Chelsea bangs out one hilarious book

Chelsea Handler spins a series of gut-busting tales in her latest, completely outrageous, laugh-out-loud book. "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang" offers a bevy of essays as unflattering as they are hilarious.

Fans of Handler, a stand-up comedian and host of E! television's "Chelsea Lately," are treated to a plunge down the rabbit hole with the follow-up to her best-seller, "Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea."

"Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang" adds new dimension to the definition of dysfunction, and it's hard to tell whether her outlandish stories are designed more to amuse herself or her fans.

Handler can bend the truth with greater ease than a pro weightlifter. She convinced Heather McDonald, a "Chelsea Lately" staff writer, that McDonald had been hired to write a comedic screenplay recalling the explosion of the Challenger space shuttle. And she conned her boyfriend into going to a dog's funeral under the guise that she'd killed the canine with seafood.

She hits her stride when discussing family. Her portrayals of her home life are chaotic and likely exaggerated, but so much fun to read. While her relationship with her siblings is tumultuous, it's also loving and fun, garnished with a little absurdity.

The book's strength lies in the passages about family. The Handler siblings share a cornball sense of humor (and they refer to their father as "Platypus"). It's a different twist on what makes a happy household, but it's an effective one.