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Liked It1 of 1 members found this review helpful “The funniest novels I have ever read are *A Confederacy of Dunces* (by John Kennedy Toole), *Lucky Jim* (by Kingsley Amis), and *Portnoy's Complaint* (by Phillip Roth). When I started *Home Land* I thought for a bit that it would join the list, but about one fourth way through I could see that...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “This was funny in a very pessimistic and bitter kind of way, but then I think it started trying to mean things and have deep things to say, and all it came up with in that pursuit was a lot of generic would be revelations. It should have stuck with the pessimism and bitterness, it's what it did best.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
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“This was funny in a very pessimistic and bitter kind of way, but then I think it started trying to mean things and have deep things to say, and all it came up with in that pursuit was a lot of generic would be revelations. It should have stuck with the pessimism and bitterness, it's what it did best.”
Joel B wrote this review Tuesday, February 28, 2012. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Utterly twisted and needlessly profane, but possibly the funniest novel I have ever read. Insightful, and unique.”
heminator wrote this review Sunday, October 23, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Interesting....darkly hysterical. This is a story writtren as a collection of updates one man writes to his high school newspaper as part of the "where are they now" section. As he approaches his high school reunion, he writes about his life and his series of failures and near successes while comparing himself to his former classmates. ”
Christine A wrote this review Thursday, September 2, 2010. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I'm not really sure how I feel about this book yet. I laughed my fanny off at times, scratched my head at times and also recoiled at times. I guess I liked it. I don't ever remember reading anything quite like it.”
Sean DePalma wrote this review Saturday, July 31, 2010. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Long live Teabag!”
Kind wrote this review Tuesday, July 27, 2010. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Oh! I REALLY liked this book! It was very original and had such a strong narrative presence! Though it was pretty dark, and rather bitter, it amounted to a surprisingly hysterical book. I found it really funny - though a bit disgusting in parts. The book had many great lines and was just terrific! I think that anyone who went to a public school in the suburbs will recognize aspects of this book. Fontana, towards the end, somehow started to remind me of a degenerate Mr. Belding... I will definitely read Lipsyte's other books! ”
Victoria K wrote this review Friday, May 14, 2010. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Light, like an 'alternative' American movie. ”
Hassan A wrote this review Tuesday, February 16, 2010. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
0 of 1 members found this review helpful“I'm all for bizarre, but I thought this was terrible. While really well written, it had no point, was rambling and came off as immature. How old do you need to be to get past high school?”
Erin S wrote this review Monday, December 21, 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No1 of 1 members found this review helpful“The funniest novels I have ever read are *A Confederacy of Dunces* (by John Kennedy Toole), *Lucky Jim* (by Kingsley Amis), and *Portnoy's Complaint* (by Phillip Roth). When I started *Home Land* I thought for a bit that it would join the list, but about one fourth way through I could see that this book probably wasn't going to make the "all time funniest" list, although the book is hilarious and worth reading.
moik wrote this review Thursday, March 10, 2011. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Lipsyte's ranting narrator, Lewis Miner, is one funny guy:
"Each of us walks to the beat of a different drummer. It's just that some of these drummers suck"
The characters in this book, some of whom, it seems, have written reviews of this book on Amazon.com (including Dr. Stacy Ryson) are a lot of fun. Miner's fixations are hilarious - he calls one of the characters Jazz Loretta because she was in the Jazz Dancing Club. He describes his ex-wife Gwendolyn as "that doe-eyed, elklike beauty." I'm still trying to imagine that. Lewis Miner, a.k.a. "Teabag," was pretty unsuccessful in high school, just about the lowest in the social hierarchy, so now he's stuck there writing obsessive, ranting contributions to the alumni newsletter, "Catamount Notes," and he can't even get them to print any of them.
About half way through I became discouraged and almost quit because the book just sort of floundered. Even the author is aware of this, he becomes discouraged and writes of his so-called updates, "There are no themes, no leitmotifs. There is no story."
I'm glad I stuck with it, though, because the book just keeps getting funnier even as the plot becomes sillier. Just look at the picture of the author on the back cover. I can imagine the photographer saying, "Okay, c'mon! Quit screwing around! Let's take the picture already!"
Highly recommended not for classic novel form but for intelligent humor.”
“This book cracked me up! I really related to the main character, Lewis Minor, in some areas, but certainly not all areas. This book is an 'adults only' romp through a world where our hero writes to his High School Alumni newsletter and tells the truth about his miserable life. Through it all we get to know the characters that not only filled the halls of Eastern Valley, but also roamed the halls of our very own High schools. The bullies, the preps, the stoners....they are all here.”
Reojames wrote this review Wednesday, October 22, 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
