Humor in this book gets started on its cover. Its title reads, "The Best 100 Cro nicas (Which Are, in truth, 129)." Not many people can pen stories as comically as Mario Prata. Born in Uberaba, Minas Gerais, he lived in Sa o Paulo for 30 years before moving to Floriano polis, where he has been living for nearly 10 years. He has written extensively for the theater, radio and television and won more than 20 literary awards in Brazil and elsewhere. Prata's interest in linguistic issues, a common choice among {cronistas}, leads to some of the most entertaining texts. In "Coentro" (Cilantro), for instance, he elaborates on how certain words sound as if they were acronyms. His satirical verve verges on several sexual themes, including the need for a Cuckold Anonymous. Prata's short texts often carry a story in which he develops a sort of theory on a given issue. In "Ponto de vista masculino" (Male's Point of View), for instance, he narrates in third person the tale of woman addicted to weight control spas. At a convenience store she buys a battery operated toy monkey which whistles nonstop in a flirting way. It becomes a companion for some private, self indulged striptease fantasies of her own. Later on, other spa women learn about the monkey's flirting. They start sharing his attention collectively, in dancing sessions, and soon develop an obsession about him. The problem arose when the monkey "got tired of so much distraction" and his batteries ran out late at night, when the stores were closed. Prata says even though the frustration was real, the whole spa slept well and happy that night, because they knew they would buy new batteries in the morning. He concluded: "they all had fun because they realized that pleasure happens in one's mind, not in one's flesh" (102).