to my husband everywhere we went. I bought it and when I was done reading it I was a little sad, because i wanted more!

The book is honest, engaging, light hearted, and sometimes hilarious. After reading this book, I'm sure I will read anything this author writes in the future. Very clever and witty. It is quick and easy reading, and I recommend it to anyone. Especially if you're curious about some of the zany passengers who ride in a taxi.

Evelyn Martinez

This book made me giggle with happiness because it was so fun to read!

All giggles aside though, it is a well written and thorough book. I appreciate that you can tell the author wanted it to be fun for people to read, but not in a way that made it a joke or a gimmick. I also really liked the author's note explaining how he came about the idea for writing this book. I really enjoyed it and I hope he continues his writing.

I am looking forward to the next one!

Deena Fleming

Witty and well-written, Bobby Bazoo's book resonates with the quirky part of everyone's psyche. I loved every minute of it. I literally couldn't put it down. I finished reading it in 4 hours! If you want to know more about the humorous side of taxi driving, this book is an absolute must-read. Read it!

debbie thomas

Really enjoyed this book, great read. Glad I took the risk and tried a new author.

I really enjoyed all the stories and all the interaction between the characters and Mr. Bazoo. I thought the ending was perfect! Read it.

I'll be checking out his other books as well.

Randy Marshall

Hilarious from the get-go. The first chapter had me hooked! It's witty, bold, not done in poor taste at all, and a good glimpse into a cab driver's daily (or nightly) life.

vince ingram

I'd never read anything by Bazoo before, nor heard of him. So, it was with some trepidation that I picked up this book. I am so glad I did! It's funny, insightful, and occasionally thought-provoking. I fell in love with all of the strange, wonderful characters in this book. Bazoo has a knack for making the different passengers three-dimensional, and you'll find yourself giggling, laughing, or crying right along with them. One of the more "human" books I've read, and one of those uncommon gems that makes you never want to get to the last page. Wonderful!