I have finally found a suggestion to share with friends who need gift ideas for the men in their lives. When socks, ties, aftershave, golfing gear and watches are exhausted as possibilities (they’ve all been given far too many times), what is there left to give? I’m Not Crazy, But I Might Be A Carrier is going to be my new suggestion to women everywhere trying to find an appropriate gift.

Charles Marshall is an experienced Christian comedian offering up his witty, clean brand of humour in person across the country as a stand-up comedian for hire. He specializes in corporate events, church functions and conferences – any event that requires family friendly entertainment. His work is now available in print with I’m Not Crazy representing his first humour title. Marshall will appeal to a wide array of individuals, not only men – I found him quite entertaining myself.

I’m Not Crazy is a slender volume with 146 pages divided into 40 short vignettes, each between two to four pages in length. The book lends itself well to bathroom reading; you only have a few minutes, open the book randomly to any section, dig in and have a chuckle within a minute or two. Of course, the bathroom shelf isn’t the only place to set this title - the coffee table, nightstand, handbag, and vehicle also lend themselves well to the short segments Marshall has presented.

Drawing upon everyday life experiences Marshall covers a broad range of topics: food, marriage, children, teeth, dogs, alien abduction – like I said, the common stuff of life. Using a keen eye for the humorous in any material, he tickles our funny bones effortlessly. It is hard to get a good laugh out of me – comedy films and most humour titles stir a grin or two, but rarely do they elicit laughter. Marshall had me laughing out loud with tears running down my face – he’s that good.

Tied into Marshall’s witty sketches we find insights, reflections and advice that well from his own walk in faith with God. While the transitions aren’t always smooth -- it’s difficult to go from laughing about imaginary alien abduction scenarios to the Gospel -- his insights are full of warmth. In nearly every sketch the reader can draw an imaginary line between the humourous and the inspirational. These brief discussions of God’s goodness aren’t extensive enough to render this title worthy of reading as a devotional, but are good reminders. Christian readers will nod and smile as they recall God’s deep love for His creation, and most notably His children.

Marshall’s writing is clear, crisp and free of extraneous verbiage. He communicates his message succinctly, a talent likely developed from his years of delivering tight comedic performances. For a man who works with the spoken word, he is surprisingly at home in the written medium as well, having authored his first non-fiction title, Shattering The Glass Slipper, in 2003.

It can be a real relief to just kick back, relax, and have a good laugh. Thankfully Charles Marshall can help us achieve that goal in short order. Everyone will be able to find something they can relate to in I’m Not Crazy, and Marshall will have them laughing about it. Let's hope he finds new material and writes another book.